Posts

What to Know Before Planting Fall Vegetables Fall planting is different than spring planting simply because the crops will be dealing with a wide swing of weather conditions. Because of possible extremes of heat and cold, many gardeners turn to transplants. Sowing seeds can also be an option, but to ensure germination, sow the seeds deeper than recommended for spring plantings and sow more thickly than usual. A thick planting will help ensure germination and can then be thinned to achieve proper spacing....

What is Agastache Plant? Agastache is in the Hyssop family of herbs and makes a flavorful tea. It is a striking plant that has many varieties, some of which are hardy and others that are frost tender and grown as annuals in most cooler climates. Growing Agastache requires sun and well drained soil. The leaves resemble catmint and are a dull green with heavy veining. The plants can grow 2 to 6 feet (0....

Apple Uses With so many apple varieties there’s bound to be one for your use. For instance the best apples for cooking into pies and other baked goodies are Ambrosia, Braeburn, Cameo, Cortland, Empire, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Honeycrisp, Jazz, Jonagold, Jonathan, and Pink Lady. Other apple varieties are more suited to drying or making into leather, juice or cider, applesauce or butter, or to can or freeze. Good Apples for Applesauce The best apples for applesauce will be those that are crisp yet sweet and juicy such as Ambrosia, Gala, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp and Pink Lady....

Gardens and Lightning Although lightning storms are fascinating to watch, they’re extremely dangerous. Studies indicate that 240,000 people around the world are injured by lightning every year and 24,000 people are killed. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that the United States averages 51 deaths due to lightning strikes every year. Keeping safe in the garden, or in any outdoor environment, should always be taken seriously. Lightning Safety Tips Here are some tips for keeping safe in the garden, especially when storms are imminent....

Causes for Lilac Bark Coming Off In most cases, the damage from lilac bark shedding isn’t serious. Young trees are more susceptible than older ones, but you may see the problem in trees of any age. Here are the most common causes of splitting or shedding bark: Rapid freeze and thaw cycles sometimes cause splitting and peeling bark on lilacs. This often happens at the site of a previous injury. Excessive late fall growth is a common culprit....

A lot of people are not sure about what to do when pruning monkey grass or cutting monkey grass. They ask themselves, “How low should I cut back my monkey grass?” or “May I mow it or do I need to trim it with clippers?” When you worry about how well you take care of your yard or land, you might be concerned, but there is nothing to worry about....

Low Light Indoor Succulents Indoor plants are often in low light situations. If you love succulents, finding species that tolerate such conditions takes a little hunting. Succulents for low light are often epiphytic, but not always. Keep in mind that any plant needs solar rays for photosynthesis, so there are no succulents for dark rooms without windows. The plant needs at least a few hours every day of sun. If you are a collector of succulents, you will soon realize that every windowsill and bright space in the house has slowly become colonized with the plants....

Lupines grow wild in some areas of the United States, where they are hosts for the larvae of endangered species of butterflies. Wildflowers of the lupine plant generally come in in hues of blues and white, although domesticated lupines offer flowers in blues, yellows, pinks and purples. Tall, spiky racemes produce lupine flowers similar to those of the sweet pea plant. How to Grow Lupines Growing lupines is as simple as planting seeds or cuttings into a sunny area with well-drained soil....

What is a Moringa Tree? The moringa (Moringa oleifera) tree, also known as the horseradish or drumstick tree, is native to the Himalayan foothills in India and Bangladesh. An adaptable plant, the Moringa is grown throughout India, Egypt, Africa, Pakistan, the West Indies, Philippines, Jamaica, Cuba, as well as Florida and Hawaii. Wherever the conditions are tropical or subtropical, this tree will thrive. There are over 13 species of the tree and all parts are used for food or medicine in various parts of the world....

About Nemesia Reproduction Nemesia is a group of flowering perennials native to South Africa. It grows up to about 2 feet (61 cm.) tall with many erect, branching stems. Flowers that resemble snapdragons develop at the tops of the stems. These are naturally white to blush or mauve with yellow in the center. Nurseries have also bred several different cultivars in a range of colors. In its native range, nemesia is a grassland flower....

