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Can I Keep Plants in My Bedroom?

There’s an urban myth that keeping plants in your bedroom is harmful, but we’re here to debunk that inaccuracy. Plants have many benefits, making them a fantastic addition to your nighttime space.

Just like humans, plants give off carbon dioxide. During respiration, a process that is almost the opposite of photosynthesis, part of the very carbon dioxide they take in for photosynthesis is returned to the atmosphere. It was believed for quite some time that this could cause carbon dioxide poisoning.

Fortunately, this isn’t the case.

While most plants release carbon dioxide at night — because photosynthesis halts when there is no sunlight — the amount given off isn’t enough to be harmful. Some plants perform a particular type of photosynthesis called Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM), where they exchange gases at night and photosynthesize during the day.

So let’s talk about why it’s good to have plants in your bedroom, when you should avoid them, and some of the best types for bedroom decor.

What Are the Benefits of Having Plants in the Bedroom?

Plants Help Improve Your Sleep

It’s known that being close to plants and taking care of them helps reduce stress and anxiety. This is an excellent reason for having them in a space where you want to feel peaceful and tranquil. They do have a couple of specific reasons for how they even help you sleep better.

Higher Oxygen Levels

The cells throughout our body require oxygen to create energy and keep us going. A boost in atmospheric oxygen levels gives extra energy to our mind and body, allowing us to perform at higher levels and feel better overall.

During the day, plants give off a considerable amount of oxygen while simultaneously reducing the carbon dioxide levels in the air. We know this switches at night — hence the urban legend about not keeping plants in the bedroom — but the additional oxygen carries over through the nighttime, helping our bodies. The particular plants that exchange gases at night further increase oxygen levels.

CAM plants:

Sleep-Inducing Fragrances

Research has proven that scents can influence the mind and help ease stressful thoughts. They stimulate your olfactory senses when you smell certain fragrances, signaling the brain to relax.

Using scents in your bedroom to relax is great if you suffer from poor sleep or insomnia. They can help soothe your nerves and improve your sleep quality.

Plants with calming scents:

Reduction in Distracting Noises

Plant leaves and stems also have the natural ability to absorb sounds and buffer background noises that keep us awake at night. Fleshy leaves and rough bark are particularly good at dampening noise because of their dynamic surface area.

Place plants close to the walls and windows to trap sounds that bounce off the walls or through the glass. Setting them in the center of the room isn’t as effective.

Sound-absorbing plants:

Ferns
Baby’s tears
Peace lily
Rubber plant
Weeping fig
Norfolk Island pine
Fiddle leaf fig
Areca palm
Monstera

Plants Help Purify the Air

The quality of the air that we breathe has a significant impact on our overall health and how we feel on a day-to-day basis. Indoor air quality is considerably worse than the air outdoors, especially when it isn’t mixed with fresh air. Adding houseplants to your space can improve the air in your home significantly.

Research conducted by NASA has proven that plants play a pivotal role in improving air quality. They help reduce carbon dioxide levels and filter harmful chemicals out of the air. They can remove almost 90% of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, benzene, carbon monoxide, ammonia, and xylene.

Some of the best air-purifying plants:

Azalea
Bamboo palm
English ivy
Gerbera daisy
Golden pothos
Peace lily
Red-edge dracaena
Snake plant
Spider plant

When Should You Avoid Having Plants in the Bedroom?

There are a couple of instances when you’d want to avoid having plants in the bedroom.

If you were concerned about increased carbon dioxide levels in your bedroom from your plants, there’s no need to worry! The amount they release is small enough that it isn’t harmful, and the benefits of having them in your room far outweigh any concerns!

So go ahead and add your favorite plants to your nighttime space, and you may find yourself sleeping better than ever.

How to Prune Houseplants for Better Growth and Appearance

Most houseplants require regular pruning for optimal health. But do it wrong, and you might cause long-term problems. Here are five steps for correctly pruning houseplants.

Keeping houseplants looking their best is a constant battle. If you give them ideal growing conditions, they’re likely to grow big and healthy.

However, it doesn’t take long for many varieties to start to look unwieldy, and dead leaves and flowers may promote disease and attract problem insects. Regular pruning will keep them looking their best and encourage better growth in the long run.

Here’s what you need to know to get started.

When to Prune Houseplants

Despite the fact that they spend their lives indoors, houseplants do best when pruned according to the seasons. Ideally, this pruning should occur at the beginning of their growing season, typically later in winter or early spring. Pruning too late in the season means you’ll take off new growth before it can get established.

For flowering species, it’s typically best to prune them as soon as they have finished blooming. This ensures you remove old growth without damaging future flower production.

Note: Most woody indoor plants will require year-round pruning to let you stay on top of dead branches.

Which Houseplants to Avoid Pruning

While most houseplants will benefit from regular pruning, some varieties will struggle from any trimming and won’t grow back once their tops have been cut off. These include most varieties of pines, cacti, and orchids.

The situation is even worse for palms because they form what is known as a terminal dominant bud at the top of the plant. Trim it off, and the whole plant dies. The only pruning these varieties can handle is careful trimming to remove dead leaves.

How to Prune Houseplants

Taking kitchen shears to your potted plants and cutting off everything that looks out of place won’t lead to the results you’re looking for. A better way to make your houseplants look their best is to prune them according to these steps.

