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What is White Lace Flower? What is white lace flower? It’s an annual that blooms from early summer right through the first fall frosts. It grows to 30 inches (75 cm.) tall and spreads up to 12 inches (31 cm.), making it a good choice for a cottage garden. According to white lace flower information, the plant remains compact, producing wave after wave of complex white blossoms. The flowers have a central, flattened umbel of tiny blossoms, and this is surrounded by a ring of larger, daisy-like petals....

Why Do People Paint Trees White? Painting tree trunks white is a time honored method of young tree protection often found in orchards and tree farms. There are several purposes but chief among them is to prevent cracking and splitting of the tender new bark, which can allow introduction of disease, insects, and fungus. It is also helpful to highlight insect infestations and may prevent some borers. There is some debate as to the effectiveness of tree trunk painting....

Zinc and Plant Growth The function of zinc is to help the plant produce chlorophyll. Leaves discolor when the soil is deficient in zinc and plant growth is stunted. Zinc deficiency causes a type of leaf discoloration called chlorosis, which causes the tissue between the veins to turn yellow while the veins remain green. Chlorosis in zinc deficiency usually affects the base of the leaf near the stem. Chlorosis appears on the lower leaves first, and then gradually moves up the plant....

Are Alliums Invasive? Not all allium varieties are well-behaved. Some become weeds that are nearly impossible to get rid of, especially in mild climates. The bad news is that dormant bulbs can remain in the soil for up to six years. The biggest offenders are wild allium (Allium ursinum), wild garlic (Allium vineale), and three-cornered leek (Allium triquetrum). All three spread like wildfire, quickly choking out gentler plants that you try to establish in your garden....

Choosing Shrubs for Winter Fall can bring brilliant and fiery displays as leaves turn different reds and yellows. Eventually, the colors fade and winter gray blankets all. If you choose your backyard shrubs carefully, however, they can add color and interest to the garden. Which plants make good winter shrubs? It is important to pick cold hardy shrubs that thrive in your hardiness zone. In addition, look for shrubs that offer ornamental qualities when their leaves are gone....

Beets are a favorite garden vegetable of gardeners in the United States. Also known as blood turnips or red beets, table beets provide a nutritious source of vitamins C and A. Beet tops or greens can be cooked or served fresh, while the roots may be pickled or cooked whole. Beets are also popular ingredients in many vegetable smoothie and juice recipes. What happens when you have deformed beets or your beets are too small though?...

Pests of Quince Trees Quince trees are fairly tough plants, but they’re also tasty, according to a wide range of insect pests. Most of the bugs you’ll encounter in the garden are fairly easy to control, especially if you catch them early. Check your plants often for insects by looking at the backsides of any leaves that look different and if you see any of these guys, break out the bigger guns: Aphids....

Butternut Tree Information If you tell someone you are growing butternuts from butternut trees, they are likely to respond: “What are butternuts?” Many gardeners are not familiar with the wild nut tree and have never tasted a butternut. Butternut trees are also called white walnut trees because they have pale gray bark and are related to the black walnut tree (Juglans nigra) and other members of the walnut family. White walnut trees grow to 60 feet (18....

California Buckeye Facts California buckeye trees (Aesculus californica) are native to parts of California and southern Oregon. As a result of local growing conditions, this tree is specifically well adapted to growth in locations where there is little water or drought is possible. In fact, California buckeye trees are quite unique due to their summer loss of foliage. When the weather becomes hot in the summer, California buckeye trees may begin to drop their leaves as a means to survive difficult growing conditions....

About Homestead 24 Tomato Plants Fruits of Homestead 24 tomato plants are firm textured, about 6-8 oz. (170 to 230 g.), and dark red with a globe shape. Typically, they mature in 70-80 days. Homestead 24 is an excellent tomato for growing in southern coastal areas, as they perform well in high heat and humidity. The heirloom plant is open pollinated, resistant to cracks and fusarium wilt. Those who grow this tomato plant regularly say it performs as a semi-determinate specimen, providing firm fruits following the main harvest and not dying back quickly as most determinate tomatoes do....

