Dividing Established Chives
Chive divisions should contain both roots and viable growing points. A few detached leaves are not an equivalent planting unit.
THE GARDEN JOURNAL
The garden journal.
Good growing starts with a little understanding. Find practical ideas for your plants, your patch and your everyday home.
Dividing Rhubarb Without Weakening Every Crown
Rhubarb division is an establishment project rather than an opportunity for an immediate full harvest.
Rooting Strawberry Runners in Pots
A strawberry runner can root while it remains attached to its parent, reducing the stress of making a separate plant.
Saving Seeds From Open Pollinated Tomatoes
Seed saving begins with knowing whether the variety is likely to come true. An open pollinated tomato is different from a hybrid whose offspring may vary.
Saving Dry Bean Seeds for the Next Garden
Selected bean pods need to reach a dry seed stage rather than the tender stage used for fresh eating.
Setting Up a Small Propagation Corner
A propagation corner should include space for the next stage, not just the moment of sowing. Keep a clear separation between clean equipment newly collected material and finished young plants.
Growing Zinnias for a Long Flowering Season
Sow after frost into soil that has warmed, placing seeds at the depth on the packet. Thin seedlings before their leaves overlap.
Let Cosmos Find Their Place in a Flower Bed
Choose a height that suits the bed. Sow shallowly after frost and thin young plants so each can develop several side branches.
Growing Calendula Through Mild Weather
Sow into a prepared surface at the recommended depth and keep the seed zone moist. In hot climates favor the cooler growing season.
Using Nasturtiums to Soften a Pot Edge
Select a trailing or compact variety deliberately. Sow into its final container once frost risk has passed instead of disturbing large roots later.
Planting Marigolds Around a Sunny Patio
Match the variety to the space because compact French types and taller African types have very different proportions.
Choosing Sunflowers That Fit a Home Garden
Decide between single stem, branching and dwarf types before sowing. Direct sow when soil warms, then thin to the variety spacing.
Growing Sweet Alyssum Along a Garden Edge
Set small plants at the spacing on their labels and allow room for a low spreading cushion. Choose the cooler season in very hot regions.
Making Room for Perennial Salvia
Confirm the species and its local winter hardiness. Plant with the crown at soil level, keeping space for the mature spread.
Establishing Coneflowers Without Overwatering
Check which species or cultivar you have and its local suitability. Set the crown level with the soil and settle the root ball gently.
Growing Black Eyed Susans in a Mixed Border
Check the plant identity because Rudbeckia includes annual and perennial types. Plant to the label spacing rather than squeezing young pots together.
Giving Bee Balm the Air and Moisture It Needs
Choose a locally suitable Monarda and allow its labeled spread. Place it where a breeze can move through the planting without harsh exposure.
Keeping Catmint Neat Beside a Path
Choose a cultivar whose mature spread fits the available width. Plant away from the exact path line so stems can arch without blocking passage.