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Companion Planting with Okra Companion planting strives to boost harvests by situating plants that have symbiotic relationships. Used for centuries by Native Americans, selecting the right companions for okra cannot only reduce pests, but also provide a safe haven for beneficial insects, boost pollination, enrich the soil, and in general diversify the garden–all of which will result in healthier plants that are able to fend off disease and produce bountiful crops....

About Blackberries with Orange Rust Blackberry orange rust is a systemic fungal disease that can be caused by two fungal pathogens, Arthuriomyces peckianus and Gymnoconia nitens. These pathogens can be distinguished by their spore shape and life cycle; however, they both infect blackberry plants the same way and cause the same symptoms and damage. As a systemic disease, once a plant is infected, the infection is present throughout the entire plant for the rest of the plant’s life....

Cotyledons on Plants and Classifying You can study cotyledons by viewing a split peanut. The cotyledon is the little bump at the top of the half nut and will sprout in ideal conditions. The cotyledon forms at the crest of the endosperm, which carries enough plant nutrients to jump-start the sprouting process. The photosynthetic cotyledons will look quite dissimilar from the true leaves and only last a short time. When viewing a seed, it is often quite easy to see what a cotyledon is....

Reasons for Pruning Ash Trees Ash trees are handsome deciduous trees, native to North America. They offer attractive, rounded crowns in the growing season and beautiful autumn colors. The wood is hard but agile, and most baseball bats are made of ash. Ash trees have an opposite branching structure. The opposing branch growth usually requires pruning to keep the tree balanced. In addition, the tree can be attacked by diseases and pests that can be controlled by pruning....

Tips for Saving Dahlias There are several ways of storing dahlia tubers for winter. The crucial part of the process is cleaning and drying. However, even the best methods still require you to inspect the tubers occasionally over the course of the winter. Environmental changes in the storage location, such as increased humidity or fluctuating temperatures, can still damage overwintering dahlia tubers. Whether you have the dinner plate sized bombshells or the dainty lollipop variety, it is important to know how to remove and store dahlia tubers....

Does Liriope Need to Be Divided? Beyond planting, liriope requires little care from homeowners. Resistant to most diseases, these plants grow larger and may spread from one season to the next. Consistent irrigation and fertilization will further assist in the establishment of healthy plantings. Since liriope plantings can become quite large, it may lead its growers to ask, “Does liriope need to be divided?” Opinions abound as to whether or not liriope needs division....

Are There Houseplants Safe for Dogs? The best-case scenario would be to place all plants, whether they are considered toxic or not, out of reach of your pets. Just because a plant is considered non-toxic doesn’t mean that it is necessarily good for your dog. Before we get into plants that are non-toxic, you’ll definitely want to avoid the following, and if you do have them, keep them well out of reach of your pets and children: Amaryllis...

Epsom Salt and Garden Pests You may be familiar with using Epsom as fertilizer for your garden plants or even your lawn, but what about Epsom salt insect control? Here are a few ideas for using Epsom salt as pesticide: Epsom Salt Solution Insect Control– A mixture of 1 cup (240 ml.) Epsom salt and 5 gallons (19 L.) of water may act as a deterrent to beetles and other garden pests....

Why Should You Feed Nut Trees? If you don’t fertilize your trees regularly, you may ask why you should do it at all. Should you feed nut trees? Yes! When your kids get hungry, you feed them. As a gardener, you need to do the same thing for your nut trees. That’s what fertilizing nut trees is all about. For a nut tree to produce nuts, it needs an adequate supply of essential nutrients....

A large number of ferns will withstand both the winter cold and summer heat, which makes them particularly useful in the shady southern landscape. This hardiness also makes taking care of outdoor ferns simple. Types of Hardy Garden Ferns Growing a fern garden outdoors is easy. Ferns make excellent companions for woodland plantings like hosta, columbine, liriope, and caladiums. Learning how to take care of ferns depends mostly on the type you grow....

If you don’t have access to gardening groups where you live, you can still enjoy gardening with friends. Exploring new ways to invite friends in the garden will help to further create a growing environment that truly thrives – in more ways than one. Gardening with Friends Gardens and friendship often go hand-in-hand. It is fairly obvious that fellow growers will be eager to share tips and techniques learned throughout the years....

About Ginger Gold Apple Trees There are many wonderful apple cultivars available for both commercial and home growers. Growing a Ginger Gold apple tree provides fresh fruit even during the heat of summer, much earlier than most apple varieties. Most fruit is ripe and ready to pick by mid to late August. Trees attain 12 to 15 feet (4-4.5 m.) in height and are considered semi-dwarf plants, making them ideal for most landscapes and easy to harvest....

How Much Water Do Grapes Need? As with any other planting, watering grapes and maintaining adequate moisture levels will directly impact plant health. Grapevine irrigation can vary depending upon the conditions in each growing zone. However, there are some key aspects on which to focus. When choosing how and when to water grapevines, it will be important to maintain balance. Ideally, the soil should remain adequately moist throughout the entire growing season....

Making a Greenhouse Out of Old Windows A greenhouse is nothing more than a glass and wood or steel edifice that directs solar rays inside for a warm, protected and semi-controlled growing area. Greenhouses have been used for centuries to extend the growing season, jump start the spring planting, and overwinter tender and unique specimens. A greenhouse built with old windows is remarkably economical and is a great way to repurpose items....

This plant may be annual or perennial, and baby’s breath flowers grow in rose, pink and white and may have single or double blooms. Double blooming baby’s breath plants have been grafted, so take care to cut above the graft union. How to Grow Baby’s Breath Growing baby’s breath is simple and you’ll likely find it a useful garden specimen. Learning how to grow baby’s breath can be a lucrative hobby, especially if you sell it to florists and others who make professional arrangements....

How to Plant Mustard Greens Planting mustard greens is done either from seed or from seedlings. Since growing mustard greens from seed is so easy, this is the most common way to plant mustard greens. However, young seedlings will work just as well. If you’ll be growing mustards from seed, you can start them outdoors three weeks before your last frost date. If you would like a more steady harvest, plant mustard green seeds about every three weeks to give you a successive harvest....

For example, lantana is a very popular annual in zone 5, used to attract butterflies. However, in zones 9 to 11, lantana is a perennial and actually considered an invasive plant in some warm climates. In zone 5, lantana cannot survive the winter, so it does not become an invasive nuisance. Like lantana, many of the plants we grow as annuals in zone 5 are perennials in warmer climates. Continue reading for more information on common zone 5 annuals....

Desert Rose Seed Saving Harvesting desert rose seed pods takes patience. These slow-maturing plants can take many months to bloom and several years to produce seed pods. Plants as young as four may form seed pods, but obtaining viable seeds often requires a plant at least eight years old. The first step for seed production is encouraging a mature plant to flower. In hot climates, outdoor desert rose plants bloom twice per year....

About Hepatica Wildflowers Hepatica is called liverleaf, liverwort and squirrel cups. The given name of liverleaf hepatica is apparent in the shape of leaves, which resemble a human liver. Native Americans in the Cherokee and Chippewa tribes used this plant to aid in liver disorders. This plant is still harvested for its medicinal values today. The leaves are three-lobed, dark green and are covered with silky, soft hairs. Leaves darken as they grow older and become a bronze color in the winter....

Read on to find out what herbs will grow in one pot and other helpful information about growing herb plants together. Herbs to Grow Together in a Pot Consider height when selecting herbs to grow together in a pot. Tall herbs, like fennel, will look rather ridiculous for the scale of a smaller pot, and they may even become too top heavy, causing the container to fall over. If possible, mix in some trailing herbs to cascade over the container edges....