The Household Garden Blog

How to take care of orchids, a beginner's guide

Orchids look fussy but they are more forgiving than you think. A beginner friendly guide to light, watering, feeding and getting a moth orchid to flower again.

Growing vegetables in containers: a South African quick-start guide

A season-by-season guide to growing vegetables in pots in South Africa, with sun hours, pot depths per crop, and watering and feeding that suits our climate.

Growing berries in pots in South Africa: strawberries, blueberries and more

A practical guide to growing strawberries, blueberries, brambles and cape gooseberries in containers in South African conditions.

Starting a garden from scratch in South Africa: where to begin

How to start a garden from scratch in South Africa, from reading the sun and soil to choosing a first bed, first plants and pots for the spots where nothing will grow in the ground.

How to sow seeds: a step-by-step guide for South African gardeners

A step by step seed sowing guide for South African gardeners, covering trays versus direct sowing, sowing depth, damping off, thinning and hardening off.

How to style houseplants indoors: pots, groupings and light

A practical styling guide for houseplants in South African homes: matching plants to light, grouping and height rules that work, one pot finish, trays on wooden floors and lightweight pots for shel...

How to prepare soil for summer vegetables in South Africa

A practical South African guide to clearing, feeding and warming up garden beds and pots before planting summer vegetables.

Can you use garden soil in pots? What actually happens if you do

An honest look at why garden soil fails in containers, how to fix a pot you have already filled with it, and an affordable potting mix that actually drains.

How to make a small garden look bigger

Design principles that make a small South African garden or patio feel larger, from one statement pot to repeated finishes, diagonal lines and vertical layers.

Gardening on a budget in South Africa: plants and tricks that stretch a rand

Practical ways to build a full garden on very little money, from seed and free cuttings to home compost and pots that do not need replacing.

How to grow lavender, a complete South African guide

Lavender is tougher than it looks and thrives in South African gardens. Which variety to grow, how to give it sun and drainage, and how to prune it to last.

Do houseplants really clean the air? What the science says, and why to grow them anyway

A correction of our earlier claim that houseplants purify indoor air, with the peer reviewed evidence, the real benefits of growing them, and five easy plants that are still worth having.