Grow Sweet Potato Vine Outdoors

  

Sweet potato vine is an easy-to-grow houseplant but it also can be grown outdoors during the summer months.  Then bring it indoors during the cool and cold months and it will add lovely green color to your space.

 

Normally I do not plant anything during the peak summer when the heat is extreme.  But that does not mean that it cannot be done.  Today my brother surprised me with sweet potato vines.  He saw them at Lowes and knew they would make a pretty plant for a hanging container so he bought it for me.

 

I planted my vines in a hanging basket.  I used miracle-grow potting soil and amended the soil with some manure.  Two vines were planted in the container so that there would be ample space.  After the vines were planted, I watered them well and found the drainage holes at the bottom of the container were okay. 

 

Cedar mulch was added around the plants to help keep the soil moist since dry soil would be hard on a newly planted sweet potato vine.

 

I hung the container on my porch where the plants would get six hours of light per day. Morning sun is best if your area is extremely hot.  My porch has shade in the afternoon and then some sun at the end of the day.  As a rule sweet potato vine needs 6 hours of sun but will tolerate partial sun.

 

If you plan on growing your sweet potato vine indoors then set the container near a sunny window where the plant can get 6 hours of sun per day.  Water to keep the soil moist but not soggy.

 

If your plant gets too full or vines too long you can trim to control the growth and to keep the plant's shape.

Learn more by reading my other sweet potato vine article 

Best Way to Get Rid of Poison Ivy

 About a week after the rain stopped we noticed that poison ivy was growing on our backyard fence.   We had to get rid of it because the entire plant can cause an itchy rash.

 

My husband said he would pull out the entire plant from its roots and dispose of it in a trash bag. This method will work but you may have to do it a few times.  

Before you begin you should put on protected glasses and cover your nose and mouth with a mask.  You will also wear long sleeve shirt and garden gloves. Be sure to wear pants and garden boots.   Best to not have any skin exposed to protect you from getting this toxic ivy oil on your skin and causing a rash.

Dispose of the poison ivy in a trash bag.  Don’t put in your compost because even dried poison ivy can cause you to get a rash and you don’t want to burn it either because it can cause lung irritation. 

 After pulling the poison ivy out by the roots it would be good to treat the area with a herbicide such as Ortho MAX Poison Ivy & Tough Brush Killer.

By treating the soil with an herbicide you will be preventing future growth.

Growing Sunflowers from Birdseed

I had not planned on growing sunflowers from birdseed but when I saw that seedlings grew from fallen seeds I was excited. All of the seedlings needed to be transplanted because they were growing too close. I did transplant all seedlings into a sunny garden bed. 

Sunflowers grow best in a sunny location and in soil that is well-drained. I found that the sunflowers are not particular about the type of soil as flowers have grown in rocky dirt as well as rich organic soil. The sunflower is a strong plant and as long as you give it what it wants, sun, water, and protection from wildlife; birds, squirrels, and deer then the sunflower will grow well.

How to grow sunflowers

Since I was planting birdseed I was not aware of the type of sunflower. The birdseed could produce a large flower or medium size so to be safe I did separate the seedling by planting them 2 feet apart.

I dug a trench that was two inches deep then added the seedlings 2 feet apart. Back-filled the trench and firm the soil around the seedling stem.

The seedlings were watered twice a day, morning and mid-afternoon so that the soil never dried out. Once the sunflower was established (20 days) I watered it once daily as this plant is drought resistant.

To help retain moisture I added cypress mulch around the sunflower stems.

The sunflower is a hardy and fast-growing flower on average the plant matured and developed seeds in approximately 80 days.

The birdseed produced flowers that were medium size but I did grow a few rather large sunflowers that were three feet tall. The taller flowers did need to be staked because the stems would break easily during a rainstorm or on a windy day.

Throughout the summer I would add new seedlings that grew from the birdseed as a new row planting and by doing this I had continuous sunflower blooms until the frost in the fall.

