What is a Cigar Plant? You may be wondering, just what is a cigar plant? An annual in most USDA plant hardiness zones, the cigar plant flower is a tender perennial in other places and is sometimes called firecracker plant. It is a small, multi-stemmed shrub with prolific red blooms that seem to burst like fireworks. These small red flowers have black and white lips and a tubular shape similar to that of a cigar....
What is an Italian Sweet Pepper? Choosing the right pepper for your garden will often depend upon how you intend to use them. Hot peppers have their place but overpower many recipes. That is where the Italian pepper can excel. What is an Italian sweet pepper? Peppers are actually a fruit and not a vegetable. Italian sweet pepper uses can fill in for many other fruits used in cooking. Their gentle flavor takes on spicy notes, sugary flavors, or adds zest to savory dishes....
Japanese Knotweed Identification The Japanese knotweed plant (Fallopia japonica) tends to grow in clumps and can grow up to 13 feet (4 m.) tall in the right conditions, but is often smaller than this. The leaves are heart shaped and about the size of your hand, with a red vein running down their center. Japanese knotweed stems are the easiest to identify, as they also give it its name. The stems are hollow and have “knots” or joints every few inches (8 cm....
Container Grown Forget-Me-Nots Forget-me-not plants in containers is not how most gardeners use this perennial flower. It is more typically used in perennial beds, as a border, or to fill in space around other plants. It self-seeds and spreads without being weedy, so it is a great choice for an area that needs filling, especially a shady area. Container grown forget-me-nots can do just as well as those in beds and borders, and there are several reasons to go with a pot instead of a bed....
What are Lapins Cherries? The Lapins variety of cherry was developed in British Columbia, Canada at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre. Researchers crossed Van and Stella cherry trees to come up with the Lapins cultivar. The aim was to produce a better sweet cherry, something similar to Bing but with important improvements in certain properties. A Lapins cherry tree produces dark, sweet fruit that is very similar to the popular Bing cherry....
Why are My Sago Leaves Curling? Sago palms get their species name from the fact that the leaflets are revolute, or curled under, on the new fronds. After the main stem of the sago palm fronds mature enough to assume their natural shape, the leaflets gradually relax and uncurl. Unnatural leaf curl on sagos, particularly when it is accompanied by discoloration or spots, however, indicates a problem. Abnormal leaf curl may be the result of insufficient water, fungal disease, or a nutrient deficiency....
What is Coppicing? Coppicing pruning has been around since Neolithic times, according to archaeologists. The practice of coppicing pruning was particularly important before humans had machinery for cutting and transporting large trees. Coppicing trees provided a constant supply of logs of a size that could be easily handled. Essentially, coppicing is a way of providing a sustainable harvest of tree shoots. First, a tree is felled. Sprouts grow from dormant buds on the cut stump, known as a stool....
Do You Need to Lime Your Lawn Grass? Do you need to lime your lawn grass? Here’s a hint that may help you determine if you need lime lawn treatment: If you live in a dry, desert climate, there’s a chance your soil is alkaline and you may not need to lime your lawn grass. If you live a rainy area where acid-loving plants such as rhododendrons and camellias thrive, your soil is likely acidic and may benefit from lime lawn treatment....
Reasons for Lychee Leaves Turning Brown Whenever a plant’s foliage begins to turn brown or yellow, there are a few specific things we need to inspect. First, are they brown or yellow spots or speckles, or an overall discoloration of the leaves? Spots and speckles on foliage often signifies disease or pests. Are the lychee leaves turning brown only at their tips? Foliage that turns brown only at its tips can indicate a watering problem, either too much water or too little....
Matucana Cactus Plant As natives of the high Andes mountainous ranges of Peru, specific temperature guidelines are needed for blooms. Cool nighttime temps and warm daytime temperatures are necessary. This is the most certain way to get Matucana to flower. Blooms appear on the happily located plant as early as two to three years. Plants usually bloom in late spring or summer. These plants bloom at night, so be prepared for a brief moment of joy when blooms appear....
