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How to Create a Gravel and Rock Garden

Ready to achieve beauty through bold textures and jagged lines? Here’s everything you need to know about designing and building a gravel or rock garden in your yard.

Not all gardens need to rely on plants to make themselves attractive and inviting. Instead of colorful flowers and shapely curves, gravel and rock gardens achieve their beauty through their bold textures and jagged lines.

However, if you wish to enjoy that type of beauty in your yard, you’ll need to do some careful planning first. The right place to start is to learn how to create a gravel and rock garden that will not only look great but stand the test of time as well. Here’s how to do exactly that.

How to Build a Gravel or Rock Garden

Let’s address some of the more practical aspects of building a gravel or rock garden. No matter what your design intent may be, it will remain out of reach without solid preparation and construction measures. Here are five steps to get started.

1. Find or Make a Plant-Free Space

As is the case with any garden plan, the first step toward making a gravel garden is to delineate a distinct area in your yard. The most straightforward approach is to select a location that is:

Before you move on, you’ll need to remove all vegetation from the ground where your new rock garden will be. Use a shovel or a grub hoe to do a thorough job, leaving behind nothing but exposed soil.

2. Make the Ground as Level as Possible

With all existing vegetation out of your way, it is time to make the ground within the extents of your gravel garden as flat as possible. This stage of the process will be much easier if you take time to select a garden location that is relatively flat to begin with.

Use an iron rake to smooth the surface of the ground. Then use a hand tamper to compact the soil. Taking time to compact the soil beneath will help ensure your rock garden won’t settle or form divots over the years.

3. Consider Using Landscape Fabric

Landscaping fabric is an excellent material to incorporate into your gravel or rock garden construction process. Laying a layer of this material directly on top of the soil you just compacted is beneficial to your rock garden because it:

At times, installing landscape fabric is as easy as rolling it out on the compacted base of your garden. In other cases, such as on slopes, you may need to use stakes or some other means of fastening your fabric to the ground.

4. Set a Strong Edge

Setting a definitive edge to your garden spaces is a highly effective but often overlooked aspect of landscape design. Firm edges serve as a clear marker of where an outdoor space begins and ends while also giving it an exact shape.

When you make a gravel or rock garden, edges are critical because you’ll need them to keep the gravel in your rock garden in place. Without a suitable edge, a gravel garden will often fail to hold its form and deteriorate much more quickly. Here are some of the materials you can use to construct an edge for your rock garden:

5. Fill the Area with a Gravel Base

Once your edge is complete, it is time to fill your garden with gravel. Doing so is as straightforward as it sounds. When your gravel garden is full, use your iron rake to make the surface of your gravel look neat and smooth.

How to Make a Rock Garden that Looks Amazing

Now that you know some of the basics of how to build a rock garden, it is time to consider some of the ideas and garden elements that will take the visual appeal of your garden to the next level. Follow these four ideas to elevate your space’s beauty.

1. Focus on Materials

Rock garden design is all about finding the right set of materials. Once you find the right palette of rocks and stones, making an aesthetically pleasing rock garden will be a much simpler goal.

Take your time when considering the many colors and textures that you can choose for the gravel and other rocks that will give your garden its essential character.

2. Add Vertical Features

Typically, the most striking features of a rock garden are the ones that rise from the ground. Vertical garden elements can come in many forms, but large stones and boulders are most common in rock gardens. Those focal points usually have intriguing shapes or lines that captivate a garden visitor as much as any specimen plant.

3. Consider Growing Some Plants

Although a rock garden deviates from the norm by focusing on stone rather than plant life, there is no reason you can’t add plants as a part of your design. If you choose to grow plants, make sure you select species that can survive in growing conditions that a rock garden creates.

If you can find the right plants for your garden, they can serve as an eye-catching accent and give your rock garden a more welcoming and complete feel.

4. Apply Basic Landscape Design Principles

Although gravel and rock gardens are part of their own unique category, designing one is not all that different than designing any other type of garden. As you would in any other scenario, you should apply these basic concepts when planning and designing your new rock garden:

Understanding and applying those concepts is the key to designing any successful garden. So, be sure to remember them while you make your rock garden dreams into a reality.

Now You're Ready to Rock

Now that you know the basics of how to create a rock garden, you are ready to design and build one of your own. If you ever lose track of what to do next during that project, refer to the guide above. Remember that as long as you follow the correct design principles and construction techniques, there is nothing stopping you from making the perfect gravel garden for your yard.

15 Best Flowers for a Happy New Year

From symbolism to sheer beauty, these flowers are the top picks to have in your home for a festive new year.

Flowers are often bought for their beauty, selected because they are a particular color or scent, or they remind us of a specific time or event in our lives. Many people aren’t aware that flowers have amazing symbolism due to their rich history that often dates back to ancient times.

All around the world, flowers carry important symbolism that often carries over into different religions and cultures, regardless of the inherent beliefs or differences. Very few things are as beautiful and meaningful as flowers.

These 15 flowers are some of the most beautiful and meaningful ones to have in your home to help welcome in a happy new year.

