Ornamental Japanese Silver Grass Uses Japanese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis) is useful as a living hedge or border when planted 3 to 4 feet (1 m.) apart. It also makes an interesting specimen plant alone as the center of a bed or in a large pot as an accent. The ornamental Japanese silver grass group contains numerous cultivars. Autumn Light and November Sunset are two varieties that may be grown in USDA zone 4....
Japanese Vegetable Gardening Similarity in climate is the main reason growing Japanese vegetables in the United States is easy. This island nation has four distinct seasons with a majority of Japan experiencing a humid subtropical climate similar to the southeastern and south-central states of the U.S. Many vegetables from Japan thrive in our climate and those that don’t can often be grown as container plants. Leafy greens and root vegetables are popular ingredients in Japanese cooking....
The American dream seems to include a white picket fence and blindingly perfect, green lawn. But a healthy lawn requires some steps to achieve. As a rule, low maintenance lawn care starts with healthy turf grass. New practices such as “low mow” and better practices on fertilizing, can actually help achieve a healthy lawn without as much work. Easy lawn care may find the gardener taking some lazy time off and grass time to develop strong roots and better blade production....
Leggy Nasturtium Seedlings and Plants Nasturtium plants come in two main types: vines and bushes. The vines can grow quite long, either up on a trellis or other structure or along the ground. The bushes are shrubbier, but they, too, tend to throw out some runners. Neither type of nasturtium has the most orderly growth, nor do they lend themselves to strict pruning and shaping. Think of nasturtium as a cottage garden or herb garden plant....
You could say the two colorful, sun-loving plants are cousins, but marigold and calendula differences are notable. Read on and we’ll outline a few important differences between these plants. Marigold vs. Calendula Plants Why all the confusion? Probably because calendula is often known as pot marigold, common marigold, or Scotch marigold, though it isn’t a true marigold at all. Marigolds are native to South America, southwestern North America, and tropical America....
How to garden like Monet? The brilliant impressionistic artist was a skilled horticulturalists who sought out the finest new plants from around the world. He was bold and unafraid to experiment with texture and color. It probably didn’t hurt that he had eight children, as well as six gardeners to help with his garden in Giverny, France. Have you thought about planting a Monet-style garden? Here are a few tips to pique your artistic creativity....
Mountain Azalea Info Learn how to grow wild azaleas in the landscape is as easy as enjoying their blooms. Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies are attracted to the clusters of sweet-smelling pink or white flowers that appear before new growth in spring too. That being said, the plant is also attractive to wildlife, including hungry deer. Keep this under consideration before adding it to the garden. Plant mountain azalea seeds in the garden in late fall or propagate softwood cuttings in late spring....
About Portable Containers Casters are your friends when it comes to creating moving garden containers. Be sure to use heavy-duty casters, as movable containers are very heavy when they’re filled with plants and damp potting mix. If you’ve ever had to lug a huge houseplant around, you know what I mean. If you’re making portable containers from wood, spend a little more money and use rot-resistant lumber. Avoid softwoods, which won’t hold up to weather in most climates and are more likely to be damaged by pests or fungus....
Reasons and Fixes for a Lime Tree Not Producing Blossoms or Fruit Here are the most common reasons for no lime tree blossoms or fruit: Need for fertilizing lime trees Proper care of lime trees requires that the lime tree get an even mix of nutrients. A lack of certain kinds of nutrients can result in a lime tree not producing blossoms and fruit. Fertilizing lime trees means that they need to get a good amount of nitrogen as well as phosphorus and an occasional boost to the acidity level of the soil....
Garden Tools from the Past Over time, the growing list of garden chores may begin to feel burdensome. Though some find themselves in search of the next great thing to help with these tasks, others choose to examine ancient garden tools more closely to solve their garden related problems. Dating back at least 10,000 years, the use of tools that make light of chores such as tilling, planting, and weeding is nothing new....