1. Observe Your Plant

Before you get to work with scissors, it’s critical to observe your plant and form a plan. Notice its overall shape — does it look too spindly or uneven on one side? Are there signs of diseased or dying foliage, and can you see if new buds are already forming?

Your goal is to get a sense of what you want the plant to look like afterward, so you aren’t going in blind. Taking time to note what needs to change on your plant ensures you’ll make the right cuts to make it look its best.

Likewise, research the plant variety beforehand to understand how it handles the trauma of pruning. Some, like snake plants, pothos, and spider plants, can handle lots of leaves being removed at once. Others, like ficus trees, go into shock if you remove too much at one time.

Remember: Less is more with pruning! You can always go back and cut off more, but you can’t restore plant material once you remove it.

2. Choose and Prep Your Tools

Pruning houseplants goes best when you have the proper tools available. Make sure you have a sharp set of scissors or garden shears so you cause minimal trauma to the stems.

Consider cleaning your tools beforehand by soaking them in a solution of water with a teaspoon of bleach. This ensures you won’t spread pathogens or disease spores from one plant to another.

Note: It’s also smart to clean tools before moving from one plant to another.

3. Remove Dead Leaves and Stems

Once you’re ready to prune, start by cutting off all the withered stems and leaves. You may be able to pull them off by hand, depending on how dry they are. Aim to remove them at a 45-degree angle to reduce damage to the plant tissue left behind.

Look for signs of disease and insect infestation at this time. Any infected stems and leaves should be treated or removed.

4. Trim Off Fading Flowers

Next, go through the plant and remove all dead and wilting flowers. This process, known as deadheading, will encourage any species to produce new buds so you get continuous flowers all season.

You likely won’t harm the plant by pinching these spent blooms, but cutting them off with scissors is also fine. Aim to get as close to the main stem as possible, so you aren’t left with unsightly stems.

5. Cut Back Overgrown Stems and Branches

It’s now time to reshape the houseplant and remove leggy growth. This is an excellent time to remove leggy growth and reshape the plant to the size you prefer.

Start by pruning back half of the longest branch on the plant, angling the cut at 45 degrees. Trim off any side shoots that look out of place, taking care to cut to just above nodules on the stem. This is the place where leaves meet the stems and buds form. New growth will come from these spots, and removing them will make the plant look sparse.

Note: Never remove more than 10-20% of a plant’s foliage in one setting. Over-pruning will cause it stress and slow down the overall growth. If you need to remove large amounts of the houseplant, it’s best to wait several weeks between cutting sessions to give the plant a chance to recover.

Optional: Propagate Cuttings for More Plants

There’s no need to toss pruned plant material after tending to your houseplants. If your space allows, you can save these cuttings from propagating them into new plants.

Propagation instructions will vary based on the plant type, so research the variety before starting to determine what steps to take. You may need to lightly bury the stems in soil or place them in water.

Prune Houseplants for Better Performance

Caring for your houseplants through regular pruning will go a long way towards keeping them in optimal condition. Plan out your pruning strategy carefully, and you’ll be rewarded with healthy plants for the long run.

How to Mend Your Lawn by Sowing and Planting on the Bare Areas

Finding bare areas on your lawn may be concerning at first. But if you know how to fix the issue, you can restore your lawn quicker and more easily than you might expect. This article will show you how.

Bare areas in your lawn can be quite a frustrating sight. Fortunately, there’s more than one way to mend your lawn and return it to its best form. Here are two fantastic ways to remove bare areas from your lawn and help it look its best.

The Two Best Ways to Get Rid of Bare Areas on Your Lawn

While bare lawn patches can appear for many different reasons, the remedies for this problem are a bit less numerous. In general, there are two go-to ways to mend a lawn with bare patches:

Both those methods can be incredibly effective for eliminating the bare patches on your lawn. Now, let’s consider the steps you need to take to implement each one.

Filling Bare Lawn Areas with Seed

Our first option for mending your lawn’s bare patches is to sow grass seed in the affected areas. However, fixing your lawn using seeds can involve more work than it first appears. The following sections will walk you through the most important steps in the process.

Remove Existing Dead Grass

Sowing new seeds to mend bare patches begins with removing any dead or dried-out vegetation in the area. Use a rake to tease out any existing grass blades or other plant debris. Your goal at this stage is to create an exposed area of soil into which you can sprinkle your seeds.

Improve the Soil

As is the case with nearly all plants, your grass will benefit from soil improvements. Such improvements could include loosening the soil to give the roots a better chance of spreading. You can also consider adding organic materials at this point to improve the nutrient quality of the soil and give your grass seed plenty of fuel, which it can use to grow and fill the bare area.

Sow Your Grass Seed

Once you have an exposed patch of loose and healthy soil, sprinkle your grass seed into the area. Be sure to spread the seed evenly rather than allowing it to pile up in one part of the bare patch. Spreading your seed as evenly as possible, without overcrowding one particular area, will lead to even and consistent future grass growth.

Give Your Sown Seed Water

After sowing your seeds, you’ll need to give them plenty of water both right away and for the days to follow. Continue watering about once or twice per day for about one to two weeks, or until your grass looks healthy and ready to mow. At that point, you can water your new grass patch as often as you do for the rest of your lawn.