1. Daffodil

A symbol of rebirth and new beginnings, daffodils — and other members of the narcissus genus — are recognized for their cheerful white and yellow flowers that push through the earth and bloom in early spring to announce the arrival of warmer days. They are known for their resilience, weathering the winter storms as strong little cheerful survivors to bring happiness and joy, along with an appreciation for being alive.

2. Daisies

Touting a long list of symbolic meanings, including positivity and new beginnings, daisies are a bright, cheerful staple in gardens and cut flower arrangements. Their symbolism stems from closing their petals each night and reopening them every morning to greet the sun. Daisies come in various colors, but the traditional white with yellow center disks appeals to many because of their simplicity.

3. White Lilies

Lilies have a long, rich history dating to ancient times. The different flower colors have a unique symbolism, but white lilies represent a fresh start, a clean slate, a new beginning. With its graceful stature and long stalks of blooms, the Easter lily is one of the most well-known white varieties. Due to its Christian symbolism, it is famous as a potted plant at Easter but is available as a cut flower year-round.

4. Orchids

Delicate and exotic, orchids represent love, luxury, abundance, strength, fertility, and innocence. But the individual colors also hold their own meaning. Red orchids are symbolic of courage, determination, perseverance, passion, and desire. Yellow orchids are thought to represent new beginnings, friendship, and joy. Green orchids are believed to bring good fortune and good health into your life.

5. Paperwhites

Another member of the narcissus genus, paperwhites stand for prosperity and good fortune, along with rebirth and the renewal of both energy and life. They are among the first bulbs to sprout and blossom in the late winter or early spring and are readily available as potted plants just before Christmas.

6. Gladiolus

Gladioli get their name from the Latin word “gladius” for their sword-shaped flower stalks. Their name pays homage to the Roman gladiators who donned gladiolus corms around their necks as they went into battle. There are over 225 different species available, but overall the flowers symbolize strength, honor, strong character, and moral integrity.

7. Lotus

Highly regarded in many cultures, predominantly Asian, lotus flowers signify rebirth and self-regeneration. The lotus flower lives in muddy, dirty water, pushing its way through the murkiness to emerge and bloom with beautiful, clean petals. This characteristic is the perfect analogy for the human condition — even when submerged in filth, the most beautiful flower can still bloom.

8. Stargazer Lilies

Stargazer lilies, with their beautiful pink and white blooms, signify prosperity, the fulfillment of a dream. A relatively new cultivar, they symbolize the fantastic success of the breeder, who worked fervently and tirelessly to achieve what he believed to be the ideal lily. Stargazer lilies are a prevalent mainstream variety with upward-facing flowers that appear to look toward the heavens.

9. Lily-of-the-Valley

Lily-of-the-valley has another rich history of symbolism. Dating to the Victorian era, lily-of-the-valley meant “return of happiness.” Today, these delicate white flowers are symbolic of both happiness and luck. It was believed that the bloom’s bell shape called in good spirits and worked to ward off evil forces. Greek mythology tells of Apollo, the God of the sun, growing lily-of-the-valley plants in the woods to protect the feet of his muses.

10. Verbena

Verbena’s symbolism dates to ancient Celtic and Roman cultures. This powerful, sacred herb represented happiness, creativity, and healing but also protected against evil. It was carried by soldiers and commoners for good luck and hung in homes to protect the structure against lightning.

11. Cornflower

The symbolism of cornflower (not to be confused with the coneflower) dates to ancient Egypt and is linked to good fortune, wealth, and prosperity. Each bloom stands for a single blessing, symbolic of positive hope for the future. The beautiful blue flowers are a humble reminder of the simple beauty in nature and the extensive cycle of life.

12. Hollyhock

Hollyhocks are known as symbols of ambition, fertility, and the cycle of life. Their symbolism may be derived from their nature of growing tall, spreading, and flowering for long periods to reseed prolifically. Without a doubt, they are ambitious in their growth, and their ability to reseed and produce many offspring year after year correlate highly with the circle of life and fertility. Traditional, they were planted at the front doors of the home to encourage prosperity.

13. Valerian

Traditionally, valerian is steeped in symbolism due to its Latin name, “valere,” which means healthy and strong, or “be well.” Plants are known for their homeopathic remedies and typically bear clusters of small white or pink flowers that also signify readiness and awareness of what is to come.

14. Peruvian Lily

Also known as alstroemeria, the Peruvian lily represents achievement, fortune, wealth, and prosperity. The flower’s symbolism comes from the six petals on each flower and their twisted leaves. The petals represent commitment, empathy, humor, patience, respect, and understanding; the leaves symbolize stability, bonding, and overcoming difficulties together.

15. Bird of Paradise

One of the most unique flowers, the tropical bird of paradise is a sight to behold. Its attractive shape and bright, bold colors make it the quintessential symbol of optimism, wonderful anticipation, excitement, magnificence, and excellence. The bird of paradise also represents freedom and overcoming obstacles in life, as we let go of our burdens and worries to embark on new adventures and unfamiliar places.

How to Prepare and Protect Your Garden From January Weather Extremes

The weather can be crazy in the dead of winter. Here’s a look at what you may encounter and three surefire ways to protect your plants from damage.

