Plants5 min read
Air plant care: light, water and room to dry
Tillandsia does not need a pot of soil, but it still needs dependable moisture and airflow. Choose a display that lets you care for the plant.
Tillandsia species
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31 plant guides to exploreIndependent advice. No shopping lists.
Plants5 min read
Aloe vera care: grow a healthy plant without the miracle claims
Give this sculptural succulent a bright position, drainage and time to dry. Keep growing advice separate from homemade medical or edible preparations.
Aloe vera
Plants5 min read
Citronella plant care: grow the scented geranium for its foliage
The plant sold as mosquito geranium is a fragrant ornamental, not a dependable mosquito barrier. Identify it before borrowing advice for citronella grass.
Pelargonium scented geraniums
Plants5 min read
Devil’s ivy care: grow a fuller, healthier pothos
A trailing pothos can soften a shelf or climb a support. Keep its roots out of standing water, give it useful light and prune with the shape in mind.
Epipremnum aureum
Plants5 min read
Growing geraniums: summer pelargoniums that are worth keeping
The familiar bedding geranium is usually a pelargonium. Give it sun, drainage and a considered winter plan, whether it trails from a basket or stands in a pot by the door.
Pelargonium species and hybrids
Plants5 min read
How to choose and grow a magnolia that fits your garden
Match mature size, soil and flowering time to the site before choosing a flower color. A suitable magnolia needs far less correction later.
Magnolia species and cultivars
Plants5 min read
How to grow anemones: choose the right kind for your garden
Spring woodland carpets, jewel-colored cutting flowers and late-season borders need different anemones. Start with the growing conditions, then choose your flowers.
Anemone and related genera
Plants5 min read
How to grow azaleas: get the soil right first
Choose an azalea for your climate and its eventual size, then give its shallow roots acidic soil, drainage and steady moisture.
Rhododendron, azalea groups
Plants5 min read
How to grow bamboo without letting it take over
Choose a manageable species, plan containment before planting and keep true bamboo separate from the houseplant sold as lucky bamboo.
Bambusoideae; Dracaena is separate
Grow your own5 min read
How to grow Brussels sprouts for a cool-season harvest
Plan the long growing season, give the plants firm fertile ground and harvest the tight sprouts as they develop up the stem.
Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group
Plants5 min read
How to grow chrysanthemums that suit your garden
Choose a genuinely hardy garden mum for a lasting border, or enjoy a florist plant as a seasonal display without expecting the same winter performance.
Chrysanthemum garden hybrids
Grow your own5 min read
How to grow cucumbers: warmth, support and a steady harvest
Choose an outdoor or greenhouse variety first. Then give cucumber roots warm soil, consistent moisture and enough space to keep picking comfortably.
Cucumis sativus
Plants5 min read
How to grow delphiniums with strong stems and healthy crowns
Choose a manageable variety, put supports in early and protect the emerging shoots before they become a tall summer display.
Delphinium perennial garden hybrids
Plants5 min read
How to grow dianthus: pinks, carnations and sweet William
The fringed flowers are familiar; the plants behind them vary. Choose the right dianthus, then prioritize sun, drainage and careful deadheading.
Dianthus species and cultivars
Plants5 min read
How to grow forsythia—and prune without losing the flowers
Give this spring-flowering shrub room for its arching stems, then prune after the display rather than before it.
Forsythia species and cultivars
Plants5 min read
How to grow freesias: plan for cool growth and fragrant flowers
Plant the right corms for your season, support the stems early and keep the leaves after flowering so the corms can rebuild.
Freesia species and hybrids
Grow your own5 min read
How to grow garlic: plant cloves, harvest bulbs, store them well
Choose garlic suited to your climate, plant into free-draining soil and use the leaves—not a fixed calendar date—to judge the approach of harvest.
Allium sativum
Plants5 min read
How to grow hyacinths, indoors and in the garden
Choose ordinary bulbs for the spring border and prepared bulbs for an indoor display. Good drainage and sensible care after flowering matter more than a perfect planting photograph.
Hyacinthus orientalis
Plants5 min read
How to grow hydrangeas—and know what to prune
Identify the species before cutting. Flowering wood, sun tolerance and color response vary far more than a single hydrangea routine suggests.
Hydrangea species and cultivars
Plants5 min read
How to grow lilies: choose the group, then the planting depth
True lilies offer striking summer flowers, but soil preferences, root habits and planting depths differ. Start with the name—and consider cats before planting.
Lilium species and hybrids
Plants5 min read
How to grow peonies: choose the type and plant at the right depth
Herbaceous, intersectional and tree peonies need different treatment. Start with sun, room and the correct planting level.
Paeonia species and hybrids
Plants5 min read
How to grow Persian buttercups: a cool-season ranunculus guide
The layered florist flowers belong to Ranunculus asiaticus. Give them a cool growing season, excellent drainage and protection appropriate to your climate.
Ranunculus asiaticus hybrids
Plants5 min read
How to grow petunias for a longer, fuller display
Choose a growth habit that fits the container, then keep light, moisture and feeding working together through summer.
Petunia garden hybrids
Grow your own5 min read
How to grow potatoes: from seed tubers to a useful harvest
Start with healthy seed potatoes, keep developing tubers covered and choose a harvest time that matches the way you want to use the crop.
Solanum tuberosum
Plants5 min read
How to grow yarrow without giving it the whole border
Flat flowerheads and finely cut leaves make achilleas useful partners for grasses and upright perennials. Give them drainage, choose the right type and leave room for their spread.
Achillea species and cultivars
Plants5 min read
Lavender care: choose the right plant and keep its roots dry
The scent is the attraction; sunshine and drainage do the practical work. Match the lavender to your winter conditions, then keep a compact shape with considered pruning.
Lavandula species and hybrids
Plants5 min read
Monstera care: give the leaves light and the stems support
Choose the right species, allow for its mature size and use the root zone to guide watering. Large leaves are a growing habit, not a purchase guarantee.
Monstera deliciosa and M. adansonii
Plants5 min read
Orchid care starts with the name on the label
Use this practical Phalaenopsis routine for moth orchids, and recognize when another orchid needs different treatment.
Orchidaceae; Phalaenopsis care focus
Plants5 min read
Spider plant care: a better place, a lighter watering hand
Give Chlorophytum bright indirect light, drainage and room for its arching leaves. Brown tips and a lack of plantlets are clues to investigate, not reasons to start over.
Chlorophytum comosum
Plants5 min read
Succulent care: drainage, useful light and watering that fits
Start with the plant’s identity, then give its roots air and time to dry. Succulents share water-storing tissues, not one universal care routine.
Succulent plant care
Plants5 min read
Yucca care: choose an indoor plant or a hardy garden species
A bright room and a dry border need different yuccas. Identify yours before deciding how much sun, water or winter protection it needs.
Yucca species
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