Red Rose Varieties Whether you’re interested in the love and romance symbolism of red roses or you just love the color, you have many options to choose from when growing red roses. There are many varieties of red rose bushes in all shades of this stunning color. Crimson Glory – For a classic, deep red rose it’s hard to beat ‘Crimson Glory,’ a climbing rose you can train on a trellis or fence....
Danvers Carrot Information Carrots are one of the easier and least fussy crops to grow. From eating fresh out of hand to steamed, sautéed, or blanched, carrots have a wide variety of culinary applications. One of the nicer varieties is Danvers. What are Danvers carrots? This is a very adaptable root vegetable with little core and a nice tapered shape and size. Try growing Danvers carrots and add an heirloom vegetable to your garden....
What Causes Peach Gummosis? This is a fungal disease caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea. The fungus is the infecting agent, but the illness occurs when there are injuries to the peach tree. There can be biological causes of injuries, like the bore holes of peach tree borers. Injuries that lead to fungal gummosis of peach can also be physical, such as those caused by pruning. The infection may also get into the tree through its natural lenticels....
What is a Cornelian Cherry Plant? Cornelian cherries (Cornus mas) are actually members of the dogwood family and native to areas of Eastern Europe and Western Asia (they even survive in Siberia!). They are shrub-like trees that can grow up to 15-25 feet (4.5 to 7.5 m.) in height if left unpruned. The plant can live and be fruitful for up to 100 years. They bloom early in the season, even prior to forsythia, and bloom for an extended period of time, carpeting the tree in a yellow haze of tiny blossoms....
Cold Hardy Prickly Pears When flowers fade, the plant produces tunas, a semi-sweet and juicy fruit. These are popular and collected on a large scale worldwide. They’re used in jams, chutney, or cactus pear jelly. This cactus family member grows primarily in the eastern area of the U.S., hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9. Opuntia humifusa originated in the northeastern plains of the U.S., although the plant is said to be rare in many areas....
What is an Elephant Cactus? Known as the “tallest cactus species in the world,” Pachycereus elephant cactus is not only tall but grows with multiple branches. The primary lower stem, sized like an elephant’s leg, can reach more than three feet (1 m.) around the bottom. This is where the common name elephant cactus originated. Also, the botanical name “pachy” means short trunk and “cereus” means columnar. These are great descriptions of this large cactus plant....
What is Meadow Turf? Meadow or wildflower turf is a more natural alternative to turf grass. It consists of wildflowers and grasses, ideally that are native to your region. Technically speaking, a meadow is made up of more than 50 percent forb, non-grass flowering plants. This is as compared to grasslands, which are more than half grasses. Why Create a Meadow? Wildflower turf for wildlife is a great way to create a more natural environment for your yard....
Some tips on harvesting broomcorn will get you in a crafty mood. What to Do with Broomcorn Our ancestors didn’t have the ability to go to a hardware or big box store to pick up cleaning tools. They had to get creative and make their own. Consider the modest but indispensable broom. These were handmade from wild or cultivated plants such as broomcorn. There are more broomcorn uses, though, than just this practical device....
Should You Avoid Planting When Soil is Wet? Soggy soil conditions in the spring are a common problem for many gardeners. Some years are worse than others. At times, it can feel like the gardening season is slipping away each day planting is delayed due to wet weather. So is planting vegetables in wet soil really all that bad? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Planting when soil is wet destroys the healthy soil structure you’ve worked so hard to build....
Combining Plants and Astrology Whether or not you are a firm believer in what the stars have to say, it can be fun to use zodiac signs when making choices about plants. The characteristic traits of each zodiac sign can lead to associated flowers and plants. Choosing flowers for your astrological sign can be quite enjoyable. Use flowers of the zodiac to select a gift plant for someone. Choosing the flower associated with their sign makes a great, unique, and personalized gift....
Learning how to control St. John’s wort is a long and tedious process, but may be accomplished through significant effort. When you begin getting rid of St. John’s wort, you’ll want to continue until the weed is completely under control. About St. John’s Wort St. John’s Wort weed (Hypericum perforatum), also called goatweed or Klamath weed, like many invasive plants of today was introduced as an ornamental in centuries past....
Aloe vs. Agave Plants – What’s the Difference? While they both require similar growing conditions and care (drought tolerant and love full sun), there are huge internal differences between aloe and agave, and it is important to know them in some situations. For instance, aloe vera plants contain a medicinal liquid we can use for burns and other minor skin irritations. We wouldn’t want to try removing this from an agave....
Anthracnose Disease Info Anthracnose is a fungal disease that tends to attack plants in the spring when the weather is cool and wet, primarily on leaves and twigs. The fungi overwinter in dead twigs and fallen leaves. Cool, rainy weather creates perfect conditions for the spores to spread. Dry and hot weather stop the progression of the disease that may begin again once the weather conditions become optimal. The problem can be cyclic but is rarely fatal....
Northeast Garden Guide While some April garden tasks are quick and easy, others may require more time and dedication. April Gardening To-Do List Clean garden tools – Cleaning and preparing garden tools for the growing season is essential to beginning April garden tasks. Making sure that tools are clean and in proper working order makes it easier to care for plants and prevents the spread of disease in the garden. So, if you haven’t already done so, get those tools in tip-top shape....
Companion Planting with Asparagus Companions for asparagus or any other vegetable must be compatible with each other. Asparagus is a perennial that likes a sunny area of the garden. They take two to three years to reach a full yield and, thereafter, produce spears for the next 10 to 15 years! This means that companions for asparagus must like sun exposure and be able to work around the semi-permanent asparagus. Companions for asparagus may be those that add nutrients to the soil, deter pests and disease, harbor beneficial insects, or aid in water retention or weed retardation....
How to Get Rid of Bamboo Eliminating bamboo plants starts with a shovel. The creeping rhizomes and roots of bamboo are virtually immune to the herbicides people normally use on unwanted plants. In order to start to get rid of bamboo, you must physically dig up the offending clump. Make sure you remove as many of the roots as possible. After this, you are NOT done in your efforts to control bamboo spread....
Common Basil Diseases Fusarium Wilt Fusarium wilt is among the most common basil diseases. This basil wilt disease most commonly affects sweet basil varieties, but other basil varieties are still somewhat vulnerable. Symptoms of fusarium wilt include: stunted growth wilted and yellowing leaves brown spots or streaks on the stem severely twisted stems leaf drop Fusarium wilt is caused by a fungus that can be carried by either the soil that affected basil plants have been growing in or by seeds from infected basil plants....
Life Cycle of the Parasitic Wasp Female parasitic wasps have a long pointed structure at the end of their abdomen. It looks like a stinger, but it is actually an ovipositor. She uses it to pierce pest insects and deposit her eggs inside. When the eggs hatch, they feed inside the host insect for a short time and then they cut a hole to escape. The wasps can repeat this cycle several times a year....
Black Alder Tree Info There are many interesting black alder facts that landscapers and gardeners should know. Black alders grow up to 50 feet (15 m.) tall. Plant them with about 10 feet (3 m.) of space around them. They can thrive in waterlogged soils, but also have the ability to tolerate fairly dry conditions. They prefer loamy or sandy soil but are also salt tolerant. Black alder leaves are ridged, smooth, and glossy with jagged edges....
Recognizing Mangoes with Sunburn The importance of sunscreen in humans is indisputable but can mangoes get sunburnt? Sunburn occurs in many plants, whether fruiting or not. Mango trees are affected when grown in areas with temperatures that exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 C.). A combination of moisture and high sun and heat are the culprits of mango sun damage. Preventing mango sunburn occurs with either chemicals or covers. There are several studies on the most effective methods....
