On a January windowsill, a fern can look like the most innocent plant in the house. Green fronds, soft shadows, a pot that asks mostly for humidity and restraint. Then you turn one frond over and find rows of brown dots underneath. They can look alarming if you were not expecting them. The dots may be round, rusty, tan, black,…
Read more about The brown dots under fern leaves are not pests
A black walnut makes itself known in October. The leaves yellow and fall in long, feathery pieces. The nuts drop with a weight you can feel through the soles of your shoes. Their green husks darken, bruise, and stain almost anything that touches them. Under the tree, the ground becomes a small map of influence: shade, roots, shells, leaflets, squirrels,…
Harsh garden spots need diagnosis before drama: how heat, shade, compaction, mulch, and design principles turn difficult sites into resilient planting.
Read more about The underworld gardener’s guide to difficult sites