Filling Bare Lawn Areas with Sod

Now that you know one of the most reliable ways to mend bare lawn patches, it’s time to learn the second popular approach. If you choose to repair your lawn with sod, follow these simple steps.

Cut a Piece of Sod to Cover the Area

Start by cutting a piece of sod that can cover the entirety of your bare area. Sod pieces come in regular rectangular shapes, while bare patches tend to be quite irregular. As such, you should cut your sod so that it is slightly larger than the bare area to ensure that it covers the area entirely.

Remove Existing Grass

After cutting your sod, cut your bare lawn area to match the shape of your sod piece. In most cases, you’ll need to remove both the dead grass and some otherwise healthy grass to ensure your sod will fit neatly in the area. Your result should be a neat rectangular patch of exposed soil that has a nearly identical shape and size to the sod you cut in the last step.

Improve the Soil

Once you remove the existing grass, you can remove some soil as well. Taking away some soil will help your new sod piece be level with the rest of your lawn. This stage is also an opportunity to loosen the soil and add any amendments like compost that will encourage healthy grass growth.

Lay the Sod on Your Bare Patch and Water

The final step is to lay your sod piece into your bare lawn area. If you made your cuts correctly, this should be quite easy to do. When your sod is in place, you should walk on it to press it into the ground. As was the case when sowing grass seed, you’ll need to water your new sod patch at least once a day for at least a week.

Conclusion

Mending bare lawn patches takes patience and some effort on your part. But if you use one of the two reliable methods described above, you can expect your lawn to be lush and free of unsightly bare patches once again.

Don’t Let Cutworms Take Over Your Garden!

Cutworms may be small, but they can cause a lot of damage. Follow these tips to control an outbreak and keep your seedlings safe from harm.

All gardeners agree: There’s nothing worse than watching seemingly healthy seedlings get decimated out of nowhere. If you suddenly find your garden plants getting snipped off at the base, you may be dealing with a cutworm infestation.

These tiny insects can cause significant damage, but understanding the problem means that you can take steps to get your growing space back under control. Cutworms are found on every continent except Antarctica. They are an extremely prevalent garden pest that can be tricky to control. Here’s how to identify cutworms and keep your garden safe from attack.

What are Cutworms?

There are more than 200 types of insects identified as “cutworms” in the United States. Most are the larvae of night-flying moths in the Noctuidae family. The adult moths lay eggs in grass and weeds, where caterpillars hatch and migrate into the soil.

These small insects curl their bodies around stems to feed on them, slowly cutting off the stem right at the soil surface. They typically live along the soil line and feast on plant stems. Over time, they will completely gnaw off the stem.

Young plants are the most vulnerable because they have the thinnest stems. That’s partly why cutworms tend to cause the most damage in the spring.

Cutworm larvae attack a variety of plants, including kale, cabbage, broccoli, beets, and cauliflower. In the right conditions, they will also go after fruits like strawberries, melons, and tomatoes, and they can attack lawns.

Identifying cutworms can be a challenge since each variety looks somewhat different. Color options range from black to brown, tan, gray, and even pink or green. Many are spotted or striped. Most varieties are smaller than two inches long, and they tend to curl up in a C shape if you poke or pick them up.

You’ll rarely see cutworms on the plants themselves since they hide in the soil during the daytime. Nighttime is when they come out to feed. Cutworms can easily destroy 75% or more of a crop when left untreated.

How to Diagnose Cutworms in the Garden

Identifying whether cutworms are the culprits for your garden’s damage can be a challenge, since the destruction usually happens at night.

One way to tell whether you have cutworms is if an entire row or section of plants are lopped off at the base rather than a few isolated plants. Some will cause damage to foliage, buds, and shoots, and even tunnel into fruit.

When cutworms attack turf grass, they will leave dead brown circles that are easier to identify. One sign of cutworms is when more birds than usual are eating bugs off your lawn.

You may have just one variety of cutworm in your garden, or be dealing with several at once. Regardless, all cutworm infestations require the same treatment.

Treating a Cutworm Infestation

Lose your plants to cutworms once, and you’ll be motivated to eradicate the problem for good. There are many strategies for getting an outbreak under control. Here’s what you can try.

1. Handpick worms. Wait until dusk and pull worms off plants by hand. This works best after a rainstorm or thorough watering.

2. Time your watering. Cutworms don’t like to travel in dry soil, so water in the morning and lightly disturb the soil so the top dries out while moisture gets trapped beneath it. This keeps the worms underground and away from stems.

3. Boost beneficial nematodes. These soil dwellers attack and destroy cutworms. You can buy them live to introduce into your garden.

4. Spread diatomaceous earth. Pour a line of diatomaceous earth around plants to create a deadly barrier that cutworms can’t cross.

5. Try pesticides. Some gardeners have luck controlling cutworms by spraying pesticides like Bt at weekly intervals while their seedlings emerge. Regular application is necessary because the spray will wash off quickly. However, since cutworms spend most of their time underground, pesticides are often unsuccessful.

6. Remove Mulch. Don’t use mulch where you have infestations to reduce habitat space for the worms.

7. Make your plants less appetizing. A regular wash of dish soap on your seedlings is a nontoxic strategy to deter cutworms from attacking plants.

