When and How to Transplant Lilies: Busting Garden Myths

🌸 Editor’s Note: We all love our lilies, but eventually, those beautiful clumps get a little too crowded and stop putting on a good show. In this article, our resident gardening expert Pomidoroved breaks down exactly when and how to divide and transplant your lilies—while hilariously busting a few stubborn gardening myths along the way! … Read more

Growing Lilies 101: Planting, Care, and Transplanting Tips

🌸 Editor’s Note: We talk a lot about vegetables here, but every garden needs a splash of color! In this classic, slightly humorous guide, forum admin Pomidoroved breaks down the absolute basics of growing gorgeous lilies—including a few crucial mistakes you definitely want to avoid. Be sure to check the comments for a fascinating grower … Read more

To Dig or Not to Dig? Lifting Tulip Bulbs – The Ultimate Guide

🌷 Editor’s Note: We all love a good low-maintenance garden, and tulips often seem like the perfect “plant-it-and-forget-it” flower. But if you’ve ever wondered why those expensive, fancy Dutch tulips look spectacular the first year and then mysteriously vanish by year three, this article is for you. Our forum veteran Pomidoroved breaks down the science … Read more

Overwintering Dahlias: From Saran Wrap to the “Dirt Clump” Method

🌺 Editor’s Note: Dahlias are the crown jewels of the late-summer garden, but overwintering their delicate tubers in harsh, freezing climates is a true test of a gardener’s skill. In this article, our growers share their battle-tested methods for keeping dahlia tubers plump and healthy until spring — along with a spirited debate in the … Read more

Citrus Garden Tomato Review: The Multiflora Lemon Heirloom

Quick Summary of Tsitrusovyi Sad (Citrus Garden) 🌍 Origin: A famous Russian commercial/heirloom variety. It circulates under several synonymous names, most notably Chudo Sveta (Wonder of the World), Citrina, and sometimes mistakenly as Anna German. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), highly vigorous. It is a “multiflora” type, meaning it produces massive, highly complex flower trusses. … Read more

Heinz 1370 Bush Tomato Review

Quick Summary of Heinz 1370 🌍 Origin: A classic American commercial variety developed by the H.J. Heinz Company. Widely distributed around the world for its reliability in making ketchup, sauces, and canned goods. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). It grows compactly, typically staying under 1 meter (around 70 cm / 2.3 ft), making it excellent … Read more

Hong Cai Bao (Khon-Tsai-Bao) Chinese Cherry Tomato Review

Quick Summary of Hong Cai Bao (Khon-Tsai-Bao) 🌍 Origin: An exotic striped cherry variety originating from China. The name is transliterated from Russian catalogs as Khon-Tsai-Bao, or more commonly in international seed exchanges as Hong Cai Bao. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and highly vigorous. It performs exceptionally well outdoors in open ground and boasts … Read more

Hypeel 108 F1 Paste Tomato Review

Quick Summary of Hypeel 108 F1 🌍 Origin: A commercial determinate F1 hybrid. The name “Hypeel” generally indicates varieties bred specifically for easy peeling and mass commercial canning/processing. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush), medium height. It produces abundant flowers and sets fruit very reliably, even demonstrating good heat tolerance. Despite being a bush variety, staking … Read more

Huan U / Topaz Tomato Review: Chinese Bicolor Cherry

Quick Summary of Huan U (Topaz) 🌍 Origin: An exotic cocktail/cherry variety originating from China. Often circulated among collectors under multiple names: Huan U, Topaz, Honey Topaz, or Pearlescent. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), highly vigorous, and tends to produce a ton of suckers. Can easily reach 3 meters (10 ft) in a greenhouse. Extremely … Read more

Howes (Khoves) Tomato Review

Quick Summary of Howes (Khoves) 🌍 Origin: An extremely rare variety distributed by Ukrainian seed collector Alexei Kulik. It is praised primarily as a long-keeper. 🌿 Plant Habit: Moderate height. Warning for seed savers: The currently circulating seeds show significant genetic instability. Growers report seedlings splitting into both Regular Leaf (RL) and Potato Leaf (PL) … Read more

Hazel Mae Bicolor Beefsteak Tomato Review

Quick Summary of Hazel Mae 🌍 Origin: A well-known American heirloom originating from Ohio. Prized for its massive bi-color fruits. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Needs a long, warm season to perform well. In regions with short or cool summers, yields can be disappointingly low unless seeds are started very early indoors. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: … Read more

Humph Tomato Review & Taste: Yellow-Green US Heirloom

Quick Summary of Humph (Хм) 🌍 Origin: A relatively rare variety originating from the USA, introduced to Russian growers in 2015 by seed collector V. Popenko. In Russian, it is translated/transliterated as “Хм” (Hmm / Hmph). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and extremely vigorous. It is prone to putting out many suckers and can easily … Read more