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Farm animals may not always seem like the obvious choice for backyards, but choosing ducks for the garden is less strange than you might think. Indeed, these creatures can turn out to be great companions and highly beneficial for your plot. You may already know that they are friendly, intelligent animals, but there’s a whole lot more to gain from having them around if you think you can find the space.

 Whether you are looking for novel ways to heighten your pest controls or just a novel way of acquiring fresh eggs, these are some of the most interesting animals you can add to your garden or yard. For anyone keen to enhance their wildlife garden potential, ducks are ideal. Find out why these fascinating birds can add to your gardening exploits. 

Are Ducks Good for Gardens?

Hydrangeas are versatile shrubs that can thrive almost anywhere, including in most growing zones. These beloved bushes boast elegant blooms in a variety of colors and shapes. They also come in several sizes and growing habits, making hydrangeas suitable for many locations in the landscape.

With so many variables, it can be hard to find the right one for your space. But as any good gardener knows, cold hardiness is the final deciding factor. That’s why we’ve made it simple for you and compiled a list of the best hydrangeas by zone.

Allium, known for its pungent aroma, includes more than 500 species, including the familiar onion, garlic, chives, and a variety of beautiful flowering plants. Pollinators love the hardy, long-lasting plants, but deer and other critters usually leave them alone. If ornamental alliums are so practical and attractive, how could there be any problems with ornamental alliums in the garden? Read on to learn more.

Are Alliums Invasive?

Not all allium varieties are well-behaved. Some become weeds that are nearly impossible to get rid of, especially in mild climates. The bad news is that dormant bulbs can remain in the soil for up to six years. The biggest offenders are wild allium (Allium ursinum), wild garlic (Allium vineale), and three-cornered leek (Allium triquetrum). All three spread like wildfire, quickly choking out gentler plants that you try to establish in your garden.

Companion planting is the practice of combining certain plants that will have beneficial or symbiotic relationships with each other. They might have pest-repellent properties, provide support, encourage pollinators, add nitrogen to the soil, or even provide protection from harsh sun rays. The practice can also maximize the use of a garden space.

The “three sisters” is a classic beneficial companion plant grouping – combining corn, beans, and squash. The corn provides support for the beans and squash, the beans harness nitrogen, and the squash leaves shield the soil, resulting in moisture retention and fewer weeds. However, when growing vegetables, not all planting combinations are favorable. 

Our planet is on a precipice. We’re balancing between the need to provide food, water and shelter (along with some creature comforts) while at the same time suffering from diminished biodiversity, pollution, deforestation, soil depletion, drought, warming oceans, plastic reliance, overpopulation and so much more. That is why sustainable gardening is even more important than ever before.

10 Sustainable Seed Starting Tips

There is a multitude of ways each person can help. One of these is sustainable seed starting. Growing your own food is great but go a step further by using sustainable seeds combined with eco-friendly seed starting. This small step can have a huge impact on future generations and the environment.

1. Use Plantable Containers

Are there plants you shouldn’t prune in spring? Pruning in spring is “a thing.” You have surely read online that spring is the best time to prune ornamental plants, but is that information correct? Sort of. The best we can say is that the plants to prune in spring rule is neither entirely correct nor entirely incorrect. Some plants are best pruned in spring, others should never be pruned in spring.

So what plants should be pruned in spring? Which plants shouldn’t? Read on to learn more about pruning basics and plants you shouldn’t prune in spring.

Four Plants You Shouldn’t Prune in Spring

Growing lettuce in the garden is easy and rewarding, and growing red lettuce is much more interesting. Not only does red lettuce add a splash of color to salads and wraps, but it matures more quickly and is higher in nutrition than its green counterpart. Sure, you can grow iceberg or green leaf lettuce, but sometimes it’s nice to shake things up with some color. There are many different lettuce types to choose from, but we’re going to focus on 5 of them. So go wild, and read on to learn about growing the different red lettuce types.

Is Red Leaf Lettuce Healthier?

Both green and red lettuce are nutrient-rich (and low-calorie). Red lettuce gets its color from the pigment anthocyanin, which is said to have anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. Some studies suggest that anthocyanin may also help with cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes.

Many plants are suitable for full-sun rain garden design, including plants for the base, where it is deepest, and out to the edges, where it is driest. Rain garden plants like native perennials are best for their long root systems and appeal to wildlife. Here are a variety of choices with varying bloom times.

Choosing the right plants for a full-sun rain garden will ensure a low-maintenance habitat. Native plants are ideal, but you also can incorporate non-natives as long since they are not invasive and are pest-free.

