Mary H. Dyer
A Credentialed Garden Writer, Mary H. Dyer was with Gardening Know How in the very beginning, publishing articles as early as 2007.
Latest articles by Mary H. Dyer
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White Baneberry Care – How To Grow Doll’s Eye Plant In Gardens
Native to moist, deciduous woodlands, white baneberry (doll's eye) plants are rather odd-looking wildflowers, named for the clusters of small, white, black-spotted berries that appear in midsummer. Interested in growing white baneberry? Click here to learn more.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Best Zone 8 Wildflowers – Tips On Wildflower Growing In Zone 8
Wildflower growing in zone 8 is easy due to the relatively mild climate, and the selection of wildflower plants in zone 8 is extensive. For more information about zone 8 wildflowers, simply click on the following article.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Trouble With Swiss Chard: Common Swiss Chard Diseases And Pests
Swiss chard is generally a trouble-free veggie, but this cousin to the beet plant can sometimes fall prey to certain pests and diseases. Click here to learn about common problems with Swiss chard, and explore solutions to save the plant.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Orchids For Zone 8 – Learn About Orchids Hardy In Zone 8
It's certainly true that many orchids are tropical plants that must be grown indoors in northern climates, but there's no shortage of cold-hardy orchids that can survive chilly winters. Click this article to learn about a few beautiful orchids hardy in zone 8.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Water Iris Information – Learn About Water Iris Plant Care
Ever heard of water iris? No, this doesn't mean "watering" an iris plant but pertains to where the iris grows - in naturally wet or aquatic-like conditions. Click on the following article for more water iris information.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Leopard Plant Care – Tips On Growing A Leopard Plant
The leopard plant is a bold plant that stands out in semi-shady garden spots. Although appreciated for the small, daisy-like blooms, the spectacular, dinner-plate-sized foliage is the real attention-getter. Growing leopard plants in the garden is easy. Click here to learn how.
By Mary H. Dyer
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What Is A Butterfly Pea Plant: Tips On Planting Butterfly Pea Flowers
Butterfly pea is a trailing vine that produces pinkish-blue or violet blooms in spring and summer. As the name suggests, butterfly pea flowers are favored by butterflies, but birds and bees love them, too. Learn how to grow the vines in this article.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Partridge Pea Care – Tips On Growing Partridge Pea In Gardens
Partridge peas in gardens provide attractive, bluish-green foliage and bright yellow, nectar-rich blooms that attract bees, songbirds, and several species of butterflies. If this snippet of information has piqued your interest, click here to learn more about the plants.
By Mary H. Dyer
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What Is Winterhazel: Winterhazel Plant Info And Growing Tips
What is winterhazel and why should you think about growing it in your garden? Winterhazel is a deciduous shrub that produces sweet-smelling, yellow blooms in late winter and early spring. If this has piqued your interest, click here to learn more.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Adenophora Plant Info – Tips On How To Care For Adenophora In The Garden
Also known as false campanula, ladybells sport tall spikes of attractive, bell-shaped flowers. Adenophora ladybells are attractive, elegant, easy-to-grow plants often grown within borders. Learn the specifics of growing false campanula in gardens here.
By Mary H. Dyer
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What Is A Forest Garden – Learn About Edible Forest Garden Plants
A forest garden isn't exactly a forest, and it isn't quite an orchard or a vegetable garden. Rather, a forest garden is a planting method that takes advantage of beneficial relationships between plants. Learn about planting an edible forest garden here.
By Mary H. Dyer
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My Houseplant Is Dropping Leaves: Why Leaves Are Falling Off Houseplants
Yikes! My houseplant is dropping leaves! Houseplant leaf drop isn't always easy to diagnose, as there are a number of possible reasons for this worrisome problem. Click this article to learn what to do when leaves are falling off houseplants.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Zone 6 Hardy Succulents – Selecting Succulent Plants For Zone 6
We tend to think of succulents as plants for arid, desert climates, but there are a number of hardy succulents that tolerate chilly winters in zone 6, where temperatures can drop as low as -5 F. (-20.6 C.). Click here to learn about selecting and growing succulents in zone 6.
By Mary H. Dyer
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What Are Benne Seeds: Learn About Benne Seeds For Planting
What are benne seeds? Chances are, you already know about benne seeds, which are more commonly known as sesame seeds. In spite of its nutritional benefits, benne hasn't gained a following as a food crop in the United States. Click here to learn more.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Cactus Plant Protection – How To Keep Rodents Away From Cactus
For some gardeners, rodents feeding on cactus can become a serious problem. Poison is one option, but you take the risk of harming birds and wildlife. If you're wondering how to keep rodents away from cactus, click this article for a few suggestions.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Fall Planting Guide For Zone 6: When To Plant Fall Vegetables In Zone 6
Planting fall gardens in zone 6 seems like an impossible task, but there are a surprising number of vegetables suitable for zone 6 fall vegetable planting. Don't believe us? This article has some suggestions that may help.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Water Snowflake Care – Learn About Snowflake Water Plants
Also known as the little floating heart, the water snowflake is a charming, little, floating plant with delicate, snowflake-like flowers that bloom in summer. If you have an ornamental garden pond, then you'll want to learn more about snowflake water lily in this article.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Zone 6 Elephant Ears – Tips On Planting Elephant Ears In Zone 6
Unfortunately for gardeners in USDA planting zone 6, elephant ears are typically grown only as annuals because Colocasia, with one notable exception, won't tolerate temperatures below 15 F. (-9.4 C.). Learn about that one notable exception here.
By Mary H. Dyer
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What Is Lucerne Mulch – Learn About Mulching With Lucerne Hay
What is lucerne mulch, and what's the scoop on lucerne mulch benefits? If you live in North America and you're not familiar with lucerne hay, you may know the plant as alfalfa. Learn more about its mulching potential in this article.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Hardy Magnolia Varieties – Learn About Zone 6 Magnolia Trees
Growing magnolias in zone 6 climates may seem like an impossible feat, but not all magnolia trees are hothouse flowers. In fact, there are more than 200 species of magnolia, and you can learn about a few of zone 6 magnolia trees in this article.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Flaxseed Harvesting Time: Learn How To Harvest Flaxseed In Gardens
Commercial flaxseed growers generally winnow the plants and allow them to dry in the field. For backyard flaxseed growers, harvesting flaxseed is a very different process usually done completely by hand. Click this article to learn how to harvest flaxseed.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Tea Plant Care: Learn About Tea Plants In The Garden
What are tea plants? The tea we drink comes from various cultivars of Camellia sinensis, a small tree or large shrub commonly known as the tea plant. Familiar teas such as white, black, green, and oolong all come from tea plants. Learn more here.
By Mary H. Dyer