How to Dust Houseplants Like a Pro

Dusting houseplants is not easy, and if you have them you probably know this, but -- I think I have finally figured out the best way.  I just discovered the "Holy Grail" for dusting houseplants.

Houseplants get dusty, just like everything else in a house, but they are such a pain to clean!
Those leaf shine sprays make the leaves look shiny, but they're full of yucky chemicals and they're terrible for your plants.  And ultimately, the dust is still there, just under a shiny film.

If you've been unfortunate, you may have learned the hard way that the leaf shine gets hot when exposed to sunlight and burns plant leaves.

This is not a sales pitch, but many of you probably don't know that outside of The Plant Chick social media/blog, I am a also Norwex consultant.  (If you're wondering "What is NORWEX?", click here.)
I have never shared this because it hasn't been plant-related until today.

What is it?

The Norwex Dusting Mitt and the Norwex Envirowand duster.

How to use them

Simply hold and support the leaves and stems from underneath with your hand inside the Dusting Mitt, then lay the chenille "fingers" of the Envirowand duster against the top of the leaves and while applying gentle pressure, wiggle it side to side. 

This gets the dust off without breaking delicate leaves and stems, and any dust that falls off the Envirowand gets caught in the Dusting Mitt.  If that doesn't do the trick, you can always use the Dusting Mitt wet.
Just rinse the dusters and hang them to dry for later, and when they're really soiled, toss them in the laundry.

Interested in other green cleaning tips?  Want to learn how it's possible to clean with just water?
Click here!

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What's a Chimera?

This picture was sent to me by my friend Keith who is a garden center manager in the Austin area.

This plant phenomenon, which can also happen in animals and people, is called chimera/chimaera. A chimera can occur when a mutation causes a group of cells to grow differently from the tissue around it.

Sometimes this mutation causes the plant to display a different phenotype (white flowers, instead of pink), and other times its visibly undetectable, but still genetically different.

A more common example of chimera is the vertical stripes on a Sansevieria (snake plant) leaf, whose striped area is genetically different from the unstriped portion.

This is why, if you've ever tried to propagate one by a leaf cutting, you'll notice the resulting plant won't have the same color pattern.

(Photo credit: Waylon Arms slideshow "Plant Propagation by Division and Separation")

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Beat the Fall Weeds!

The heat of summer takes a heavy toll on most lawns, and by the time fall rolls around many lawns are looking patchy, thin, or dead.  Those thin patches, where the soil is exposed, are prime real estate for fall weed seeds which are looking for a place to put down roots.

A "hack" for the perfect, weed-free lawn

Fortunately there's a food we're all familiar with that can help us out.  It's corn!
All you have to do is dump frozen corn all over your lawn to prevent weeds.  That was a joke.  Seriously, don't do that.

There is actually some truth to the joke because corn is competitive by nature.  Corn plants use something we call "allelopathy" to outcompete other plants that are growing nearby.  (You can read more about allelopathy here on my blog Do Sunflowers Use Chemical Warfare?)

We can harness corn's natural ability by applying CORN GLUTEN MEAL, a protein byproduct of corn processing, to lawns in early fall when the cool season weeds are beginning to emerge.
This also works in the early spring for preventing warm season weeds.

How does it work?

As seeds sprout, they attempt to put down roots and corn gluten meal inhibits the growth of those newly developing roots, killing the vulnerable seedlings as they sprout.  Without roots, the seedling can't soak up water, thereby causing it to wither away.

 <<WARNING>>

Because corn gluten doesn't know the difference between a weed seed and other types of seeds, it's important to exercise caution while applying it.

Corn gluten meal will not negatively affect established plants with deep roots, like your lawn, since it is only applied to the surface of the soil, but it will work just as effectively on freshly planted grass seeds and vegetable garden seedlings as it does on weed seeds, so if you're planning to seed your lawn or start a vegetable garden, be sure to apply corn gluten meal at least 6 weeks in advance, or wait to apply it after your new grass or vegetable plants are well established.

For best results

If you're applying corn gluten meal in granular form, you'll want to water it immediately after application to get the corn gluten to wash into the top layer of soil, but do not water that area again for 7 days.

If you're using Green It Organic Weed Preventer, water is part of the application, so there are no additional steps needed, but again, do not water the area again for 7 days.