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, January is the height of winter weather. This time of year can really do a number on your garden if you aren’t prepared. From snow and sleet to freezing winds and rainstorms, it pays to be ready so you can protect your plants.

Here’s a closer look at the possible weather extremes you can expect in January — and what you can do to combat them.

Frosts vs. Freezes

If you live just about anywhere outside the tropics, you’re likely familiar with frosts and freezes. While the terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to separate weather events.

Frosts occur when there are visible ice crystals outdoors. Sometimes frosts occur when the air temperature is still above freezing and melt quickly once the sun comes out. They tend to be easier to deal with and will only harm your most cold-sensitive plants, like tomatoes and peppers.

Freezes occur when the air temperature dips below freezing. It’s possible to have a freeze without any frost if there isn’t moisture in the air. The dew point and wind conditions will affect how damaging a frost can be, as windy weather tends to hurt plants faster because it’s harder to protect them.

Understanding Wind Chill

Sometimes winter weather feels far colder than what the thermometer is reading. That’s due to wind chill, which is the perceived temperature you experience when accounting for heat loss from exposed skin in chilly, windy conditions.

As wind increases, your body cools down at an accelerated rate, which causes your skin temperature to drop. So, while the temperature may be well above freezing, you might find yourself shivering while working on garden projects in January.

Snow

You might not look forward to snow in January, but it can actually benefit your garden in the winter. Snow acts as natural insulation and can protect delicate roots. Plants are far more likely to survive freezing winds if they have a thick layer of snow acting as a comfy blanket over top of them.

Rain and Flash Floods

Weather in January isn’t always snow and ice. Sometimes, it can mean lots of rain. While most plants can survive this kind of weather well when they’re in a dormant state, excessive rain can wreak havoc on your yard and turn it into a muddy mess. In extreme conditions, it may even uproot plants from garden beds and cause them to become displaced.

Ice Storms

One of the worst kinds of weather for your garden that you need to be prepared for in January are ice storms. This slurry of freezing rain is the result of a deep, warm layer in the atmosphere with a shallow, freezing layer at the surface. This causes rain to fall into air that is below freezing and turn into sleet that hardens into ice once it makes contact.

Ice from ice storms can accumulate on tree branches and garden structures, causing them to snap when the weight gets overwhelming. They are a leading cause of property damage in winter weather.

3 Ways to Protect Plants from January Weather

You don’t need to leave your garden at the mercy of January weather. There are steps you can take to keep things protected, so your garden thrives again when spring returns.

1. Cover Them

You can easily keep plants safe from snow, wind, and ice with simple covers that create a barrier between them and the elements. Greenhouse plastic works perfectly, or you can use natural materials like fallen leaves, straw, or even wood mulch for natural insulation.

When using plastic and other synthetic materials, it’s important you uncover the plants as soon as the weather warms again to prevent any damage from overheating.

If you want a more permanent form of protection, consider building a greenhouse or bringing plants indoors for the winter months.

2. Keep Things Elevated

One of the best ways to protect plants from flooding is to utilize raised beds and other growing strategies that keep things elevated. This stops the soil from getting quite as saturated and protects plant roots from drowning from excessive moisture.

If you’re looking for a longer-term strategy, consider digging swales (flood barriers) or drainage ditches to collect and redirect water from the property, or even a retention pond for storing water for use in other seasons.

3. Block the Wind

Few things feel stronger than harsh winter winds. Protect vulnerable plants by designing your property to block the worst of them. Installing windbreaks is a stellar long-term solution. You can plant sturdy hedges to break up strong winds, so they are less forceful when they reach your plants.

It’s also smart to move anything prone to getting windswept indoors and to regularly trim dead branches that are at risk of falling and damaging buildings and structure. You’ll want to securely anchor down any lightweight greenhouses or cold frames to prevent any mishaps.

Plan for Extreme Weather to Protect Your Property

Dealing with intense January weather can be a challenge, no matter where you live in the Northern Hemisphere. By understanding what the weather can do in January and planning accordingly, you can help protect your plants and garden space.

So, plan for the worst, and you can ensure you’re always prepared — no matter what the weather throws at you.

How to Keep Narcissus or Daffodils From Falling Over

If you enjoy growing daffodils indoors, you may be wondering how to stop the flowers from falling over. Check out these four easy tips from the experts.

Narcissus are lovely flowers that people like to grow both indoors and out. Commonly known as daffodils or paperwhites in some countries, these cheery flowers usually announce the arrival of spring. They are grown from bulbs and will multiply if left in the ground over winter.

If you love growing narcissus indoors on a bright windowsill, you might have come across the problem of the flower stems falling over. The main reason for this is that the roots have not become established enough to support the top growth of the plants.

When grown outdoors in the ground, daffodils develop large root systems that have enough strength to support the top growth of the plants. However, when you grow them indoors in a shallow container, the roots just don’t have enough space to develop the strength that they need to support the plant.

But, don’t worry. There are some things that you can do to keep your narcissus upright. Here are four ideas that you might want to try (the last one will definitely surprise you), plus some basic guidelines to consider when growing narcissus indoors.

