The KK Report: My Biointensive Garden Plan. Hard to Kill - Houseplants for the Inept. Oscar Hidalgo for The New York Times A moth orchid can last 30 years. More Photos » I killed some of these plants gladly. Before leaving Minneapolis for New York, my friend Julie bestowed on me a 12-foot-long fern with wicked spines and an anger management problem. Meanwhile, the spider plant she left seemed to drop another clone every time I slept. Other houseplants were beautiful — until I got my blundering hands on them. When I learned that I would be moving last August, for the first time in 11 years, I took stock of the survivors.
It was time for a clean break. A month after moving into my new home, I phoned three experts to ask what new houseplants I should draw close to my bosom and adopt as my own. As for the widows and orphans from the old duplex: when the moving truck pulled up, I sneaked a few in the back. Uli Lorimer THE DIRT Mr. DIGS Perhaps only in Brooklyn — Williamsburg, to be precise — could Mr. BIRD’S NEST FERN (ASPLENIUM NIDUS) Mr. Shiitake mushroom Mini-Farm. Backyard Farmers: 25 Websites You Should Be Reading | Apartment Therapy Re-Nest. Main - Backyard projects and plans: See how to make beautiful DIY garden paths, fountains, birdhouses, plantings, patio furniture, benches, and more - Photos. Top 10 gardening mistakes. It's the little tips that can make gardening more productive. Common gardening mistakes can leave you flowerless after a lot of workPrepare the soil, locate plot for right amount of sun and don't overwaterDetermine how invasive plants are before you buy and whether animals eat themDon't spread too many seeds or put plants too close together (RealSimple.com) -- Digging up flowers instead of weeds.
Drowning the tulips. Readers reveal their growing woes and garden design pros plot out the solutions. Mistake 1: Planting a garden in the wrong spot "Last year we built raised garden beds. Garden fix -- Good news: You don't have to tear out the beds entirely, says Ivette Soler, a Los Angeles-based garden designer and writer of "The Germinatrix" blog. Empty the raised beds (dig out the plants and lay them on a tarp while you work) and spread a four-inch layer of gravel evenly over the underside of the planters to improve the drainage.
RealSimple.com: 22 Container Gardens in Bloom "I kill everything. How To: Make a Wild Hanging Basket : Daily source of DIY craft projects and inspiration, patterns, how-tos | Craftzine.com. Hanging baskets are hot. I’ve seen them in major cities hanging from street signs, they decorate the outdoor patios at swanky restaurants, and have even become a major trend in wedding decor. I think it’s because they are such a clever use of space. They bring beautiful lush plants right into the sky. It’s easy to create a hanging basket with some simple hardware, but the trick to a full look is using way more plants than you might think. For this wild basket I used three different types of fuchsias. They are classic favorites in hanging arrangements because they grow long branches that naturally hang down with the weight of their flowers. I paired their variegated leaves with variegated ivy, and I love the whimsical woodland result. Materials: Wire basket Sphagnum moss Water Plants- Fuchsias and Ivy Chain “S” hooks Step 1: Sphagnum moss is a great material for holding dirt in the basket.
Step 2: The moss has a soft green fuzzy front, and a brown root-matted back. Related. Flora's Blog- Flora Grubb Gardens. Plant a Mod Container Garden : Daily source of DIY craft projects and inspiration, patterns, how-tos | Craftzine.com. On Tuesday I shared my technique for planting a container garden filled with harmonic plants. Today I have a recipe for a garden that combines cool colors with warm ones for a dynamic and lush planting. Search out tall elegant grasses, and then pair them with low growing sedums. To bridge the gap, add broad leaved and colorful euphorbia. This container doesn’t want much water, and will thrive in the sun. Related.