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Creating Shade with Vining Plants When using vines for shade, it’s important to first decide what kind of structure you will be using for the vine to grow upon. Vines, like climbing hydrangea and wisteria, can become woody and heavy and will need the strong support of a pergola or arbor. Annual and perennial vines, such as morning glory, black-eyed Susan vine, and clematis can be grown up smaller, weaker supports like bamboo or willow whip green tunnels....

When to Water a Succulent When learning how often to water succulents, remember that many of them originate in dry, arid climates where rainfall is rare. Succulent plants store water in their roots, leaves, and stems. Wrinkling leaves after an extended dry period are sometimes an indicator of when to water a succulent. Check the soil first to make sure it is completely dry before watering. Water these plants infrequently, and water them at night, as succulents take in water during nighttime hours and their respiration happens at this time....

Plants as Wedding Favors Miniature roses may cost a bit more than other wedding plant favors, but your guests can enjoy the blooms for years to come. Plant the roses in plantable peat or coir containers, then nestle the container into a small pot or cup. Tiny packets of wildflower seeds make adorable favors, and your guests can plant the seeds in the garden for years of enjoyment. Use a sewing machine to stitch clear cellophane or glassine packets onto colorful card stock or create your own decorative paper envelopes....

Plants, however, are more complex. The reproductive organs of plants can be found on separate male and female plants, or one plant can have both male and female parts. These male and female structures can be on separate flowers or flowers may also be hermaphroditic. What are hermaphrodite plants? Let’s learn more about plants that are hermaphrodites. Hermaphroditic Plant Info Flowers contain the reproductive organs of plants. The main function of the colorful flower petals that most gardeners are drawn to is to attract pollinators to the plant....

Mangrove Information Mangrove forests serve a critical role by stabilizing shorelands and protecting them from erosion by the constant pounding of waves and tides. The storm buffering capability of the mangrove forests has saved property and countless lives around the world. As sand gathers around the roots, new land is created. Additionally, mangrove forests are home to a vast number of living organisms including crabs, lobsters, snakes, otters, raccoons, hundreds of thousands of bats, and a vast variety of fish and bird species, to name just a few....

What is a Protectant Fungicide? Protectant fungicides are sometimes also called preventative fungicides. Like the name suggests, these are meant to be applied before a fungus takes hold, as they create a protective barrier that stops infection before it starts. These can be effective before a fungus is present, or when a fungus is present but has not yet entered the plant. Once your plant is already showing symptoms of infection, it’s too late for protectant fungicides to have an effect....

What is Himalayan Honeysuckle? Himalayan honeysuckle plants develop a truly unique looking flower. It is a carefree blooming plant that is attractive to butterflies, bees and even hummingbirds. The blooms are followed by tiny purple berries that are edible and said to taste like toffee or caramel. Himalayan honeysuckle plants are native to the forest land of the Himalayas and southwestern China. It develops into a multi-stemmed bush with hollow branches....

What is Tomato Little Leaf Disease? Little leaf of tomato plants was first spotted in northwestern Florida and southwestern Georgia in the fall of 1986. The symptoms are as described above along with interveinal chlorosis of the young leaves with the stunted ‘leaflet’ or “little leaf”– hence the name. Twisted leaves, brittle midribs, and buds which fail to develop or set, along with distorted fruit set, are some of the signs of tomato little leaf syndrome....

Facts About Sugar Pine Trees Sugar pines are the tallest and biggest of the pine tree clan, second only to the giant sequoia in sheer bulk. These pine trees can grow to 200 feet (60 m.) tall with a trunk diameter of 5 feet (1.5 m.) and live past 500 years. Sugar pines bear three-sided needles, about 2 inches (5 cm.) long, in clusters of five. Each side of each needle is marked by a white line....

What to Do With Boston Ferns in Winter Winter care for Boston fern starts with finding the right location for overwintering them. The plant needs cool nighttime temps and lots of bright, indirect light like that from a south window not blocked by trees or buildings. Daytime temperatures should not be over 75 degrees F. (24 C.). High humidity is necessary to keep the Boston fern as a houseplant. Overwintering Boston ferns in a hot, dry home environment usually causes lots of mess and frustration for the gardener....

