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 passtime, 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 some 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 20 years for a variety of websites including Gardening Know How, Hunker, Home Guides, San Francisco Chronicle and Gardening Guides as well as publishing two novels. Spengler currently splits her life between San Francisco and the French Basque Country where she has practiced 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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How To Choose A Tree For Your Yard Or Garden
Choosing the right tree for your garden should involve a few important, thoughtful considerations before you decide.
By Teo Spengler
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Why You Shouldn’t Make Impulse Plant Purchases
Put that plant back! Buying plants on impulse is almost never a good idea. Let our experts tell you why.
By Teo Spengler
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Helpful Tips For Buying Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants less expensive, easy to plant and don’t weigh as much to ship. Just make sure they're healthy!
By Teo Spengler
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Philodendron Houseplants: How To Care For A Philodendron Plant
Philodendron care is easy because if you watch for the signals, the plant will tell you exactly what it needs. Click here to learn more.
By Jackie Carroll
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Benefits Of Planting Hydrangeas In The Fall
Spring is all well and good, but fall might be a better season to plant hydrangeas. Read on to find out why.
By Teo Spengler
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Common Types Of Tree Fungus
If you see a mushroom fungus that grows on trees, be aware that the tree can be unstable and dangerous.
By Teo Spengler
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Weeping Willow Pruning: Should I Cut Back A Weeping Willow Tree
No tree is more graceful than the beautiful weeping willow with its long tresses swaying gracefully in a breeze. But that cascading foliage and the branches that support it need to be cut back from time to time. Learn about pruning the tree in this article.
By Teo Spengler
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Fast-Growing Fruit Trees For Home Gardens
Some trees are in no hurry to grow fruit, but some do it much faster. Here are the trees that'll get you harvesting the soonest.
By Teo Spengler
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Picking The Best Fertilizer For Fruit Trees
All fruit trees need fertilizer, but how much and what kind can seriously vary. Make sure you're doing it right.
By Teo Spengler
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The Best Moisture-Loving Plants For Wet Areas
There are many plants and trees that actually love soggy soil and wet feet. Here’s a comprehensive list of them.
By Mary H. Dyer
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Dracaena Care: How To Grow A Dracaena As A Houseplant
Caring for a dracaena as an indoor plant is easy when the temperatures aren’t too cold and the light isn’t too direct. We'll teach you how.
By Becca Badgett
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Lovely, Low-Maintenance Hillside Landscaping Ideas
Eroding hillsides can present a problem. Here are great ideas and tips on how to keep them in place easily.
By Teo Spengler
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Spider Plant Care: Gardening Tips For Spider Plants
Spider plants are low-maintenance and beautiful, and they frequently shoot out baby versions of themselves called "spiderettes." Try growing one now.
By Teo Spengler
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4 Common Shrub Mistakes To Avoid
What are some of the most common shrub landscaping mistakes a gardener can make and how can you avoid them? Click here for our top 4.
By Teo Spengler
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Feng Shui Garden Ideas For A Serene Outdoor Space
Learn how to create some Feng Shui energy in your garden landscape for peace, relaxation and positive energy.
By Teo Spengler
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Fragrant Sumac Care And Growing Tips
Low-growing fragrant sumac makes a lovely native addition to the home garden. Learn all about growing it here.
By Teo Spengler
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Caribbean Pine Tree Info
Meet the Caribbean pine, a tropical tree with many uses that only grows in warm wet regions. Click here to learn more about it.
By Teo Spengler
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Best Potted Plants For California And Nevada
Container gardening in the west is a dream, a great way to grow vegetables, flowers, succulents and even fruit trees. Click for more.
By Teo Spengler