Gardening

Your pepper plants have already done the heavy lifting—flowers have set, fruits are hanging, and you’re just a few weeks away from harvest. But here’s the thing: those last 3–4 weeks are where the magic really happens. With a few clever tweaks, you can crank up the flavor, add a little smokiness, and make the […]

So you’re out in the garden, proud of your garlic patch, and then you notice something odd—a tall, curly green stalk shooting out of the plant with what looks like a little alien bulb on the end. Yep, that’s your garlic trying to flower. The big question: what now? Should you let it go, cut

Getting a Christmas cactus to bloom exactly when you want feels a little like convincing a toddler to nap on command—it takes patience, a few tricks, and maybe some bargaining. But the good news? You actually can nudge this plant into showing off those pink, red, or even white flowers just in time for Thanksgiving

You probably know bay leaves as something you toss into soups and stews, but here’s the fun part—they’re just as handy outside in the garden. When I first heard someone say they scattered dried bay leaves around their vegetable patch, I honestly thought they were joking. Turns out, bay leaves can actually help with pests,

Fall cleanup used to mean pulling every plant, bagging every leaf, and leaving the garden looking bare and tidy. I did that for years—until I realized I was also tossing out ladybugs, lacewing eggs, and even bumblebees that had tucked themselves into old stalks. These days, I take a slower, lighter approach. The trick is