Wintering Over Begonias in Cold Climates In order to keep and enjoy begonias in the garden each year, begin by wintering begonias indoors. Overwintering Tuberous Begonias Tuberous begonias should be dug up and stored indoors during winter until the return of warmer weather in spring. Begonias can be dug up in fall once foliage has faded or just after the first light frost. Spread begonia clumps on newspaper and leave them in a sunny area until thoroughly dry — about a week....
Colors range from shades of pink, yellow, purple, burgundy, and white. Clematis plants are happy when their roots stay cool and their tops receive plenty of sunshine. Winter care of clematis plants includes deadheading and protection, depending on your climate. With a little care, your clematis in winter will do just fine and return with an abundance of blooms next season. How to Prepare Clematis for Winter Clematis winter preparation starts with snipping off spent blooms, also known as deadheading....
Can Pindo Palms Grow Outdoors in Winter? How is pindo palm cold hardiness determined? It’s based on the USDA plant hardiness zone map and indicates the lowest winter temperature an unprotected plant can survive. For pindo palms, the magic number is 15°F. (-9.4°C.) – the average winter low in zone 8b. That means they’re fine in the Sun Belt, but can pindo palms grow outdoors in winter anywhere else? Yes, they might even survive outdoors down to USDA hardiness zone 5 – where the temperature tumbles to -20°F....
Can You Grow Garlic Bulbils? First off, you may be wondering what a “bulbil” is. Bulbils are tiny, undivided bulbs produced in the scape of hardneck garlic. The scape looks like a garlic flower; however, the reproductive parts are for show only. There is no cross-pollination. Essentially, the bulbils are clones of the mother plant that can be planted to produce a replica of this parent. There may be less than 10 garlic plant bulbils or 150, depending upon the variety....
How to Grow Plumeria Plants Although you don’t have to live in the tropics to grow plumeria in the home garden, you should be aware of its growing requirements beforehand. Often grown in the garden as an ornamental shrub or small tree, plumeria plants need to be grown in well-draining soil that is slightly acidic. They also need at least six hours of full sun. While the plants are fairly tolerant of both salt and windy conditions, they’re not tolerant of cold and must be protected....
Information About Potted Cattails Cattails will spread rapidly in the correct situation, which is why you see them spread out in a sea of leaves and cone-like catkins. Growing cattails in pots will prevent them from invading other areas of the pond or garden. Potted cattails keep the rampant rhizomes from extending to unwanted areas. Since native varieties can get up to 6 feet (1.8 m.) in height, dwarf varieties are available which work better in container water gardens....
Why Apricot Fruits Fall from Tree Apricot fruit falling off your tree happens because most trees produce significantly more flowers than they need. The odds are that these flowers won’t all be successfully pollinated, so the extras are like insurance for the apricot. In a residential setting where conditions are easier to control, these extra flowers are regularly pollinated and too many fruits set. The stress of so many fruits causes apricot trees to shed fruits — sometimes twice!...
Preparing Rose of Sharon for Winter While generally we are not thinking about winter in July, it’s important to know not to fertilize these shrubs after this month. Fertilizing too late in summer can cause tender new growth to grow, which can be damaged by frost later. It also wastes the plant’s energy on this new growth, when it should be putting energy into developing strong roots that can withstand the winter chill....
Growing Avocado Trees from Cuttings Avocados can be propagated by planting seeds, rooting avocado cuttings, layering and grafting. Avocados do not produce true to the seed. Avocado propagating by cuttings is a more certain method, as propagating a new tree from avocado tree cuttings results in a clone of the parent tree. Sure, you can go purchase an avocado sapling, but avocado propagating by cuttings is certainly less expensive and a fun gardening experience to boot....
Why Do Rubber Tree Leaves Curl? Below are some of the most common reasons for leaf curl on rubber plants: Chemical exposure – Rubber plants are susceptible to gas fumes, pesticides and other chemicals, even when toxicity levels are indiscernible by humans. Similarly, contaminants in garden soil or potting soil may cause leaf curl on rubber plants. Repotting in fresh soil may be necessary. Improper watering – Both over- and under-watering can cause leaf curl on rubber plants....