8. Apply bacteria. Bacterial treatments like Bacillus thuringiensis can kill off young larvae before they cause damage.

Preventing Cutworms for the Long Term

The best way to keep your plants safe from cutworms is to avoid introducing them in the first place. Here are strategies for preventing this pest population from getting established:

Maintain a 4-foot barrier of open dirt between your lawn and your garden to prevent cutworms from traveling over.
Till in the spring and fall to kill some of the cutworms that have overwintered and expose the larva to birds and other predators.
Plant mustard, sunflowers, lamb’s quarters, and quack grass far from your garden, surrounded by pheromone moth traps. They will attract and trap the adults before they can lay eggs.
Incorporate birdhouses and bat boxes into your garden space so these natural predators can feast on cutworms.

Keep Cutworms Out of the Garden for Good!

By following these prevention tips, you can help keep cutworm populations under control and lessen the risk of these tiny caterpillars taking over your garden. It takes diligence and lots of observation to keep these insects in check, but the results for your garden are well worth the effort.

How to Plant Tomatoes in Your Garden

Growing tomatoes is a rewarding summer activity, even for beginning gardeners. Give your plants the right start, and you’ll soon be enjoying a bumper crop of fresh produce.

Tomatoes are a classic garden crop — and for good reason. Not only are they space-efficient and suitable for a range of growing conditions, but they are impressive producers that leave you with an abundance of garden bounty for your efforts. Best of all, tomatoes are relatively easy to grow, even for beginners.

Whether you plan to start your plants from seed or purchase seedlings from a local nursery, this guide will help you get your best crop of tomatoes yet. But be warned — one bite of a homegrown tomato, and you’ll never be satisfied with store-bought again.

What Kind of Tomato?

Your first decision is whether to purchase tomato transplants or start the crop from seed. The biggest advantages of starting seeds are low costs and greater variety. You can buy a packet of 20+ seeds for the price of one seedling and can choose from dozens more varieties than offered at most nurseries.

Either way, it’s essential to know what kind of variety you’re growing. Tomatoes come in three main types:

Open-pollinated: These seeds are pollinated naturally through insects or wind. The seed will only grow true to the parent if you can ensure another variety didn’t pollinate it.
Heirloom: These are open-pollinated varieties that have been passed down for generations.
Hybrid: These seeds result from controlled breeding practices and are typically listed as F1 varieties. Don’t save the seeds; they won’t grow true to their parent.

Tomatoes can also be determinate or indeterminate. Determinate tomatoes will produce one crop of fruit and stop, while indeterminate will produce throughout an entire growing season.

How to Start Tomatoes from Seed

Starting tomatoes from seed is easier than most think and takes minimal space.

1. Plan the Timing

It takes between 6-8 weeks for tomatoes started from seed to be ready to go in the garden. Leave them indoors too long, and they will grow too leggy and become less adaptable to outdoor conditions.

So, count back from the last predicted frost date for your region and start your seeds indoors according to this timeframe. Ideally, you should be getting your plants outside one week after the last frost.

2. Prep Your Containers

There’s no limit to the kinds of containers you can use for starting seeds. Standard plastic 1020 seed trays work well, or you can use biodegradable paper cups. Some people save plastic containers all year for starting seeds. Whatever you use, make sure the containers are thoroughly cleaned before use and have drainage holes along the bottom.

3. Get a Seed Starting Mix

Tomato plants can only grow as healthy as the soil they’re planted in. Give them the best start with a high-quality potting mix that contains plenty of nitrogen. The best mixes tend to include a combination of peat, vermiculite, and perlite. Make sure it isn’t packed too tightly, so the roots have space to expand.

4. Plant Carefully

Once the soil is prepped, you’re ready to plant. Tomato seeds should only go one quarter-inch deep; otherwise, they may struggle to sprout. Ensure the soil is thoroughly moistened, and label each variety to keep things organized. You can speed up germination with a plastic cover placed over the seed trays.

5. Provide Light and Moisture

Keep the planters in a space with plenty of light — south-facing windows or grow lights will work well. Any “leggy” growth is a sign you need to boost the lighting. The soil should stay consistently moist but not oversaturated. Too much water, and you’ll encourage rot.

You should start to see seedlings emerge within two weeks.

How to Harden Tomato Seedlings

After 6-8 weeks of growth, your tomato seedlings will be sturdy plants with true leaves. Now it’s time to start acclimating them to outdoor conditions. This process, called hardening, needs to happen slowly. Move too fast, and you’ll shock the plants beyond recovery.

Start by bringing your seedlings outdoors for a few hours. Extend the time daily, so they are gradually introduced to more sunlight. After two weeks, they should be ready to stay outdoors permanently.

Note: Hardening is also essential for nursery-grown tomatoes.

Prepping Garden Beds for Tomatoes

Tomatoes thrive in nitrogen-rich soil with good drainage. They are excellent candidates for raised beds if your backyard soil isn’t ideal.

Several weeks before planting, check the planting location to ensure it’s workable at least 8-10 inches down. Consider performing a soil test to determine what amendments to add. A healthy dose of aged compost is always a good idea.

Tomatoes need warm soil. Speed up the process in the spring by covering the ground with black plastic to absorb the heat. This will also prevent weed germination before planting.

