When planning to do rock gardening, you want to make your rock garden plants and the rocks in the garden mesh with your home. The idea is to make the garden look natural. The more natural your rock garden plants look, the more attractive your rock garden will be to the onlooker. What are Some Good Plants for Rock Gardens? One thing to keep in mind with regard to plants for rock gardens is that most of the plants should be small in size....

1. Tricolor Beech – A Tree with Pink Leaves European tricolor beech is a medium-sized tree, growing up to 35 feet (10.7 m.) tall and 25 feet (7.6 m.) wide. It is cold hardy through zone 4 and tolerates urban conditions. The foliage on this beech tree is a deep, purplish green with pale pink to rose margins and striking variegation between the two colors. It thrives in partial sun and cooler, wetter conditions....

Types of Potato Mosaic Virus As mentioned, there are different mosaic viruses that afflict potatoes, each with similar symptoms. Positive identification requires the use of indicator plant or laboratory examination. With that in mind, diagnosis can be made by mosaic patterns on foliage, stunting, leaf deformities, and tuber malformations. The three types of recognized mosaic virus in potatoes are Latent (Potato virus X), Mild (Potato virus A), Rugose or Common mosaic (Potato virus Y)....

Ipheion Spring Starflower Information Spring starflower bulbs need to be installed in fall so they can experience dormancy and chilling periods that force the embryonic plant to emerge when temperatures warm. As the bulbs mature, they will produce bulblets and new growth in successive years. As a South American native, Ipheion thrives in warm temperatures and full sun. While the bulbs are hardy to United States Department of Agriculture zone 5, many people enjoy growing starflowers in containers, especially those in colder climates....

What is a Kangaroo Apple? Kangaroo apple plants are unrelated to apples, although they do bear fruit. A member of the Solanaceae family, Solanum aviculare is also sometimes referred to as New Zealand nightshade, giving us a clue as to the characteristics of the fruit. Nightshade, another Solanaceae member, is poisonous like many other Solanacea members. Many of them contain potent alkaloids that may be toxic although we eat some of these “toxic” foods– such as potatoes and tomatoes....

Propagating Passion Flower Seeds Passion flower seeds are best germinated while fresh, or straight from the fruit. They do not store well and will usually go dormant for up to a year. To break dormancy and improve germination for seeds that have been stored a while, you can simply take a piece of fine sandpaper and lightly rub one or both sides of the seeds. Then soak the seeds in lukewarm water for about 24 hours....

The purpose of pruning and training is to encourage tree health and increase fruit yield. When plum trees are not carefully pruned, they can easily become heavy and break under their fruit load. Developing a strong foundation is essential to the life of any fruit tree. In addition, keeping fruit trees well pruned protects against both disease and pest infestations. When to Prune a Plum Tree The time for plum tree pruning depends on the maturity and type of plum tree....

While summer blooming flowers are common, there is also an abundance of early spring flowering perennials that will add appeal before many other plants begin to grow. Cool season plants, such as Pulmonaria lungwort, are great options for gardeners wishing to kickstart their spring flower beds with a burst of color. To enjoy all this plant has to offer though, winterizing Pulmonaria adequately is important. Does Pulmonaria Bloom in Winter?...

Diaper Filling for Moisture Control Have you ever wondered how disposable diapers hold so much liquid? You might be surprised to learn that these highly absorbable, throwaway diapers contain hydrogel – that’s the same stuff you can buy in gardening stores, usually labeled as water retention crystals or something similar. They work because each little crystal swells up like a sponge, keeping in moisture. For this reason, helping your plants grow with diapers is extremely plausible....

Riverside Giant Rhubarb Info Rhubarb is a perennial that loses its leaves in the fall and then requires a winter chilling period to produce in the spring. Rhubarb can be grown in USDA zones 3 through 7 and tolerates temps as low as -40 degrees F. (-40 C.). All rhubarbs thrive in cooler temperatures, but Riverside Giant green rhubarb is one of the hardiest varieties of rhubarb out there. Like other types of rhubarb, Riverside Giant green rhubarb plants rarely suffer from pests, and if they do, the pests usually attack the foliage, not the stem or petiole which is the part we eat....

