Heavy, sticky clay soil is a problem for gardeners who will try anything to make the soil easier to dig. One proposed option is expanded shale.
Does it work? Should you use it?
Watch the YouTube version of this post: https://youtu.be/tBChiT11Ba4
For millennia, wool has been prized as a textile fiber, valued for its warmth, durability, and moisture-wicking properties. Is it also a great soil amendment and fertilizer in the garden?
Watch the video for this post here: https://youtu.be/nC3h7vkPozY
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I was working on a new video about growing tomatoes in hot climates and found all kinds of suggestions about the best NPK for tomatoes. Much of that information was wrong. People are just picking numbers out of the air.
What does science say?
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Humidity is a form of water, and water is critical for plant growth. We can all sense high and low humidity, but what effect do these extremes have on plants? How does a gardener control humidity to help plants grow well?
Let’s clarify the misunderstandings and myths about providing humidity for plants.
I have been growing orchids for over 40 years, and at one point, I grew over 1,000 orchids. Whenever I was asked about the best orchid pot, I responded with the same answer. Any green plastic pot will work just fine. If it had a raised bottom with drainage holes at the bottom rim (azalea pot), to allow better water drainage, that would be better, but any pot will work.
That answer is still correct. We know that because most hobbyists use that kind of pot.
However, there is some new research that suggests a clear pot may be better. Let’s have a look at what the new science says.
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Plant identification apps for phones and tablets have become very popular, but they are not all created equally. In this article, I will compare 7 popular apps to see which ones perform best.
I’ll also provide pros and cons for each app.
GMO food labeling compliance became mandatory starting June 23, 2025, but if you look at the label on processed food in the US, you won’t see a GMO label.
The reason for this is that the FDA has decided to use a different term. The food will be labeled as “Contains a Bioengineered food ingredient”. The word Bioengineered (BE) is replacing the term GMO.
The general public has been asking for GMO labeling on food for many years. After spending many millions of dollars, they now have their wish.
I’ve been writing about garden myths for about 15 years, and there are still many more that need attention. I have over 300 started posts that could be finished.
However….. I am also interested in a wider range of myths and it is time to widen the scope of my myth busting.
You might have noticed I have started writing about food and food nutrition myths, and even climate change. So far I have dabbled in these but now it’s time to follow this interest more deeply.
I have decided to start a new venture called Reality Time.
Spider mites are one of the most common and frustrating pests an indoor gardener can encounter. They can be hard to control if you don’t understand the pest and use the right techniques to control it.
Unfortunately, a lot of the information online is wrong, which causes unnecessary frustration and lost plants.
Have you ever wondered why some seeds sprout instantly, while others need weeks of cold stratification, or maybe just refuse to germinate at all? What about when you cut open a ripe tomato and find little sprouts already growing inside? Why does that happen?
Well, the secret behind all this behavior boils down to one powerful chemical compound: Abscisic Acid, or ABA. Think of ABA as the seed’s internal timing mechanism. Today, we’re diving into how this hormone acts as a powerful brake, and crucially, how you can release that brake to get faster, healthier germination.
Is your tap water suitable for plants? Unless you know something about both hardness and alkalinity, you can’t tell if your tap water should be used.
Is RO water, distilled water, or rainwater suitable for plants? You probably think it is, but they also have problems that relate to hardness and alkalinity.
Let’s have a closer look at water and these two properties.
I know that many of you think that this question has already been settled and that 97% of scientists agree that global warming is anthropogenic, i.e., it is human-caused.
The question is far from being settled
The goal for this post is to present some of the arguments presented by both sides of the debate.