How to Plant Tomatoes

Wait to plant tomatoes until a cloudy day after the risk of frost has passed. Water the seedlings well beforehand, and dig holes in the soil slightly larger than the pot they are grown in. Take care to disturb the roots as little as possible to reduce planting stress.

Tomatoes thrive when buried deep, as it encourages a strong root system. Space each plant at least 18-inches apart, and add a light layer of mulch around the base of the plants. This will reduce weed competition and help retain soil moisture.

Tomato Plant Maintenance

Keep the plants weed-free and well-watered throughout the summer, staking or trellising the plants as they start to grow tall. Consider feeding them with a tomato-specific fertilizer if you see signs of struggle — especially as the fruit begins to form.

By giving tomatoes the best start at the beginning of the growing season, you’re setting yourself up for relatively easy maintenance for the rest of the summer. Relax now that the hardest work is done, and start planning how you will put your backyard tomato harvest to use.

5 Steps for Making a Vegetable Planting Bed

When you’re ready to expand your vegetable garden, it may be a good time to install a new planting bed. The process doesn’t have to be overwhelming; here are the steps to success.

Warmer weather means just one thing to plant lovers — it’s time to start gardening! That’s also the perfect time to create a new garden bed.

However, creating a new planting space isn’t as simple as pulling up weeds and planting seeds. You need to correctly set up the planting bed to give plants the best chance of success and to ensure that it’s a space you can maintain for years to come.

Not sure where to begin? Here’s a guide for getting started.

Which Style of Garden Bed?

Most gardeners start the spring season full of enthusiasm and ready to get dirty. It can be tempting to immediately toss seeds in the ground to get started on the action. However, without prepping for the right kind of soil, you’ll be left without much to show for your effort.

The first step is deciding what kind of planting space you want. The two main options for a permanent vegetable garden are raised beds and in-ground beds.

Raised Beds

These growing spaces are contained in boxes and elevated off the ground. They can be made from wood, metal, cinder blocks, and almost any material that won’t leach toxins into the planting space.

The advantage of growing in raised beds is that it gives you complete control of the soil quality. If your ground is naturally rocky, sandy, waterlogged or lacking in nutrients, growing in a raised bed lets you avoid these complications by bringing in optimal soil instead.

In-Ground Garden Beds

These traditional garden beds are created directly in the ground. They cost less to set up because you aren’t buying building materials or yards of soil. However, they can be harder to maintain and keep weed-free, and you may need to add more soil amendments in the long run because they will leach out of the planting space into the surrounding soil.

Note: The rest of this article will focus on establishing in-ground garden beds.

Choosing a Vegetable Garden Location

The first step to establishing a vegetable planting bed is to choose a location. Ideally, you want a space with full sun exposure and soil that’s naturally nutrient-rich with good drainage.

Other factors worth considering:

How easy the soil is to work (does it give easily or take a lot of effort)
Square footage and potential vertical space for growing
Wind exposure
Close proximity to a water source
Salt exposure (if near the ocean)
Whether there are well-established weeds that are hard to remove
Easily accessible (ensures you'll spend time in it regularly)

Preparing Soil for a Garden Bed

Once you’ve chosen the best location for your garden bed, it’s time to prep the soil. Vegetables need to grow in nutrient-rich ground that contains lots of organic material. It’s a good idea to pay for a soil test to determine what your land is deficient in so you can amend it right away.

Follow these steps to prep space for planting vegetables:

1. Remove Sod and Weeds

When you start a garden bed from scratch, the odds are good it’s covered in grass or a thick layer of yields. The first step is removing them to leave you with a blank slate of soil.

Use a long-handled, flat-bladed shovel to cut the bed into strips to make pulling weeds and sod easier. Start around the outside of the bed and work your way into the middle until only bare dirt is left behind.

2. Create a Border

The best garden beds are well-defined in the space. This prevents weeds and grasses from creeping in and helps you know precisely where to apply amendments so you don’t waste them.

Use edging to create a natural border around your bed. This can be anything from black plastic landscaping material to bricks, rocks, or even a wooden fence. Just make sure the material goes far enough in the ground to prevent weeds from growing through.

3. Amend the Soil

Once the soil is bare, it’s time to amend it for growing vegetables. Ideally, you’ll want to add lots of aged manure or organic compost to infuse it with nutrients. Make sure you research how thick to distribute the compost so you don’t accidentally overload the soil.

Once added, mix it into the top few inches of soil to ensure that plant roots can easily access it.

Note: You may need to adjust your amendments based on what you plan to grow in the bed. Too much of certain nutrients, such as nitrogen, can cause plants to put all their energy into leaf production at the expense of flowers and fruit. That’s fine if you want to harvest kale, but bad news if you prefer tomatoes.

4. Till the Soil (if Needed)

There are many philosophies around tilling soil. Some people prefer to leave the ground as-is so not to disturb the microbial life within it. Others till regularly to remove weeds and make it easier to work.

No matter your perspective, it’s usually smart to till at least once when establishing a new garden bed to create a clean slate with less weed competition for your new plants. Consider turning up the soil by hand with a shovel or pitchfork, or use a small rototiller to make the process easier.

5. Add Mulch

It’s unnatural for soil to be left uncovered for long. Not only will leaving it bare make it dry out quickly, but it also leads to erosion and leaves you without the nutrients you’ve put into it.