Basic Guidelines for Growing Daffodils Indoors

The first thing you want to do is to make sure that your plant gets plenty of light. A lack of light means that your plant will become too leggy. Narcissus need lots of bright light, and they will grow taller in search of it if it’s not readily available.

So, make sure that you sit your plant on a bright windowsill where it will get all the light that it needs — indirect light, not direct sunlight.

In addition, you should rotate your daffodils every couple of days to ensure that the light hits all sides of the plant evenly. This means that the flowers will not all grow in one direction and, as a result, fall over. Bulbs like daffodils are notorious for growing toward the light, so rotating them regularly will keep their growth even.

Also, be on the lookout for varieties that have been specially bred to have strong stems. These are ideal for growing indoors on a bright windowsill.

Now, let’s look at some ways to stop your gorgeous narcissus from falling over.

1. Tie Them Up With a Ribbon

One way to support your daffodil stems is to use a ribbon to loosely tie them together. Use a lovely, soft, decorative ribbon or even a length of raffia to tie around the stems about two-thirds of the way up.

This is an easy way to stop your narcissus from flopping all over the place and also adds a nice decorative touch. Just make sure that you don’t tie the ribbon too tightly that you damage the stems.

2. Use Decorative Stakes

Another way to support your daffodil flowers is to use decorative stakes. You can use almost anything as a stake for your potted flowers. Have a look the next time you visit your local garden center and you’ll be surprised at the variety that you can find.

In addition, you can even use interesting sticks that you find around your garden or when out on a walk. Even branching sticks can add a bit of a decorative touch to your narcissus plant.

Check out your local florist as well for some interesting floral stakes that might be available or learn how to use florist wire to strengthen the stems on your daffodils.

3. Plant Your Daffodils In a Tall Vase

For this method, you want to choose a tall glass vase that has straight sides. The idea is to let the vase do the supporting of the flower stems.

You can add a more decorative touch by tying a colored ribbon around the vase with a lovely big bow. The tall straight sides of the vase will provide support for the flower stems, and you’ll be able to enjoy your lovely narcissus flowers without them falling over.

4. Stunt the Growth of Your Daffodils with Alcohol

This method was developed by horticulturalists at Cornell University’s Flowerbulb Research Program. It uses alcohol to stunt the growth of flower stems without reducing the size of the flowers.

The idea behind this method is to add a small amount of clear alcohol such as vodka or gin to the water once the plants are around one to two inches tall. This effectively stunts the growth of the flower stems without damaging the flowers themselves.

The amount of alcohol that you add to the water needs to be less than 10%, but anything from 3 to 6% is adequate.

When you use this method, you’ll discover that the flower stems will be around one-third shorter than normal and will not fall over. However, you’ll still get large, fragrant flowers that will bloom for a long time.

So, to stop your narcissus from falling over, you can either provide some support in the form of decorative stakes, pretty ribbons, or a large glass vase. Alternatively, you can just stunt their growth by watering them with a solution of alcohol and water. This will ensure that you can enjoy those beautiful, fragrant flowers indoors — without any flopping.

Top Tips to Get Rid of Houseplant Pests

Indoor houseplant pests are a nuisance, but getting rid of them doesn’t need to be a struggle. These valuable tips give you natural as well as chemical-based options for eliminating the seven most common houseplant pests.

People love indoor gardening because it has many advantages over outdoor gardening, including fewer pest problems. That doesn’t mean, however, that pest problems never occur indoors. As windows and doors open or new plants are brought into a home, pesky insects are invited to take up residence in our plants.

Thankfully, indoor houseplant pests are typically easier to treat, and infestations are usually spotted much quicker, than when an outdoor plant has problems. The most common pests are aphids, spider mites, fungus gnats, mealybugs, scale, thrips, and whitefly.

If you find yourself dealing with houseplant pests, there are numerous ways to get rid of them, ranging from non-toxic natural ways to chemical insecticides. Keep reading to learn more about the common bugs found on houseplants and tips for treating them.

Treating Indoor Winter Houseplant Pests

When insects are discovered in your outdoor garden plants or hanging baskets, many gardeners turn to chemical insecticides or natural predators to get rid of the bugs. But managing pest problems on indoor plants is a little trickier. Many people don’t want to be spraying chemicals inside their homes, nor do they want to throw away houseplants because they have bugs, so they look for more natural methods.

To treat indoor houseplant pests, you can manually remove them, apply natural products, or choose chemical treatments.

Removing insects manually

There are two ways to remove insects manually. You can pick them off by hand, or you can use water to knock the bugs off of the foliage. These two methods are the safest and least-toxic ways to treat insects on indoor houseplants.

Treating plants naturally

If you’d rather not sit and remove insects by hand, or the infestation is worse than you anticipated, and you’re looking for natural treatment options, there are a couple of choices:

Chemical treatment options

Plants can also be treated with chemical insecticides if none of the other methods eradicate the problem. If you opt to use an insecticide, correctly identify the pest, then purchase a chemical formulated for that insect and its life stage.

The insecticide should also be labeled for indoor use. Always use proper safety measures and follow the label instructions carefully.

