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Flower Bulbs That Deter Squirrels Unlike larger animals, such as deer, who nibble on leaves and flowers, squirrels get right to the heart of the matter and dig up the bulbs themselves. They will eat just about any bulb if they are starving, but squirrel resistant flower bulbs all have some quality that makes them unattractive. Any bulbs with a poisonous ingredient or milky sap are the ones least likely to be dug up and carried away, as well as those that simply don’t taste as good as the rest of your garden....

Can you grow sweet alyssum in a container? You bet you can. In fact, sweet alyssum’s trailing, creeping habit makes it perfect for growing in a container, hanging basket, or window box. Want to learn how to grow alyssum in a pot? Read on for information on container planting sweet alyssum. Growing Potted Alyssum Plants The easiest way to get started with container planting sweet alyssum is to begin with small plants from a garden center or nursery in your area....

Harvesting and planting seeds from your vegetable crops usually works, but you need to know which ones don’t need unique treatments for ultimate success. Tips on Vegetable Seed Growing Vegetable growers often save seed from their crops, especially when they have grown a desired species. Can you plant fresh seeds? Some plants will start just fine from newly harvested seed, while others need several months in a specialized environment to jump-start the embryo....

What is a Zamia Cardboard Palm? We already ascertained that the plant is not a palm. Cycads, which have been around since the dinosaurs, form cones at the center of the plant. The cardboard palm plant is native to Mexico and has tropical tendencies in its preferred temperature and light levels. Zamia cardboard palm does have pinnate leaves like a palm tree, but they are rounded with a thick tuberous stem....

About Euonymus Shrubs If you are looking for bushes, trees, or climbers, euonymus has them all. Gardeners choose euonymus plant varieties for their attractive foliage and stunning autumn color. Some also offer unique fruits and seed pods. Many euonymus shrubs come from Asia. You’ll find that they are available in a wide range of colors and sizes, and include both evergreen and deciduous types of euonymus. That gives you a good selection of different euonymus plants to choose from when you are looking for border plants, hedges, screens, ground cover, or specimen plants....

Got an endless supply of pots? Here’s a thought to consider. Why not make a Christmas tree from flowerpots? Most of us gardeners have more than a few terra cotta pots sitting around empty, especially in winter. Read on for tips on how to make a clay pot Christmas tree. Terra Cotta Christmas Tree Clay flowerpots come in lots of sizes starting from tiny and ranging through enormous. If you have a stack outside the back door or on the patio, you aren’t the only one....

What is Citrus Greening Disease? Plants affected by citrus greening disease, also known as huanglongbing or yellow dragon disease, have acquired a serious bacterial infection. Citrus greening disease symptoms vary widely but include new leaves that emerge small with yellow mottling or blotching, yellow shoots, enlarged and corky leaf veins, as well as fruits that are small with green ends and filled with small, dark, aborted seeds and bitter juice. This bacterium is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid, a tiny, wedge-shaped insect with brown and white mottled coloration....

Copper Deficiency in Plant Growth On average, the two factors that commonly influence copper are the soil pH and organic matter. Peaty and acidic soils are most likely to be deficient in copper. Soils that already have high alkaline content (above 7.5), as well as soils that have had pH levels increased, result in lower copper availability. Copper levels also drop as the amount of organic matter is increased, which usually hampers the availability of copper by reducing soil mineral fixation and leaching....

Tips for Naming Plants When choosing a name for your plant, the first rule of thumb is to make it easy to remember. For instance, you could simply call your potted friend “Ms. Plant” or “Professor Plant.” Fern, Jade, Lily, or Olive are obvious choices for those species. Other easy-to-remember plant names include: Bill or Penny (Money plant) Blossom or Bud (Favorite flower) Killer or Bug Eater (Venus fly trap) Pearl (String of pearls) Spike or Prickles (Cactus) Sunny (Sunflower) Woody (Indoor tree) Velvet or Violet (African violet) Vera (Aloe vera)...

