Robert Anderson

Horticulture & Gardening Expert

Robert Anderson is a Horticulture & Gardening Expert based in Lexington, Kentucky. He worked as a Professor of Horticulture at the University of Kentucky for 31 years. In addition to his teaching duties, he worked on growing flower varietals and vegetables in greenhouses, and conducted university research projects. His specialties include cut flowers, bedding plants, and hydroponics. He managed the houseplant collection and completed many field trials of garden flowers at Kentucky. He received a B.S. in Biology and an M.S. in Horticulture from the University of Minnesota, and a Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Florida.

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Q&A Comments (4)

Can I grow store-bought Thyme at home?
Yes! You just have to find a sunny spot—either indoors by a bright window or outside in your garden. First, carefully remove the thyme plant from its store container, being gentle with the roots. If the roots are compacted, loosen them slightly. Then prepare your pot with some good drainage holes or a garden bed with well-draining soil. Thyme likes soil that's slightly sandy, so you can mix in a bit of sand to improve drainage. Dig a small hole just big enough for the roots, place the thyme in, and fill the hole with soil, pressing lightly around the base. Water it well, but don't overdo it—thyme prefers to dry out between watering. At first, keep an eye on the moisture level, and once it's established, thyme is pretty low-maintenance. Give it plenty of sunlight and trim the stems occasionally to encourage bushier growth.
How do I know when to pick and harvest oregano?
When the plant starts to produce vibrant green leaves and you smell a strong, fragrant aroma coming from the plant. You can also harvest oregano before it starts to flower, because that's when the leaves have the most flavor. Choose a dry day, preferably in the morning after any dew has evaporated, since this helps preserve the essential oils in the leaves. Use sharp scissors or garden shears to cut the stems about halfway down, just above a leaf node, doing this encourages the plant to keep on growing.
How can I prevent my dog from knocking over my tubs?
To keep your pets from tipping over your self-watering tubs, choose a sturdy, weighted base. A decorative container without drainage holes works well here, essentially acting as a large saucer. Pick one that's spacious enough to hold a two-gallon bucket snugly because this adds stability and will minimize the chances of being knocked around. Once you’ve placed the bucket in the container, fill it with water almost to the top, then cut a slit in the lid to insert a moistened piece of fabric. This fabric works like a wick, drawing water to the plant pot you’ll set on top. You only need to refill these buckets every week or two, which is really convenient!
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Co-authored Articles (10)

How to Hook Up a Garden Hose to Your Indoor Faucet

A simple guide to hook up a garden hose to your sinkIf you don’t have a spigot around to attach your hose to, don’t worry! You can connect a hose to practically any sink, just by removing the aerator and using a sim...

How to

Preserve Berries for Floral Arrangements

If you're using berries as part of a fresh floral display, notice that they are a lot fleshier than the flowers and leaves. This extra moisture makes them prone to rotting faster and/or dropping off their stems. If you c...

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Dry Oregano

Whether you’re harvesting your own oregano or picked up a few stalks at the grocery store, you’ll need to dry it out before you can use it as an ingredient or garnish. Drying is essential because it improves the text...

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Make Potpourri

Potpourri is a mixture of dried ingredients, spices, and oils that scent a room. It can be made of many different types of ingredients and give off distinct fragrances and moods. If you’d like to make your own potpour...

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Dog Proof a Garden

Dog-proofing your garden means both ensuring that it’s a safe space for your dog and taking precautions to protect your plants from the whims of your wily canine companion. The secret is creating a garden that works wi...

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Select Broccoli

Broccoli is an incredibly versatile vegetable that can be eaten cooked or raw, plain or cooked into a dish. Choosing quality broccoli is a key to enjoying it.

Waxed Flowers: 6 Easy Steps to Preserve Any Bloom

Make your bouquet last forever with DIY wax-dipped flowersIsn’t it a bummer that beautiful flowers don’t last forever? Now they can! With a little bit of preparation and some wax, you can preserve whatever flowers yo...

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Eat Yucca

Yucca, also known as Soapweed, Spanish Bayonet, and other popular names, grows in deserts throughout the world. All of the non-woody parts of most yuccas are edible, but the blooms in particular are quite tasty, making a...

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Care for Garden Mums with a Self‐Watering Pot

Self-watering pots are an easier way to care for garden mums (cultivars of Chrysanthemum x morifolium). Normally, mums require water every day in the warm fall weather. However, a self-watering pot only requires water ev...

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Use a DIY Self‐Watering Tub for Seed Germination

Seed germination is easier with a self-watering tub. Reliable seed germination depends on uniform moisture in the potting soil and the proper temperature for the seed being grown. A DIY self-watering container, with a la...