How to Grow Plants Hydroponically

Hydroponic gardening is a great way to grow plants indoors without the mess that soil creates. This article will introduce you to the essentials of hydroponics and give you some tips to get started.

Do you enjoy growing plants indoors but don’t enjoy the mess? Then a hydroponic system may be precisely what you need. Hydroponic systems allow you to grow plants indoors without using soil. It’s not only a cleaner gardening method but is also more efficient as plants often grow faster and larger than those grown in soil.

Luckily, it’s not that difficult to set up your own simple hydroponic system. This article will go over the basics of hydroponics and give you some tips to get started.

What is Hydroponics?

Hydroponics refers to any gardening method that uses water and nutrient solutions to grow plants rather than soil. The plants typically absorb the nutrients they need from a reservoir of nutrient-rich solution. The method in which they receive this solution varies with each system.

Hydroponics is a more efficient system than traditional gardening as plants don’t have to use any energy to extract nutrients from the soil. Instead, the nutrients are delivered right to them, which results in faster growth and greater yield.

Hydroponics may seem like an expert-level gardening technique, but this is certainly not the case. Hydroponics is an excellent option for beginner gardeners and includes less work once the system is set up. Since you don’t have to tend to any soil, significantly less work is needed to keep your plants healthy and happy.

Which Plants Can Grow Hydroponically?

Gardeners often become interested in hydroponics when they want to grow their own herbs and vegetables. Herbs are a great option to grow hydroponically as they don’t take too much room and grow quickly. Some herbs that do well in a hydroponic system include:

While herbs are probably the best option to grow when starting out with hydroponics, you are not limited to them. If you have the space and are willing to invest in a larger hydroponics system, you can also grow your vegetables with this method. Some vegetables that do well in a hydroponic system include:

However, you don’t need to grow food to take advantage of hydroponics. Many flowers and other indoor plants thrive when grown in this system as well. Just do some research to confirm your plants grow well hydroponically before taking them out of their soil.

What Supplies Are Needed?

The supplies you will need will vary depending on which system you choose. However, there are some materials you will need no matter which system you decide on. The following items are essential for an efficient hydroponic system:

Nutrient-rich solution: Your plants will need a nutrient-rich solution to ensure they grow fast, stay healthy, and can perform photosynthesis.
Container/reservoir: A container is needed to hold the water and nutrient-rich solution.
Lighting: If you plan to keep your hydroponic system indoors, you will need to ensure your plants get plenty of light.
Support structure: No matter what, your plants need to be properly supported in your hydroponic system. Depending on the system you choose, you could use net pots, Styrofoam, or other materials to keep them upright.

Other materials will be required depending on the system you choose. Hydroponic systems can be quite simple or expensive and complicated. Some will require larger and more expensive materials such as tubing or a water pump.

Some gardeners choose to add a growing medium as a substitute for soil, though this is completely optional. Popular options include perlite, vermiculite, sand, or gravel.

How to Grow Plants Hydroponically

Now that you know the basics of hydroponics, it’s time to start growing your plants hydroponically. The following sections will give you some tips on how to get started.

Choose a System

There are six different hydroponic systems to choose from, which all vary in price, difficulty, size, and supplies needed. Some are quite simple and are designed with the beginner gardener in mind, while others are designed for more advanced gardeners. The six common hydroponic systems are:

Deep Water Culture
Wicking System
Ebb and Flow System (sometimes referred to as Flood and Drain)
Drip System
Aeroponic System
Nutrient Film Technique

It’s also important to note that you can either build your own hydroponic system or buy a kit at your local garden center. Making your own system with materials you have on hand may be a good, cheap option, but investing in a kit may be easier, especially if you are just getting started.

If you decide to build your own system, do some research to see what materials are needed. As stated earlier, each system has its own requirements. Researching how to build these systems will also help you decide how complex and large you want your system to be.

Germinate the Seeds

No matter which system you choose, you will need to germinate the seeds elsewhere before adding them to your hydroponic system. This can be done with a seed starter or a heat mat.

However, if you are just starting out with hydroponics, you may want to start with seedlings or grown plants first, as this is much easier than starting with seeds. Just make sure to wipe away all soil from the plants’ roots before transferring them to your hydroponic system.

Add Nutrients

You won’t be able to grow your plants successfully without adding in a nutrient solution. This solution typically contains nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous, which all help your plants stay healthy, grow fast, and perform photosynthesis. In addition, the solution may also contain calcium, sulfur, iron, magnesium, and other nutrients essential for optimal plant health.

If you’re just starting out with hydroponics, it’s advisable to purchase a pre-made solution designed primarily for this purpose. You will find that there are different solutions available for different types of plants. This is because fruiting plants, such as tomatoes, require a different ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium than green leafy plants, such as lettuce and spinach.

When adding the nutrient solution to your reservoir, always read the directions to ensure you are giving your plants the right amount. Adding too little or too many nutrients can do more harm than good.

Control the pH

You will also need to keep an eye on the pH level of your solution. Though many people don’t realize it, pH is a crucial factor in plant health. Though most plants prefer a neutral pH, some thrive in either acidic or alkaline conditions. Therefore, it is crucial to only add plants in your system that all thrive off a similar pH range.

