Steven A. Frowine

Steven A. Frowine is a noted professional horticulturist and a longtime avid gardener and communicator. He has co-authored many titles in the For Dummies gardening collection, including Orchids For Dummies and Gardening Basics For Dummies.

Articles & Books From Steven A. Frowine

Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-23-2024
Once you know what makes houseplants happy, growing them is a snap. If you start with one of the 10 easy houseplants I suggest and then follow the guidelines and tips in this Cheat Sheet, you’ll have a green thumb before you know it. You can then join the large and growing clan of dedicated houseplant lovers, and you may even decide to branch out with more difficult plants or crafts, such as creating your own corsage.
Article / Updated 02-22-2024
A corsage is a wearable flower arrangement. Although some people think corsages are unfashionable (or even corny), I guarantee that if you make one for yourself or your partner for a special occasion, you’ll get loads of compliments.Many houseplants’ flowers and foliage make stunning and long-lasting corsages, and you can create one yourself relatively quickly.
Houseplants & Succulents For Dummies
Become the best plant parent you can be Houseplant hysteria is here to stay. For new and seasoned plant owners alike, Houseplants & Succulents For Dummies is the ideal resource on plant care, growing cycles, unique plant varieties, and all the essentials you need to know about your rooted friends. Ensure that your sprouts grow and thrive, with tons of tips and answers to all your questions.
Orchids For Dummies
Become a plant parent to some of the most stunning flowering plants you’ve ever seen Orchids display more beautiful and exotic flowers than you’ll find on other flowering plants, but they do require some love and care to grow well. With help from Orchids For Dummies, anyone can be successful in growing and flowering these gorgeous and fragrant plants in their garden or home!
Gardening Basics For Dummies
Cultivate your passion to grow In a 1625 essay, Francis Bacon called gardens "the purest of human pleasures," and what was true then is even more so today—gardening can give you a serene refuge from the short-lived (and noisy!) distractions of modern life and a fertile basis for satisfaction that will bear fruit long into the future.
Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-15-2022
Growing orchids at home isn’t as difficult as you might think. This handy Cheat Sheet will help you get started. Take a look at the list of fragrant orchids to decide which sweet scents you want around your house. You'll also find some helpful tips about knowing when and how to fertilize and water your orchids.
Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-01-2022
To have the garden of your dreams, make sure you pick the right plants for your hardiness zone and select the right fertilizers for your plants. If your garden is shady, this Cheat Sheet offers a list of plants made for the shade. When you're planning and measuring your garden use the handy conversion chart for metric and standard measurements.
Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016
To keep your perennial gardens healthy you need to divide several kinds of perennials periodically. You know when yours need to be divided because the plants are growing in ever-denser clumps and the flower show isn’t as prolific as it was in previous years. The interior of the clump, in particular, may become disappointingly unproductive.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Ask yourself what you want from a vine. Do you have a good spot, or can you create one? Some vines are big, rambling plants; others can fill and remain in their allotted spaces. Some vines offer temporary coverage, and others are long-lasting. Figure out whether you want flowers or fruit and whether you want the vine for part of the growing season or all.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Whether your water garden consists of a barrel or tub with a few plants or a naturalistic in-ground pond, gardeners often cite water features as the element that truly complete a garden. When deciding on the type of water garden to have, first consider where you'd like your garden to be. Even before you go shopping, you need to evaluate the area where you'd like to put a water garden and determine its basic requirements: Sunlight: Most water garden plants adore full sun and bloom with gusto as a result — specifically, 6 or more hours per day is great.