The Gardening Path

Calatheas are identified for their bold patterned foliage. The leaves of most Calathea varieties fold up slightly during the nighttime, revealing the oftentimes colorful undersides of their striking leaves. Rattlesnake Plants (Calathea lancifolia) aren't the easiest houseplants to nurture, but, if you give them the care they need, you will be rewarded with an awesome display from their foliage. This tropical calathea species is native to the rainforests of Brazil and gets its common name from the distinctive decorative markings that are displayed on its leaves. You can grow this tropical plant outdoors in USDA plant hardiness zones 10 and above. In cooler climates, rattlesnake plants can easily be grown indoors. The plant can grow up to 30 inches tall, and the large leaves have a variegated pattern with various shades of greens and a wavy pattern along their edges. Even the undersides of the foliage are eye-catching with their beautiful purplish-red tones. Gorgeous Foliage Just lik...

If you eat a lot of eggs, you naturally end up with an abundance of eggshells. Instead of throwing them in the trash or down the disposal, you can make good use of them in your garden. It’s no secret that eggs, full of protein, vitamins, and minerals (enough to grow a baby chicken from just one cell) are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. Worldwide an average person consumes about 170 to 200 eggs annually. That’s over a trillion eggs per year! Now ask yourself this: “What happens to all of those eggshells?” Eggs will provide you vitamins, minerals, and proteins, and are one of the most nutritious foods in the world. You can pass these nutrients to the plants if you add eggshells to your garden. The benefits of the eggs are endless if you just use eggshells in your garden. Fertilizer Eggshells are a great way to add calcium to your compost. Because shells have a very high surface area to volume ratio, they decompose very quickly. Don’t even worry about sterilizing or grindi...

If you love the tropical look of a palm tree but don’t live in a tropical region, try growing Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana). The kentia palm is one of the world's most popular indoor palms. Elegant and stately, shade tolerant, cold tolerant, and doesn't grow overwhelmingly large. Under the right conditions, a kentia palm will grow slowly into a magnificent specimen that can reach up to ten feet tall (and even higher outdoors). As part of our Hawaiian Collection, it comes to us with a strong root system that has grown in lava rock giving it long-lasting properties with very little fuss. If this plant is added to your favorite room, you will not be disappointed. Native to the islands of the South Pacific, the kentia palm is usually sold with two to five palms planted together, giving it the appearance of having multiple stems, all topped with graceful, arching foliage. It has a long history as a parlor palm (Queen Victoria added them to all of her homes) and was the feature of ...

Orchids, also known as Orchidaceae, are one of the most beautiful flowers around due to their large, long-lasting blooms and crisp colors. They can be found in white, pink, magenta, purple, and yellow hues. Orchids symbolize fertility, elegance, and love. Orchids are some of the most commonly grown houseplants. Provided they have proper growing conditions, it isn’t difficult to learn how to take care of orchid plants. If you are new to the world of orchids, don't be afraid of them. Many orchids can be easy to grow if you take some time to learn what they need. One of the most popular types of orchids is the moth orchid or phalaenopsis. This variety blooms one to two times a year and the flowers last from two to three months. Other popular types of orchids are dendrobium and oncidium, which bloom one to two times a year and have flowers that last a little over a month. Orchid Growing Tips There are more than 20,000 types of orchids around the world, and their growth is dependant on ...

Growing tomatoes is a fun and rewarding task, resulting in masses of fresh, nutritious tomatoes that taste better than anything you can buy in the shops. Tomatoes are the most popular vegetable to grow in the home garden, and there’s nothing quite like sliced tomatoes on a sandwich when picked fresh from the garden. There are many different varieties of tomato to grow, including cherry, plum, and beefsteak, each with its own distinctive shaped fruit, flavor, and culinary use. Tomatoes are easy to grow and taste best when grown in full sun. Here we have compiled all of the articles with tomato growing tips; everything from the best way to plant tomatoes to information on exactly what do tomatoes need to grow. How To Grow Tomatoes At Home To grow tomatoes successfully, you need rich, fertile soil or peat-free potting compost, and a good sunny, sheltered spot. Water regularly and feed weekly with a high-potash fertilizer once the plants start to flower. Tomatoes Growing Types:  Tomato...

Dracaena marginata, more commonly known as a dragon tree, is an attractive plant with green sword-like, red-edged leaves. It makes a big impact as an indoor plant and well suited for offices and homes. They grow to be tall trees that aren't just visually stunning in a space, they also remove harmful chemicals from the air. Dracaena marginata plants can be used as table plants, but they are especially impressive as tall trees with multiple canes and hundreds of long, thin, green leaves trimmed in dark red. The canes are often thick, twisted, and woody, making them a desirable and expensive “specimen” plant. NASA lists a Dracaena marginata is an excellent plant for removing harmful chemicals from the air. Dracaena marginata is a low-maintenance plant that can last for years. It prefers a bright or lightly shaded spot but will also tolerate lower light levels. It likes moist compost but is tolerant of erratic watering. Wipe the leaves occasionally to keep them dust-free and shiny, pul...

Most of us know Chlorophytum comosum as the spider plant. The Curly Spider plant or Bonnie is a compact variety with curly, swirly leaves.  This Curly Spider Plant variety is a modern version of the traditional Spider Plant with a curvy twist. It is much more compact in size and, in our opinion, a little more designer for your collection. Chlorophytum comosum Bonnie has similar variegation to 'Vittatum' but with wonderfully curly leaves and yellow flowers rather than white. The Curly Spider plant (airplane plant), is a member of the family Asparagaceae and hails from southern Africa. In its native setting, it is a perennial plant, but it is grown as a houseplant in cooler climates. The spider plant flowers a small white flower that turns into plantlets (baby spider plants) that grow on the tips of the stem. These babies can be easily propagated to create new plants.   Size & Growth Bonnie is more compact than most Spider Plants and can grow to be 8″ inches tall with a...