Summer squash are some of the most rewarding crops to plant because they grow fast and have the potential to produce large amounts of fruits, resulting in many summer harvests! The look of your squash can vary depending on the variety, and there are many different and delicious varieties to choose from. Some may be long and narrow, or small and round, while others have scalloped edges. Popular types of summer squash include: Eight Ball, Patty Pan and Zucchini.
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We’re thrilled to introduce a new series the “gardenstead spotlight.”
Gardening is about people and connection. The Coronavirus may have altered the way we physically interact with our neighbor’s but it won’t stop us from virtually sharing what’s in their garden!
On occasion we’re going to highlight a member of our community in one of our three main areas: vegetable gardening, houseplants or flower gardening. During such a time of uncertainty, let’s find serenity and joy in the gardens. Let’s get storytelling.
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When you grow vegetables and flowers from seed inside your home, there is one very important step called “hardening off” that you need to take before planting outside.
Insert yourself into the “mind” of your happy indoor seedling. Up until now, it has spent its life in perfectly controlled conditions. You’ve given them constant controlled light with grow lights, when their soil dries up or they look thirsty, you give them water… not to mention there are no chilly evening winds that wipe through their leaves.
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Mother’s Day looks a little bit different this year due to the current circumstances of the world but there are still ways to celebrate your mother or someone special to you on this special day. If you are trying to think outside of the box instead of ordering a bouquet of flowers (which of course, we still would recommend – because flowers are always a good idea!) why not give the gift of a flower that has potential to rebloom? An orchid! Not only are they show-stoppers but they’re long lasting gifts that can rebloom over and over. We’ve also got you covered with a care guide. We’ve listed below the key factors in caring for a healthy orchid, pass them along to your Mom!
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If you’re new to using grow lights you may be surprised by just how close your seedlings need to be them.
It’s close! It’s very very close! We are talking mere inches away because otherwise, it will produce leggy seedlings.
And ain’t nobody got time for leggy seedlings. Leggy seedling = not what you want and not what they want either. Leggy seedlings are stressed seedlings and stressed seedlings aren’t healthy seedlings.
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Buckle in while Shannon, Jaz, and Darryl aka House Plant Journal take you for a plant tour at one of our favorite nurseries, Valleyview Gardens! Follow Shannon on her quest for more of her favorite – pink plants, while Darryl sprinkles in some plant care and Jaz hunts for a new low-maintenance plant to add to her mini indoor jungle. There’s something for everyone in this video!
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We’re back at it again with orchid care and this time House Plant Journal walks us through how to repot an orchid. Jaz has been busy chatting with the gardenstead community members about orchids. They’ve even inspired her to try her hand at growing one again. The passion for plants is infectious! In this episode, you’ll learn how-to repot an orchid, general orchid care for beginners and you’ll see a rare orchid that has reproduced itself.
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Kale is super versatile. It’s good in salad, soup and smoothies. It’s even delicious when torn into bite sized pieces and baked with olive oil and salt into “chips” (a healthier version of our favorite guilty pleasure) it might even convert a kale “hater” into a… “these aren’t too bad!” Best of all, kale is good for you. It’s known to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.
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Caterina and Michelle were hired to work at gardenstead last summer. Both young women had an inkling interest in plants but since joining the team, completely caught the bug for BOTH houseplants and vegetable gardening. Their interest and passion have been turned on to full speed! Here are the top three things they’ve learned in mere months.
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Jaz and Darryl from House Plant Journal don’t operate under “conventional” houseplant care. In this episode of ASK gardenstead, we’ve collected fundamental questions from our Houseplant community on Facebook (there’s over 20K people talking and sharing in there!). Darryl explains how light and environment play into the quality of your houseplants life while Jaz shares what responsive watering is and why your plants might be happier being watered that way.
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