Terrariums, dish and fairy gardens, and other small plant displays are wonderful additions to the home. Gardening with miniature plants is a popular hobby and lets a gardeners release some creativity. It all starts with the right container, something that will reflect the theme of the tiny garden. Displays with Miniature Plants Dwarf plants have been popular choices for small spaces for generations. Bringing plants into the landscape or home can be challenging for those with tiny spaces....
Herbs for North African cuisine aren’t easy to find in most supermarkets but, fortunately, growing a North African herb garden of your own isn’t that difficult. Read on to learn how to grow North African herbs. About North African Herbs and Spices North African cooks depend on complex blends, some containing more than 20 different North African herbs and spices, often mixed with various oils or ground nuts. A few of the most popular, and their major ingredients, include:...
Norway Spruce Tree Info The Norway spruce tree is native to Europe. However, for over a century it has been planted in this country for both ornamental and utilitarian purposes. The tree roots are strong and the trees can withstand high winds, making them excellent windbreaks. The trees bear stiff evergreen needles up to an inch (2.5 cm.) long, colored a shiny forest green. The bark is a red-brown and furrowed....
Symptoms of Leucostoma Canker of Peach Trees Also known as cytospora peach canker, this tree disease may affect many other stone-type fruits. In addition to peaches, trees that may all develop signs of this fungal disease include: Apricot Plum Nectarine Cherry Like many fungal diseases, peach canker is often the result of damage or injury to the tree. Damage caused by routine pruning, inclement weather, or other orchard maintenance may cause stressed fruit trees to become more susceptible to canker....
About Peony-Leaf Voodoo Lilies This specific species of voodoo lily with peony leaves (hence, the name) was introduced by horticulturist Alan Galloway. It was discovered in Phang Nga, Thailand in 2011. These wild-growing, peony-leaf voodoo lilies were approximately 9 feet (2.5 m.) tall and 9 feet (2.5 m.) wide. Container-grown species are reported to grow 5 feet (1.5 m.) tall and wide. Peony-leaf voodoo lilies produce a large green-purple spathe, out of which grows a large purple-black spadix....
How to Plant a Peruvian Lily Starting Peruvian lily bulbs, which are widely available online or in home and garden centers, is the easiest way of growing Peruvian lilies, although they can also be started from seed. Peruvian lily plants need lots of space as they can become invasive. Mature plants grow to 4 feet (1 m.) high and 2 feet (0.5 m.) wide. Plant the rhizomes in slightly acidic, well draining soil, at a depth that is three times their height and 12 inches (30 cm....
Proper storage plays a large part in pesticide (herbicide, fungicide, insecticide, disinfectant, and products used to control rodents) longevity. Garden products should be stored in a dry location free from cold or heat extremes. Even so, products can begin to degrade and it is worthwhile to label these with the date of purchase, using the oldest first. It is also prudent to buy in small amounts that can be used in one season, even if that seems less economical....
Using Pet Safe Fertilizer for Lawns and Gardens Commercially prepared pet friendly fertilizers may list precautions and restrictions, and you should follow them to the letter. The label may suggest keeping the pet off the lawn for a specified period of time, usually about 24 hours. For an extra measure of safety, make sure you break up any clods or clumps of fertilizer because your pet will find any new objects lying on the ground interesting, and perhaps worth a taste....
Plants with Spotted Leaves Fungal leaf spot can be found in your outdoor garden as well as on your houseplant. Spotted leaves occur when fungal spores in the air find a warm, wet, plant surface to cling to. As soon as that microscopic spore gets comfortable in its new home, sporulation (the fungal method of reproduction) occurs and the tiny, brown fungal leaf spot begins to grow. Soon the circle grows large enough to touch another circle and now the fungal leaf spot looks more like a blotch....
Paulownia Seed Propagation Paulwnia tormentosa is a very attractive, fast-growing tree and easy to grow in a home garden in the right environment. It bears trumpet-like flowers which are large, lovely, and fragrant in shades of blue or lavender. After the flower show in spring, the royal empress’s huge leaves appear. They are beautiful, exceptionally soft, and downy. These are followed by a green fruit that matures into a brown capsule....
