Location
Buffalo Niagara Region
School
SUNY Buffalo, Drexel University
Expertise
Sustainable Gardening, Edimentals, Urban Permaculture
- Lauren loves gardening's mix of beauty and utility, and she believes everyone can have a green thumb.
- She grows flowers, vegetables, and fruit trees, all on a 1/8 acre city lot.
- Lauren currently gardens in USDA zone 6, but has previously lived and gardened in zones 8, 10, and 13.
Experience
As a news writer for House Digest, Lauren has written on a range of topics, including seed-starting strategies, gardening techniques, and houseplant care. She had so much fun researching and writing about companion plants for the article "Deter Insects Naturally With This Fast-Growing Garden Classic" that she decided to grow nasturtiums herself this year. Lauren has been writing professionally for over five years and has written for sites including Collider Media, Backyard Boss, and Haddee Education. She is fascinated by the symbiotic relationship between humans and plants and has never met a succulent she doesn't love.
Education
Lauren has a bachelor's degree in anthropology from SUNY Buffalo and a master's in library and information science from Drexel University.
House Digest uses a knowledgeable team of editors, writers, and experts to create all our content. We dive deep into the always-evolving conversations surrounding design and home trends, striving to deliver the most current and helpful tips, strengthened by expert takes and tutorials from our talented team.
As we cover many fields of expertise, we make it a priority to ensure every beat remains fresh and comprehensive. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
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Too many houseplants, too little space? Boost privacy and elevate your mood by getting rid of the kitchen fabric curtains and hanging plants in the window.
By Lauren Krystaf
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Pachysandra is known for being an incredibly invasive ground cover, so it's best to remove it to avoid it crowding out other plants. Here's how to do that.
By Lauren Krystaf
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Mirror walls have seen their glory days, but they're staging a comeback. And there's no better way to use one than to liven up the dead space in your home.
By Lauren Krystaf
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Curtains have very clear practical purposes, but when you put them in rooms where light and privacy aren't a concern, your options open up a lot.
By Lauren Krystaf
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Weeding is a chore as it is. But if you go about it the wrong way, your well-intentioned efforts can do more harm than good to your garden.
By Lauren Krystaf
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Japanese knotweed is an invasive, fast-growing weed that can quickly cause damage around your property. Here are some mistakes to avoid when eliminating it.
By Lauren Krystaf
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What conditions define a "hard frost"? Here's how cold the temperatures can be for your various flowers and vegetables to survive or go dormant.
By Lauren Krystaf
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If you're big on collecting seeds (after all, they're less expensive than live plants), it's easy for them to become disorganized. This simple tip will help.
By Lauren Krystaf
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Sunflowers are a bright and cheery cut flower option for any space. If you're tired of them not lasting long in a vase, follow these easy tips.
By Lauren Krystaf
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When building a greenhouse, there are a few key things to consider, including whether to place it in the sun or shade. Here's what you need to know.
By Lauren Krystaf
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Direct sowing and starting seeds indoors are common practices for starting a garden, but what if you could get a head start on your plants in the winter?
By Lauren Krystaf
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What could be better than a lush, colorful, and low-maintenance groundcover? One that attracts pretty pollinators, of course, and this sedum does just that.
By Lauren Krystaf
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Aesthetics are important in every room of your home, but when it comes to the kitchen, there are other, more practical considerations to make, like grout color.
By Lauren Krystaf
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If you're feeling jaded about grass, there's no shortage of interesting ground cover alternatives, and this low-growing cultivar is a year-round showstopper.
By Lauren Krystaf
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If you have an area in your yard or garden that doesn't favor moss' preferred conditions and want to crowd out weeds, consider this moss-like ground cover.
By Lauren Krystaf
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Discover low-maintenance companion plants that enhance the beauty of blue oat grass. Explore the best pairings to create a stunning and effortless landscape.
By Lauren Krystaf
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Mason jar lids can get old and rusted after some time, tempting you to just toss them and buy more. Instead, try upcycling them into cheery wall decor.
By Lauren Krystaf
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Cleaning
By Lauren Krystaf
Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither were your overstuffed closets. This mathematical approach will help you divide and conquer all your clutter.
By Lauren Krystaf
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To make a small space seem bigger, you need to get creative. Designer extraordinaire, Hilary Farr, has a genius hack for creating the illusion of more space.
By Lauren Krystaf
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For many, mullein is a nuisance plant that pops up in gardens, in lawns, and on farms. If you live in these areas, you'll want to remove this invasive plant.
By Lauren Krystaf
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Do you want beautiful winter paperwhites, but don't know where to start? Here, we run down how you can grow them indoors for stunning blooms.
By Lauren Krystaf
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Want to add a unique, aesthetic touch to your home? With a cornstarch paint hack, you can create beautifully textured vases without breaking the bank.
By Lauren Krystaf
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If you want to establish a thick hedge in your yard that offers beauty and privacy, look to one of Martha Stewart's favorite plants to get the job done.
By Lauren Krystaf
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It can be hard to grow plants in shady conditions, such as beneath trees. However, this one sweet-sounding flowering ground cover will thrive in the shade.
By Lauren Krystaf
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Bamboo can make a great living fence for privacy from the neighbors, but be careful about which type of bamboo you plant in your yard. Here's why.
By Lauren Krystaf
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If you have wild rose bushes growing on your property, you may have noticed how invasive they are and how aggressively they spread. Here's how to control them.
By Lauren Krystaf
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Instead of leaving your hallway empty, discover a design solution that will add an aesthetic appeal while making the narrow space functional.
By Lauren Krystaf
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