For this reason, it’s wise to cover vegetable beds soon after prepping them. Look for biodegradable materials like straw or leaf litter that will break down within a season and add more nutrients to the soil.

Prepping a new vegetable bed can be a challenge, but the fun part comes soon after! Enjoy planting seeds and seedlings in your new garden space, and you’ll enjoy the fruits of your effort all season long.

What Garden Chores You Need to Do Before Summer Arrives

There is always work to do in the garden, especially in late spring. Read on to learn a few of the most important garden tasks you should complete before the summer months arrive.

If you want your garden to be as beautiful and productive as possible during the summer, you need to put in some work during the spring. Specifically, the maintenance tasks you complete in the late spring can work wonders for your garden and allow it to grow healthily throughout the rest of the growing season. Here is a breakdown of what those tasks are and how you can complete them on your own.

5 Important Garden Tasks to Complete in Late Spring

As you likely know, there are many gardening activities you can do in spring. However, many gardeners fail to recognize which of these activities is most important during the late spring months. Below are five essential late-spring tasks that you should not neglect:

Each of those chores plays a different role in your garden’s health. Continue reading to learn how you can implement each one.

Prune Spring-Blooming Trees and Shrubs

While many plants do best with early-spring pruning, there are other tree and shrub species that you should avoid pruning at those times. Specifically, woody plants that bloom in the spring should not receive pruning cuts until later in the season. Pruning these plants too early will remove their flower buds and diminish their seasonal blooms.

If you have spring-blooming plants that hold their buds on old wood, wait until the blooms have faded in late spring. Then make pruning cuts to remove dead and damaged limbs, and shape the plant to your liking. As always, you should study the specific pruning needs of your plants before you start removing branches.

Harvest Plants That Bear Fruit in Spring

If you choose to plant edible plants in the fall, then you can expect many of them to be ready for harvest in the spring season. Plants such as onions and spring-bearing strawberries are among the plants that you’ll want to harvest at this time. Harvesting your plants in late spring not only gives you some healthy produce to eat, but it also supports the health of your plants and gives you space to plant more crops to harvest later.

Plant Crops to Harvest in Summer and Fall

As the last section suggested, late spring can be a time to harvest some plants. It is also an ideal time to plant edible species that will be ready for harvest in the summer and fall. In fact, some of the most popular garden vegetables can go into the ground during this season.

Tomatoes and honeydew are among the plants that thrive in the warm soil that late spring and summer can provide. Planting such fruits and vegetables in mid to late spring gives them plenty of time to develop over the growing season, making for an ample harvest a few months later.

Prepare Your Beds for Summer Heat

The hot temperatures that accompany the summer season can be a threat to your plants. Strong sunlight can cause your plants to dry out and decline, especially during heat waves or periods of extreme drought. Fortunately, there are ways that you can anticipate and prepare for the summer heat.

One of the most reliable methods for combating harsh summer weather is to cover your planting beds with a thick layer of organic mulch. Mulch layers help the soil retain moisture and minimize sudden temperature shifts.

At times, you may have advanced notice about a heatwave. When you get such notice, you would be wise to begin watering your beds in advance. Providing water ahead of a hot summer dry spell gives your plants a much better chance of remaining hydrated and healthy.

Transfer Indoor Plants Outside

Many gardeners grow container plants that enjoy warm weather year-round. The best way to do that in colder regions is to overwinter those plants until the cold weather has subsided. Typically, late spring is a safe time to reintroduce your indoor plants to the outdoors. However, you should pay attention to your plant’s needs and the specifics of your local climate to determine the perfect time to transfer these plants outside.

Conclusion

Tending to a garden is a year-round effort, and late spring is one of the most crucial times to perform some vital garden maintenance. If you follow the advice in this article and complete the five tasks described, you can rest assured that your garden will be vigorous and attractive for months to come.

Poppy Anemone

Wildly popular as cut flowers, Anemone coronaria are just as at home in an ornamental garden as they are in a floral arrangement. With papery petals in an array of colors arranged around a striking dark central eye, the blooms bear a strong resemblance to poppies.

Anemone coronaria is also known as the poppy anemone, windflower, and Spanish marigold. Perennial in its native habitats — Israel, Greece, Turkey, and throughout the Middle East — in cooler climates it is typically cultivated as an ornamental flower.

The Poppy Anemone in Legend and Myth

In Arabic, the poppy anemone is called “Shaqa’iq An-Nu’man,” which can be translated literally as “the wounds/pieces of Nu’man.” It is widely believed that the origins of this name date to ancient times. Tammuz, the Summerian god of food and plants, was called Nea’man in Phoenician. In Greek mythology, Tammuz most likely became Adonis, the god who died of wounds inflicted while hunting. He was said to be transformed into a blood-stained flower that grew where he fell. The Phoenician “Nea’man” is most likely the origin of the Arabic “An-Nu’man” which eventually became Anemone in the Greek translation.

Alternatively, the name might have also come from the last Lakhmid king of Al-Hirah (582-c.609 AD), An-Nu’man III Bin Al-Munthir. During his reign, he was known to have officially protected the Anemone coronaria flower. Ancient folklore holds that after the death of the king, the flower sprung up over An-Nu’man’s grave — an interesting myth that mirrors that of Adonis.

