Growing Evergreen Shrubs in Cold Climates Gardeners considering shrubs for zone 4 must be aware that USDA plant hardiness zones are simply temperature guidelines, and although they are helpful, they don’t consider microclimates within a zone, influenced by wind, snow cover, and other factors. Cold hardy evergreen shrubs must be tough and resistant to unavoidable temperature fluctuations that frequently occur in winter. A thick layer of mulch provides much needed protection to the roots during cold winter months....

When to Plant Crocus You should purchase your crocus bulbs in September or October but wait to plant them until soil temperatures are below 60 degrees F. (16 C.). As a general rule, crocus bulbs are planted in November. The crocus plant is hardy to USDA zones 3 to 8 but planting times will vary slightly depending when you receive your first freeze. The crocus bulbs should be in the ground before the first frost....

What is Cucumber Anthracnose Disease? Anthracnose in cucumbers is a fungal disease caused by the fungus Colletotrichum orbiculare (C. lagenarium). It afflicts most cucurbits, other vine crops, and cucurbit weeds. Squash and pumpkins, however, are primarily immune to the disease. In cucumbers, this disease is fostered by seasons of warm temperatures combined with frequent rain. When anthracnose control in cucumbers is not implemented, losses of 30% or more may be realized....

Tips on DIY Dehydrating Dehydrating requires just a couple of things to be fool proof. You need a heat source to speed up the drying. It doesn’t have to be hot. Even using the oven on low is a type of dehydrator, just not a very efficient one. Next you need a way to circulate that heat, as well as the air. Air movement helps move moisture away. A fan of some sort is ideal to circulate heat and air efficiently....

It grows naturally as a 12 to 15 foot (4-5 m.) shrub, but you can also grow it as a tree. If you want to grow the tree form of Elaeagnus, pruning should begin while the shrub is still young. Remove all but one strong stem arising from the ground and the lower side branches. Russian Olive Information The common name Russian olive comes from E. angustifolia‘s resemblance to true olives, which are unrelated species....

Euonymus Plant Companions Plants that work well with euonymus are termed euonymus companion plants. They may look nice next to euonymus because of contrasting shape, texture, or color. The first step is to evaluate the euonymus plants growing in your garden. Are they vines or shrubs? Do they lose their leaves in winter or are they evergreen? What color is the foliage? What do the flowers look like? Once you identify the characteristics of the plants you already have, you are ready to begin a search for euonymus plant companions....

Facts About the Monkey Flower Monkey flowers (Mimulus ringens) are native North American wildflowers that thrive in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. The 1 ½ inch (4 cm.) flowers have an upper petal with two lobes and a lower petal with three lobes. The blossoms are often spotted and multicolored and the overall appearance resembles a monkey’s face. Taking care of monkey flowers is easy as long as they get plenty of moisture....

Fall Leaf Decorations The leaves of many trees turn red, orange, and yellow hues as summer yields to fall and their stunning colors make impressive fall leaf decorations. You can do something as simple as cutting a few tall branches and putting them in a vase on the dining table. Use a craft spray to preserve the foliage a few extra days. Alternatively, forget the vase and just set out sprigs of autumn leaves on the fireplace mantle or coffee table....

Cherry Tree Fertilizer Gardeners should remember that fertilizing cherry trees does not guarantee more fruit. In fact, the main result of applying cherry tree fertilizer heavy in nitrogen is more foliage growth. Fertilize the tree if the foliage growth is slow. But only consider cherry tree fertilizer if the average annual branch growth is less than 8 inches (20.5 cm.). You can calculate this by measuring from last year’s bud scale scars that formed at the shoot tip....

The fig’s natural habitat is a warm, dry, Mediterranean-type climate and under those conditions, the fig is relatively pest free. However, under more humid conditions and heavier rainfall, figs are more prone to infestation by insects and disease. The most common fig disease, rust, occurs under these conditions. Identifying Fig Rust on Fruit Trees Humid air or excessive rain will encourage this fig’s disease. Rust is a fungal growth that is rarely found in dry climates....