Rose Curculio Damage If your rose blooms have petals that look a bit like Swiss cheese, have young buds that have failed to open, and are dried up, or have stems that are broken just below the bud, it is likely that you have been visited by rose curculio weevils. If left uncontrolled, they will totally take out your rose bush blooms! Keep an eye out for them and the damage they cause starting in late May to early June, depending on climatic conditions....

Should You Deadhead Calendula? Should you deadhead calendula? Honestly, you don’t have to, as the spent heads are also rather interesting. However, removing spent calendula flowers will increase air circulation and light penetration, promoting even more of the charming blooms. The process may be a little tedious but all you need are some scissors or garden snips and a little patience. Calendula flowers lose their petals and leave behind interesting heads that will produce numerous seeds and, in some instances, reseed themselves....

Flower Gardening with Spring Bulbs There are many types of spring flowering bulbs to choose from. Most people select some of each kind for a brilliant spring display. Tulip – These happy spring flowers are probably one of the more well-known spring bulbs. There are many variations and tons of colors to choose from. These bulbs prefer well drained or sandy soil that is rich in fertilizer. Plant tulips in the fall for spring blooms....

Foraging for Wreath Making A quick tour around your yard, the local park, or other green spaces should provide you with all you need. Pine cones, evergreen boughs, willow or hazel for the form, holly, berries, rose hips, ivy, privet, pyracantha, and the list goes on. You might even want seed heads to add interest. Whatever interests you is suitable. Try combining your outdoor elements with fresh or dried fruits, nuts, and even Christmas tree balls....

Note: While all of these methods are easy enough, it’s important that everyone be aware that these plants are poisonous and not just when ingested. Contact with its foliage and other plant parts, especially during propagation or pruning, can result in skin irritation and inflammation (such as redness, burning, and itching) in overly sensitive individuals. How to Propagate Trumpet Vine from Seed Trumpet vine will readily self-seed, but you can also collect and plant the seeds in the garden yourself....

Best Types of Straw Garden Mulch The first key to using straw as mulch is in finding the right types of straw garden mulch. Some straw mulches may be mixed with hay, which can weed seeds that can sprout in your garden rows. Look for a supplier that sells guaranteed weed-free straw. Rice straw is very good, as it rarely carries weed seeds, but wheat straw mulch in gardens is more readily available and will work just as well....

Known to withstand cold winter weather, many of its growers have begun to explore other decorative uses for boxwood shrubs. In recent years, boxwood Christmas décor has gained popularity among those who celebrate the holiday. Making a boxwood tabletop tree can also become a fun indoor craft project for your next celebration. How to Make a Tabletop Boxwood for Christmas For many, Christmas season is a time in which homes are decorated....

Let’s learn about terracotta pots and how using them provides the most benefits. About Terracotta Pots Terracotta plant pots get their rusty tinged hue from the type of clay that is used to fire them. The color seems to provide a perfect foil for many types of flowers and foliage. It is this unmistakable hue that easily identifies a terracotta clay pot. The containers are plentiful, affordable, durable, and come in many different sizes and shapes....

Are Thimbleberries Edible? Thimbleberries are great for wildlife but are thimbleberries edible to humans too? Yes. In fact, they were once an important food of the native tribes of the region. So, if you have berries on the brain, try growing thimbleberry. This native plant is a deciduous shrub and a thornless wild species. It is found wild in disturbed sites, along wooded hills, and near streams. It is one of the first plants to reestablish after fires....

Information on the Pencil Cactus Plant The pencil cactus is a large plant native to Africa and India. The plant is ideal for sunny warm spots indoors or greenhouse growing. Care of pencil cactus is minimal. Euphorbia tirucalli, or pencil cactus, is a tropical plant that may become 30 feet (9 m.) tall in habitat. The stems are slender and slightly toothed with no obvious foliage. The branches are the diameter of a pencil, which give rise to the name....