Effect of Acid Soils on Plant Growth Sometimes there could be too much aluminum in the soil, making it acidic. Sometimes there is too much manganese, which is toxic to plants. If the soil is too acidic, it can be because of a calcium and magnesium deficiency, which is just as bad for plants as it is for humans. Iron and aluminum in great amounts can tie up phosphorus, which also makes the soil too acidic for plants....

What is Soil Drenching? Trees and other plants often need herbicides, nutrients, fungicides, or pesticides. While some gardeners choose to spray leaves and stems, still others use time-release granular formulas mixed into the soil. Using soil drenches allows quick delivery of the chemicals and avoids overspray and drift. Soil drench application is easy enough even for novice gardeners and practically foolproof. Soil drenches are usually used to apply water-soluble chemicals which flood roots and are up-taken systemically to all parts of the plant....

Which Spring Flowering Branches Can Be Forced? Almost any spring flowering shrub or tree can be forced indoors. Some of the more popular spring flowering branches for forcing are: almond apple cherry dogwood forsythia hawthorn honeysuckle lilac magnolia pear pussy willow quince redbud serviceberry spirea wisteria witch hazel How to Force Branches to Bloom Indoors When forcing branches to bloom inside the first step is to select a branch. In mid to late winter, go out to the shrub or tree that you will be taking branches for forcing....

Garden centers only carry a few varieties already sprouted and growing, but you can find petunia flower seeds for different sized plants in almost every color of the rainbow. Starting Petunia Seed Plants The most important point to remember when learning how to start petunias from seeds is that these are summer, heat-loving plants. It does them no good to plant early in the garden, as they’ll just sit and sulk or rot....

What is a Subtropical Climate? Subtropical climates are defined as the areas adjacent to the tropics. These areas are usually located 20 to 40 degrees north or south of the equator. Southern areas of the U.S., Spain, and Portugal; the north and south tips of Africa; the mid-eastern coast of Australia; southeastern Asia; and parts of the Middle East and South America are subtropical climates. In these areas, summer is very long, hot, and often rainy; winter is very mild, usually without frost or freezing temperatures....

Planting Lilac Bush Spring or fall is the best time for planting lilac bushes. Situate the lilac with its roots spread vertically in the ground and make the hole both deep and wide enough to accommodate them. If planting more than one lilac bush, space them at least 5 feet (1.5 m.) apart to prevent overcrowding, even if you plan to use them as hedges for privacy. Choose an area with plenty of afternoon sun and well-drained soil....

Is It Ok to Compost Tomatoes? Once the gardening season has ended, there can be a great number of old tomato plants left lingering. Many gardeners feel that it’s essential to return the plants to the soil through composting. Others deem it far too risky when it comes to a possible spread of disease. Here are some reasons why many gardeners choose not to place tomato plants in compost: Composting may not kill all seeds – The composting process may not kill all of the remaining tomato seeds on the plant....

Topsoil vs. Potting Soil When looking into what is potting soil and what is topsoil, you’ll find that they have very little in common. In fact, potting soil may have no actual soil in it at all. It needs to drain well while staying aerated, and each manufacturer has its own special blend. Ingredients such as sphagnum moss, coir or coconut husks, bark, and vermiculite are mixed together to give a texture that holds growing roots, delivering food and moisture while allowing the proper drainage required for potted plants....

What are Heading Cuts in Pruning? First of all thinning cuts do exactly what you would expect—they reduce the number of branches to allow air and sunlight into the interior of the shrub and keep it from becoming overgrown and out of control. But what about tree pruning heading cuts? Heading cuts control the way the plant grows. Here are some uses for heading cuts: To improve the shape of the plant by refocusing growth into a different direction To control the size of the plant To increase the density or bushiness of the plant by encouraging the growth of side stems...

Tastigold Watermelon Info Similar in shape to most other watermelons, Tastigold melons may be round or oblong, and the weight, at 20 pounds (9 kg.), is also about average. Some people think the flavor is slightly sweeter than standard melons, but you’ll have to try them for yourself. The only significant difference between Tastigold melons and standard red watermelons is the bright yellow color, which is attributed to the absence of lycopene, the red carotenoid pigment found in tomatoes and many other fruit and berries....