As with nutrients, there are pH solutions you can buy to make sure your solution has the right pH for your plants. As with your nutrient solution, read the directions before applying your pH solution to ensure you add the proper amount. Plants can easily wither and die in the wrong pH conditions. This is why you should also invest in a pH testing kit, which will help you keep an eye on your reservoir’s pH levels.

Provide Ample Lighting

One last thing you might want to consider when setting up your hydroponic system is the amount of light your plants need. Plants that are grown hydroponically require plenty of bright, indirect sunlight to thrive.

However, because you’re generally using hydroponics to grow plants indoors, your plants may not get as much light as they need. Therefore, you might want to invest in some grow lights to place above your plants. These are available in a myriad of designs and sizes, so you will easily find one that will work with your specific hydroponic system.

The 7 Best Pieces of Equipment for Houseplants During Winter

Winter can be a challenging time for houseplants, but with some basic equipment and a little knowledge, you can help them thrive.

Even though they live in a climate-controlled environment, houseplants suffer from the wintertime blues almost as much as we do. Between the lower light levels and the reduced indoor humidity, houseplants can struggle over the winter. The good news is that with the right equipment and a little knowledge, you can help your plants overcome these challenges.

Most houseplant species come from tropical regions with humidity levels between 40–50%. Home humidity levels in the winter are usually around 10–20%, which is bad news for plants. Dry air puts roots at risk of drying out and makes plants more vulnerable to pests like spider mites. If you want your houseplants to stay lush and green through the darkest, coldest parts of the year, investing in a few key items will keep them thriving and healthy. Read on to learn about the seven best pieces of equipment you can buy for houseplants to help get them through the winter.

1. Humidifier

There are three types of humidifiers: evaporative, ultrasonic, and warm mist. Evaporative-mist humidifiers can be a little louder than the other two types, so if noise is an issue, you may want to steer clear. On the other hand, an evaporative humidifier cannot oversaturate the air, so there is no risk of making a room too humid if you forget to turn the humidifier off. A warm-mist humidifier uses a heating element to vaporize water, but the hot element uses more electricity and can be dangerous for children or pets.

When purchasing a humidifier, you should consider the size of the room you want to humidify and for how long of an interval you want the humidifier to run. All units will come with a listing for their run time and volume capacity—so make sure you know the size of the room or rooms you want to humidify. Ideally, you’ll want to place a humidifier in the room where you have the most plants.

2. Hygrometer

A humidifier is most useful when used in tandem with a hygrometer. This simple, inexpensive device will tell you the humidity level in your home, making it easier to determine the best humidifier settings. There are other DIY methods of testing indoor humidity, but a hygrometer is by far the most efficient and accurate.

3. Space Heater

If your home heating is uneven or extremely inefficient, you may prefer to only heat the room where your plants are located. A small space heater can help you keep your plants’ room at 70-80 degrees during the day and 65-70 degrees at night, which is what most houseplants prefer. One thing to note, however, is that if you are using a space heater, you will definitely want to use a humidifier to offset the drier air in the room you designate as the “grow room.”

4. Watering Can

It’s not a fancy digital device, but a good watering can is just as important as any other piece of winter plant care equipment. A nice, long spout will make it easier to pour water precisely where you want it to go. Most plants are a little picky about the quality of water you give them, and prefer rain water. If rainwater isn’t available, the next best thing is to leave tap water in the can out overnight and let the chlorine and fluorine evaporate before watering your houseplants.

5. Moisture Meter

With all the emphasis on dry indoor air, it might come as a surprise that houseplants actually need to be watered less in the winter season. The short days of winter mean that plants get less sunlight, resulting in slower plant growth and less water uptake by roots. You can use a fingertip inserted into the soil in a pot to check for moisture, but an aquameter eliminates any guesswork. Take care not to overwater plants in the winter; root rot is one of the most common causes of houseplants failing. If in doubt, err on the side of caution and water less.

6. Air Deflector

Depending on the location and orientation of your air vents, you may want to invest in some air deflectors. This simple plastic shield is placed over vents that normally blow warm air directly onto indoor plants, re-routinng the air so that it spares the plants from a direct hit. This will keep your plants from drying out quickly or getting their leaves dried out too quickly.

7. LED Grow Lights

When the days grow shorter, the first thing you should do is to move plants into a spot with a south-facing window. If this isn’t an option, the next best thing is to supplement your houseplants’ light with some LED grow lamps. Plants rely on two different spectrums of light: one for growth and the other for photosynthesis. Unlike regular light bulbs, specialized LED grow lights supply a combination of these red and blue spectrums. An inexpensive LED grow lamp gives the type of light plants need to thrive without generating much heat or using a lot of electricity. This type of plant light is so popular that many people use them year-round to keep plants in parts of their home that don’t get enough light otherwise.

Some Extra Care

While not a device you can purchase, wintertime houseplant care should also include a little common sense and some extra pampering for your leafy green housemates. Clustering plants close together will help them maintain more moisture, with or without a humidifier. Keeping a flat tray filled with pebbles and topped off with water underneath potted plants that love high humidity can help to humidify individual plants.