Honor mom and celebrate spring with pretty seasonal flowers and creative displays. Read on for some ideas to get you started. Flowers for Mother’s Day Tables What better way to show mom you care and are thinking of her than to use her favorite flowers? Plants for Mother’s Day centerpieces can be just about anything you want. Keep in mind what the woman of the hour likes best, though. Also, consider the time of year....

About Fruitless Olive Trees This olive tree is described as a distinctive evergreen, growing at a slow to medium rate. At maturity, it may reach 25 to 30 feet (8-9 m.), with approximately the same width. Consider this width if contemplating one in your landscape. It may have a single trunk, but more often it has several. These are twisting and contorted, topped by greenish gray foliage. This tree must have at least eight hours of full sun....

July Garden Tasks Lawn Will you continue to irrigate the lawn during the hottest, driest part of the summer or will you allow the grass to go dormant? Your decision will impact the lawn care tasks on your July gardening to-do list. Dormant lawns: Discontinue fertilizing this month, but periodically mow to remove weed growth and seed heads. This is a good time to catch those clippings so as not to redistribute weed seeds throughout the lawn....

Causes of Green Hydrangea Blooms There is a cause of green hydrangea blooms. It’s Mother Nature herself with a little help from the French gardeners who hybridized the original hydrangeas from China. You see, those colorful flowers aren’t petals at all. They’re sepals, the part of the flower that protects the flower bud. Why do hydrangeas bloom green? Because that’s the natural color of the sepals. As the sepals age, the pink, blue, or white pigments are overpowered by the green, so colored hydrangea blossoms often fade to green over time....

Desert Rose Seed Propagation The real trick to desert rose plant seed starting is to make sure that you start out with fresh seeds. Fresh desert rose plant seed will have a higher germination rate as well as a faster germination rate. Purchase your seeds from a reputable dealer or find an owner of a few adult plants (they need two plants to produce seeds) that can give your seeds straight from the plants themselves....

If you’re growing fall flowers in the Midwest region, it may require some planning, but you’ll be rewarded with a profusion of cool season blooms. Growing Autumn Flowers Growing autumn flowers will require some forethought. Among the best candidates for fall blooming flowers are ornamental shrubs and late blooming perennials. Since these plants may require several growing seasons to become established, the creation of beautiful fall ornamental gardens will require patience....

Can You Grow Beans Inside? Growing beans indoors is an excellent option for many gardeners. Not only are indoor bean plants able to thrive, but they offer growers the benefit of attractive foliage throughout the process. Their compact size and quick growth habit make them ideal for container culture as well. Indoor Bean Care To begin growing beans indoors, gardeners will first need to select a container. Beans do well in most larger containers, but grow best in those which are narrow and at least 8 inches (20 cm....

Choosing Shade-Tolerant Water Plants Fortunately, there is no shortage of plants for growing in low-light ponds. Many water lilies, for instance, make suitable shade plants for ponds. Here is a sampling of some other popular shade-tolerant water plants that work well too: Black Magic Taro (Colocasia esculenta): This lovely elephant ear plant produces dark foliage with a mature height up to 6 feet (2 m.). Zones 9-11 Umbrella Palm (Cyperus alternifolius): Also known as umbrella palm or umbrella sedge, this grassy plant reaches heights of up to 5 feet (1....

Plants in the Solanaceae or nightshade family need plenty of sun and heat to produce fruit. Peppers are one such group. The indoor pepper plant can provide you with hot peppers if they enjoy enough sun and heat. An ornamental pepper plant needs sunshine eight hours per day to promote fruiting. Some tips on how to grow peppers indoors will help gardeners produce the bold tasting fruit, all while enjoying their rainbow of colors....

Types of Vines in the South There are three types of southeastern U.S. vines that you may grow. The difference is how they climb: clinging, twining, and sprawling. The clinging vine has specialized organs to grab and hold onto your trellis or other structure. These tendrils assist in upward growth. Other specimens, like English ivy, have adhesive rootlets.Twining vines grow differently, twisting their stems to hold onto their support. When growing twining vine types, locate them to grow in the desired position....