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Growing Conditions for Beets Beets grow best in deep, moist, well-drained soil with a near neutral pH. Amend heavy clay soil well with organic compost to improve drainage. Sandy soil should be supplemented with compost to assist with water retention if it drains too quickly. How quickly or slowly the soil dries out plays a major role in determining the watering schedule for beets. They should be kept evenly moist, but never “swamped....

Growing Azaleas in Containers: Getting Started Azaleas are ericaceous plants, which means they thrive in acidic soil with a pH between 5.0 and 6.0. This is one advantage of growing azalea in planters, as you can easily control the quality of the growing medium. Look for a potting soil mixed specifically for acid-loving plants, or create your own by mixing half potting soil and half fine pine bark. Plant your azalea in a container that provides ample growing space for the roots and keep in mind that a small container will limit growth....

Although columnar apple tree varieties (Malus domesticus cvs.) look quite different from regular apple trees, columnar apple fruit looks like regular apples. Read on if you are interested in growing columnar apple trees. What Is a Columnar Apple Tree? If you ever come across an apple tree that is twice as tall as you are, but only 2 feet (61 cm.) wide, you have encountered a columnar apple tree. They are sometimes called Ballerina apple trees, given their slender shape....

How to Make an Herb Window Box Many culinary herbs do best in full sun and this can make light exposure one of the key requirements when growing herbs in window boxes. For the best results, choose windows which receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Many leaf-producing herbs can thrive in partial sunlight (4 to 6 hours per day), but growth is often slower. Regular pruning to maintain bushiness is recommended....

How to Overwinter Elephant Ear Plants If you would like, elephant ear plants can be brought into the house and treated as a houseplant for the winter. If you decide to keep your elephant ear as a houseplant, it will need high light and the soil needs to stay constantly moist. You will also want to make sure that it gets plenty of humidity. In the spring, once all danger of frost has passed, you can put your elephant ear plants back outside....

Types of Sunflower Seeds There are two kinds of sunflowers grown commercially: oilseed sunflowers and confection sunflowers. Oilseed flowers are grown for oil production and birdseed. Sunflower oil is low in saturated fats and doesn’t have a strong taste. It is growing in popularity due to its heart-healthy reputation. Confection sunflowers produce seeds that are large gray and black striped seeds that are sold for snacks. They are sold either in the shell, roasted or salted, or shelled for salads and baking....

What Causes Cucumber Mosaic Disease? What causes Cucumber Mosaic disease is the transfer of the virus from one infected plant to another through the bite of an aphid. The infection is acquired by the aphid in just one minute after ingestion and is gone within hours. Great for the aphid, but really unfortunate for the hundreds of plants it can bite during those few hours. If there’s any good news here, it’s that, unlike some other mosaics, Cucumber Mosaic Virus can’t be passed along through seeds and won’t persist in plant debris or soil....

Is My Pitcher Plant Dying? More than likely, your pitcher plant is just getting older; browning or yellowing pitcher plants are perfectly normal even when plants have received excellent care. As individual pitchers age, they may start to yellow, then brown, and collapse. If it’s only the oldest or largest pitchers doing this, it’s nothing to worry about; your plant is just shedding its oldest pitchers. As fall approaches, a normal plant will begin to go dormant and stop replacing the shed pitchers....

What is Jelly Fungus? Jelly fungus belongs to the class Heterobasidiomycetes; it’s a distant cousin of the mushroom. These fungi appear in a wide range of colors, from white to orange, yellow, pink, or even black, and have a gelatinous texture when exposed to sufficient moisture. One of the most remarkable features of these fungi is their ability to absorb as much as 60 times their weight in water, turning them from tiny, dried up nubs to short-lived, natural art in no time....

July Garden Tasks Even though you’re busy weeding, watering, and harvesting, it’s not too late for planting some crops. Southeast gardening in July often includes a start on the garden that provides the autumn harvest. You may be succession planting your favorite crops for an extended harvest. Tomatoes are a favorite, as so many varieties exist and grow well in these warm summer conditions. Start those seeds of your Halloween pumpkins....