Windflower Significance Today

The Hebrew name for the anemone poppy is “kalanit metzuya.” The literal translation is “common bride,” a reference to the delicate and precious beauty of the flower, not unlike a bride walking down the aisle. So beloved are Anemone coronaria blooms in Israel that they were elected the national flower in 2013. They are a protected species in the country, and each year during bloom season, from mid-January through the final week of February, a festival in the southern region of Negev celebrates the widely admired plant. The festival, called Darom Adom, includes bike tours, marches, and races through the fields of the region painted red with blossoms. It is a wonderful time to experience the anemone poppy in its native habitat and get a taste of the culture where it hails from.

Popular A. coronaria Varieties

While the native species of the anemone poppy are red, there are other varieties as well:

A. coronaria aka ‘Blue Poppy’ — A variety featuring smooth, violet-blue single blooms with a velvety black center.
A. coronaria aka ‘Mount Everest’ — An unusual pale variety with a densely ruffled double bloom of creamy-white petals arranged around a chartreuse green center.
A. coronaria aka ‘Sylphide’ — A profuse, poppy-like bloomer, with bright fuchsia petals encircling a deep-purple center featuring a bright yellow ring.
A. coronaria aka ‘Lord Lieutenant’ — This dense variety features a bright purple double bloom with a deep near-black center.
A. coronaria de Caen aka ‘Hollandia’ — An iconic variety distinguished by scarlet petals that are white at their base with a black button center.

Can I Grow Anemone coronaria Successfully?

Most gardeners find anemones are a challenge to cultivate from seed but are shockingly easy to grow from bulbs. They are rabbit- and deer-resistant (because all parts of the plant are toxic when ingested), so they need no protection from hungry beasts. The claw-like bulbs of the anemone poppy are called corms, and perform best when fall-planted in for warmer climates and spring-planted where it is colder.

Find a sunny spot with excellent drainage and soak the corms for several hours before planting. They will perform best in clayey soils if you add organic material such as compost and raise the level several inches to improve drainage. Although anemones are generally drought-tolerant, they will benefit from a watering schedule. Plant corms 5 inches deep and spaced at least 3 to 6 inches apart. Anemone poppies will add beautiful color and interest to borders, flower beds, rock gardens, and cottage gardens.

To propagate anemone poppies, wait until the summer when they have died back and become completely dormant. Using a forked implement, lift tubers carefully to avoid damaging them. Next, divide the tubers into individual corms and either replant them immediately or store them somewhere dark, cool, and dry to replant later in the autumn or spring.

Size: 10 in– 2 ft (25-60 cm) tall

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 7–10

Light Duration : Full sun

Soil: Well-drained

Blooming Time: Spring

Weigela

In late spring, cascades of flowers erupting from Weigela florida brightens up gardens. The dense, rounded shrub is a landscape favorite, featuring profuse clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers in various shades of pink that arch toward the ground on long stems. In early spring, the foliage emerges first, offering an early pop of color before bursting into bloom in the weeks before summer and continuing through the summer season.

An ornamental shrub, weigela is native to North China, Korea, and Japan but was imported to Europe in the 1800s. The pink blooms of weigela have historically been associated with grace and faithfulness. Today, this hardy member of the Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle) family is indispensable as a landscape plant, often used in borders and massings.

There are more than three dozen species of Weigela florida, in an array of different sizes, a wide range of foliage colors, and featuring funnel-shaped flowers in a handful of hues. Because weigela foliage ranges from striking variegation to deep purple, it can be used to add visual interest in the garden beyond bloom season.

Uses for Weigela

Weigela is a strictly ornamental plant, with no properties that make it suitable for food or medicinal purposes. Nevertheless, it is a versatile garden staple, able to be used in foundation plantings, borders, and hedges. The variety in sizes and foliage mean that there are varieties well-suited to large public spaces as well as small residential gardens.

Although it doesn’t offer humans any nutrition, weigela is a valuable plant for pollinators. Its long bloom season and prolific blossoms attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds to gardens for months on end — delighting wildlife enthusiasts.

Places to See Collections of Weigela

Lovers of weigela who wish to see the full glory of this shrub in person can visit two noteworthy European collections. In England, Sheffield Botanical Gardens holds the British Weigela national collection — with 145 cultivars derived from 10 species. Founded in 1997, the German Weigela national collection, Sichtungsgarten Weigela, is located in Buckow, Maerkische-Schweiz. This collection was curated from across Europe and contains around 150 cultivars representing every weigela species.

Popular Weigela florida Varieties

The native bleeding heart species are pink, but several wonderful cultivars in different colors exist:

W. florida aka ‘Elvera’ — Ideal for small gardens, this dwarf variety grows to no more than 18” and features deep-purple foliage with dark pink blooms.
W. florida aka ‘Sunset’ — Also known as “My Monet,” this dwarf weigela grows to 18” and is primarily prized for its tricolor variegated foliage in sunset hues.
W. florida aka ‘Dark Horse’ — A medium-sized shrub, this 3’ weigela has deep-purple foliage with contrasting chartreuse veins.
W. florida aka ‘Nain Rouge’ — A compact French cultivar whose name means “red dwarf,” this variety is noteworthy for foliage that turns brilliantly red in autumn.
W. florida aka 'Brigela' — Also known as “Moulin Rouge” or “French Lace,” this full-sized variety reaches 6’ and is loved for bright variegated foliage that lightens up dark garden areas.
W. florida aka ‘Carlton’ — Known as “Sonic Bloom” and “Ghost,” this unusual 5’ weigela begins the season with deep-green foliage that grows lighter and more golden through the year.
W. florida aka 'White Knight' — A densely branched, compact variety growing to 6' tall with white flowers.