Applying water within the first 7 days can dilute the corn gluten in the soil enough to make it ineffective.  This dry period is an essential part of killing those sprouting weed seedlings.

Studies have shown that higher concentrations of corn gluten meal are more effective than lower concentrations, so be sure to follow the application recommendations and don't be tempted to skimp on the application. 

20 lbs per 1000 SF is generally the recommended application rate which yields the best results.

When to apply

Timing is critical when using corn gluten meal to prevent weeds.  In order to get the best results, it must be applied the week that weed seeds are emerging.  Applying too late means that weed seedlings won't be affected, but applying too early means the corn gluten will wash out of the soil before it has had a chance to work.

Other benefits of corn gluten meal

Having a thick, healthy lawn is the best defense when it comes to winning the battle against weeds, and corn gluten meal helps with this as well.  Most corn gluten meal is around 10% nitrogen, which is considered very high for an organic fertilizer, and this boost of nitrogen helps the top part of your lawn grow, essentially choking out the competition, weeds.


While Corn Gluten Meal doesn't prevent every weed in every place -- no herbicide does -- the benefits of this weed preventer which doubles as a fertilizer make it a top choice for organic gardeners.

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Tips for Fall Gardening

One of the downsides to living in a hot area like Austin, Texas is that our spring gardens die quickly when it becomes hot, which is early, like around May-June. If the heat doesn't make the garden plants wither away, the bugs associated with the heat will finish the job.

The upside is that we have a fantastic fall growing season. The weather is perfect and plants flourish! We also get a lot of rain in the fall, so watering the garden is less of a chore, and there aren't as many problem bugs.

While writing this I'm assuming you, the reader, already have a garden space. If you need help selecting a location for a new garden or preparing the soil for a new garden, click here [COMING SOON].

How do you know when to start your fall garden?

There are two important factors to consider. Starting too early, when it's very hot, could be disastrous for your young vegetable plants, but starting too late means that cold temperatures could kill your garden before it's time to harvest.

There's nothing worse than seeing a tomato plant loaded with green tomatoes when you're expecting your first killing frost. (Unless you like eating green tomatoes. In that case, pick them and carry on!)

Planting dates for Texas

If you're in Texas, Texas A&M has split the state up into 5 regions, based on the coldest annual temperature.  Here's their list of recommended planting dates for each fall crop.

 TEXAS A&M RECOMMENDED FALL PLANTING DATES

Here in the Austin area we're "Region III", meaning our coldest temperature of the year is usually between 10 and 20 degrees F. We don't have many days that cold, and some winters it doesn't ever get that cold, but that's about as bad as it ever gets.

Planting dates outside of Texas

If you're not in Texas, don't worry, here's a tip to help you decide when to plant. Find out the average date of your first "killing frost".  If you live in a very cold place, this might be in September, but in the Austin area it's often November 5th-15th.  Sometimes earlier in the cool season we'll have a light frost that causes some damage to tender plants, but it doesn't kill everything. We're not talking about that.  We're talking about a hard freeze that kills most perennials and tender plants all the way to the ground.

Clues on the seed packet

Now look at the seed packets of whatever it is you'd like to grow and you'll notice that most seed packages have "Days to Maturity" listed on the package.  Take this radish, for instance.  On the bottom left side of the seed package you'll notice that this variety requires 22 days, or about 3 weeks, for reaching maturity. 

What's the significance of "days to maturity"?

That's simple.  You want to make sure you allow enough time between the day you plant your seeds and the day you expect your first freeze.  You need enough time to allow for seed germination (sprouting) and the number of days to maturity.  

For instance, if you want to plant tomato seeds, but you only have 3 weeks before your first hard freeze, you're better off saving your seeds for spring because most tomatoes require 65-85 "days to maturity" (plus however long it takes the seeds to sprout), therefore, 3 weeks would not be enough time.

This is less significant for some of the cool weather crops, like leafy greens and broccoli, which can withstand cold and freezing temperatures in moderate climates like central Texas.

How do I start my fall garden seeds?

Unlike starting your spring garden seeds, which is usually done indoors, most of your fall garden seeds can be started outdoors.  Some plants that don't mind the heat can be seeded directly in the ground, but I like to start most of my fall garden seeds in containers so I can control how much heat and sun exposure the fragile seedlings receive. 