Most of us are aware that many of the planet’s environmental problems are caused by human activities on the land. This is a matter every gardener should consider – how can we change our habits in the landscape to avoid polluting our environment? Each individual can make a positive impact by following sustainable gardening practices.

Are you wondering how gardening affects the water supply? Read on for information on making water conservation a goal in gardening.

How Do Gardening Practices Impact Our Water?

The Philadelphia Flower Show 2024 delighted visitors with floral creations that combined themes of sustainability and unity with pure indulgent fantasy.

For a whole week in March, attendees were able to shake off the bleakness of winter and immerse themselves in all the colors, scents, and textures of spring and summer flowers.

Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense) has plagued farmers since its introduction as a forage crop. This invasive and noxious weed has gotten so out of control that landowners in many states are mandated to kill it. If you are bothered by a troublesome invasion of this perennial weed, learn how to get rid of Johnson grass.

How to Get Rid of Johnson Grass

As with most invasive weeds and grasses, using multiple strategies usually works best for Johnson grass control.

Let’s look at the best indoor plants for dark rooms. If you love houseplants but don’t think you have enough light, believe it or not, there are quite a few good indoor plants for dark rooms. While they may not be as showy as their sun-loving cousins, houseplants for dark spaces will still brighten up those shadowed recesses. Keep reading to learn about the best houseplants for dark rooms.

Best Indoor Plants for Dark Rooms

Plants are a bit like people. They grow, reproduce, and need food and water to survive. How about light? Plants need light as well, right? Well for the most part yes. Plants use the sun’s light to photosynthesize which is how they make food.

Rocks and stones are important in landscape design. They are practical for providing boundaries, edges, and walkways. They are also aesthetically pleasing, supplying textural interest and contrast to plants. Unfortunately, decorative landscaping rocks aren’t cheap. Here are some budget-friendly ideas for picking up free rocks for your garden.

Average Costs of Landscaping Stones

Rocks and stones are everywhere, but that doesn’t mean they’re cheap. Landscaping materials, including rocks, can be expensive. The more you need, the more the costs add up.

If you have a small growing space or like things to be orderly and neat, then square-foot gardening might be for you. The practice involves dividing the growing area into small squares – typically 1ft (30cm) sections, but they can also be larger to suit the crop. Each square will serve as the planting zone for an individual crop. 

Growing vegetables in a square-foot garden is most often achieved using a raised bed, but can also be done in a ground-level plot. The key is to create an easy-to-access growing space that will save time, money, and resources. 

Benefits Of Square-Foot Gardening

Learning about biodiversity is important for gardeners. Awareness of threats to biodiversity and what biodiversity loss means to the planet has become crucial. If you’re not exactly sure what the benefits of biodiversity are or how it relates to you as a gardener, read on to learn more about it and explore some examples of biodiversity.

What does Biodiversity Mean?

Biodiversity, short for biological diversity, refers to the vast variety of life forms found on earth and the natural interactions among them. As evolution and extinction occur, biodiversity changes over time since these dramatic processes affect not just one species, but the entirety of life.

If you’re considering building one, it’s a good idea to know what a rain garden costs and what it takes to do it right. A rain garden is a natural solution for stormwater runoff that creates flooding and pollution, since it is designed to absorb and filter rainwater.

The EPA describes a rain garden as, “… a depressed area in the landscape that collects rain water from a roof, driveway or street and allows it to soak into the ground. Planted with grasses and flowering perennials, rain gardens can be a cost-effective and beautiful way to reduce runoff from your property.

Mulch is a layer of material added to the surface of soil in the garden, typically in beds and at the base of trees. There are so many benefits of using mulch in the garden. It helps soil retain water and nutrients, reduces soil erosion, suppresses weeds, and protects plant roots from extreme hot and cold temperatures.

New gardeners may understand the importance of mulching but not necessarily how to do it correctly. Yet, when done incorrectly, garden mulch problems can occur and harm the soil and plants.

Your grass doesn’t really die in winter. Although it often looks dead, your lawn is going through a period of dormancy. It should green up with warmer weather and basic lawn care, but it might also look sparse and lifeless or even have patches of grass that don’t regrow.

Even though dormancy during winter is normal, it takes a toll on your lawn. The lack of maintenance, cold temperatures, and snow cover that blocks sunlight contribute to some degree of damage over winter. Use this spring to-do list to bring your lawn back to life after a long winter.

1. Rake And Dethatch To Let Grass Grow