What is Cedar Apple Rust? Cedar apple rust, or CAR, is a peculiar fungal disease that affects both apple trees and red cedar. Spores from one tree only affect the other and vice versa. For instance, the spores on apple trees only infect cedar while the spores found on cedar trees only affect apples. This disease can quickly defoliate apple trees and cause blemishes on the fruit. Signs of Cedar Apple Rust Disease CAR fungus overwinters in large, brown galls (called cedar apples)....

Fragrant Champaca Information For gardeners unfamiliar with this small garden beauty, the tree is in the magnolia family and native to Southeast Asia. Fragrant champaca trees don’t get larger than 30 feet (9 m.) tall and wide. They have a slender, light gray trunk and a rounded crown and are often trimmed into a lollypop shape. If you are growing champaca magnolias, you’ll love the yellow/orange flowers. They appear in summer and last through early autumn....

Some people are determined to get rid of the chemicals and are using Vitamin C for chlorine removal. Is it possible to start removing chlorine with Vitamin C? Read on for information about the problems with chlorine and chloramine in water and how Vitamin C can help. Chlorine and Chloramine in Water Everybody knows that chlorine is added to most municipal water – a way to kill off deadly water-borne diseases – and some gardeners do not find this to be a problem....

Chuparosa Plant Information Chuparosa is the Spanish word for hummingbird. The descriptive name suits the plant well; flocks of hummingbirds are attracted to the tight clusters of bright red, tube-shaped blooms, which appear throughout the year depending on the temperature. In mild climates, expect blooms all winter. The thin, arching branches are an attractive gray-green. Although chuparosa is an evergreen plant, it often drops its leaves during a winter dormant period....

Cold Hardy Crepe Myrtle Crepe myrtle in full bloom may offer more flowers than any other garden tree. But most are labeled for planting in zone 7 or above. The canopies survive down to 5 degrees F. (-15 C.) if fall leads into winter with a gradual cool down. If winter comes abruptly, the trees can suffer severe damage in the 20’s. But still, you’ll find these beautiful trees flowering in zones 6 and even 5....

How to Grow Corn in a Container First of all, when growing corn in pots, you must select a container. Use your imagination. Not only will a clay pot work, but lined wooden crates, garbage cans, laundry baskets, barrels, etc. will all suffice. Just be sure they have adequate drainage and are big enough to support fully-grown corn plants: at least 12 inches (30.5 cm.) wide and over 12 inches (30....

What to Do with Pumpkins After the Holidays The tradition of jack-o-lanterns came to the U.S. via Irish immigrants (though they were actually turnips rather than pumpkins), and while it is a fun and imaginative project, the end result is often tossed out after a few weeks. Instead of throwing the carved pumpkin away, cut it up into pieces and leave it outside for our feathered and furred friends to snack on or add it to the compost pile....

In lower zones, this tropical beauty easily grows indoors as a houseplant. Curcuma alismatifolia is also known as Curcuma or summer tulip, although it is not really a tulip at all. What is Curcuma? Curcuma alismatiffolia is an exotic plant that grows from rhizomes and a member of the large ginger family. Native to Thailand or Cambodia, Curcuma alismatifolia has gray-green foliage reaching three feet (1 m.) in height. Some info sources on curcuma call it a shrub....

One such cultivar, called ‘Little Beeswing’ dahlia, can add a vibrant pop of intense color to the garden one season after another. Not only will you enjoy this plant, but the pollinators will appreciate the bright blooms too. About Little Beeswing Pompon Dahlias Little Beeswing dahlias are a pompon (or pompom) type of dahlia plant. Pompon references the shape and size of the flower. Blooms of these plants have small, ball-like flowers which curve inward....

Blue Daisy Information Felicia daisy is often known as blue daisy or blue kingfisher daisy. Mature height of the plant is about 18 inches (46 cm.), spreading out 4 to 5 feet (1-1.5 m.) in width. The plant is grown as an annual in most climates. However, it is perennial in USDA zones 9 and 10. Where summers are cool, Felicia daisy often blooms from late spring until autumn. In hot climates, the plant usually stops blooming when temperatures rise in midsummer....