Do Mice Like Mulch? Mice in the garden, as with other rodents like voles and shrews, can cause a multitude of problems. Damage to vegetable plants, fruit trees, expensive ornamentals, and/or flowering bulbs can be quite costly. By familiarizing ourselves with the needs and habits of these pests, we can better prevent them from nesting in or near our homes. The main reasons in which mice invade the home landscape is to look for food and to find materials to safely build nests with....

Hydroponic Gardening at Home Hydroponics can be a major operation, including growing food with hydroponic farms on a large scale, but also a fun home project that is simple and easy. With the right materials and knowledge, you can scale the project to a size that works for you and your kids. Here’s what you need: Seeds or transplants. Start with plants well adapted to and easy to grow in a hydroponic system, like greens, lettuces, and herbs....

What is Lychee Girdling? Lychee production is big business in many parts of the world. The sub-tropical plants thrive in temperate to warm regions with high humidity. The attractive fruits almost resemble a berry and are, in fact, members of the soapberry family. Misnamed lychee nuts due to their solid exterior when overripe, the fruits develop from unremarkable tiny, greenish white flowers. According to lychee girdling information, the method will cause more of these little blooms to occur....

Melon Plant Info for Growing Melons belong in the cucurbit family of plants, related to squash and cucumbers. They prefer a long, hot summer. Cooler climates are tricky for growing these tasty fruits, but you can do it if you start them indoors and choose varieties with a shorter growing season. Plant your melons in full sun with fertile, well-drained soil and water regularly until the fruits are about the size of a baseball....

Yes, a Spider Plant Has Tubers Spider plants are old-fashioned indoor plants in the lily family, Liliaceae. These plants have been handed down from generation to generation and are important heritage plants to many families. The spiderettes that form on the ends of the spider plant stolons can be divided away and started as new plants. Thick roots will form quickly on the spiderettes, even if they are taken from the mother....

Conditions for West-North-Central Shrubs States in the northern plains and central west region of the U.S. have unique weather and climate conditions. Summers can be hot with long, very cold winters and the potential for plenty of wind and harsh storms. USDA zones range from 2 to 5 in this region. Not just any deciduous shrubs will survive the climate and conditions of foothills and Rockies of Wyoming and Montana, or the plains of North and South Dakota....

About Nursery Plants Pots Nursery containers come in a number of sizes. Oftentimes, the particular plant and its current size determine the pot sizes used in nurseries. For instance, most shrubs and trees are sold in 1-gallon (4 L) pots – otherwise known as a #1 pot size. The # symbol is used to reference each class number size. Smaller containers (i.e. 4-inch or 10 cm. pots) may also include SP in front of its class number, indicating a smaller plant size....

Urban Landscaping Ideas Creating ornamental urban gardens is a matter of integrating hardware and hardscaping with plants. You’ll want to select urban ornamental plants and trees that tolerate city pollution but do not require an enormous amount of space. While in the past urban garden design included complex plant arrangements, modern city gardens are simpler. Gardeners create a focal feature in the yard around which to place plantings. Focus is created by using placement, contrast, and surprise....

Making a Garden To-Do List for August The Northwest has some of the nicest summers in the Northern Hemisphere. It would be good to lay in the shade on a chaise lounge with a glass of iced tea and a good book, but first we must attend to our Pacific Northwest gardens. Keeping up with gardening tasks for the Northwest will actually give you more overall time for the tea and novel....

If you have one of these delightful fruit trees, you’ll be sad to see your persimmon tree losing leaves. Leaf drop of persimmon can have a variety of causes. Read on for information on the causes of persimmon leaf drop. Why is Persimmon Dropping Leaves? Whenever you see a tree such as a persimmon dropping its leaves, look first at its cultural care. Persimmons are generally undemanding little trees, tolerating most types of soil and a range of sun exposures....