What are Frisée Greens? Frisée is often referred to as a lettuce, but it is not really lettuce. It is more closely related to chicory and endive, but it can be used like lettuce or any other salad green. Also called curly endive, frisée grows in a head like other greens. The leaves are green on the outside and paler and more yellow on the inside. The leaves resemble ferns, with a lot of forking, giving it a frizzy or curly appearance....

What is a Mint Shrub? Elsholtzia mint shrubs are native to China, particularly the ravines and open grasslands of the Himalayas where they can still be found growing. Mint shrub is also known as Chinese mint shrub. The genus and species name (Elsholtzia stauntonii) were dedicated to two men: George Staunton, who collected mint shrub plants while on a diplomatic expedition in 1793, and Johann Sigismund Elsholtz, a Prussian horticulturist. There are about 40 different species of mint shrub plants growing in the wild....

What is a Spineless Prickly Pear? The spineless prickly pear is a type of evergreen cactus that, unlike other types of prickly pear cacti, isn’t armed and dangerous. If you are looking for a succulent that looks like a cactus but doesn’t have long, pointed spines, an Ellisiana cactus might be the plant for you. According to spineless prickly pear information, the plant offers many attractive features in addition to not having spines....

What is Durum Wheat? As you’re slurping down your spaghetti Bolognese, have you ever stopped to wonder exactly what the pasta is made of? Although pasta can be made from other types of wheat, durum wheat is considered to be of higher quality for the production of pasta. Durum wheat, Triticum turgidum, is used for most dried pastas and couscous as well as for raised and flat breads throughout the Middle East....

Mentzelia Plant Info Mentzelia wildflowers (Mentzelia lindleyi) grow in open, sunny areas, primarily sagebrush-steppe, mountain brush, and dry, rocky areas in several western states. Blazing star plants are found east of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon and Washington, and in California, Arizona, and New Mexico, among others. This tough, adaptable plant grows in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 10. Blazing star plant is also known as stickleaf, a well-deserved nickname for the barbed stem hairs that don’t hurt but adhere to socks, pants, and sleeves like glue....

Common Bergenia Issues Bergenia prefers to grow in moist, but excellent draining, soil in part shade. While it can tolerant dry soil, it cannot tolerate extreme heat, intense afternoon sun, drought, or waterlogged soil. One of the most common bergenia issues is simply being planted in the wrong site with one or more of these environmental factors causing damage. In areas with intense afternoon sun, bergenia may experience sunscald. Sunscald can cause foliage to turn yellow and wilt or dry up, turn brown, and become crumbly....

How to Plant Eggplants Like their close cousins, tomatoes, eggplants (Solanum melongena) are hot weather vegetables. They grow during short, hot seasons, so be aware of soil and air temperatures as you plan how and when to get eggplants started: If starting from seeds, make sure the soil is between 75- and 85-degrees Fahrenheit (24 to 30 Celsius). Use a heating mat if necessary. They’ll need these warm temperatures and two to three weeks to germinate....

How to Fix Orchid Leaf Drop Before you can treat any problems, you’ll need an idea on the possible reasons for dropping orchid leaves. These are the most common causes: Improper watering: If orchid leaves are floppy and turning yellow, your plant may not be receiving enough water. Different types of orchids have different water requirements. For example, moth orchids need more water than Cattleyas. As a general rule of thumb, water when the growing medium feels dry to the touch....

Causes of Staghorn Fern Turning Yellow Don’t worry about occasional yellow fronds on a staghorn if the plant still has many green fronds and appears healthy. The yellowed fronds should be quickly replaced by growing green fronds. It is also normal for the basal fronds (those that wrap around the base of the plant) to be partially or entirely brown. Yellow fronds on a staghorn could be due to watering or humidity problems....

Growing Cold Hardy Grasses When you visit a nursery in hopes of finding new plants for the garden, you might walk right by the ornamental grasses without a second glance. The little starter plants in the nursery may not look very promising, but cold hardy grasses have much to offer the zone 4 gardener. They come in all sizes, and many have feathery seed heads that sway with the slightest breeze, giving your garden a graceful movement and rustling sound....