Help With My Plants & Garden

Not yet. We’ll let everyone know when that becomes available.

Your body. Gardening is a sport like any other physical activity.

A good first step is to try to figure out the origin of the problem. Is it the location, soil, amount of sunlight or water, disease, pests or nutrients? Like real estate, plants are all about ‘location’, so you might try moving it, or a portion of it, first. If you are playing with a plant with which you are unfamiliar, it’s a good strategy to get 3 of them and put them in different places until you figure out which spot works best, then move the others to the best spot. Leaving them in the pot saves work for you and stress for the plant. Much of this is just trial and error, so do experiment! If you are stumped, take a photo or better yet, take the plant parts to a garden club that specializes in that type of plant (e.g. Hardy Perennials, Primroses, Roses, Dhalia, ferns, fruit trees, etc.) or your State or agricultural University Extension Services. These folks know a lot and will likely be happy to help.

Pruning is likely the most difficult art form in gardening. The best garden design will quickly go awry when plants are not properly pruned. Pruning is foundational to the health of an individual plant and to the garden as a whole. Principles of pruning are equally important to potted plants such as hanging baskets, container gardens, houseplants or bonsai. Like propagation, it requires great depth of knowledge about each plant. While it takes time, persistence, and attention to detail, the rewards are enormous.

Check “Tips, Tricks & Other Fun” in the “Plant Profile”.

The best way to start is to look at the plant to see what technique to apply. Its growth habit (e.g., woodiness, response to gravity, root type, etc.), seasonality (when it grows during the year), lifestyle (annual, biennial, perennial), age, health and size all play a role in which method to choose. We've got some information in "Tips & Tricks" to get you started.

There are many, many ways to design a garden. Of course the style you prefer (formal or informal, simple or complex diversity, sparse or lush planting density) matters a lot, but your space, climate and time for maintenance are factors that narrow what is practical. For example, you can’t grow a cactus garden outside in the tropics, and you can’t grow a tropical garden outside in the desert.

This is a complex topic of great importance to both gardeners & ecologists. Aspects of gardening, from design to maintenance, are intimately by this topic. The best solution is to let the plants & soil microbiome do the work for you: leave the plant litter in the fall; plant densely & with diversity.

A weed is defined as any plant growing where a human does not want it. 'Weediness' is a suite of traits, perhaps with a genetic basis, that make a plant invasive. That means that a plant may be well-behaved in its native range but weedy when introduced to other areas. The role competition plays in the weediness of any plant is fascinating indeed.

To grow plants well, it’s essential to start from the ground up. Soil scientists study of the skin of the Earth, ‘The Pedosphere’, which is a complex topic indeed. The formation, composition and structure of soil is fascinating! We’re always adding more so please check back on occasion.

Yes they are. When there is an exception to this rule, we’ll give you a heads-up.

Yes! These are the three growth conditions for any plant. They are not options but requirements for the growth of any plant species. Find them in the “Plant Profile” for each plant in “Plants”.

A plant life cycle is how a plant grows and develops throughout its life. Plants have evolved a remarkable way of resting and avoiding harsh weather conditions: the seed. The seed is one of the most important biological innovations in the history of our planet. Many animals depend on seeds for food, so animals flourished once seeds evolved. Human civilization, indeed our survival, depends on agriculture, genetics and the commerce of seeds. Understanding life cycles is foundational to propagation, design and care of plants.

Just like with animals and other creatures, each part of a plant has a proper anatomical name. Many of the names are the same as with animals. For example, plants have "skin" or an epidermis, eggs, and a placenta too.

Plant taxonomy is the science of figuring out the past and present relationships, or genealogy, of plants. It is based on many types of evidence, from morphology (plant form or shape) to DNA sequence in fossils and living plants. Check out the Integrated Taxonomic Information System of the USGS and Smithsonian for fun.

There are many people who can help with plant ID; we’ve just created an online resource that coordinates the efforts and expertise that’s out there. Plant biologists who are on staff or volunteer help and curate each “Plant Profile”.

For several reasons, plants that you grow need to be listed in “My Plants”. First, all your plants need to be listed there for us to connect you with share partners. Second, it’s a nice reminder of what you have, an online collection of your garden, indoors and out. Third, once you have been gifted a plant you’d love, that listing reminds you where, when and with whom you shared. Links in that listing allow you to reconnect with that person again quickly. Finally, when supplies run low, we'll reach out to folks who grow it and ask if they have enough to share!

You can:

1) change the share status of each plant;

2) start, continue or check the status of a share event;

3) read your reviews.

You need your own plant list to set up a share event; otherwise we don’t know what you grow, would love and will share.