Posts By

Melissa Strauss

Melissa is a writer, hobby gardener, beekeeper and homemaker. She can be found working in her extensive pollinator garden, trolling the local nurseries for unique plant specimens, and tending to the many fruit-bearing plants on her property. Melissa hopes to inspire other gardeners to delve into the rich and fulfilling world of pollinator gardening.

The Agave plant has thick, fleshy, sword-shaped leaves that taper to sharp points, often with spiny edges and a bluish-green color edged with yellow.

Houseplants

How to Propagate Agave From Leaf Cuttings

Stunningly sculptural, agave plants bring bold architectural elements to the landscape and garden. But can you propagate them from leaf cuttings like other succulents? Gardening Expert Melissa Strauss will walk you through propagation of agave using leaf cuttings, and discuss some other methods, too!

Pink flowers in full bloom with delicate petals and lush green leaves.

Flowers

5 Care Tips for Bigger Rose Blooms This Fall

The coming of cooler, fall weather means that repeat-blooming roses can once again show off their skills. They may be looking a little worse for wear from the intense summer heat. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss has some great tips to help get your shrubs back in blooming condition for more flowers this fall.

Tall yellow inflorescences with deeply lobed green leaves in a lush garden setting.

Flowers

How to Plant, Grow, and Care For Ligularia

Gorgeous foliage, flashy flowers, and semi-evergreen, ligularia deserves recognition! Join gardening expert Melissa Strauss in learning how to grow and care for this beautiful shade plant. You're going to love this wonderful addition to the garden.

A tall tree with layered, fan-shaped branches of deep green foliage.

Trees

19 Dwarf Evergreen Trees for Your Landscape

Are you looking for the perfect evergreen for a smaller space in the landscape? There are so many lovely dwarf evergreens to choose from. Join gardening expert Melissa Strauss to take a look at some beautiful trees to maintain the beauty of your yard year-round.

Bright orange blossoms with delicately ruffled petals and golden-yellow centers, standing out vividly against a backdrop of lush green foliage in a spring garden.

Flowers

27 Popular Geum Varieties for Your Garden

Geums are beautiful, long-blooming perennials and semi-evergreens that are perfect for full sun and partially shaded spots in the garden. Here, gardening expert Melissa Strauss shares some gorgeous, colorful varieties.

A detailed close-up of fresh, vibrant green spinach leaves with smooth surfaces and slightly curled edges, displaying a lush and healthy appearance against a softly blurred background.

Gardening Inspiration

17 Kid-Favorite Plants To Grow This Fall

There are wonderful skills for kids to learn in the garden. It engages the senses and can help them to unwind after a long day of sitting in the classroom. Florida gardener and mom of three Melissa Strauss has some great plants to share that kids will enjoy growing in the fall!

The image showcases a variety of lush green tropical foliage arranged in a room, including large Monstera leaves with their distinctive fenestrations, vibrant pothos vines with heart-shaped leaves trailing from a shelf, and a cluster of palm fronds creating a lush, inviting, and natural ambiance that enhances the indoor environment.

Houseplants

15 Pest and Disease-Resistant Houseplants

Pests and diseases can be particularly difficult to deal with when they affect your indoor plants. If you've ever gone to battle with them, you know how frustrating they can be! Houseplant mom Melissa Strauss has some great plants that thrive indoors and are pest and disease-resistant.

A close-up of Capsella bursa-pastoris, commonly known as shepherd's purse. The plant features its distinctive heart-shaped seed pods and small white flowers. The foliage is green and delicate, with the seed pods prominently visible against a blurred natural background.

Weeds

23 Common Lawn Weeds and How to Manage Them

Weeding is no one’s favorite garden task, but some weeds can make a real mess of things, including your lawn. In this article, gardening expert Melissa Strauss helps to identify common weeds that you might come across, and how to get rid of them.