Wednesday, February 18, 2026

How To Water Succulents Without Causing Root Rot

 


Photo source:  Southern Living

"Succulents have an amazing adaptation: They store water in their leaves and stems. For this reason, many succulents make great indoor plants. Having adapted to places with sparse rainfall and poor soil, they actually do better when slightly neglected.

As you may have learned by experience, too much watering equals death for many houseplants. This is doubly true for succulents. But if you don't water them reliably, they won't grow much. They may become sparse and wither away until they die. This is how often you should water your indoor succulents to keep them healthy and thriving."  Comment from Southern Living

This article is excellent for beginning succulent gardeners.

Click here to go to the Southern Living article.



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The Perfect DIY Compost Bin

 


Photo source:  This Is My Garden

"Creating compost at home is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve garden soil. By turning everyday kitchen scraps and yard waste into rich, organic matter, compost helps plants grow stronger, improves drainage, and adds nutrients back into the soil naturally.

While there are plenty of compost bins available for purchase, many are expensive, flimsy, or simply don’t hold up over time. But that is where making your own can save the day! A well-built DIY compost bin gives you complete control over the size, materials, and design, ensuring it fits your space and works efficiently through every season."  Comment from This Is My Garden

Love the compost bin in the photo.  In my gardening experience, composting is very effective.

Click here to go to the This Is My Garden article.



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Spider Plant Watering - 2 Articles


Photo source:  Hunker.com
 

"Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum), which are also referred to as airplane plants, are popular houseplants because they're generally easy to maintain. With its long, creased leaves, this plant makes a gorgeous addition to any space, but you'll need to make sure you're properly caring for your spider plant and giving it the right amount to drink."  Comment from Hunker.com

Spider plant makes a beautiful hanging plant!  They are also so easy to grow and propagate.

Click here to go to the Hunker.com article.

The Right Way To Water A Spider Plant So It Will Thrive from Southern Living

"Despite its name, a spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is an attractive, popular houseplant that’s easy for every type of plant parent. The herbaceous perennial's name likely comes from its long, slender leaves that resemble spiders’ legs and the way its offsets dangle from the main plant like spiders from a web. While they are pretty forgiving of neglectful owners, spider plants thrive with bright, indirect light and moist, well-drained soil. Soggy soil and chemicals in tap water can lead to problems. To keep your plant happy and healthy, here’s the right way to water a spider plant to keep little offsets coming."  Comment from Southern Living

Click here to go to the Southern Living article.





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Tips for Pruning Crape Myrtles

 


Photo source:  Better Homes and Gardens

"Timing is everything when it comes to pruning a crape myrtle. So when is it too late to prune crape myrtles if you want blooms in the summer? Along with not cutting off next year’s flowers, your pruning goals are to encourage strong new growth and maintain the tree's natural shape. Here’s what you need to know about when to prune your crape myrtle to achieve these results."  Comment from Better Homes and Gardens

I have experienced crape myrtles respond to pruning with lots of blooms

Click here to go to the Better Homes and Gardens article.



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Grow Your Own Plants From A Sweet Potato

 


Photo source:  This Is My Garden

"Did you know that you can grow and plant your own sweet potato plants by starting slips from an existing sweet potato? Not only is it possible, but it’s a great, inexpensive way to grow healthy and strong sweet potato plants!"  Comment from This Is My Garden

Great information if you want to grow sweet potato plants.

Click here to go to the This Is My Garden article.



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Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Things You Should Never Do To Your Lawn In Winter

 


Photo source:  Southern Living

"Gardeners can become antsy during the winter when there are fewer opportunities to get their hands in the dirt or put all those tools in the shed to use. It's even harder in the South, where winter temperatures are relatively mild and it can feel like April in December. Luckily, there is still plenty of work to do to keep your garden and lawn in shape. Just be sure you're doing what's best for the grass. Here are 7 things you should never do to your lawn in the winter."  Comment from Southern Living

I'm ready to pull all my grass out.  Seriously!

Click here to go to the Southern Living article.





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Growing Onions from Seed Successfully

 


Photo source:  Better Homes and Gardens

"Growing onions from seed takes a bit more planning than planting onion sets, but it has a lot of perks. Not only are onion seeds more affordable than onion sets, but you can also grow a wider variety of onions from seed since some types are never sold in set form. No matter where you live or the varieties you choose, these simple tips will help you plant and grow a successful harvest of onion bulbs from a handful of tiny seeds."  Comment from Better Homes and Gardens

I have onion seeds ready to plant and I'm happy to have found this article.

Click here to go to the Better Homes and Gardens article.



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Leafy Greens to Start from Seed Now for an Earlier Spring Harvest

 


Photo Source:  Better Homes and Gardens

"Can’t wait to enjoy fresh food from your garden? With these cold-hardy leafy greens, you may not have to. While tomatoes, melons, and cucumbers are warm-season crops that only grow during hot weather, many of leafy greens tolerate chilly days and can be started very early in the season. Whether you’re starting them indoors or direct sowing them in your garden, here are 10 leafy greens to start now for an early harvest, plus seed sowing tips to get the growing season off to a good start."  Comment from Better Homes and Gardens

Timing is everything in gardening!

Click here to go to the Better Homes and Gardens article.




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DIY Terrarium: A Woodland Version

 


Photo source:  House of Hawthorne

"House plants have made a huge resurgence in home decor trends in the last few years (did they ever really go away?) and terrariums are an easy way to get the look without a lot of fuss!"  Comment from House of Hawthornes

Love terrariums, but never had one and I don't know why.  Maybe this year?

Click here to go to the House of Hawthornes project page.



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Monday, February 16, 2026

Raised Garden Bed Ideas

 


Photo source:  Better Homes and Gardens

"From rustic to modern, the raised garden bed ideas for growing vegetables and flowers are nearly endless. Although plenty of kits you can buy and assemble are available, you can also opt for DIY raised garden beds using upcycled or repurposed materials. Building your own raised bed lets you customize the design and get creative with materials. Depending on the look you’re going for, you can use logs, brick, or even metal for a modern style. Here are some raised garden bed ideas that don’t require an engineering degree to build or advanced gardening skills to maintain."  Comment from Better Homes and Gardens

So many great ideas!  Check out this article for tips and inspiration.

Click here to go to the Better Homes and Gardens article.





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