Can I Grow Weigela Successfully?

Weigela is beloved by gardeners for how easy it is to cultivate and care for. This is an unfussy shrub that can thrive in full sun or part shade and is able to tolerate many different soil types, as long as the drainage is adequate.

New weigela plantings will need regular deep watering until they are established. During long hot spells it may be necessary to water these shrubs occasionally, but otherwise they typically thrive with little attention. Mature weigelas can grow leggy and weedy looking if not periodically pruned.

However, blooms only happen on old wood, so it is best to perform any pruning in late summer, just after the last flowers have faded. Mature plants may benefit from the removal of older, inner branches in late winter to improve the blooms in the following year.

One important note is that it is not actually necessary to prune weigela shrubs, as their natural shape is fountain-like and mounding. The only reason to prune is for shaping, to remove dead wood, or to reinvigorate the shrub to optimize flowering.

Size: 4–6 ft (120–180 cm) tall 4–6 ft (120–180 cm) spread

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 5–9

Light Duration : Full sun, part shade

Soil: Moist, well-drained

Blooming Time: Late spring to early summer

Persian Buttercup

With paper-thin petals layered like a French pastry, the vibrant colors of Ranunculus asiaticus bring a sweet flush of elegance to the garden in early spring. The cool-season perennial comes in a dizzying array of cheerful hues, from bisque white to velvety dark red.

The Ranunculus genus includes more than 400 flowering plants, but the Persian buttercup is the species that has been the most extensively cultivated for use in ornamental gardens and by florists. It’s no wonder why: Despite a delicate appearance, the rose-like flowers bloom for up to seven weeks a year, and the cut stems can last more than a week in bouquets.

Ranunculus Trivia

Typically found in wetlands or near bodies of water, the name ranunculus means “little frog” from the Latin words for frog, “rana,” and little, “unculus.” A native of Mediterranean regions of Southwest Asia, Europe, and northeastern Africa, the Persian buttercup was first introduced to Europe in the 16th century and is sometimes referred to as a turban buttercup.

Some flowers have many different meanings, but the ranunculus has only one: charm and attractiveness. In Victorian flower language, to give someone a ranunculus was to tell them that you found them physically attractive and had fallen for their charms.

Unlike many flowers favored by florists, the ranunculus is not strongly scented, making it a favorite in arrangements for folks with sensitive noses who dislike overwhelming floral fragrances.

Uses for Ranunculus

Persian buttercups are one of the most popular of all cut flowers in the world, but they were once prized for more than their beauty. Native Americans used the plant parts in poultices that were supposed to remove warts and treat muscle aches. In Europe, it is still used in some homeopathic applications, despite a lack of scientific evidence supporting its use to treat ailments.

A note of caution: Ranunculus species are all toxic to humans and animals. Consuming any part of the plant can cause abdominal pain and sickness. Even coming into contact with broken stems and leaves can result in rashes or blisters. So, it is best to wear gloves when cutting stems and to make sure children and pets keep their distance.

Popular Ranunculus Varieties

Ranunculus asiaticus aka ‘Accolade' — A bicolor variety featuring a gradient from rich yellow at the center to deep red at the petal ends.
Ranunculus asiaticus aka 'Cafe' — Striking bronze flowers have a classic, antique feel.
Ranunculus asiaticus aka 'Hanoi' — Powder-pink and ethereal, these are highly sought after for wedding arrangements.
Ranunculus asiaticus aka ‘Merlot’ — Deep, wine-dark flowers of the deepest red.
Ranunculus asiaticus aka 'Telecote' — Available in a wide range of colors, this variety produces large, dense double blossoms for up to six weeks.

Can I Grow Persian Buttercups Successfully?

Persian buttercups are fairly easy to grow, if you have the right conditions. These beauties thrive in places with mild winters and long, cool springs. However, they can still be grown as annuals in less ideal climates. Choose a sunny planting location with rich, well-drained soil.

Ranunculus can be cultivated from seed, but are more commonly grown from something known as a corm, which looks like a claw. Soak the corms for a few hours to hydrate them before planting. Good drainage is a must, so if your soil is heavy clay, you’ll want to amend and loosen the soil or plant in a container. Place the corms two inches deep and six inches apart with the claw side down. Water well when planting and then let them be. You should have growth in 90 days.

For an early spring bloom season lasting six to seven weeks, plant ranunculus corms in the fall. Planting in late winter will produce four to six weeks of flowers beginning in mid-spring. Applications of water-soluble fertilizer will promote robust growth. For long-lasting cut flowers, cut the stems when the flowers are still in bud but beginning to show color.

Size: 10”-24” (25-60 cm) tall

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 3-11(but must be overwintered indoors in zones 3-7)

Light Duration: Full sun

Soil: Moist, well-drained clay, loam, or sand

Blooming Time: Spring to Summer