Your National Gardening Association weekly news for March 4, 2017

The Good Bugs

"Insects are the most successful living organisms on the Earth. That's just one reason it makes good sense to balance one against the other, rather than trying to kill pests with poisons. It is also true that in nature there are no good or bad bugs. All are trying to make a living in the way nature programmed them. But from a gardener's perspective, some insects help and some don't. It's smart to learn about and exploit insect behaviors. In this article you'll learn how to wisely purchase and use beneficial insects."

Herbal Teas

"Once I began blending and testing herb teas to sell under my Garden Party label, I knew what I didn't want. An herb tea should never be flat and flavorless. Whether it's fruity or spicy, soothing or lively, simple or sophisticated, it needs taste and personality."

Growing Edible Flowers

"While gardeners love flowers for their beauty outdoors in the garden and indoors in a vase, few raise them to eat. That's a shame because many flowers are edible and bring lively flavors, colors and textures to salads, soups, casseroles and other dishes. Eating flowers is not as exotic as it sounds. The use of flowers as food dates back to the Stone Age with archeological evidence that early man ate flowers such as roses."

Growing Roses and Clematis Together

"Companions in Life - be they spouses, partners, or even pets and their masters - should be compatible to thrive in each other's company. Ideal companion plants are the same way, and two of the best are clematis and roses. Both relish large doses of water, flourish in the same location and soil, and benefit from similar fertilizing schedules. Yet for all their similarities, they complement each other perfectly."

Growing Hibiscus

"Hibiscus are large shrubs or small trees that produce huge, colorful, trumpet-shaped flowers over a long season. They are generally divided into four groups: Hardy Hibiscus, Rose of Sharon, Tropical Hibiscus, and all the various species of Hibiscus."

Should you use Epsom Salt?

"After working with home gardeners for more than 10 years, I know that they love to use home remedies on their plants. From setting out beer traps for slugs to hanging bars of soap to repel deer, if the household product seems to work, gardeners try it. That's why I was intrigued by the often-mentioned idea of using Epsom salts as a fertilizer."

Photo of Standard Dwarf Bearded Iris (Iris 'Cat's Eye')
By Paul2032:

Photo of Standard Dwarf Bearded Iris (Iris 'Big Blue Eyes')
By Paul2032:

Photo of Orchid (Jackfowlieara Appleblossom 'Fantasy')
By drdawg:

Photo of Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Scottish Cream Treat')
By petalsnsepals:

Photo of Cape Primrose (Streptocarpus 'Party Pinafore')
By Fleur569:

Photo of Orchid (Cattleya Fire Magic 'Solar Flare')
By sugarcane:

Photo of Clematis 'Kardynal Wyszynski'
By PeggyC:

Photo of Giant Chalk Dudleya (Dudleya brittonii)
By Baja_Costero:

Photo of Orbea (Orbea halipedicola)
By OldBlue:

Photo of Rose (Rosa 'Sexy Rexy')
By Paul2032: