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Closer examination of the regional to-do list shows that December is the ideal time to prune, plant, and even plan for the next growing season. December Gardening Tasks for the South-Central Region Temperatures in the month of December can vary greatly in this region from one season to the next. Even still, freezing temperatures are not uncommon. It is for this reason that South-Central gardening involves many tasks related to protection from cold....

About Spirea Plant Varieties Spirea plant varieties are in the rose family and, like roses, among the most popular garden plants. They are beloved by busy gardeners since they do not require careful siting or special care. Plant different kinds of spirea and every year they will amaze you with their colorful blossoms. With a mixture of spirea cultivars, you can get blossoms all season long. Spirea cultivars are all part of the genus Spiraea, a word that means “twisting” in Greek....

Fresh Coconut Hanging Planter Coir lined hanging baskets are great. They retain water while providing excellent drainage, are organic with a neutral pH, and contain some potassium and phosphorous. All good things, but for a unique take on hanging planters, try using a fresh coconut. The first step in making a DIY coconut shell planter is to make a coconut shell bowl. How to Prep Your Coconut Shell Craft As mentioned, the hardest part about this coconut shell craft is cracking the coconut....

Sketching and Drawing in the Garden To make garden sketches or drawings, it helps to have a background in art or to take a beginner class, but this isn’t necessary. Anyone can draw and it’s possible to get better at it with practice, even without expert training. Here are some of the basic tools you need to get started: Paper. Of course, you need something to draw on. If you are new to drawing, start with a good quality sketchbook with lots of pages you can practice on....

Why Hydrangeas Droop Hydrangeas droop for many reasons, but it’s rarely due to illness. When hydrangeas are drooping, they’re often expressing their dislike of local conditions. Too much sun and not enough water lead to wilt; heavy flower loads can cause tender branches to bend until they touch the ground. Even an extra dose of fertilizer may contribute to droopy hydrangea plants. Correcting the problem will require extra attention to your hydrangea’s care....

How to Dry Hot Peppers Peppers can be dried without any previous treatment, but they increase in flavor and are safer if you give them a quick blanch before you dry them. Dip them into boiling water for four minutes and then quickly chill the fruit in an ice bath. Dry them off and you can begin whatever drying process you chose. You can also remove the skin if you wish, which will decrease the drying time....

What is Tree Ivy? Fatshedera lizei tree ivy, also known as bush ivy, is a rapid grower attaining heights of up to 8 to 10 feet (2-3 m.). So what is tree ivy anyway? Tree ivy is a hybrid of Fatsia japonica (Japanese aralia) and Hedera helix (English ivy) and was discovered in France. From the family Araliaceae, this plant has large, 4 to 8 inch (10-20 cm.), five-fingered lobed leaves and, like other ivies, has a vine-like growth habit....

What is Shellfish Fertilizer? Fertilizer made of shellfish is composed of the shells of crustaceans such as crabs, shrimp, or even lobsters and is also called shrimp or crab meal. The shells, which are rich in nitrogen, are mixed with coarse carbon rich material such as wood shavings or chips, leaves, branches, and bark. This is allowed to compost over the course of several months while microorganisms feast on the proteins and sugars, effectively converting the pile into rich humus....

Rose of Sharon Fertilizer Guide Also known as shrub althea, rose of Sharon is a deciduous shrub for U.S. hardiness zones 5 to 8. Native to India and China, these shrubs are much loved for their prolific late season blooms. In late summer to fall, when most of the landscape is fading, rose of Sharon shrubs put on a beautiful display of tropical looking blooms. When your shrub suddenly stops producing its usual plethora of blooms, you may try fertilizing rose of Sharon to make it bloom better....

Causes of and Fixes for Fig Tree Fruit Drop There are many reasons fig trees start dropping figs. Below are the most common reasons for this fig tree problem. Lack of Water Causes Dropping Figs Drought or inconsistent watering is the most common reason that fig fruit falls off the tree. This is also the reason that this fig tree problem commonly affects fig trees in containers. To correct this, make sure that your fig is receiving enough water....

Types of Support for Plants Different situations call for different types of support. The most common plant supports for garden areas include: Stakes Cages Hoops Trellises Walls Fences How to Support Garden Plants You may have to tie your plants to stakes, trellises, and fences. Long green twist ties are barely noticeable and make the job of retying a snap. Tie the plant to the support firmly, but loosely enough that you don’t strangle it....

What is a Golden Nematode? They may be termed “golden,” but that doesn’t mean they are good for your garden. What is a golden nematode? It is an insect that attacks plants in the nightshade family including potatoes, eggplant, and tomato plants. Golden nematode information helps you understand how these pests injure your garden plants. The damage is done when the golden nematode is in the larval stage. Larvae live on or near the host plant’s roots and bore into the plant roots to suck out their juices, weakening and eventually killing the plants....

What is a Green Gage Plum? Compact Green Gage plum trees produce fruit that is sublimely sweet. They are a naturally occurring hybrid of the European plum, Prunus domestica and P. insititia, a species that includes Damsons and Mirabelles. During the reign of King Francis I, the trees were brought to France and named after his queen, Claude. The trees were then imported into England in the 18th century. The tree was named for Sir William Gage of Suffolk, whose gardener had imported a tree from France but lost the label....

How Can Algae Help Climate Change? Climate change and algal blooms are cause and effect situations. Warmer oceans have the ability to cause algal blooms, some of which can be dangerous. But certain species of algae are the work horses of environmental sustenance. These small plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, while simultaneously providing a protein source and biofuel. Harnessing these 3 benefits could have worldwide beneficial repercussions. Scientists are studying ancient sediment to see how algae from millions of years ago responded to high carbon dioxide environments....

Chervil is an integral part of the “fines herbes” blend (a combination of finely chopped herbs) used in French cooking. Growing the plant indoors is an optimum use of the herb, as it does not flourish outside in hot summer heat and sun. When growing chervil indoors or outside, plants prefer light shade and cool temperatures. Garden chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) should not be confused with turnip rooted chervil. Rooted chervil is obscure in American and British food, but is still sometimes used in French cuisine....

Native to southern Europe, the fennel herb is now naturalized throughout Europe, North America, and Australia and grown in gardens all over the world. Planting Fennel You’ll find two methods of propagation when researching how to grow fennel. Plants may be divided, but this isn’t as easy as it is with other garden plants and often proves unsatisfactory. This is because fennel has a long tap root that doesn’t like to be divided or moved....

Tall Tree Harvesting Your tree is tall and laden with gorgeous fruit. Whether those fruits are apples, lemons, figs, or nuts doesn’t matter; a gardener doesn’t want to waste the harvest. What if the fruit is too high up to reach from the ground though? Tall tree harvesting is tricky because “tall” can mean anything from 15 feet (5 m.) to 60 feet (20 m.) or more. The techniques you can use for harvesting fruit from tall trees depend, to some degree, on how tall the tree is....

What is Tobacco Mosaic Virus? Although tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is named for the first plant in which it was discovered (tobacco) back in the 1800s, it infects over 150 different types of plants. Among plants affected by TMV are vegetables, weeds and flowers. Tomato, pepper and many ornamental plants are struck annually with TMV. The virus does not produce spores but spreads mechanically, entering plants via wounds. History of Tobacco Mosaic Two scientists made the discovery of the first virus, the Tobacco Mosaic Virus, in the late 1800’s....

Hops Plant Harvesting Hops plants grow from rhizomes: fleshy underground stems that can be separated to grow new plants. You can dig up these rhizomes from existing plants or buy them from brew supply websites. You should plant your rhizomes in very early spring, and over the course of the summer, they will grow into 20- or 30-foot (6 to 9 m.) long vines. Eventually, the vines will produce flower cones....

When to Prune After Winter Damage The ideal time for pruning cold damaged plants, including trees and shrubs, is in early spring. This will give you a chance to observe whether the tree/shrub is in recovery and what, if any, limbs need to be removed. Cold weather damage to trees and shrubs occurs at many levels. If there are loose branches, remove them at the time of the injury to avoid hurting passers-by....