Popular seed starting methods

• Direct Seeding
• Advantages: Easy. Wet the soil and put in the seeds. Done. 
• Disadvantages: Difficult to control the fragile seedlings' sun and heat exposure.  You can't move them into a protected location if they start getting cooked in the sun, or if they're about to get pounded by a heavy rain storm.  Tiny seeds that are planted just below the soil surface are easily washed away when watered or when it rains, or sometimes they sink so deep that the seeds can't sprout and survive.
• This is a good option for large seeds, like squash and cucumber.
• Peat Pellets
• Advantages: Cheap and available at most retailers.  You can plant the pellet directly into the ground later.
• Disadvantages: Difficult to control soil moisture.  It seems like peat is either saturated or dry, and it's hard to keep peat an ideal, in-between moisture level.  Since there is no container, the roots of the fragile seedlings are exposed to the elements.  
• This is my least favorite method for seed starting.
• Peat Pots
• Advantages: Cheap and readily available.  You can plant the peat pot directly into the garden soil later.  Any potting soil can be used.
• Disadvantages: Like the peat pellets, the roots are exposed to the elements.  Since the peat is wrapped around the soil it wicks away soil moisture as it dries out. 
• This is a good option if plastic pots aren't available.
• Growers Tray
• Advantages: You can start a lot of seeds in a small space.
• Disadvantages: More work later.  Higher seedling mortality rate.  You have to dig up each fragile seedling without damaging its root system and transplant them into larger pots or into the ground.
• Not recommended for beginners, unless you have a greenhouse.

My preferred seed starting method

• Growers Tray with Plastic Pots
• Advantages: The plastic pots retain soil moisture and protect delicate roots better than peat.  Sun and heat exposure are easily modified by moving the tray.  The trays and pots are reusable for many years if stored in a garage or shed.  Any potting mix* can be used.  (Note: As I always tell my customers, when it comes to potting soil, you get what you pay for.)
• Disadvantages:  Like most of the other methods (except for direct seeding), you have to transplant the seedlings into the garden later.  I personally don't consider this a down side because by that point you have protected the seedlings and allowed them to grow a strong root system.
• This is my preferred method for seed starting. 

Helpful products for seed starting

Heat mats results in faster germination, higher germination rates, and stronger root systems.  In other words, seeds sprout faster, more of them sprout, and more of them survive.  Heat mats aren't as crucial for fall seed starting, but they're very helpful for any seedlings you start indoors, like tomatoes and peppers that you plant for your spring garden.

The mat is placed underneath a growers tray to give seedlings "bottom heat" which help encourage root development and growth.  If you're going to use a heat mat, be sure to use a grower tray without drainage holes, or place one underneath your draining tray to prevent the mat from getting wet.

Peat pots can be filled with your favorite potting mix for seed starting and then planted directly into your garden soil later.

Grower trays are a versatile item for seed starting.  You can start the seedlings directly in the tray or you can use it to hold peat pots, peat pellets, or plastic grower pots.

I personally prefer to use a growers tray with plastic grower pots for my seed starting.  The seedlings don't dry out as quickly as they do in a peat pellet/pot.  If stored out of sunlight when not in use the pots and trays are reusable for a few years.

A note about potting mix

You don't need special potting mix for seed starting, as long as you use a good quality potting mix.  With potting mix, you get what you pay for, so don't even buy the cheap stuff unless you're just filling a hole that your dog dug.  
I prefer to use an organic mix if I'm planting seeds for edibles.  My favorite right now is New Earth Top Shelf Potting Mix, but it can be hard to find outside central Texas.  If you're local, you can get it at almost any H-E-B that has a garden section in front of the store.

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Fresh Garden Salsa

Here's a quick salsa recipe to help you use up all your homegrown tomatoes.
Salsa always seems to taste better the next day, after the flavors have a chance to blend, so make it the night before, or use fresh and save some to use later.