Is Dandelion Tea Good for You? Before you pull that weed, you may want to consider its usefulness in your well-being. Dandelion has been used for centuries due to its medicinal properties. It is also a yummy addition to salads and the root can be roasted as a vegetable. Healthy dandelion tea brings a load of vitamins and minerals and has certain detoxifying properties that can result in the reduction of many health complaints....

Can Lavender Plants be Divided? I recently asked some professional lavender growers about lavender plant division and the general response was that lavender is a sub-shrub and, hence, can’t be divided. Lavender plants are a typical sub-shrub in that they only have a single stem and root system. Branches grow forth from this main stem just above ground level. Lavender plant division performed on the roots of a plant with only one main stem results in a high plant mortality rate, so it is strongly advised against....

Preserving Pressed Roses: Can You Press Roses? When it comes to pressing roses, varieties with single petals are a little easier. However, with a little more time and patience, you can also do multi-petal roses. Roses of any color can be pressed, but yellow and orange typically hold their color. Shades of pink and purple tend to fade faster, while red roses sometimes turn muddy brown in time. Start with a healthy, fresh rose....

When to Pick Elderflowers Harvesting elderflowers is a late spring tradition in many parts of the world. They grow wild in temperate regions, especially the Northern Hemisphere. The flowers are useful as a syrup, nutritional supplement, and in cosmetics. You can even make elderflower fritters or use them in a sorbet. The first step is learning how to harvest elderflowers. Then you can try some of the many recipes widely available online....

Evergreen Shrubs for Privacy Hedges If your home is your castle, you might wish for some kind of a moat to secure your privacy. A privacy hedge is a modern equivalent and, if you select evergreen shrubs for privacy hedges, they do so much more than limit access. A hedge is a row of shrubs planted in a tight line that protects your home from the indiscrete glances of passing strangers as well as curious neighbors....

What is Mealycup Sage? An adaptable plant, mealycup sage thrives in either full sun or low light situations. The striking flowers are borne on long spikes which stretch half as high as the bushy foliage. Blue salvia is not bothered by deer, drought tolerant once established, and makes lovely cut flowers. Some tips on how to grow mealycup sage will soon have you enjoying this plant, which is equally at home in the herb or flower garden....

Creating a Flower Arrangement with Leaves Those who have planted a flower garden have likely decided to grow many of their favorite plants. The combination of annuals and perennials can blend together for a stunning display. In deciding to pick flowers from the garden, it is easy to become enamored with the largest and most vibrant blooms. However, a high-quality flower arrangement will often include several parts. Though focal flowers are of great importance, many overlook another key component: the foliage....

What is a Fried Egg Plant? The fried egg tree, or Gordonia plant, is native to Southeast Asia where it is known as Polyspora axillaris. It is also referred to by its other scientific names of Franklinia axillaris and Camellia exillaris. This interesting plant thrives in swampy areas along the Atlantic and in the Gulf Coastal Plains in the United States. Gordonia is a small evergreen tree that can grow up to 16 feet (4....

Full Sun Flowering Bush Full sun means one thing in mild climate areas like foggy San Francisco, but another thing entirely in the summer heat of Florida or the heartland. If you find yourself gardening where summer heat is truly hot, you’ll want to identify heat tolerant flowering bushes to add color to your summer garden. One of the flowering, full sun shrubs we recommend without hesitation for this situation is the Nochi Shibari pomegranate (Punica granatum Nochi Shibari), an extremely attractive plant with crimson buds in spring that open to huge orange carnation-like blooms....

That brings us to a great idea – why not make a gardening calendar as a gift for your gardener friends? Whether they are just getting started in the plant world or are experienced growers, they are sure to find a few gardening holidays to celebrate they didn’t know about before. Creating a Gardening Calendar Gardeners have something to celebrate every day, since the garden itself yields many surprises: a bud here, a curious insect there, crops and flowers, or birdsong....

Goosegrass Herb Information Goosegrass is native to regions of Africa, Asia, and Europe, and most likely to New Zealand, Australia, and Scandinavia. It’s unclear whether this annual herb has naturalized in North America or if it is native, but either way, it can now be found in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as South and Central America. At maturity, goosegrass is a good-sized plant that reaches a height of about 4 feet (1 m....