Misting with a hand-held mister will hydrate thirsty plants that have thick, smooth foliage. You can also use a soft microfiber cloth to gently wipe the dust off leaf surfaces to help them absorb all the light they can. While you’re at it, check the undersides of leaves for mites or scale insects, and treat any you find with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol.

While it can be tempting to give slow-growing plants a dose of fertilizer during the winter months, resist the urge. Houseplants are unlikely to grow much in the colder months, so take the opportunity to give them a rest. With a little extra care and attention, your houseplants can emerge from winter looking lush and healthy.

What to Do About Brown Tips on Plants?

One of a gardener’s worst fears is spotting brown tips on their plants. Here is what to do when that happens.

All gardeners hope that their plants will live healthy lives without any complications. However, as you likely know, that ideal scenario rarely takes place. What’s more common is that your plants will face some sort of challenge while they try to grow and expand. One of the most prevalent of those issues is finding brown tips on your plants.

Brown tips on plants can be concerning at first. But if you know what to do, dealing with this situation is a somewhat straightforward process. We’ll describe what you should do when brown tips appear on your plant’s leaves. We’ll also explore some of the top reasons why this problem occurs in the first place.

1. Remove Brown Tips from Your Plants

The approach you should take to remove brown tips from your plants will differ depending on the scenario. In some cases, the brown parts of your plant will appear only at the tips of the leaves. In other instances, the brown color may spread to cover most or all of a leaf.

Cut off the brown tip

This first remedy is helpful for the times when the brown appears only on the tips of your plant’s leaves rather than overtaking the majority of the leaf. This resolution involves these three simple steps:

Those tasks appear easy on the surface. However, take some time to understand the details of why each one is important.

Sharp and sterile scissors

The first stage of nearly any gardening chore is to gather the right tools and materials for the job. Regarding pruning, the most important tool you’ll need is a set of scissors or hand pruners that are both sharp and sterile.

The sharper your pruning tools are, the easier it will be to cut through your plant’s living tissues. This makes for a clean cut that is not likely to cause any further damage to your plant. But effective cutting capabilities are not all that you should look for in a pruning tool.

Your pruner should also be exceptionally clean, otherwise it could pass bacteria and disease to the plants you prune. That threat of infection is why you should always take time to sterilize your pruning tools before and after you use them. Wiping them with rubbing alcohol is a fantastic way to eliminate any harmful germs.

Mimic the shape of the leaf

Once you have a suitable set of scissors or hand pruners, it is time to cut the brown tips from your plants. Again, remember that this tactic is only appropriate when just the tips of your plants are brown. If that is true for your plants, here is what you should do:

Follow the general shape of a healthy leaf until you have removed most of the brown part of the plant. Using that shape will make it more likely that your affected leaf will look more like the others once it has healed.

Leave some brown parts

In the last step, we mentioned cutting near where the brown meets the green part of your plant. However, that direction may not be detailed enough. What some gardeners claim is best is to leave some of the brown on the plant.

The idea here is that if you don’t cut into the green part of the leaf, you won’t do any more damage to the plant. If the brown part you leave is small enough, the plant should have no problem healing it and returning to its healthiest state.

Or, prune the entire leaf

Sometimes, the brown parts of your plant appear on more than just the tip of the leaves. Instead, the brown portion may overtake most of the leaf. If that is what you are seeing on your plants, then you’ll need to take a different pruning approach.

The initial step of this pruning job is the same. You’ll need to find a clean and sharp pair of scissors or pruning shears. The difference comes when it is time to make a cut.

Rather than carefully cutting away a small part of the leaf, the chances are that you’ll need to remove the entire leaf. To do so, follow the leaf to where it connects with a branch. Make a clean cut close to the branch to remove the leaf while encouraging your plant to heal quickly from your pruning cut.

2. Treat the Root Cause of Brown Tips on Plants

By now, you know how to treat a plant that has brown tips. But what is more crucial is understanding why that brown part appeared in the first place. To do that, you’ll need to know the answer to one essential question.

Why do brown tips appear on plants?

There are many reasons why brown tips may appear on your favorite plants. Here are some of the most widespread reasons:

Once you know the reason why your plant has brown tips, you are one step closer to preventing the problem from occurring again.

Go forth with confidence

The emergence of brown tips on your plants is worthy of your concern. But if you know what to do, resolving that problem is something you can do quickly and easily. All you need to do is use the information in the sections above, and you can get rid of those brown spots right away.

10 Best Flowers to Plant in Late Spring

Nature moves in seasons, and if you watch your garden closely, there are more than just four. When the earliest spring blooms are already fading and falling away, the plants on this list are ready to take over the next shift, growing in your garden in the later part of spring and produce pretty blooms.

Common columbine

The Common columbine is a tall, flowering plant, typically with a long stem and light purple flowers. The Latin specific name for the plant, “vulgaris,” means “common,” and it comes from the fact that the plants spread easily and grow in many places around Europe. Ancient Romans considered the Common columbine to be sacred for the goddess, Venus.

