Pocket BotanistWhich plants to bring inside before the first frost
The tender plants that will not survive a frost outdoors, when to move them, how to check them for pests first, and how to keep them alive through a winter indoors.
Reading
Journal.
Short, honest pieces on plants, plant care, and identification. Written by the team behind Pocket Botanist. No SEO churn, no listicles, just things worth knowing.
How to protect dahlias from frost
Dahlias die at the first hard frost, but the tubers can be saved. How to cover them for a light frost, when and how to lift and store them, and when it is safe to leave them in the ground.
When is the first frost?
Average first frost dates for the UK, the US by zone, and central Europe, why your garden's date differs from the map, and the forecast signs that a frost is coming tonight.
Brown tips on spider plant leaves
Brown, crispy tips on a spider plant are almost always the water: fluoride and salts from the tap, or a pot that dries out too hard. What causes them, in order of likelihood, and whether to trim them.
Is monstera toxic to cats?
Yes. Monstera deliciosa contains calcium oxalate crystals that make a cat's mouth burn on the first bite. What the symptoms look like, what to do, why it is rarely serious, and how to keep both plant and cat.
Why are my monstera leaves turning yellow?
A yellow monstera leaf is usually overwatering, and the pattern of the yellowing says which of five causes it is. What to check, in order, and when a yellow leaf is just an old leaf.
Why are my tomato leaves curling?
Curling tomato leaves are usually the plant protecting itself from heat, water stress or heavy pruning, and usually harmless. Here is how to tell that from herbicide damage, aphids and the viruses that are not.
How often to fertilize houseplants
A simple feeding rhythm for houseplants: every two to four weeks in spring and summer, at half strength, and not at all in winter. Which fertilizer, the signs of too much, and the plants that want less.
How to repot a houseplant
When a houseplant needs a bigger pot, how to tell, and the ten-minute method that keeps the roots happy. Pot size, soil, and the two weeks after.
How to care for a Monstera deliciosa
Light, water, humidity, and the trick to getting those iconic split leaves. A sourced guide with common problem fixes.
Why are my pothos leaves turning yellow?
Yellowing leaves on a pothos almost always trace back to one of six causes. A diagnostic walkthrough.
How often to water a snake plant
Snake plants are famously hard to kill, but most that die do so from overwatering. A practical schedule with seasonal adjustments.
What is a USDA hardiness zone?
The zone numbers gardeners keep mentioning, what they mean, how to find yours, and where the system stops being useful.
What is plant propagation?
A beginner explainer on making new plants from existing ones. Cuttings, division, layering, leaf cuttings, and seed.