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Care of Petunias During Winter Cut the petunias back to about 2 inches (5 cm.) above the soil and plant them in pots before the first fall frost. Check them over carefully to make sure they aren’t infested with insects. If you find insects, treat the plants before bringing them indoors. Water the plants thoroughly and place them in a cool but above freezing location. Look for a spot in your garage or basement where they’ll be out of the way....

There’s no trick to harvesting mint leaves, the trick might be having enough uses for mint herbs. Keep reading to find out how to harvest mint leaves. When Can I Harvest Mint? Mint is a greedy perennial that at first develops into a tidy, bushy green clump. Of course, the disguise of the well-mannered herb doesn’t last long and soon enough it’s off to conquer the rest of the garden....

Plant Toxicity in Sheep Any kind of livestock that goes out to pasture (including urban and suburban areas) and grazes is at risk for finding plants poisonous for sheep. The boundaries between rural and urban areas are blurring in some places, and this may put sheep at greater risk. Backyard sheep may encounter types of plants they wouldn’t normally see in a pasture that could be harmful to them. With sheep and poisonous plants, it’s best to be proactive....

Pruning a Redbud Tree Gardeners trim back some species of trees to keep them looking their best. Other trees need pruning to maintain their vigor. Redbud tree pruning includes both objectives. You’ll want to start cutting back redbuds when they are still saplings. By starting young, you can control their future branch development. Vigorous to a fault, redbuds can start growing flowers from their trunks. They can also develop such abundant foliage that they lose their graceful shape and become almost as wide as they are tall....

How to Prune Brugmansia Pruning brugmansia forces it to grow more limbs, thus producing more flowers. Therefore, knowing how to prune brugmansia is important. The correct method for pruning these shrub-like plants is to cut off all but the newest growth. Prune back tips to about ½ inch (1 cm.) from the node. Do not prune the main leader unless you want to grow brugmansia in tree form. If you want a bushy tree, prune lateral branches at the joint....

Why a Lemon Tree Won’t Bloom As with all fruiting plants, there’s usually a reason that a lemon tree won’t bloom. This can be any of a range of problems, from how it’s growing to where it’s growing or even what it’s been fed. Here are the most common causes and some solutions to non-flowering lemon trees: Plant age. Many varieties of fruit trees have to mature completely before they begin to fruit....

Scary Garden Plants Plants, like people, have always been split into groups of good and bad, useful or harmful – therefore, it shouldn’t be a surprise to learn that there are many creepy plants out there. So what makes a plant scary? It could be nothing more than its name, such as: Devil’s tongue Blood lily Spider orchid Bleeding heart Bloodroot Snake’s head iris Sometimes, in addition to the name, it’s the mere color of a plant that makes it creepy – black being the most common here....

Terms Related to How to Germinate Seeds Viability– When talking about seed germination, viability will refer to the chance that the seed will be able to germinate. Some seeds can sit for years and still have a high viability. Other seeds, though, may lose viability within hours of being removed from the fruit. Dormancy– Some seeds need to have a certain amount of rest time before they can be germinated. A seed’s period of dormancy sometimes also coincides with a stratification process....

In the garden, silver leaf plants may take on several different roles. They can add unique interest anywhere, working well on their own as focal points or with other plants. A silver leaved plant can be an excellent contrast to green plants while breaking up the monotony of single-colored gardens. They can also tone down bright colors. Silver plants blend nicely with shades of blue, lilac, and pink. They also contrast well with purple, red, and orange....

What is Smallage? As mentioned, smallage (Apium graveolens) is often referred to as wild celery. It has a similar, yet more intense, flavor and aroma than celery along with similar looking stalks, but the stalks are not usually eaten. Smallage stalks are much more fibrous than celery stalks. The leaves can be used in a variety of ways and have a strong celery flavor. They look almost exactly like flat-leaved parsley....

