Zone 8 Shade Perennials When looking for zone 8 shade tolerant plants, you must first consider the type of shade your garden has. Some plants only require a little shade while others need more. Partial or Dappled Shade Perennials If you can provide shade for part of the day, or if you have a planting location in dappled shade under a deciduous tree, selecting shade-tolerant perennials for zone 8 is relatively easy....
Psyllium Plant Information Desert Indianwheat plants (Plantago ovata) are annuals that grow wild, like weeds. They are also cultivated in Spain, France, and India. The leaves are used much like spinach, either raw or steamed. The mucilaginous seeds are also used to thicken ice cream and chocolate or sprouted as part of a salad. The plants are low growing, 12 to 18 inches (30.5-45.5 cm.) tall, herbaceous, and have a white flower spike....
Apricot Handling Tips Commercial growers must pay special attention to packing, temperature, and humidity when storing apricots for the market. Apricots must also be kept separate from fruits that emit ethylene, which will hasten their ripening and diminish quality by the time they arrive at stores. Home gardeners must also be sensitive to these issues if they want their hard earned fruits to last. Think of apricots as almost egg-like in their delicacy....
When to Prune Apricot Trees Prune apricot trees in late winter or early spring as the new leaves and flowers begin to open. During this period of time the tree is actively growing and the pruning cuts heal quickly so that diseases have little chance to enter the wounds. It also corrects problems early, and your cuts will be smaller. How to Prune an Apricot Tree Prune the tree for the first time soon after planting it....
Ocimum basilicum ‘Queen of Sheba’ has a mild flavor and may be used in pesto sauces and other Italian type dishes where light, basil flavor combines with other herbs to create that unique taste. Harvest a good amount of leaves for drying before allowing the lovely flowers to grow. As with other herbs, flowering or allowing the plant to bolt often changes the taste. Queen of Sheba Basil Care Growing Queen of Sheba basil is easy and quite similar to growing other basil types....
Borer Pests in Beans Bean pod borers such as the lima bean vine borer, also known as the legume pod borer, is a member of the Lepidoptera family. These destructive pests begin their rampage as larvae or grub-like caterpillars, which eventually morph into tiny moths. Lima bean borers may be found throughout the United States, but most commonly along the coastal plane from Delaware and Maryland, south to Florida, and west to Alabama....
Brown Spot Bean Plant Diseases Brown spots on beans are common symptoms of bean disease, and many even occur under the same conditions, making it hard to know if the fungal or bacterial disease is your problem. If you look closely though, you may be able to tell the bacterial bean spots from the fungal ones, simplifying treatment. Anthracnose of beans causes large brown spots to appear on bean leaves, with damage most severe near the soil line....
Ready to plant a shrub with purple flowers? Here are our top recommendations. Purple Flower Shrubs Any list of garden plants with purple blossoms has to include that classic of the ages, lilac. Common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) has been a landscape plant in this country from the 1700s and today, there are thousands of cultivars and hybrids. We particularly like ‘Charles Joly,’ with double flowers in deep magenta and ‘Sensation,’ with deep purple flowers trimmed in white....
What is a Botanist? Botany is the scientific study of plants and a botanist is a person who studies plants. Plant life can vary from the smallest one celled life forms to the tallest redwood trees. Thus, the field is widely varied and the job possibilities are endless. What Does a Botanist Do? Mycologist – studies fungi Wetland conservationist – works to preserve swamps, marshes, and bogs Agronomist – conduct tests to determine the best practices for soil management...
Dividing peace lily plants is a great option because it doesn’t lead to overwhelmingly large pots in your home, and it makes for great gifts! Keep reading to learn more about peace lily propagation and how to divide a peace lily. Peace Lily Plant Division Division is the ideal way to propagate plants that grow separate bunches of foliage out of the ground. (It doesn’t work for a plant that has a single stalk or trunk)....
Root Pruning Before Moving a Quince If your quince tree is outgrowing its location, you may wonder: can you move a quince? Moving a quince that is mature requires some preparation. The first step in transplanting a quince with a mature root system is to do root pruning. Start this process at least two months but up to two years before you start moving a quince. The idea of root pruning is to slice an 18 inch deep (46 cm....
Whether you love or hate deer, or have a more complicated relationship with them, there is one important question to answer: Can you use deer manure in gardens? Fertilizing with Deer Manure Using manure as a fertilizer is not a new practice. People long ago discovered that manure is full of nutrients. Deer droppings on plants or on your grass may provide some additional nutrients, depending on what those deer have eaten....
About Purple Fountain Grass While purple fountain grass is known as a perennial, it is actually considered a tender perennial. This ornamental grass cannot survive cold winters and is hardy only in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 9 and warmer (though in Zones 7-8 it can sometimes reappear given adequate winter protection). Therefore, it is important that this be a consideration prior to planting purple fountain grass, as the likelihood of its return each year in zones 6 or lower is slim to none....
When you find carrots forked and deformed, it may be cultural, insect, or even disease related. Learn what causes these deformities in carrots and what easy controls to apply for healthy, sweet vegetables. Carrot Problems Deformed carrots are unsightly and smaller than they might be if they didn’t have any problems. While most carrot problems are usually related to boring and chewing insects, the most common reason you may find carrots forked and deformed is improper cultivation....
Chamomile Drying Techniques There are two types of chamomile: German and Roman. While both contain essential oils and antioxidants that help relax the body and perk us up when fatigued, German chamomile is the type most often grown for its medicinal purposes, as its oil is stronger. As mentioned, chamomile preservation involves drying the flowers. There are four techniques for drying chamomile flowers. Drying is the oldest, as well as the easiest and safest, form of food preservation....
Recognizing Cherry Leaf Spot Disease Cherry season is a cheery time of year with pies and preserves the result of a good harvest. Leaf spots on cherry can signify a disease that could compromise that yield. What causes cherry leaf spots? Most commonly a fungus called Blumeriella jaapii, once known as Coccomyces hiemali. It is prevalent in periods of intense rainfall. The disease first appears on upper parts of leaves. The spots on cherry leaves will measure 1/8 to 1/4 inch (....
These papery pods enclose a fruit that is edible though not very tasty. While the leaves and unripened fruit are poisonous, many people like to make use of the pods in dried flower arrangements. Growing Chinese Lantern Plants Growing Chinese lantern plants is similar to growing other members of the nightshade family, such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Chinese lantern is winter-hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 9....
What are Cover Crops? Cover crops are plants grown strictly to improve soil fertility and structure. Cover crops also provide insulation that keeps the soil cool in summer and warm in winter. What are Green Manures? Green manure is created when fresh cover crops are incorporated into the soil. Like cover crops, green manure increases the level of nutrients and organic matter in the soil. Cover Crops vs. Green Manure So what’s the difference between green manure and cover crops?...
What are Damselflies? Most people know a dragonfly when they see one, but did you know that you may also be looking at a damselfly. Damselfly insects belong to the Odonata order of winged insects. Damselfly species are diverse in appearance, but they all have a few characteristics in common: A large space between their eyes Wings that are shorter than the abdomen A very skinny body A simple, fluttering style of flying...
Cutting Back Dappled Willows The dappled willow is native to Japan and Korea where it frequently grows near water, like along streams and in marshes. Its shoots were used in yesteryear for basket making. A Dutch breeder brought Salix integra ‘Hakuro-nishiki’ to this country in 1979. Today, it is considered an ornamental, which means that dappled willow pruning is a part of many gardener’s to-do lists. All willows grow rapidly, and dappled willows are no exception....
