Steve Bender
Southern Living
Birmingham, AL, United States
Contact Steve
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Steve:
How To Grow And Care For Azaleas
Azaleas are the one group of plants Southerners never tire of learning about. Get the details on how to choose, plant and care for these popular shrubs. → Read More
The Complete Guide to Camellias
The complete guide to camellias. Find practical gardening advice, tips, and information on growing beautiful, flowering cameilla shrubs. → Read More
The Sasanqua Camellia Is Beautiful for Fall
Easy-to-grow Sasanqua Camellia combines stunning autumn flowers with handsome foliage. → Read More
Controlling Fire Ants—What Works, What Doesn't
Prevent the spread of fire ants in your yard with these effective remedies, and avoid common controls that don't work. → Read More
The Best (and Worst!) Mulch for Your Garden
Our very own Grumpy Gardener gives you the low-down on the mulch varieties to buy and those to avoid. → Read More
How to Make Your Own Compost
Composting is a natural process that converts raw organic materials into a valuable soil conditioner. In addition to being good for your garden, composting lightens the load at the landfill, as you recycle garden and kitchen debris at home rather than consign it to the dump. → Read More
How to Fertilize Your Garden for Healthy Plant Growth
Remember the old adage, "You are what you eat?" Well that applies to your plants, too. Healthy plants need a healthy diet and a good fertilizer is a key component. Learn more about what nutrients plants need, how to best provide them, and how to tell when your plants need your help. → Read More
When, How, and How Much to Water Your Garden
Plants can't survive without water. But too much or too little causes problems. More plants have been killed by improper watering than just about anything else. The basic problem is, of course, that no two plants have exactly the same water requirements. Follow these tips for wise watering. → Read More
How to Prepare Your Garden Soil for Planting
Healthy soil is the key to happy plants. Whether you're about to create your first garden from scratch or beginning to prep existing beds for the coming growing season, take the time to check your soil and make it the nutrient-rich home your green babies deserve. → Read More
SunPatiens Are Low-Maintenance Super Bloomers That Love the Sun
Sunpatiens are winning over the Grumpy Gardener for hist front yard flower bed. These blooms grow well in sun, part sun, or shade; they bloom continuously from spring until fall; and the flowers are huge and come in a wide range of colors. See more about how the variety came to be and more on what makes them so great. → Read More
What You Need to Know About Yellow Jackets
Yellow jackets have a bad attitude and painful sting. Here's how to identify and kill them. → Read More
6 Types of Organic Mulch That Are Better Than Rubber
Rubber mulch is not the best option for your garden as it breaks down and releases toxic chemicals, is a fire hazard, smells and looks bad, and is difficult to remove. Using organic mulch is a much better option, and there are many types to choose from based on your growing needs. → Read More
Why You Should Just Say No to Trumpet Vine
Trumpet vine, or trumpet creeper, is an invasive, native plant that spreads quickly. Learn how to remove this flowering vine and choose better plants. → Read More
How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Hostas
Here is a helpful guide to caring for the interesting hosta plant. → Read More
How I Made My Snake Plant Bloom
Learn a few simple steps to help your snake plant bloom. → Read More
Sweet Potato Vines—The Best "Spillers" Ever
This trailing plant that comes in vivid greens and dark shades is great for containers and even beds. → Read More
Two Tamer Wisteria Vines to Try
Yes, wisteria is pretty, but you don't want it to take over your garden. Why and how to grow Kentucky wisteria and American wisteria, plus how to remove invasive wisteria. → Read More
Is it Time to Prune My Hydrangeas? It Depends on the Variety
Fear not, because we're here with easy guidelines for pruning smooth, panicle, oakleaf, and bigleaf hydrangeas that will result in beautiful blooms in your summer garden. → Read More
Think Twice Before Bringing Home a Mimosa Tree
Mimosa trees may look pretty, but a you should think hard before planting one in your yard. These trees are short-lived, and will spring up as weeds all over your neighborhood as they drop hundreds of brown seedpods during the winter that will all germinate. → Read More
Everything You Need to Know About Drift Roses: A Better Rose Than Knock Out
The 'Drift' rose has taken over the all-too popular 'Knock Out' roses. These ground cover roses bloom nonstop and don't need spraying for disease. Learn how to grow and care for drift roses. → Read More