Tips for the Second-Year Gardener If you’re gardening for the second time this year, use these tips and guidelines along with what you learned from the first year. Each season you will accumulate more knowledge that makes gardening more successful and easier. Here are some tips from experts to get started: Don’t wing it. Instead of planting whatever you like wherever seems suitable, make a plan. This will allow you to assess your results more easily and make changes year to year....

Using Dwarf Shrubs for Gardens Dwarf shrubs are short bushes that are used by gardeners for their aesthetic features. They are compact and serve a variety of garden purposes. In larger plantings, small shrubs for landscapes can be grouped into 5-foot (1.5 m.) centers to create a groundcover effect. Bushes that are small also work well in planters and combine well with street trees. Dwarf shrubs for gardens make great edging plants for walkways and more formal garden designs....

Why Use Garden Watering Systems Of course, you can always simply use the hose and a watering can to take care of your garden, but unless you have just a small balcony container garden, this labor-intensive method gets old fast. Choosing a better watering system is important for several reasons: It will save you time on this daily or near daily chore. The right system may save you money too, by watering more efficiently....

Most gardeners welcome birds and even create havens for their flying friends. However, in some cases, the little guys decide to nest in hanging baskets and other containers. It is easy to see why they find such sites attractive, with their leafy protection from predators and weather. You have a couple of choices if the birds become a nuisance or you are worried about damaging the nests. Bird Proofing Hanging Baskets The first line of defense is prevention....

Planting Black Cotton Black cotton is an herbaceous perennial that is native to sub-Saharan Africa and Arabia. Like its white cotton plant relative, black cotton (Gossypium herbaceum ‘Nigra’) care requires plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures to produce cotton. Unlike regular cotton, this plant has both leaves and bolls that are dark burgundy/black with pink/burgundy blooms. The cotton itself, however, is white. Plants will grow 24-30 inches (61-76 cm.) in height and 18-24 inches (45....

What is Blue Oat Grass? Native to Europe, ornamental blue oat grass (Avena sempervirens syn. Helictotrichon sempervirens) is a perennial grass with a dense, clumping habit of 1 foot (31 cm.) long, stiff, blue green foliage about ½ inch (1 cm.) wide and tapering down to a point. Blue oat grass resembles blue fescue although it is larger; the plant grows 18 to 30 inches (46-75 cm.) tall. Flowers are borne from the tips of the tapered leaves tipped with golden, oat-like seed heads....

Brown Lawn Fixes No matter what’s wrong with your grass, when your lawn has brown spots, your turf care hasn’t been ideal. Before you do anything drastic, try these simple fixes for your lawn woes: Dethatch. A thatch layer of more than a half inch (1 cm.) is trouble brewing. This much thatch acts like a sponge, soaking up any water that would normally go to roots and holding onto it tightly....

Pawpaw Cutting Propagation Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a member of the Annonaceae plant family along with the tropical sweetsop, soursop, sugar apple, and cherimoya plants. However, the pawpaw is native to the eastern half of North America. Pawpaws mostly grow in the wild, but they are cultivated on a small scale as well. Pawpaw seeds are quite difficult to germinate because of complex dormancy and moisture requirements. Also, a seedling may not have the same characteristics as its parents in terms of fruit quality and climate adaptation....

Caraway Plant Problems Caraway takes two growing seasons to produce seed, although there are a few varieties that when planted in the fall will produce seed the following summer. Caraway is easy to grow and is hardy to USDA zone 3. In the first year, caraway plant leaves may be harvested and the roots eaten much like parsnip. The plant will grow to around 8 inches (20 cm.) in height with a long taproot and will overwinter to produce blooms in May to August on 1 to 2 foot (31-61 cm....

English Stonecrop Plants If you are looking for a plant that you don’t have to baby, spreads over time to form a lovely, low carpet, and produces pink starry flowers, look no further than English stonecrop (Sedum anglicum). These plants are in the Crassulaceae family of succulents. English stone crop establishes easily from bare root and requires little extra care to root and grow. These minimal care plants have even been used in living roofs, composed of hardy, tolerant plants that insulate and provide durable protection....