Laura Miller
Laura's passion for gardening germinated when she was a young child. Limited by the types of pets her parents would allow, Laura turned to nurturing plants as a way to interact with other living entities. From growing radishes in her own garden space to raising cactus from seeds, what began as an excuse to play in the dirt transformed into a lifelong hobby.Much of Laura's early plant knowledge and gardening skill came from her parents. Each summer, her family grew a garden brimming with fresh vegetables. Laura fondly remembers the many mouthwatering recipes her mother would make using the vine-ripened tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, cabbage and Swiss chard from their home garden.To this day, Laura grows these same vegetables as well as many others in her garden. Some of her favorite garden veggies include English peas, long-green frying peppers and bi-color corn. Her two-acre property is also home to several types of berries, a robust asparagus patch and several fruit trees.Yet, it's her container fig trees which she cherishes the most. Grown from root cuttings, these figs trace back to trees which grew on her family's ancestral home in Italy. This has helped shaped Laura's view that plants can be a way of connecting with long-lost loved ones. Flowers, in particular, remind her of the matriarchs in her family tree.Trumpet vines and snap dragons undoubtedly bring a smile to Laura's face as she remembers hot summer evenings spent on her grandmother's porch swing. During their bloom time, Laura loves to cut a few spikes of gladiolus to bring inside as a reminder of her mother.Over the years, Laura has also shared her property with horses, domestic ducks and an ornery goat. Having these animals encouraged her to adopt organic lawn care methods and delve into large-scale composting of farm animal waste materials. Laura credits much of her gardening success to the compost which has amended the soil of both her vegetable garden and flower beds.In addition to sharing her home with dogs, cats and a cockatoo, Laura has nearly 50 houseplants and container fruit trees which spend the winters indoors. She has experimented with indoor vegetable gardening and hopes someday she can reduce her dependence upon store-bought produce by growing her own veggies year round.Laura still enjoys the challenge of raising cactus from seed. Even though she has been a gardener for most of her life and a homeowner for nearly four decades, Laura realizes there is still much to learn about plants. She has very much enjoyed sharing her gardening successes and failures with Gardening Know How readers.
Latest articles by Laura Miller
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Growing Victorian Herbs – What Is A Victorian Herb Garden
What is a Victorian herb garden? Learning more about this intriguing period may even inspire you to grow one in your own backyard.
By Laura Miller
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Early American Vegetables - Growing Native American Vegetables
As a gardener, did you ever wonder which native American vegetables were cultivated and consumed in pre-Columbian times? Let's find out what these vegetables from the Americas were like.
By Laura Miller
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Ancient Vegetables And Fruits - What Were Vegetables In The Past Like
How different were vegetables in the past? Let's take a look. The answer may surprise you!
By Laura Miller
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Gardening Tips For February – What To Do In The Garden This Month
Gardening in February? There are lots of things to do, depending on where you live. Read on for February gardening tips.
By Laura Miller
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Growing Morning Glories From Seed: A Guide To Planting Morning Glory Seeds
By Laura Miller
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Will Seeds From A Store Bought Melon Grow - Planting Grocery Store Melon Seeds
Will grocery store melon seeds grow? More importantly, will they produce true to type? Find out here.
By Laura Miller
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My Favorite Gardening Book
Click here to find out what my favorite gardening book is, and why.
By Laura Miller
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Natural Christmas Decorations: Making Holiday Décor From The Garden
Interested in making natural Christmas decorations with plants from your garden? Click on the following article for some fun ideas.
By Laura Miller
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Upright Boxwood Plants – Growing Fastigiata Boxwood Bushes
Fastigiata boxwood shrubs are a low-maintenance variety of upright boxwood plants. To learn about this variety and its care, click here.
By Laura Miller
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Ornamental Grasses Ohio Valley Gardeners Should Grow
Some ornamental grasses grow best in the Ohio Valley, the Midwest and Central US, Learn which ones are ideal.
By Laura Miller
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Reasons For No Brussels Sprouts On Plants
Brussels sprouts are a healthy superfood in the garden. Learn why they sometimes don’t produce properly.
By Laura Miller
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Pistachio Problems In The Home Garden
Growing pistachios at home can be challenging. Here are some common pistachio tree issues.
By Laura Miller
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Central Region Shrubs – Growing Shrubs In The Ohio Valley Region
If you're looking to plant shrubs in the Ohio Valley or central U.S., you're in luck. There are many varieties available. Learn more here.
By Laura Miller
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Pittosporum Transplant Info: How To Transplant Pittosporum Shrubs
Sometimes it becomes necessary to move plants in your landscape. Can you transplant pittosporum? Click here for all you need to know.
By Laura Miller
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Cucumber Grow Bag Info: Growing A Cucumber Plant In A Bag
Growing cucumbers in bags is an excellent way to preserve ground space while growing cucumbers. Click here for more info.
By Laura Miller
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Native Cover Crops: Vegetable Cover Cropping With Native Plants
Are there any benefits to using native plants as cover crops? Click here to learn more about vegetable cover cropping with native plants.
By Laura Miller
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What Is Field Brome – Information About Field Brome Grass
Field brome grass can be used as a cover crop to control erosion and enrich the soil. For more information, click the following article.
By Laura Miller
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Vertical Farming How To: Starting A Vertical Farm In Your House
Starting a vertical farm at home can provide fresh veggies year-round. Click here to learn more about starting an indoor vertical farm.
By Laura Miller
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What Does Wort Mean: Wort Family Of Plants
With so many plants having wort in their name, there should be a wort family of plants. But what does wort mean? Learn about wort plant members here.
By Laura Miller
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How To Stop Bird Seed Growing Plants
If you love feeding birds but don’t enjoy the dropped-seed weeds, here are some solutions.
By Laura Miller
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A Bumper Crop Of Bell Peppers
Peppers are my favorite bumper crop. I have several ways to preserve them that let me enjoy them all year long.
By Laura Miller
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Surprising Results With Container Peppers
Mother Nature can be one fickle lady. I guess you could say she pretty much forced me into giving container-gardening a try. Click for more.
By Laura Miller