Ingredients

4 large ripe tomatoes (10-12 romas)
1/2 - 1 onion, to taste, depending on size and how much you like onions
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1-2 limes
1 jalapeño, seeds removed
Salt to taste

Tools

Medium mixing bowl
Food processor (If you don't have one, you can hand chop everything)
Cutting board
Knife

Mince the garlic in the food processor, then add onions and pulse until finely chopped. Dump into the mixing bowl.
Mince the jalapeño in food processor, then add cilantro and pulse until roughly chopped. Dump into the mixing bowl.
Mince tomatoes in food processor.
(I don't like the taste of raw tomatoes, so I make it almost a puree, so I won't bite into big chunks of tomatoes.)
Dump the bowl of minced/chopped stuff back into the food processor with the tomatoes and pulse to mix.  Add juice of one lime and pulse.  Add salt and more lime juice to taste.

Enjoy with tortilla chips, on tacos or fajitas, or with your eggs at breakfast.
Tastes best if refrigerated over night before serving.

Beneficial Bugs and Critters

What are beneficial bugs and critters?

Creatures that do a job for us, like killing pests, pollinating food plants, etc.

Why do we want them in the garden?

Without "beneficials", we have to do their jobs, spraying for pests, pollinating every peach blossom by hand, etc.  Unlike other methods of pest control, beneficials maintain a balanced ecosystem, do no contribute to environmental pollution or pesticide resistant pests, require little effort, and some of these bugs and critters are essential to our way of life.

Types of "beneficials"

Predators

Predators eat other insects.  There are too many to list, but here are a few common ones.  I left out several that I didn't have pictures of, like lacewings, and predatory wasps and flies.

Ladybugs eat aphids, mites, scale insects, mealybugs.

Praying mantis eat anything they can physically overpower, including other mantids.

Dragonflies/damselflies eat mosquitoes and other flying insects, and their
aquatic larvae eat mosquito larvae.

Many ground beetles are predatory and eat snails and slugs.

Fireflies are a type of ground beetle and their larvae eat snails and slugs.

Assassin bugs eat a variety of bugs, including ants, as you can see here.

Spiders -- I know, eww, for some people -- are beneficial.
They eat just about anything.  This "garden spider" is one
that I'm always happy to see.

Frogs and toads eat flies, roaches, grasshoppers, moths, and many other pests.

I love seeing lizards in my garden because I know they're eating pests.

Snakes are not everyone's favorite garden dweller, but they can be beneficial.
Larger snakes eat mammals, but many small snakes are harmless and have a
big appetite for insects.  Pictured is a rat snake.

Many types of birds, like this baby bluejays, eat bugs, like beetles,
grasshoppers, and caterpillars.

Many bats, like this tiny Mexican free-tailed bat, whom I lovingly
named Edward, eat mosquitoes by the thousands.

Austin is home to one of the largest urban bat colonies in the world.
A million and a half bats -- literally 1.5 million of them --
emerge from the Congress Avenue bridge in downtown Austin each night.
They eat between 5 and 10 TONS -- that's 10,000-20,000 lbs --
of insects nightly.  Read more about them here.

Parasitoids

Parasitoid insects kill other insects by developing on or inside them.  Usually the female lays eggs in or on the host, then the eggs hatch and the hatched larvae eat the host -- sometimes from the inside out!
Braconid wasps are an example of a parasitoid wasp that doesn't sting humans.

Beneficial nematodes - I'm not sure how to categorize these, but they're technically a parasite, so I'm going to put them here.
Beneficial nematodes are a soil dwelling microscopic roundworm that uses biological warfare to kill soil dwelling insects, like fire ants and grubs.  The short version: they crawl into their host insect through any orifice they can find, and then they give the insects a bad case of food poisoning and eat them after they die.  You can read all the gory details here.

Decomposers or recyclers

Decomposers, also known as recyclers, break down waste, like dead plants and animals, releasing the essential nutrients back into the soil, water, and air.  These are critters that are likely to exist in a compost pile, although some are so small you would need a microscope to see them. 

Examples: earthworms, larval crane flies and and soldier flies, some nematodes, bacteria, protozoa, and fungi.

Pollinators

As a beekeeper, this group is dear to me.  Pollinators deliver pollen from one flower to another, which helps produce the food we eat.  Without pollinators, many common foods would not be available without a human pollinating each flower by hand.  Think about how expensive apples, peaches, pears, cherries, oranges, melons, zucchini, almonds, and even coffee would be, if humans had to do the work of millions of bees.
It's estimated that pollinators have a $20 BILLION impact on United States agriculture each year.

