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5 days ago | 
southernliving.com | Kim Toscano
To kids, dandelions provide endless hours of seed-blowing entertainment. To adults, they represent endless hours of weeding. To get ahead of these stubborn weeds, take a cue from the kid inside of you and focus on the seeds. Dandelions have a deep tap root and can live for many years, making them challenging to control once established. The most effective management strategies focus on prevention and removal of young plants. Here’s how to get rid of dandelions and get back to enjoying the landscape.
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5 days ago | 
flipboard.com | Kim Toscano
12 hours ago'Plant by Number' Maps Help You Plan Beautiful, Elaborate Gardens with EaseKey Takeaways Plant by Number is a gardening tool meant to design gardens using landscape fabric maps. Dimensions range from 5x5 foot plots to 14x20 foot maps, and you can order flowers, too.
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1 week ago | 
southernliving.com | Kim Toscano
Hydrangeas bring endless charm and sweet nostalgia to gardens. Bigleaf hydrangeas in particular hold a special place in the Southern landscape, with their lush foliage and bold, billowing blooms. Among these, few are as deserving a spot in the garden as Dear Dolores® hydrangea. A standout among an already magnificent group of plants, this reblooming variety from the Southern Living Plant Collection provides an endless supply of blooms all season long.
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1 week ago | 
southernliving.com | Kim Toscano
From gherkins to slicers, cucumbers are among the most widely planted garden crops. Cucumbers are relatively easy to grow but can be plagued by a variety of insect and disease pests. We can encourage natural pest management in our gardens by thoughtfully pairing cucumbers with beneficial companion plants. Companion planting is the centuries-old practice of combining plants in the garden in a way that benefits one or both plants.
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1 week ago | 
southernliving.com | Kim Toscano
Mother Nature is unpredictable. Despite our best efforts, record-breaking rainfall events or severe heat and drought can take their toll on plants. What’s a gardener to do in the face of such extremes? Plant tougher plants. These rugged perennials and shrubs stand up to the worst weather without sacrificing style to keep your garden looking its best all season long. They tolerate a range of growing conditions and thrive without pampering.
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1 week ago | 
southernliving.com | Kim Toscano
Roses are meant to mingle with other plants in the garden. Their bold blooms pair beautifully with floral sprays, spikes, spheres, and spillers, while the leggy stems of climbing roses provide the perfect support for daintier vines. Some rose companions provide contrasts in color, texture, or form, while others fill gaps in the garden, both visually and temporally. There are also companion plants for roses that help ward off pests like aphids.
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2 weeks ago | 
southernliving.com | Kim Toscano
Keep the blooms coming all season long with these stellar selections. Published on April 6, 2025 Photo: Getty Images Annuals are known for their amazing flower power, putting on an endless show from spring through frost. Many perennials also bloom repeatedly throughout the year, providing lasting color that shines from one season to the next. We’ve gathered the best of the best: annuals, perennials, and even woody shrubs and vines to plant in spring for blooms that last through summer and beyond.
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2 weeks ago | 
southernliving.com | Kim Toscano
Companion planting is a term with multiple meanings. Companion plants for ornamentals such as hydrangeas are selected for aesthetic purposes. In fruit and vegetable gardens, we select companion plants based on their services to neighboring plants. The pepper companion plants featured here play various roles in the garden community, enhancing pepper yields through pest reduction, weed management, and soil enhancement.
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2 weeks ago | 
southernliving.com | Kim Toscano
Spring weather welcomes a flush of blooming bulbs, tender green leaves, and flowering shrubs to the garden. It also brings an explosion of weeds. Lawns provide an ideal place for weeds to grow thanks to their ample sunlight, high fertility, and low stature. Stay on top of lawn weeds this season by getting to know turf invaders and when to control them. Maintaining a healthy lawn is the first step to combating weeds, but sometimes additional control strategies are needed.
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2 weeks ago | 
yahoo.com | Kim Toscano
Spring weather welcomes a flush of blooming bulbs, tender green leaves, and flowering shrubs to the garden. It also brings an explosion of weeds. Lawns provide an ideal place for weeds to grow thanks to their ample sunlight, high fertility, and low stature. Stay on top of lawn weeds this season by getting to know turf invaders and when to control them. Maintaining a healthy lawn is the first step to combating weeds, but sometimes additional control strategies are needed.
