Lillian Downey - Garden Guides

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Garden Guides uses a knowledgeable team of editors, writers, and experts to create all our content. We dive deep into the ever-evolving conversations surrounding gardening and landscaping, striving to deliver the most current and helpful tips, strengthened by expert insight and tutorials from our talented team.

As we cover many fields of expertise, we make it a priority to ensure every beat remains fresh and comprehensive. Additional information on our editorial process available here.

Stories By Lillian Downey

Trees

Trees By Lillian Downey November 4th, 2022

Potting Mix For Aloe Vera Plants

Potting Mix for Aloe Vera Plants. Because they're succulents, aloe vera plants (Aloe barbadensis) store water and nutrients in those thick, fleshy leaves. Because they hold a lot of water, they prefer soil that does not. This means your aloe vera plant will do best in soil that drains quickly and doesn't stay damp or soggy for long. Without proper drainage, your aloe vera plant will likely develop root rot and die. You can amend most types of soil to improve the drainage and make it suitable for aloe vera.
By Lillian Downey November 4th, 2022 Read More
Produce

Produce By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022

How To Trim A Dead Bamboo Stalk

How to Trim a Dead Bamboo Stalk. Healthy bamboo stalks are a nice, vibrant green. Once your stalk starts to yellow or brown, it means, unfortunately, that it's too late for your plant. It's important to trim dead bamboo stalks from your arrangement because roots of dead stalks can rot in their water and lead to root rot in surrounding stalks. To keep your arrangement healthy, you'll need to trim away the dead stalk and also remove its roots. It's also a good time to do a full water change.
By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022 Read More
Produce

Produce By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022

Problems With Lucky Bamboo

Problems With Lucky Bamboo. Lucky bamboo is one of the easiest houseplants to maintain. It requires less care than your average houseplant and is hearty even in less than optimal growing conditions. However, as it is a living thing, it is not completely without its problems. In fact, there are several very common problems that occur due to simple mistakes in care. With a few tips, these problems can be avoided or corrected before the plant experiences serious distress.
By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022 Read More
Flowers

Flowers By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022

Uses For Russian Sage

Uses for Russian Sage. If you have visions of lavender in your garden, but your poor soil doesn't allow it, Russian sage can fill in. Its small purple flowers and tall, hedge-like presence make it a close stand-in for the real thing. Russian sage is also fragrant, so much so that it attracts butterflies. It stays in bloom most of the summer, so its delicate purple flowers won't wilt and die in the hot sun--which it in fact prefers. Russian sage isn't only used for decorative gardening. It has culinary and medicinal uses and also helps keep pests out of your garden.
By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022 Read More
Produce

Produce By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022

How To Revive A Bamboo Plant

How to Revive a Bamboo Plant. Bamboo plants are generally pretty hardy, and with the right conditions, they will thrive with very little maintenance. If conditions aren't perfect, some plants may begin to wilt, brown burn and start to die back. The best approach is to try to reconcile the problem before the plant experiences significant damage. Unlike other plants, bamboo are often already past the point of saving when they start to look bad. If you have a sickly plant, it may not be too late to try some interventions.
By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022 Read More
Produce

Produce By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022

How To Remove Salt Stains From Clay Pots

How to Remove Salt Stains From Clay Pots. Clay pots are useful gardening containers because, unlike many other materials, they're porous. This allows the roots to breathe and for the pot to participate in delivering moisture to the roots. After time, clay pots can absorb salt and mineral deposits from the water and soil you use. If too much salt builds up, it can cause salt toxicity, a condition that damages your plant's root system and leaves. These deposits can also impede water and air flow, creating pockets of mold and fungi. Cleaning your pots before planting only takes a few easy steps.
By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022 Read More
Produce

Produce By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022

How To Keep A Bamboo Plant Alive

How to Keep a Bamboo Plant Alive. Bamboo plants are one of the easiest plants to keep alive. They may look more exotic than regular houseplants, but their care instructions are not difficult at all. In fact, they often do best when just left alone for up to two weeks at a time. If you want to keep your bamboo plant alive and thriving, you'll need to know just a few simple tricks of the trade. They need little more than the right light conditions and some good quality water.
By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022 Read More
Produce

Produce By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022

How To Use Mirrors To Redirect Light To Plants

How to Use Mirrors to Redirect Light to Plants. Some plants thrive in shady areas, but most houseplants need at least indirect sunlight to thrive. Unfortunately, most homes aren't designed with your love of plants in mind. So, if you want to grow certain plants in low-light conditions, you'll have to get creative. One way to increase the amount of light your plants get is to creatively place mirrors throughout your home. These mirrors will pick up natural sunlight and bounce it back onto your plant.
By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022 Read More
Produce

Produce By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022

How To Use A Box Spring For A Planter Box

How to Use a Box Spring for a Planter Box. Green living is about finding new ways to recycle items and save energy. People committed to a green lifestyle let nothing go to waste. Following that principle, it is possible to use an old box spring to make a container garden. Box springs are natural planting containers because their shape lends itself to the proper planting depth of many popular plants, including vegetables and herbs. It's constructed of porous materials that allow for soil drainage and aeration.
By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022 Read More
Produce

Produce By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022

How To Trim Lotus Bamboo

How to Trim Lotus Bamboo. Lotus bamboo are so named because they have leaves growing from their tops resembling the sacred lotus flower and their stems resemble those of true bamboo. However, these plants are not related to bamboo plants or lotus plants. In fact, they're members of the lily family. Lotus bamboo grow rapidly in good conditions, and trimming and pruning are essential to keep them attractive and healthy. Pruning and thinning the leaves helps with water evaporation, which prevents mold and fungus growth.
By Lillian Downey November 3rd, 2022 Read More
Produce

Produce By Lillian Downey September 6th, 2022

Signs Of A Healthy Venus Fly Trap

Signs of a Healthy Venus Fly Trap. Venus fly traps are carnivorous plants, meaning they have the ability to digest insects that land on their heads. It is a common misconception, however, that they need to eat insects in order to survive, according to Fly Trap Care. Healthy venus fly traps need little more than sunlight and clean, pure water in order to survive. If you're fly trap isn't getting the right kind of water and light, or if it's hunting head is activated too many times, it will start to show signs of wear and tear. Knowing what you plant should look like at its peak will help you make sure it stays as healthy as possible.
By Lillian Downey September 6th, 2022 Read More
Produce

Produce By Lillian Downey September 6th, 2022

Lucky Bamboo & Algae Problems

Lucky Bamboo & Algae Problems. Algae in small amounts appears on most plants that are grown in water. In small amounts, algae won't harm your plant, but in large amounts, it can completely coat the root system, blocking your plant's access to water and harboring root rotting bacteria. It's also unsightly. Because algae and algae spores are common in water, it's difficult to have a completely algae-free bamboo plant, but it is possible to keep algae at low and healthy levels.
By Lillian Downey September 6th, 2022 Read More
Produce

Produce By Lillian Downey September 6th, 2022

How To Keep A Bamboo Plant Green

How to Keep a Bamboo Plant Green. A green bamboo plant is a healthy bamboo plant. In fact, if your plant's stalk is anything but green, it's probably dead. Usually your plant will give you warning signs, like yellow leaves or spindly growth, before the stalks start to discolor and die. With a few tips, you can keep your plant lush and verdant for years.
By Lillian Downey September 6th, 2022 Read More