Butterfly Migration Info For Gardeners It may seem like a crazy idea, but keeping weeds in gardens for butterflies is a helpful practice. Humans have destroyed so much native habitat that migratory butterflies can starve as they move to their destination. Cultivating plants for butterfly migration entices these pollinators and gives them strength for their long migration. Without fuel for their migration, butterfly populations will decline and along with them a part of our earthly diversity and health....

Can You Grow Morning Glory in a Container? Since these plants can be a little wild once they get started, many people grow morning glory vines in pots to keep them contained. Not only can you grow morning glory flowers in a container, but it is recommended that you do so unless you have a large trellis or fence structure to run your plant along. Morning glories will eagerly wind their way around anything in their path and can sometimes take over other plants in your garden unless given a dedicated space....

Regional To-Do List for December Some states give up gardening for a month, others for two or three. Those in other areas, such as Florida, continue to plant and harvest, just switching to cool season crops. North Carolina, where I reside, has approximately 175 days between first and last frost dates. These may be shortened during this mild winter. Keep an eye on your local forecast and check the Almanac specifically for your area to learn of your planting window this month....

Gardening in November is still in full swing, even though many of our vegetables, plants, and shrubs have stopped growing. There is the inevitable raking, still some mowing of the lawn, cutting back perennials, pulling annuals and more. Getting the garden tidied up will help prevent pest and disease issues in spring. Making a Regional To-Do List for the Midwest Gardeners in the Rockies may experience cold temperatures more quickly than those on the Plains, which means much of the cleanup may already be done....

Spanish Lavender Information Spanish lavender, or Lavendula stoechas, is just one of about 40 varieties of this fragrant herb. It is native to the hot, dry climate of the Mediterranean region, so it thrives in warmer climates and is hardy to zone 8. Growing Spanish lavender is a good alternative to the more common English lavender if you live in a warmer climate. In appearance, Spanish lavender is similar to other varieties, growing in small shrubs that make great low hedges or bed borders....

Peony Care in Spring In cooler climates, peonies are often protected from the cold winter by a thick heap of mulch. The first step of spring maintenance requirements for peony plants is clearing away any mulch or debris around peony shoots to allow them to soak up much needed sunlight. This is also a great time to weed around peony plants. Oftentimes, in spring weeds will come in before ornamental plants and peonies do not compete well with weeds....

How to Prevent Moss Getting rid of moss is simply a matter of prevention. One of the best ways to do this is to make your landscape unattractive to moss. There are several ways to accomplish this feat. First, decrease the amount of moisture content in the area. One way to do this is by increasing drainage patterns to direct moisture elsewhere. You should also try increasing the pH level in the soil....

Don’t despair, these are tough plants and can usually bounce back to good health quickly. First Signs of Overly Dry Succulents One of the easiest groups of plants to grow are succulents. Wilting succulents are an expression of extreme dehydration. Droopy leaves on succulent specimens mean the soil has been dry as a bone for quite some time. These plants can tolerate long periods of drought, but they do need moisture to thrive....

Sweet Potatoes with Scurf Sweet potato scurf is a fungal disease caused by the fungus Monilochaeles infuscans. It grows and produces spores on the sweet potato skin. This scurf only affects sweet potatoes and their close relative the morning glory, but does not affect other crops. For instance, silver scurf, caused by Helminthosporium solani, only affects potatoes. This fungal disease is also only skin deep and does not affect the edibility of sweet potatoes....

How to Grow Primrose Indoors The first thing to remember about your primrose houseplant is that the people who sold it to you did not expect you to keep it as a houseplant. Primroses indoors are typically thought of by the houseplant industry as a short term houseplant (much like orchids and poinsettias). They are sold with the intention of providing a few weeks of bright flowers and then discarded after the blooms have faded....

Cilantro Seeds In cooking, cilantro seeds are called coriander. The “seeds” are actually two cilantro seeds encased in a husk. The husk is hard, round and is light brown or grey in color. Before you plant them in the ground, you need to prepare the cilantro seeds to increase the chances that they will germinate. Gently crush the seed husk holding the two seeds together. Soak the cilantro seeds in water for 24 to 48 hours....

Diseases of Quince Trees Quince tree illness is usually not too serious, but most warrant some type of treatment. Pathogens can ruin harvests and weaken plants, so knowing how to treat quince tree diseases can be a valuable skill for the long-term health of your plant. These are some of the most common problems you’re likely to encounter: Fire blight. Pear growers will be familiar with fire blight. This bacterial nuisance is also a problem for quince....

What is Miticide? Miticides are chemical agents used to kill mites. Choosing a miticide can be a daunting task because of the number of products on the market. Read the label carefully to make sure it is safe to use on the plants you intend to treat and in the setting where you plan to use it. Begin with miticide sprays having the least toxic option. You’ll find the word “caution,” “warning,” or “danger” on every miticide label....

Red Cactus Varieties Red cactus varieties are generally grafted specimens. You can find these grafted plants in a wide spectrum of shades. While not a naturally occurring plant, the grafted species of cacti are a unique way of enjoying these easy-to-grow succulents and still have the red color you desire. Outside of grafted types, there are plenty of cacti with red flowers or fruits that will bring that cheery red hue into your sight....

What are Viburnum Leaf Beetles? If you’ve never heard of this insect pest, you might ask: “What are viburnum leaf beetles?”. Viburnum leaf beetles are small insects that feed on viburnum leaves. The beetles arrived fairly recently on the continent. They were first found in North America in 1947 in Canada and were not seen in the United States until 1996. Today, the pest is found in many eastern states. An adult viburnum leaf beetle is between 4....

Why is Watermelon Rotting on Bottom? Watermelon blossom end rot isn’t caused by a pathogen; it’s the result of fruit that lacks the correct amount of calcium to develop properly. When fruits are growing rapidly, they need lots of calcium, but it doesn’t move through the plant very well, so if it’s not available in the soil, they will be deficient. A lack of calcium ultimately causes rapidly developing cells in fruits to collapse on themselves, turning the blossom end of the watermelon into a black, leathery lesion....

What are Cowslips? For our purposes, cowslips refer to Cape cowslip plants; members of the genus Lachenalia. Of the over 100 species, all are native to southern Africa and are related to the hyacinth. The name no doubt came about because many of the species have pale yellow blossoms. Cowslips Flower Info The genus name for Cape cowslip plants, Lachenalia, is so named for the eighteenth century Swiss botanist Wermer de Lachenal....

What is a Daisy Garden? If you want a simple, yet extraordinary, space in your garden, try a daisy garden design. The sunny nature of daisies produces a feel-good site that is as beautiful as it is uncomplicated. Using daisies for the garden also provides a low maintenance area. The easy-to-grow perennials have few special needs and are unbothered by most pests and disease. Shasta daisies are probably what comes to mind when you think of this flower....

What is a Jilo Eggplant? Jilo is a green fruit related to both the tomato and the eggplant. Once treated as a distinct species, Solanum gilo, it is now known to be of the group Solanum aethiopicum. This deciduous shrub in the family Solanaceae has a highly branching habit and grows up to 6 ½ feet (2 m.) in height. Leaves are alternate with smooth or lobed margins and can get up to a foot (31 cm....

How to Grow a Living Centerpiece Growing a centerpiece is not all that difficult. It just requires a little time and creativity. There are many living centerpiece plants that you can use as well. Your imagination is the limit! Here are a couple ideas to get you started. Living Centerpieces with Potted Plants One way to create a beautiful living centerpiece is by embellishing terra cotta pots and slipping your houseplants inside or planting directly in the pot....