Enjoy this end-of-summer blooms as cut flowers for a centerpiece or harvest to enjoy the tasty seeds.

Pest Control

The sunflower is a magnet for birds, squirrels, and deer. The deer enjoy eating the entire plant but really like the flower blooms. Squirrels and birds love the seeds.

To keep the deer away from sunflowers I installed a 6-foot chicken wire fence around my sunflowers. To keep the birds and squirrels away I kept the bird feeders filled with their favorite seeds. Of course, there were always a few birds that preferred fresh seeds from the flower.

Here are some products I created from photographs, watercolor illustrations, and graphic designs of sunflowers.

Christmas Cactus After Holiday Care

If you love indoor plants that have beautiful flowers and are easy to grow, then a Christmas cactus may be the perfect plant for you.

I received a Christmas cactus that was covered with buds but had no blooms. So I fertilized it with Miracle-gro bloom booster every two weeks and in no time I had beautiful pink blooms. The flowers only lasted one day but I had many buds to enjoy during the Christmas holiday.

Unlike other cactus, the Christmas cactus will thrive in cooler temperature. An ideal temperature would be 68 degrees. So a cooler room with moderate light is best for your Christmas cactus. Do not put your cactus in direct light and a southern exposure would be too hot and would burn the leaves. I prefer to set my cactus off to the side so that the light is moderate and not direct.

Know that over watering your cactus will kill it. Evenly moist soil is not good for your Christmas cactus. I would recommend that you let your cactus soil dry. before watering. Allow the water to drain out of the pot. Do not allow the water to collect in the saucer. Instead of watering your plant daily you should lightly mist the leaves of your plant daily to maintain a level of humidity around your cactus plant.

After Christmas caring for you cactus is easy as long as you keep the plant in a cool room away from a draft or a heat source, provide it with moderate light and do not over water then your plant should thrive and live a long life of 20 to 30 years.

If you have cats or dogs you do not need to worry about the Cactus plant. According to the ASPCA poisonous plant database the Christmas cactus is not toxic or poisonous to cats or dogs.

Learn how to force your Christmas cactus to re-bloom by viewing this video.

Indoor Growing Tips for Chives

Chives are a delicious perennial herb that is in the onion, leek, and garlic family. You can grow chives outdoors and indoors in a container as long as it gets ample light in a room that has good air circulation and the soil does not dry out.

Start the chives outdoors on the ground or in a container. The chive is easy to grow from a bulb or you can plant it by sowing seeds in the spring. When fully grown chives tall sword-like leaves will reach a height of 10 to 12 inches. When planting it is best to grow a clump of chives in a container or on the ground and I recommend planting 5 or 6 bulbs so the plant can grow into an attractive clump.

Harvest the leaves of fully grown chives for your salads, soups, 

stews, dips and herb bread recipes

The best way to grow chives indoors is to dig up chives from your outdoor garden after a hard freeze and replant them into a container. Clip back the foliage before setting on your sunny spot. Water and fertilize the chives and wait for the new growth. You have tricked the chives into thinking it is spring and chances are there will be pretty purple flowers on your plant. Learn more about herbs here

View recipes for chives below

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Best Way to Harvest Apples

Where I reside we harvest Johnathan Apples in early September to October. These apples are by far the best for eating fresh from the tree to baking your favorite apple pie. 

The apples to ripen will be located on the outside on the southern side of the tree, then they will ripen inward to the center. So your first harvest or early harvest will be the apples that are exposed to the southern sun.

Apple trees naturally drop their apples when they are ripe in order to self-seed and reproduce. Watch for an apple or two to drop from the tree to determine if they are ready to pick

My Dad taught me how to determine if an apple was ripe. The best way is to pick one from the tree and bite into it. A mature apple will be firm to the touch, crisp, and juicy and the seeds will be brown. The most obvious sign to watch for is color. Golden delicious apples will change from green to yellow when they are ready to be harvested and red delicious will turn entirely red

As a kid, I used to harvest apples with my dad so that my mother could put up apples for jam, applesauce, and for pie. Harvesting apples is a fun thing to do on a sunny afternoon as long as you have the right supplies.