Pansy

Pansy (Viola wittrockiana) is a flowering plant species native to Europe and western Asia. The Pansy is a large-flowered hybrid plant species often planted as an ornamental garden flower. This species grows best in sunlight and well-drained soil. The Pansy is vulnerable to attack by aphids and the fungal leaf spot disease.

Jacob's ladder

Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium caeruleum) grows in temperate habitats in Europe and has been imported to North America. It takes root in damp soils and rocky areas. Jacob’s ladder is used as an ingredient in some dyes and occasionally ends up in potpourri mixes.

Lenten rose

The Lenten rose has been cultivated since the Germans began to do so in the mid-1800s, with varieties being created in the United Kingdom shortly after. Between the 1920s and 1960s, there was little interest in its cultivation until Helen Ballard bred new varieties. They blooming early in the year hence they get their name of “Lenten rose”.

Lily of the valley

Lily of the valley is highly poisonous and originates in Euroasia. Although it is toxic, it is popular in gardens and perfume industry for its charming flowers and fragrance. Lily of the valley is the national flower of Finland and was the national flower of former Yugoslavia.

Common lilac

The Common lilac is a sweet-smelling flowering plant with cloudy purple leaves. The scent is so popular that it has found its way into body-care products of all types. It is a member of the olive family. The Common lilac can be found around the world today, but it is native to the Balkan Peninsula and thrives in rocky environments.

Rose geranium

The Rose geranium is best known for its rose-scented essential oil and is widely cultivated for the perfume industry. It is also planted in gardens for its ornamental value and pleasant aroma. Though it cannot be consumed in large quantities, Rose geranium is used as a flavoring in rose-flavored desserts and teas.

Common primrose

Common primrose is a welcome sight in an early spring landscape. The vibrant colors of the flowers and a light, delicate scent make the Common primrose a favorite. This plant provides vibrant color to any container or flowerbed, with hues available in yellow, pink, purple, blue, orange, red, white and bi-color.

Bleeding heart

Bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) is a flowering plant related to the poppy. Bleeding heart is native to Siberia, China, Korea, and Japan. This plant is commonly referred to as the Japanese bleeding heart. Bleeding heart is a popular ornamental plant and grows best in moist soils and full sunlight.

Giant onion

Giant onion, Allium giganteum, or ornamental onion, is a member of the Amaryllidaceae family. This hardy perennial grows large purple clusters of tiny florets. It’s the largest of the ornamental onions, and although it produces onion-like fragrances, it is not grown for consumption.

8 Kitchen Herbs to Grow in Your Spring Garden

As the days get longer and the sunlight strengthens, some start looking for fresh ideas in the kitchen as well as the garden. Why not refresh both with the rich flavors of these delicious herbs, which are best planted in the springtime. You’ll be reaping flavor for the rest of the year.

Coriander

Coriander is well-known in many countries and is most commonly used for cooking. The dried seeds of the Coriander plant are ground and used to season dishes, while the leaves and stems can be eaten cooked or raw. In the United States, the leaves and stems of this plant are called cilantro.

Basil

Basil is a species of mint plant native to Asia and Africa. It is a popular houseplant, and thrives when it receives plenty of regular sun and water. This plant is also easy to transfer from one soil environment to another. The edible Basil leaves can be eaten fresh or dried with pizza, salads, soups, teas, and many other dishes.

Common sage

Salvia officinalis, colloquially known as Common sage, is an evergreen woody shrub that grows in dry and stony places. It has a long history of cultivation for culinary purposes as well as for its distinctive scent, which is now incorporated into candles, potpourri, and beauty products, often combined with lemon. Common sage’s lovely purple flowers adorn many gardens and flower beds all over the world.

Dill

Dill grows upright with fine, delicate leaves. The main use of dill is in cooking, and its culinary applications vary widely. Whether dried or as a fresh garnish, Dill has a long history as a flavoring herb. It has even been found in 3400-year-old Egyptian tombs. In North America, it may be most well-known as the distinctive flavoring in dill pickles.

Lemon balm

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is an herbaceous perennial famous for its essential oils and mild scent. Its oils and extracts are widely used in perfume and beauty products, as well as household cleaning products. Lemon balm can be cultivated as an ornamental plant that also attracts honeybees. It has been grown and cultivated by humans since at least the 16th century.

Common borage

Common borage is often used to make soup, sauces, pasta filling, and a flavoring for pickles in Germany, Spain, Greece, and Italy. It is also occasionally used as a drink garnish and is an ingredient in some gins. Common borage flowers can also be made into blue or pink dyes.

Garden thyme

While best known for culinary purposes, Garden thyme has historically seen use in embalming rituals and as incense. In the kitchen, it most often ends up as a flavoring herb or brewed in tea. Garden thyme was gifted to warriors in the Middle Ages because it was supposed to spur courage and energy.

Parsley

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is one of the world’s most popular herbs and is used extensively in the cuisines of the USA, Europe, and The Middle East. It is a nutritious ingredient that adds flavor to the famous parsley sauce and texture and aroma to soups and stews. It is also used raw as a garnish. In the garden, Parsley attracts swallowtail butterflies and bees to its flowers, and birds feed on its seeds.