Home And Garden

Bamboo is one of the most widely-used plants in the world. Over half the population uses it in one way or another. There simply is a high demand for quality bamboo. Looking to make some extra cash or start a new career? Then you should consider growing bamboo for profit. In addition to being one of the most widely-used plants in the world, it is also the fastest-growing plant. The current record is a bamboo plant that grew 47.6 inches in 24 hours! It also has many, many uses. Scaffolding, water pipes, parrot stands, vases, privacy screens, medicinal and many more. Your bamboo plants can make you a nice profit in no time. Before you start growing bamboo, you need to think about the climate in your area. Certainly warmer climates will be able to grow more varieties of bamboo, but cold ones can too. Be aware though that if temperatures in the wintertime frequently drop below zero F. then you should consider growing something other than bamboo. If temperatures consistently stay above ...

Growing plants for profit is a great way to turn your gardening skills into serious cash. While most of us immediately think of tomatoes or salad greens, the most profitable plants are specialty crops that are not always found in a home vegetable garden. Many specialty crops can bring as much as $90,000 per acre, and are quite easy to grow. Best of all, most specialty crops can be grown without a full-time commitment. If you have a few extra hours a week, then you can be a specialty crop grower. Here are eight specialty crops worth growing: 1. Bamboo.  Landscapers and homeowners are paying as much as $150 each for potted bamboo plants, and many growers are finding it hard to keep up with the demand. Why is bamboo so popular? It’s a versatile plant in the landscape, as it can be used for hedges, screens or as stand-alone “specimen” plants. Bamboo is not just a tropical plant, as many cold-hardy varieties can handle sub-zero winters. Using pots in a bamboo business, it’s possib...

In the late '80s, NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America studied houseplants as a way to purify the air in space facilities. They found several plants that filter out common volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Lucky for us, the plants can also help clean indoor air on Earth, which is typically far more polluted than outdoor air Aloe (Aloe vera) This easy-to-grow, sun-loving succulent helps clear formaldehyde and benzene, which can be a byproduct of chemical-based cleaners, paints and more. Aloe is a smart choice for a sunny kitchen window. Beyond its air-clearing abilities, the gel inside an aloe plant can help heal cuts and burns. Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) Even if you tend to neglect houseplants, you’ll have a hard time killing this resilient plant. With lots of rich foliage and tiny white flowers, the spider plant battles benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and xylene, a solvent used in the leather, rubber and printing industries. As an ad...

Love flowers but think your garden doesn't get enough sun? These shade flowers grow happily even without a lot of direct sunlight. Lily of the Valley These tiny white flowers grow well in deep shade, emit an enchanting fragrance in late spring and early summer, and brighten up dark corners. Alpine Forget-Me-Not Add clouds of color to your garden with a patch of tiny azure-blue flowers. They thrive in dry shade, conditions that can be particularly difficult. Jacob's Ladder These bell-shaped, purple perennials adapt well to flower gardens and tolerate both shade and sun. Solomon's Seal Gracefully arching stems support clusters of tubular white flowers and long, bright green leaves. A perfect plant for a shady border. Anemone Blanda Blue Also known as the winter windflower, Anemone Blanda Blue thrives in partial shade. Its purply-blue, daisy-like flowers will add a festive touch to your patch. Lungwort These are good groundcover plants for deep shade, with h...

Here's an A to Z guide to the medicinal herbs that relieve common ailments like indigestion, stress, anxiety, sunburn, headaches, coughs, colds, and more. Basil This medicinal herb can help with flatulence, lack of appetite, cuts, and scrapes. Harvest the young leaves of this annual plant as needed. Chamomile Use the flower heads of this medicinal herb for infusions and salves to relieve indigestion and colic, anxiety and tension, and skin inflammations and irritations. Echinacea If you suffer from a cold or the flu, try this medicinal herb to ease the severity of your symptoms. It also helps provide relief to your immune system. Feverfew Use the leaves and flowers of this medicinal herb for teas; chew leaves to ease headache pain (including migraines). It's also been shown to provide relief for arthritis, and skin conditions. Johnny-jump-up With anti-inflammatory properties, this medicinal herb is good for eczema and skin blemishes as well as to help loose...

Growing herbs at home is a fun, money-saving hobby that also happens to be good for your health. In addition to flavoring up your favorite dishes, herbs are filled with antioxidants and essential nutrients. "Half of the nutritional value of plants is lost within thirty minutes of harvesting," says Brian Hetrich, a naturopathic doctor and gardening expert at the Hippocrates Health Institute, in West Palm Beach, Fla. "When you grow your own herbs you can use what you need at the moment by harvesting small amounts, fresh from the plant." Here we break down 10 of the healthiest herbs, along with recipes and tips for growing them yourself. Rosemary This pretty, aromatic herb contains compounds, such as carnosic acid, that have been shown to fight cancer cells. What's more, the smell of rosemary may even improve your memory. In a recent study from the University of Northumbria, in the UK, people performed better on various memory tasks if rosemary scent was pumpe...