Some bats fall into the pollinator category, although I don't have any pictures of these bats. Bats pollinate many things, including cocoa and agave.  If you like chocolate or tequila, now you can have a new appreciation for bats.  You can read more about pollinating bats here.

Most experts say that honeybees are responsible for pollinating
approximately one-third of our food.

Solitary bees get very little credit compared to honeybees, but they
pollinate 80% of flowering plants worldwide. (source).
Here's an article I wrote about Solitary Bees.

Here's one of my many garden friends.

Butterflies, like this swallowtail, lay their eggs on a "host plant". 
The caterpillar hatches from the egg, eats the host plant and then
pupates and becomes a butterfly, repeating the cycle.

Most moths are also great pollinators, although not this luna moth.
Luna moths don't actually have mouths! 
You can read more about them on my Instagram.
Photo credit: my friend George Bohnsack

Hummingbirds are pollinators, but they also eat small bugs, like gnats.
Photo credit: my friend Rebecca Corbin

This little gal got stuck in the greenhouse at work.
She perked up after a drink and eventually flew away.

How to attract "beneficials"

Adopt an "integrated pest management" approach to gardening

• Prevent and minimize the need for chemicals by keeping plants healthy
• Plant disease/pest resistant varieties
• Plant in the correct location
• Use good watering practices
• Ensure soil is healthy and drains well
• Focusing on soil and plant health is the best prevention
  * Anytime you use a pesticide, even a natural one, spray it in the evening when most daytime pollinators, like honey bees and butterflies, are least likely to come into contact with it.
  
  You can read more about integrated pest management here on my blog.

Provide shelter

• Leaf litter and ground cover plants
• Overturned/partially buried pots
• Compost pile
• Bird houses
• Keep flower beds mulched 2-3" deep with a wood based mulch and replenish 1-2 times per year.  Mulch provides shelter for beneficials, prevents weeks, reduces evaporative water loss, and insulates plant roots against heat and cold.  
• Leave a well-drained, sunny portion of your flower bed free of mulch and vegetation for ground nesting solitary bees, and provide deadwood for deadwood nesting bees.
  You can learn more about solitary bees here on my blog.
• Buy or build a beneficial bug house
• Hang a bat house

Beneficial bug house I built for a workshop.

Provide water

• A birdbath filled with water and marbles or stones provides a safe place for many types of pollinators to get a drink without drowning.
• If you don't have a birdbath, you can do the same thing with a plant saucer on the ground.
• Fountains

Provide food

• Many beneficial critters eat nectar and pollen, but their diets vary greatly from species to species, so plant a variety of flowers that bloom in different seasons.  
• Favorite pollinator plants are:
• Carrot family: dill, parsley, fennel
• Brassica family: sweet alyssum, stock, nasturtium, candytuft
• Daisy family: sunflowers, coneflowers, mums, asters, yarrow, daisies, goldenrod
• Mint family: salvia, basil, catnip, rosemary, thyme, lantana, agastache
• Hang a hummingbird feeder
• Make your own nectar with 1 part sugar to 4 parts water.  Keep it dye free.

Purchase beneficial insects

• Most pollinators, like butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds are easy to attract if you plant their favorite flowers, but predators, like ladybugs, praying mantis, and beneficial nematodes are harder to attract specifically.  You can give your garden predator population a head start by purchasing them through a local nursery or online.

Additional sources

City of Austin's Grow Green Earth-Wise Guide to Beneficial Insects

Beneficials in the Garden, Types of Beneficials, Galveston County Master Gardeners

Beneficials in the Garden, Attracting Beneficials, Galveston County Master Gardeners

Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center's searchable plant database

Do you have a gardening question?  You can ask in the comments below, or on Facebook or Instagram.  Follow along for more helpful gardening tips, tricks, and how-to's.

#asktheplantchick #theplantchick #gardeningdemystified

Solitary Bees

In celebration of National Pollinator Week, I want to shine a spotlight on the solitary bee.  As a beekeeper, I tend to focus my attention on the honey bee, however, solitary bees also play an important role in our ecosystem, and they only get a fraction of the credit.

What are solitary bees?

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, 90% of native bees in Texas are solitary bees.  Unlike "social" bees that live in a colony with thousands of other bees working together -- each with a specific job, like feeding the bee larvae, gathering food, removing dead bees, guarding the entrance (I like to call these nurse bees, foragers, undertakers, and bouncers, respectively) -- solitary bees live alone and tackle every job personally, building their own nests, collecting their own food, and raising their own babies.

