Teo Spengler
Raised in Alaska, where the sun never rises in the winter and the trees are stunted by permafrost, Teo Spengler fell in love with plants when she moved to California for college. Gardening became more of a passion than a pastime as she studied horticulture and took master gardening courses.
Spengler completed an intensive sixteen-week program to qualify as a docent at the San Francisco Botanical Garden and has given public tours there for several years. She has also earned a BA in politics, an MA in English, an MFA in creative writing and a JD from Berkeley Law School.
She has written about nature, trees, plants and gardening for more than two decades for publications including Gardening Know How, Hunker, Home Guides, the San Francisco Chronicle and Gardening Guides, as well as publishing two novels. Before focusing on gardening, Spengler had a long career as an attorney and legal writer – experience she now also brings to her role as Gardening Know How’s Gardening Lawyer.
Spengler currently splits her life between San Francisco and the French Basque Country, where she has practised her skills in both personal and public gardens for the past two decades. Her extended family includes some 30 houseplants and hundreds of outdoor plants, including 250 trees – mostly oaks, birches and beeches – that she planted on her land in France.
Latest articles by Teo Spengler
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6 Garden Pests to Watch for in June – Don't Wait! Eliminate Them Before They Take Over Your Garden Beds and Vegetables This SummerJune is prime time for garden pests. Get a jump on pest control and you'll have a healthier garden this summer.
By Teo Spengler
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What Orchids Need in June to Ensure a Spectacular Display of Flowers This Summer – 5 Easy Care TipsA few vital, yet simple care tasks in June will help your orchids look great during their peak growing season.
By Teo Spengler
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Does Nothing Grow in Your Soil? 7 Bulletproof Annuals That Turn Dry, Poor Spots into a Summer ShowstopperMany of us have that one annoying corner of the yard that seems doomed to an eternity of dusty, dry, parched soil. If this applies to you, these cheerful “desert chic” annuals are about to rock your world with vibrant, gloriously unfussy color
By Teo Spengler
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What Your Tomatoes Need in June – 5 Quick Tasks for Better Plants, Bigger Harvests and Tastier TomatoesJune is a critical period for ensuring healthy tomato plants all season long. Don't skip these quick, but essential tomato care tasks.
By Teo Spengler
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What Your Pepper Plants Need in June to Produce a Huge Harvest This Summer – 5 Easy Tasks to Set Them Up for SuccessCheck these to-do items off your list this month to ensure plants are healthy, thriving, and produce tons of tasty peppers.
By Teo Spengler
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What to Do With Strawberries After Harvesting in June – 5 Easy Tips to Ensure a Bountiful Harvest Next SummerYou may have picked your strawbs, but it’s far from the end of the road for your plants. Make a little time for these simple acts of care to kickstart future fruiting success
By Teo Spengler
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6 Plants to Prune in June – Don't Miss the Early Summer Pruning Window or Blooms Will Suffer Next YearJune is the prime time to prune back these plants. Sharpen your pruners and get snipping!
By Teo Spengler
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5 Things You Can Do in June to Prepare Your Lawn for the Summer Heat – Plus 5 Things You Definitely Shouldn't DoA healthy summer lawn starts in June. Here's what you need to do now to keep your grass looking its best, even when temperatures soar.
By Teo Spengler
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These 6 Gorgeous Trailing Container Plants are Heat Tolerant So They Won’t Fail – Even in Hanging BasketsLooking for dazzling trailing container plants that stay lush and vibrant on the hottest days? These unstoppable cascading beauties bring effortless color to patio pots and hanging basket displays all summer long
By Teo Spengler
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5 Outdoor Features That Make Your Home Harder to Sell – and What You Should Add to Your Yard InsteadIf you're thinking about selling your house or just want to get the biggest ROI when you do, avoid these outdoor features that make buyers think twice.
By Teo Spengler
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7 Seeds That Need Light to Germinate and 8 Types That Require Absolute Darkness – or They’ll Never SproutProviding the proper lighting conditions is essential for good germination. Find out which seeds need light and which ones need dark to sprout.
By Teo Spengler
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Gardeners Beware! These 6 Plants Could Get You in Legal Trouble – What You Need to Know Before You GrowDon't even think about growing these illegal plants. Steer clear of the law by avoiding these invasive, patented, or psychoactive varieties.
By Teo Spengler
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This Simple 3-Ring Method Will Help You Pest-Proof Your Vegetable Garden for Better Harvests With Fewer BugsDon't let bugs ruin all your vegetable garden dreams. Utilize a layered approach to your pest control for the best results.
By Teo Spengler
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6 Tough Trees That Can Handle Whatever the Weather Throws at ThemYou don't have to sacrifice good looks to get a tree that will survive all the wild weather we get. All these beauties are as tough as they come…
By Teo Spengler
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How to Propagate a Magnolia Tree – All about Air Layering and Rooting CuttingsWant another magnolia tree? How about ten? Propagating magnolias is simple as long as you know what you're doing.
By Teo Spengler
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5 Best Roses for Cutting Gardens – for Long-Lasting Blooms That Look Equally Beautiful in Bouquets and Garden BedsLong stems, cut blooms that last for weeks in a vase, and intoxicating fragrance... You can't beat these five gorgeous types of roses for cutting gardens.
By Teo Spengler
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9 Common Backyard Birds of the Pacific NorthwestIf you live in Oregon, Washington, or Idaho, you may already know some of these beautiful backyard birds. Do you recognize them all?
By Teo Spengler
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Lawn Care 101: Everything You Need to Know to Grow Lush, Vibrant GrassWant the greenest grass on the block? This lawn care guide has everything from seeding to dethatching. It's your one-stop-shop for thick grass that's oh-so-walkable.
By Teo Spengler