You will need:

Sturdy ladder

Burlap sack that you wear around your shoulder to hold the apples.

Durable gloves to protect your hands.

Set the ladder up close to the trunk of the tree and make sure that it is on level ground so you will not fall. Climb to the top of the ladder or as high as you need to be to harvest apples from the branches.

When your apples are ripe, they should be fairly easy to pick from the tree with a simple upward twist of the apple. If the tree is heavy with apples you may be able to stand on the ground and reach up to harvest the apples.

As a rule, we will pick almost ripe and almost ripe apples from the tree because you can put them in cardboard boxed or large paper brown bags to store in a cool place (60 to 70 degrees) and the apples will ripen.

How to Grow Creeping Rosemary

Learn how to grow creeping rosemary in containers or small gardens with tips on sunlight, soil, drainage, pruning, and year‑round care.

Creeping rosemary is one of those herbs that wins you over instantly fragrant, evergreen, and fast‑growing, with trailing stems that spill beautifully over containers, walls, and garden edges. When given the right conditions, this hardy herb can cascade up to three feet, making it a standout choice for groundcovers, rock gardens, and patio planters.

Why I Love Growing Creeping Rosemary

A few years ago, I planted creeping rosemary in an old metal wheelbarrow simply because I liked the idea of moving it around the yard. When friends came over to relax on the patio, I’d roll the wheelbarrow close to the seating area so everyone could enjoy the rosemary’s fresh, invigorating fragrance.

The plant filled in quickly almost too quickly. It eventually consumed the wheelbarrow, and I found myself pruning often and watering more than expected because the metal container dried out fast. It was beautiful and fun, but it taught me an important lesson: creeping rosemary thrives best in containers that stay cool and retain moisture longer.

Best Containers for Creeping Rosemary

For long‑term success, choose containers that support the plant’s trailing habit and help regulate soil moisture. Good options include:

• Large ceramic or clay pots
• Heavy freestanding planters
• Self‑watering hanging baskets
• Oversized window boxes

These containers give rosemary room to cascade while preventing the soil from drying out too quickly.

How to Plant Creeping Rosemary

1. Choose the right location
Creeping rosemary needs well‑drained soil and at least six hours of full sun. In very hot climates, a little afternoon shade helps prevent stress.

2. Prepare your container
Make sure your pot has generous drainage holes. If not, enlarge them with a drill.
Add 1–2 inches of pea gravel to the bottom to improve drainage and keep the roots from sitting in water.

3. Add soil
Mix high‑quality potting soil with compost or aged manure. Fill the container to about an inch below the rim so water stays inside the pot instead of spilling over.

4. Plant your rosemary
Dig a hole the same size as the nursery pot. Set the plant in, backfill, and gently firm the soil around the stem. Water thoroughly so the soil becomes evenly moist.

Growing Tips for Healthy Creeping Rosemary

• Water in the morning using drip irrigation or a soaker hose. Rosemary prefers evenly moist soil but never soggy conditions.
• Mulch lightly around the plant to help retain moisture and deter weeds.
• Fertilize in spring and early summer with an organic herb fertilizer.
• Prune after flowering to maintain shape and encourage new growth.
• Train it upward if you prefer  creeping rosemary can be guided along a trellis for a unique vertical effect.

Cold Weather Care

Creeping rosemary grows well in zones 7–9 and is hardy to about 20°F. Before a hard freeze, bring container plants indoors and place them near a bright southern window. They adapt well to indoor winter care when kept cool and lightly watered.

Why Creeping Rosemary Is Worth Growing

This evergreen herb is more than just beautiful  it’s useful. The leaves, stems, and pale blue flowers are wonderfully aromatic. I love cutting sprigs for:

• Cooking
• Potpourri
• Garden wreaths
• Herb arrangements
• My natural rosemary soap

The fragrance is clean, invigorating, and uplifting  one of those scents that instantly makes a space feel alive.

