From protecting chapped lips to preventing chafing and tidying a manicure, here are 18 ways to use plain petroleum jelly—plus which popular beauty claims to skip.

James Miller•Nov 06, 2026

Grow grocery-store ginger in a pot, then choose between two ways to harvest: take a small piece from the edge or divide a mature clump and replant its healthiest buds.

James Miller•Nov 06, 2026

A Christmas cactus with bare stem tips needs different care from one already covered in buds. Learn when to give it longer nights, how to water it, and what to leave until spring.

James Miller•Nov 06, 2026

Before you strip the leaves from your rosemary harvest, save a few whole sprigs. The leaves make fragrant salt and shortbread, the woody stems make skewers, and a tender tip can grow into a new plant.

James Miller•Nov 06, 2026

Turn a spare bunch of mint into orange-topping sugar, cucumber dip, herb salt, scented sachets, or a new windowsill plant. Here’s which leaves to use for each project.

Linda Everhart•Nov 06, 2026

Before tidying your fall border, check which stems feed birds, which leaves protect plant crowns, and which perennials are best pruned in spring.

Linda Everhart•Nov 05, 2026

November is right on time for tulips. Discover eight more bulbs worth planting while the ground is workable, from crocuses for a path to camassias for a moist border.

Linda Everhart•Nov 05, 2026

Turn a healthy rose stem into a new plant. Learn where to cut, which leaves to keep, how deep to plant the stem, and how to tell when it has rooted.

Linda Everhart•Nov 05, 2026

Keep a favorite patio geranium without bringing the whole pot indoors. Learn where to cut the stem, how to check for roots, and how to care for young plants until spring.

Linda Everhart•Nov 05, 2026

Explore the traditional use of echinacea root, learn how an alcohol tincture is prepared, and understand its limitations, medication interactions, and important safety precautions.

James Miller•Nov 04, 2026

Discover how to give water-grown cuttings a better start, what the popular “living propagation” method involves, and which simple habits help prevent rot.

Linda Everhart•Nov 04, 2026

Aloe vera flowers are more than a surprising sight. Discover why they appear, their value in the garden, what research actually says, and how to care for a flowering plant.

Linda Everhart•Nov 04, 2026