Help, My Broccoli Has No Head! This vegetable is referred to as “sprouting” broccoli because once the larger central head is harvested, the plant begins to send out smaller side shoots from that head. This is awesome for those of us who love broccoli. It means our broccoli harvest time is lengthened. However, sometimes you may get a big, gorgeous broccoli plant only to discover it won’t head at all. You have planted the broccoli in a sunny area, in fertile, well-drained soil, and incorporated plenty of organic matter and a complete fertilizer, so why is the broccoli not producing heads?...

What Grass Grows on Sand? Sandy sites can be tricky places to plant. They either will need soil amendment or you have to choose plants that are naturally at home in gritty, inhospitable soil. Enter ornamental grass for sand. Many of the varieties are suited for such substrate, making ornamental grass sandy soil an almost perfect combination. But first, you must learn which genera are the most content in that environment....

Black Pepper Information Yes, growing black pepper is possible and here’s a little more black pepper information which will make it even more worthy beyond saving a couple of dollars. Peppercorns have a good reason for costing dearly; they have been traded between East and West for centuries, were known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, and served as currency in some European countries. This prized spice stimulates salivation and the production of gastric juices and is a revered food flavoring throughout the world....

Can You Use Pond Scum in the Garden? Yes. Since pond scum and algae are living organisms, they are rich sources of nitrogen that break down quickly in the compost pile. Using pond scum as fertilizer also incorporates important nutrients, such as potassium and phosphorus, into the compost. Spring is an ideal time for annual pond cleaning, and for making pond scum garden fertilizer. Composting Algae from Ponds The easiest way to remove pond scum is to use a swimming pool skimmer or a rake....

How to Garden During Pregnancy For pregnant women, gardening increases the risk of exposure to toxoplasmosis, a serious disease organism that causes flu-like symptoms in mothers and can cause mental disabilities and blindness in their unborn children. Toxoplasmosis is often spread in cat feces, particularly the feces of outdoor cats that catch, kill, and eat prey, such as rats. When these cats deposit feces in the garden soil, there is a good chance that they are also depositing the toxoplasmosis organism....

Can You Control Cross Pollination? Yes, cross pollination can be controlled. You need to take some extra steps though to ensure that cross pollination does not occur. Prevent Cross Pollination by Growing One Species of Plant One method is to only grow one variety of a species in your garden. Cross pollination is unlikely to happen if there is only one variety of a species of plant in your garden, but there is a very slight chance that a stray pollinating insect could carry pollen to your plants....

About Pollinator Predators Predators of honey bees and other insect pollinators take advantage of populous hives for sustenance. Some also attack pollinators on the job, when feeding at flowers. These are just some of the creatures that may prey on your garden pollinators: Flies. Some species of fly prey on bees, including robber flies. They feed on all kinds of flying insects but are drawn to hives. Wasps and hornets. These insects attack bees as they forage but they also go after hives and colonies....

Let’s take a look at how to cut back pothos. Pruning Pothos Houseplant First, you will have to choose exactly how far you’d like to prune your pothos back. You can prune it back dramatically up to about 2 inches or so (5 cm.) from the soil line if needed. Or you can leave much longer vines and prune much less. It all depends on how much you’d like to take off....

Growing Prayer Plants The rabbit’s foot prayer plant is native to Brazil and is only hardy in USDA zones 10b to 11. Throughout the U.S. they are grown primarily as houseplants. This prayer plant is not difficult to grow, but just like other varieties of Maranta, they do require a certain level of care. Follow these proven tips for successfully growing prayer plants: Avoid direct sunlight: These plants prefer bright indirect light and can survive shady conditions....

About Avocado Fruit Thinning Columnar cultivars of avocado are pinched at an early age to attain a more rounded habit, but most other types of avocado require no training and little pruning. Any pruning of avocado that may be done is done so judiciously since avocado trees are susceptible to sunscald, which results in defoliation. Avocado fruit is also self-thinning, so thinning avocado fruit is generally not required. Should I Thin My Avocadoes?...