Articles written by Chris McLaughlin

Dwarf fruit trees reach a mere 4' to 6' tall and are perfect for the small garden or yard.

Jul 8, 2011 - Chris McLaughlin

Chemical pesticides and herbicides can be toxic or damaging if they're applied incorrectly. It's the gardener's responsibility to learn to use them safely.

May 30, 2011 - Chris McLaughlin

Proper fruit tree pruning practices require the right pruning tools. Learn which tool is the best one for each technique.

Jan 31, 2011 - Chris McLaughlin

Improving appearance is only one good reason to to prune fruit trees and other plant species. Let me give you nine more.

Jan 31, 2011 - Chris McLaughlin

The concept of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is to start with the least toxic pest remedy and move up to the next level of control.

Dec 31, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Growing vegetables in containers is one of the best ways to make the most of small garden space. But which type of plant container should you choose?

Dec 30, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Choose a healthy bare-root fruit tree for the home garden or small orchard.

Dec 13, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Collecting a wide selection of fruit tree catalogs makes home orchard planting fun and easy.

Dec 13, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Heirloom carrot varieties offer unusual and gorgeous colors, many of them out-flavoring the more common carrot varieties. All that and history, too.

Nov 14, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Laurus nobilis is an aromatic herb that belongs in every kitchen garden. It's easy-to-grow and brings height and evergreen structure to landscaping.

Oct 27, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Enjoy green leaves, fragrant flowers, and fresh fruit all year long by planting dwarf citrus trees in pots and growing them indoors.

Oct 27, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Grow heirloom tomato varieties that have surprising colors and patterns.

Sep 28, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Colorful heirloom tomato varieties are unique to grow in the home garden and delicious on the table.

Sep 10, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Old Spice had made the comeback of the decade with its Old Spice Guy campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Aug 30, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

White tomatoes look great in salads, make flavorful spaghetti sauce, and are low in acid.

Aug 25, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Cover crops and green manures usually fall into two categories; those which are legumes and then everything else - which are grains and grasses.

Jul 22, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

"Green manures" and "cover crops" are terms used interchangeably, but they do have slight differences.

Jul 21, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Because of the pineapple's tropical look and flavor, it's easy to believe that this succulent fruit grows on trees. The truth is that they don't.

Jul 8, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Hybrid varieties may be hot, but none of them offer the fantastic behind-the-heat flavor of the heritage hot peppers.

Jun 4, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

The home gardener has a huge advantage over commercial growers and the grocery store as there are many different radish varieties available to them.

May 7, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Gardeners who plant cilantro in their kitchen garden can enjoy a double harvest as this culinary plant is both an herb and a spice.

May 3, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Choosing the right vegetables to grow can be confusing to a new gardener. Create a custom key to help you plan and plant your first vegetable garden.

Apr 12, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

It can be confusing when it comes to understanding what exactly places these cherished vegetables into the heirloom or heritage class.

Mar 31, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Hand-pollinating is the easiest way for the home gardener to ensure that fruit sets on the vine. It also keeps varieties pure for seed-saving gardeners.

Mar 12, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Potatoes are as nutritious as they are versatile, and families in nearly every culture have considered them a mainstay in the pantry for centuries.

Feb 17, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

With pole bean varieties, gardeners can harvest twice the amount of beans than with bush-type varieties.

Feb 17, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Peppers are the second most popular vegetable grown in the home garden. Gardeners can enjoy the fresh flavors of nutritional peppers grown in their own backyard.

Feb 17, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Before purchasing vegetable seeds, gardeners need to find out which vegetables do well in their area and microclimate.

Feb 5, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Between excellent taste and tenderness, and tons of varieties to choose form have more gardeners opting to grow their own carrots.

Jan 22, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Learn the character differences between indeterminate tomato vine varieties and their compact determinate cousins before you purchase plants for the garden.

Jan 8, 2010 - Chris McLaughlin

Add nutritional compost to your vegetable garden using this simple method that doesn't require building, piling, measuring, or maintenance.

Dec 3, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

Herb gardening isn't limited to gardens and yards with full sun. There are many herbs that thrive in the shade.

Nov 14, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

There's no magic to growing produce. But there are many easy-to-grow vegetables that make a first home garden almost effortless.

Nov 11, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

Using these five soil recipes, potting mediums can be easily mixed at home for both container gardens and houseplants.

Nov 10, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

Most cooks would be lost without the pungent aroma and taste of garlic. Fortunately, garlic is a food staple that's easy to grow in the home garden.

Nov 8, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

Save money and eat healthier food by supplementing store-bought groceries fresh from the garden.

Nov 7, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

Lemon trees are one of the easiest fruit trees to grow in an average-sized suburban yard or garden.

Nov 6, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

Beneficial insects make it possible for gardeners to manage pests organically. This can lessen or eliminate the use of potentially harmful synthetic pesticides.

Nov 5, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

Summer savory is an easy-to-grow herb that belongs in the kitchen garden. It's aromatic, attracts beneficial pollinators, and is useful in the kitchen.

Nov 4, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

Teaching kids the difference between biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials is the first step to helping them understand reduce, reuse, recycle, and compost

Oct 12, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

It may come as a surprise to learn that vanilla bean pods come from an orchid. In fact, Vanilla planifolia is the only orchid that produces an edible fruit.

Aug 11, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

While no garden or yard will ever be completely weed-free, there are natural ways of preventing them from taking over vegetable, landscape and flower beds.

Jul 18, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

Learn about the traits that place bats into a special mammal category.

Jun 23, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

Thanks to Animal Planet's Meerkat Manor; this little mammal has become the social ambassador of the South African Desert.

Jun 16, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

Despite their fascinating reputation for attacking venomous snakes, mongooses are non-aggressive towards people.

Jun 2, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

The moss rose is one tough annual whose papery-pastel blossoms can take the heat.

May 12, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

Proper grooming of an angora rabbit requires time, patience and practice. Although docile by nature, this makes angoras unlikely candidates as pets for children.

May 7, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

Bobcat populations throughout the United States have fluctuated over the years, but today their numbers remain strong.

Apr 30, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

While more people have an aversion to bats as opposed to an affinity, one thing can't be denied; they have some incredibly special traits that people find fascinating.

Apr 16, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin

Capable of eating 1,200 mosquitoes in an hour, the little brown bat has earned the reputation of being the best bug killer anywhere in the world.

Apr 9, 2009 - Chris McLaughlin