Can You Grow Spices? Most definitely. Growing your own spices from plants is a great way to keep diversity in your diet and add interest to even the most basic of food. It is key to providing a diverse palate for your family. There are many spices you can grow yourself, creating a rich variety of flavors. Spices and herbs are often terms used interchangeably but are in fact different things....

Why Do My Cucumbers Get Prickly? Cucumbers are members of the Cucurbit family along with squash, pumpkins, and melons. They are divided into two groups: pickling and slicing varieties. Both varieties may have varying degrees of cucumber prickles – so prickly cucumbers is actually quite normal. Some might have tiny little hairs and others all out spines. The slicing varieties are usually less prickly while the pickling types are spinier. Native to India, cucumbers may have become spiny for the same reason that some animals are camouflaged or have horns…to protect themselves from predators....

Staghorn Fern Propagation If you’re interested in staghorn fern propagation, keep in mind there are no staghorn fern seeds. Unlike most plants that propagate themselves via flowers and seeds, staghorn ferns reproduce by tiny spores that are released into the air. Propagating staghorn ferns in this matter can be a challenging but rewarding project for determined gardeners. Don’t give up, as staghorn fern propagation is a slow process that may require numerous attempts....

Anise vs. Star Anise The pungent flavor of anise adds interest and regional significance to many dishes. Are star anise and anise the same? Not only are they from completely different regions and growing climates, but the plants are very distinct. One stems from an herbaceous plant related to parsley while the other is a 65 foot (20 m.) tall tree. The herb anise (Pimpinella anisum) is from the Mediterranean region....

Star of Bethlehem flowers, though attractive for a few weeks when in bloom, have escaped cultivation in many areas. When this happens, they quickly become a danger to native plant life. Star of Bethlehem Facts This plant can quickly out-perform and take over when planted in beds with other ornamental bulbs. Landscapers tell horror stories about trying to get rid of Star of Bethlehem flower bulbs in lawns. This is a shame, because when growing Star of Bethlehem in the garden, it is an attractive addition in the beginning....

My Tree Stump is Growing Back You have two options when it comes to getting rid of tree stumps and roots: grinding or chemically killing the stump. Grinding usually kills the stump on the first try if it’s done properly. Killing the stump chemically may take several tries. Stump Grinding Stump grinding is the way to go if you’re strong and enjoy running heavy equipment. Stump grinders are available at equipment rental stores....

Pest Management in Sunflower Plants Not many pests bother the sunflower and those that do only wreak havoc in large numbers. The most common sunflower pests include the following: Sunflower Beetles – Sunflower beetles typically feed on the leaf foliage and in small numbers or older plants may seldom hurt the plants. However, on younger sunflower plants, the first true leaves can be severely damaged or completely consumed. Cutworms – Cutworms can also damage the leaves of young sunflowers, leaving notches or holes....

What are Tachinid Flies? A tachinid fly is a small flying insect that resembles a house fly. Most kinds are less than ½ inch (1 cm.) in length. They usually have a few hairs sticking up and pointing backward and are gray or black in color. Are Tachinid Flies Beneficial? Tachinid flies in gardens are very beneficial because they kill pests. In large part to their size, they don’t bother humans, but make things difficult for garden pests....

Reasons for Trimming a Chestnut Tree Whether you grow one chestnut tree in your backyard or have an orchard for commercial production, the most important reason to begin pruning chestnut trees is to improve their health. You should remove any branches that might cause the tree problems in the future. This includes broken branches, diseased branches, and branches with to narrow a crotch angle. Keeping your chestnut tree balanced is also important to its health....

When to Transplant Seedlings Starting plants by seed is a simple process. Seeds need warmth to germinate, a friendly soil composition, moisture, and finally light. But once they have a few pairs of true leaves they either need to go into larger containers or get transplanted outdoors to prepared beds. There is a bit more to transplanting plants than just installing them in soil. They need to go outdoors at the right time and after a brief period of exposure, a process called hardening off....