Susan Albert
It all began with a sunroom that looked out onto a yard of dirt and weeds. No shrubs, flowers, birds, or butterflies. Whoever heard of a sunroom with nothing to watch outside? Susan immediately went to the library (Internet was not in use yet) to look up how to attract butterflies. That was 25 years ago and she’s progressed into an all-out gardening fanatic, obsessed with annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs. A plant “collector” and garden photographer, she can always find room for one more flower in her garden, especially if it attracts wildlife.
Before writing articles for Gardening Know How, Susan held a career in communications and, as a freelancer, wrote garden articles for magazines and authored a newspaper gardening column for many years. She also contributed South-Central regional gardening columns for four years to Lowes.com. While living in Oklahoma She served as a master gardener for 17 years. She now lives in Gardner, Kansas, where she’s semi-retired, establishing new garden roots.
Latest articles by Susan Albert
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Shrub Diseases And Pests To Watch Out For
Shrub diseases and pests can be challenging. Learn how to recognize and eradicate them before they can present a danger to your plants.
By Susan Albert
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10 Hot Weather Vegetables That Thrive In Sweltering Summer Heat
These hot weather vegetables, fruits, and flowers can handle the heat! A Georgia Master Gardener shares his top picks for hot and humid summer gardens.
By Laura Walters
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Dark Home Exterior? Choose The Right Plants With Our Expert Dark House Landscaping Tips
If the front or back of your house is very dark, what are the implications for the plants you grow? We reveal how understanding dark house landscaping can help you pick the right plants
By Susan Albert
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Full Sun Plants For Rain Gardens
Dear Earth hero: Go ahead and build a full sun rain garden. There are plenty of rain garden plants that will help capture and filter pollutants.
By Susan Albert
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Holes In The Leaves Of Your Plants? Common Causes & Fixes
Holes in the leaves of plants can be a bit distressing. From tiny holes to giant ones, “What is eating my plants?” is a gardening question heard around the world in spring and summer. Learning to diagnose and address leaf damage can help.
By Liz Baessler
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Common Comfrey: Plant Care And Characteristics
The comfrey plant, or symphytum officinale is an old-fashioned perennial herb used in the garden to attract pollinators and as a liquified fertilizer. It has pretty flowers and makes a nice poultice for soothing wounds, but is generally considered poisonous if ingested.
By Amy Grant
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Southern Maidenhair Fern: Complete Care And Growing Guide
The delicate adiantum capillus-veneris, or maidenhair fern is a great addition to a woodland garden or indoor plant collection.
By Susan Albert
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Do Bird Baths Attract Other Animals? How To Deter Pests
Keeping a bird bath in pristine condition is only half the battle for bird lovers. Does your bird bath attract other animals you’d rather it didn’t? We show you how to keep bird baths for the birds.
By Susan Albert
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Yellow Starthistle: Identification & Control Methods
Yellow Starthistle is a noxious invasive weed that steals nutrients and moisture from other plants and is poisonous to horses.
By Susan Albert
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Hydrangea Water Requirements
How much water does a hydrangea need? It all depends on the species, sunlight, soil and where you live.
By Susan Albert
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Best Juniper Ground Cover: 12 Versatile Evergreen Varieties To Protect Your Plot
Juniper ground cover is a great way to fill and protect any gaps in beds, borders and path edges. Try these 12 reliable evergreen varieties.
By Susan Albert
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Parlor Palm Problems? How To Bring Your Neanthe Bella Plant Back From The Brink
Parlor palms make easy houseplants, but if they do start to suffer, worry not. We reveal the main parlor palm problems and how to rescue your precious plant.
By Susan Albert
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Mushrooms In The Garden – Getting Rid Of Unwanted Fungi
Unless you deliberately grow them, the arrival of mushrooms in the garden can be alarming – but it's nothing to fear, as our experts reveal.
By Susan Albert
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Grow Pearlbush: Discover Exochorda Racemosa
With its shimmering white flowers, pearlbush is a precious garden gem. Here's how to grow your own showstopping shrub for borders and hedges.
By Susan Albert
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Best Salvia Varieties: Stunning Annual And Perennial Salvias To Grow
Can't decide which salvia varieties to grow? No problem – we've rounded up the very best salvias for stunning summer displays guaranteed!
By Susan Albert
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Does Landscaping Increase Home Value?
Does landscaping increase home value? Of course it does, but do it properly to avoid common mistakes.
By Susan Albert
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What Is Moss Campion - Moss Campion Plant Info
Next time you’re at high altitudes, check out the moss campion silene plants that grow in crevices and rocks with pretty pink blossoms.
By Susan Albert
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How To Wrap Potted Plants For Winter
Cold weather’s just around the corner. Grab some burlap and bubble wrap and bundle up your potted plants for winter.
By Susan Albert
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Tips For Mowing Stripes In Lawn
Wouldn’t it be great to have stripes in your lawn like a sports field? Learn how here.
By Susan Albert
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Tree Marking Color Code – What Do Marks On Trees Mean?
Those paint marks on trees are used to mark boundaries, tag for harvesting and denote ownership. Click here to learn more.
By Susan Albert
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Top 10 Heat Friendly Flowers: Flowers for Hot Weather
Want beautiful flowers that won’t wilt and die in extremely hot weather? Here's a list of our top 10 favorites.
By Susan Albert
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Can You Dig Up Endangered Plants To Grow In Your Garden?
It’s important to know whether a wild plant is endangered before you dig it up. Learn how to find out what’s legal.
By Susan Albert