How to Create a Backyard Cat Sanctuary

Creating a backyard cat sanctuary is one of the most meaningful ways to support the cats in your life whether they’re beloved house cats, curious neighborhood visitors, or feral cats who’ve come to trust your space. A well‑designed sanctuary offers safety, enrichment, and comfort. Over time, it becomes a peaceful retreat where cats return daily to relax, explore, and feel at home.

In my own yard, the cat garden has become exactly that. The cats who visit are drawn to the soft mulch, the grasses, the herbs, and the quiet corners where they can nap or watch the world go by. A thoughtfully designed sanctuary doesn’t rely on photos the plants, textures, and layout speak for themselves.

 

Why Create a Cat Garden?

A cat garden provides:

• A safe space away from traffic and noise
• Natural enrichment through grasses, herbs, and textures
• Shelter, shade, and cozy resting spots
• A predictable environment that reduces stress for outdoor cats

Once the garden fills in, cats are naturally attracted to the movement of grasses, the scent of catnip, and the comfort of soft groundcovers.

 

Where to Place Your Cat Garden

Choose a location that is:

• Away from busy areas, pets, and car traffic
• Quiet and partially enclosed
• Easy for cats to access but protected from disturbances

Many people use the far corner of their yard. If you don’t have fencing, you can create privacy with:

• Trellises
• Shrubs
• Ornamental grasses

Cats feel safest when they can observe without being exposed.

 

What to Include in a Cat Garden

A well‑rounded cat garden can include:

• Water Feature

Cats love the sound of moving water and often dip their paws in. A small pond or cascading fountain adds enrichment and visual interest.

• Sandbox or Outdoor Litter Area

A dedicated sand area keeps cats from digging in your flower beds.
Plant rosemary or peppermint a foot away to help mask odors and provide privacy. 

• Cat House or Shelter

This serves as:

• A resting spot
• A hideaway
• Storage for food, water, and toys

• Cat Grasses

Plant wheat, barley, or oat grass. These grasses help cats digest food and reduce hairballs.

• Cat Herbs

Great choices include:

• Catnip
• Cat thyme
• Valerian
• Peppermint
• Rosemary
• Dandelion

Plant herbs in containers or directly in the garden to create layers of scent and texture.

 

catmint in full bloom 

How to Design Your Cat Garden

1.   Outline the space
Use white marking paint to sketch the garden shape on the ground. A 10×12 area works well for most yards.

2.   Draw your plan
Sketch the layout on paper and color‑code where each feature will go. This helps when buying mulch, gravel, plants, and soil.

3.   Prepare the site

o   Remove rocks, weeds, and grass

o   Loosen the soil

o   Mix in 2 inches of compost

o   Ensure the area drains well

4.   Install the sandbox

o   Dig a hole the size of the box

o   Level the bottom

o   Set the box in place and fill with fine sand

o   Add a stone border

o   Surround with 3 inches of pea gravel

5.   Add the water feature
Place it in the center or where cats can approach from multiple sides.

6.   Plant herbs and grasses

o   Plant grasses in front of herbs

o   Start grass seeds indoors or sow directly

o   Space herbs so they can grow full and bushy

 

Care Tips for a Healthy Cat Garden

• Water herbs and grasses in the morning
• Mulch or add pea gravel around high‑traffic areas
• Deadhead spent blooms to encourage new growth
• Remove dead plants and refresh sand as needed
• Add decorative touches like stepping stones or a cat statue
• Hang wind chimes high enough that cats can’t reach them

 

catnip grows in this garden

A Cat Garden Becomes a Sanctuary

Once your cat garden fills in, you’ll notice the change immediately. Cats will stretch out in the mulch, hide in the grasses, nibble on herbs, and return day after day because they feel safe. It becomes their retreat  and a beautiful, peaceful part of your yard.

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