Temperament

Because they're so busy doing everything, they're quite docile and rarely sting, unless grabbed.  They don't defend their nests the way that social bees (like honeybees) and wasps do, so it's safe to put up a homemade bee house near your home or patio (or take a peek inside one) without fear of attack.  If solitary bees sting, they die, which leaves nobody to care for their babies (bay-bees?), so they will usually buzz off or hide instead of stinging.  (Sidenote: Really, what's the point of having protection if you have to die when you use it?  Hm...)

Beneficial bug house I built for a workshop.

Nesting

Most solitary bees nest in small holes in the ground, and you can help them out by leaving a well-drained, sunny portion of your flower bed free of mulch and vegetation.  Other types of solitary bees nest in "deadwood", which is a fancy name of a piece of wood that is dead and rotting on the ground.  If you don't have anything like this, you can create one with a block of untreated wood and a drill.  The Native Plant Society of Texas has some good tips on that here.
but some build their nests in other things, like rotting wood stumps.

I spotted a native bee nesting inside this hole in my flower bed.

Why are solitary bees important?

Solitary bees play a big role in pollination, some might even argue a bigger role than honey bees, and just like honeybees, their populations have been declining in recent years due to diminishing habitat (think big open spaces full of wildflowers).  Honey bees get more credit for pollination because they're responsible for pollinating 30% of our food, however, native bees (honey bees aren't native to the US) pollinate 80% of flowering plants worldwide (source).  It's estimated that the financial impact of native bees on US agriculture is around $3 billion a year (source), and unlike honeybees that are usually housed inside expensive hives, native bees do the work for free, as long as there is adequate habitat nearby.

This unidentified solitary bee was spotted visiting cosmos in my vegetable garden.

How can I tell the difference between a bee and a wasp or yellow jacket?

Here's a quick Q/A to help determine if you're looking at a bee vs a wasp or yellow jacket.

- Is it fuzzy?

Bees are fuzzy.  Some are fuzzier than others.  Yellow jackets can be fuzzy, too.
If its body is bald, it's definitely not a bee.

- What shape is its abdomen?

The tip of wasp and yellow jacket abdomens (the largest section of their bodies) come to a sharp point where the stinger would be.  Bees abdomens don't have a sharp point at the end.

What can you do to help solitary bees?

1. Plant flowers. 
   Natives are best, but you can't go wrong with anything that is daisy shaped (think sunflowers, coneflowers) or closely related to mint (think salvia, catnip, lantana, basil, rosemary, etc.)  Variety is good and will be inviting to a variety of native bees and other pollinators.
2. Provide water.
   A shallow dish filled with water and marbles or stones provides a safe landing place for many types of pollinators to get a drink.
3. Provide nesting habitat.
   Leave a well-drained, sunny portion of your flower bed free of mulch and vegetation for ground nesting solitary bees, and provide deadwood for deadwood nesting bees.  You can also buy or build a beneficial bug house.
4. Go organic.
   Adopt an "integrated pest management" approach to your gardening, meaning you prevent the problems you can by choosing the right plants, planting them in the correct location, using good watering practices, etc, and if you absolutely must treat a problem, choose the least toxic method that will be effective.  More details about that on my blog "What's the Best Natural Pesticide to Use in My Garden?"
5. Learn and educate others.
   We all know people that "nuke" their yard with pesticides at the first sign of bugs or leaf spots, and while that might seem like the easiest way, it's not usually the best way.  If you know a natural solution, share that information with someone who could use it. 
   Harmless native bees are often mistaken for wasps or yellow jackets, and they're treated accordingly.  Learn what you can to avoid misidentifying them, and again, share.

Additional resources

Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center searchable database that you can use to select plants that are bee/pollinator friendly.

Native Plant Society of Texas article about native bees, with information about creating habitat and building a pollinator house.

Texas Parks and Wildlife article detailing solitary bees versus social bees.

United States Geological Survey article about native bees with statistics about native bee impact.

Do you have a gardening question?  You can ask in the comments below, or on Facebook or Instagram.Follow along for more helpful gardening tips, tricks, and how-to's.

#asktheplantchick #theplantchick #gardeningdemystified