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Delosperma Kelaidis Info Delosperma ice plants are low-growing, succulent, groundcover plants that are native to South Africa. Originally, ice plants were planted in the United States along highways for erosion control and soil stabilization. These plants eventually naturalized throughout the Southwest. Later, ice plants gained popularity as a low maintenance groundcover for landscape beds because of their long bloom period, from mid-spring to fall. Delosperma plants have earned their common name “ice plants” from the ice-like white flakes that form on their succulent foliage....

Can You Separate a Jade Plant? If you have a jade plant, you know the simple pleasure its steady, slow growth and beautiful, chubby leaved stems can bring. There are many ways you can get a start from your plant, with jade plant division being one of the simplest and fastest ways to get a mini-me from the parent. As with most things, timing is everything and it is important to know when to divide jade plants....

Can I Transplant Cannas? Not only can you transplant and divide canna lilies, but you actually should do so every few years to prevent overcrowding, disease and pests. Pests and disease often occur on weak, unhappy plants, and will develop in dense, crowded plant structures with poor air circulation and lots of hiding places. Canna flowers are not true lilies and their root structures are more like irises than lilies. Like iris plants, canna rhizomes multiply quickly and eventually older rhizomes in the center of the mass can be choked out....

About Divina Lettuce Plants There are many types of salad greens available for gardeners to grow. Divina is an outstanding variety of butterhead, with delicately ruffled leaves and a tender crunch. Care for Divina lettuce is minimal because once started in a good site and soil, it mostly fends for itself. There are a few serious pests to watch for when growing Divina lettuce and the variety is resistant to powdery mildew and sclerotinia....

In the process of photosynthesis, plants take in CO2 (carbon dioxide) from the air and combine it with water absorbed through their roots. They use energy from sunlight to turn these ingredients into carbohydrates (sugars) and oxygen, and they release extra oxygen to the air. For this reason, the forests of the planet are important sources of the oxygen in the atmosphere, and they help keep the level of CO2 in the atmosphere low....

What is Field Brome? Field brome belongs to the brome grass genus containing over 100 species of annual and perennial grasses. Some brome grasses are important forage plants while others are invasive species that compete with other native pasture plants. Field brome can be differentiated from other brome species by the soft, hair-like fuzz that grows on the lower leaves and stems, or culms. This grass can be found growing wild along roadsides, wastelands, and in pastures or croplands throughout the United States and southern provinces of Canada....

Gravel Bed Garden Design Your gravel bed can be any shape and as large or small as you need. The secret to beautiful plants growing in the gravel bed is plant choice and soil preparation. Drought resistant plants are perfect for this type of bed. Once the gravel top cover is in place, you likely won’t disturb it. Use a border. This helps define the area and keeps the gravel in place....

What is Edelweiss? Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum) is a member of the daisy family. The plants are said to have snowy white flowers, but in reality the fuzzy white forms are modified leaves. The true flowers are short lived and rather unappealingly yellow and tiny. The plant is extremely hardy and has a fibrous root system that helps anchor it on rocky slopes. The thick, furry leaves help prevent moisture loss and form a barrier against wind and scouring rain....

Although fernleaf peony plants tend to cost a bit more, they’re worth the extra expense because they grow slowly and live so long. How to Grow Fernleaf Peonies Growing fernleaf peonies is easy in USDA plant hardiness zones 3-8. Peonies need cold winters and won’t bloom well without a period of chill. Fernleaf peony plants prefer at least six hours of sun per day. The soil should be fertile and well drained....

Ancient herbal remedies have made a comeback in recent years. This easy to grow herb is tolerant of many soil situations, but prefers deep, loose soil. Once the plant is established, it can be cut back several times during the growing season, either to mulch the leaves, or make a comfrey oil infusion. What can comfrey oil be used for? Comfrey Oil Benefits A comfrey oil infusion is a very common natural medical preparation....

How to Grow Chamomile from Seed There are two different species of plants commonly known as chamomile. Chamaemelum mobile, also commonly known as English, Russian, or Roman chamomile, is a low-growing perennial. It is considered to be the true chamomile and is used in landscapes as a flowering groundcover or lawn substitute. English chamomile is hardy in zones 4-11 and is cultivated all over the world for its herbal properties. German chamomile, or Matricaria recutita, is also cultivated as the herb chamomile, but it is considered the false chamomile....

How to Treat Blueberry Mummy Berry Caused by the fungal pathogen Monilinia vaccinilicorymbosi, blueberry mummy berry is a relatively common but serious affliction of blueberry shrubs. In small plantings of blueberries, the disease may be manageable. However, in large commercial fields, blueberry mummy berry can be devastating to the whole crop. The symptoms generally appear early in the season as an overall browning around major leaf veins. As the disease progresses foliage, new shoots, buds, and blossoms may wilt, turn brown, and drop....

Humidity for Houseplants Indoor plants need humidity levels between 40 and 60 percent, and suffer from stress when the humidity for houseplants is outside that range. If you don’t have a hygrometer to measure the humidity inside your home, watch your houseplants for signs of stress. Consider raising humidity levels when your houseplants exhibit these symptoms: Leaves develop brown edges. Plants begin to wilt. Flower buds fail to develop or drop from the plant before they open....

Arctic Poppy Facts Papaver nudicaule is the botanical name for the Iceland poppy plant. The plants provide an alternative for beds and borders, containers, rocky areas, and cottage gardens. The cheery blooms are up to 3 inches (7.5 cm.) across and consistently produce during spring. These plants are propagated primarily through seed sown in spring or late summer. Arctic poppy’s native range is arctic to sub-arctic climes. They are tolerant of temperate zones, provided there is not an excess of humidity....

With its shiny, feathery fronds, arching branches, and ornamental fruit, this tree is not of the low-maintenance school. You’ll want to read up on the care of Canary Island palm trees to be sure the plant stays healthy and happy. Information on Canary Date Palms If you are dreaming of Canary palm trees growing in your backyard, you’ll need lots of room. Information on Canary date palms lists these trees as growing up to 65 feet (20 m....

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a heat-loving, pungent herb that is found in Mediterranean and Mexican cooking. Growing oregano indoors is an excellent way to bring those flavors to your food. If you are a dedicated cook, a display of fresh growing herbs nearhand enhances your dishes and enlivens recipes. Planting oregano indoors can be done alone or in a trough with other like-minded herbs. Planting Oregano Indoors Indoor oregano plants need similar conditions to exterior raised plants....

Why Do My Lemons Stay Green? Lemon trees need plenty of sunlight in a protected area with adequate moisture. The tree, like all citrus, should be pruned to allow the sunlight to penetrate and allow for adequate air circulation as well as to maintain the shape and make it easier to harvest lemons. A regular feeding schedule of an all-purpose soluble food (18-18-18) should be applied to the tree. If you are doing all of this and still wonder, “Why do my lemons stay green?...

Growing Herbs in Low Light For most households, the easiest low-light indoor herbs to grow will be soft-leaved species that mature at shorter heights. These culinary herbs can comfortably sit in a windowsill or on a small table in a well-lit area: ChervilChivesCilantroLemon balmMintOreganoParsleySweet cicelyTarragonThyme In addition to culinary herbs, gardeners might wish to focus their indoor herb gardening experiences on scented plants, such as: Catmint – This mint family member is related to catnip, but catmint has a shorter, more compact stature making it better suited for indoor herb gardening....

If you select carefully, you can fill your backyard with low maintenance shrubs that do double duty as privacy hedges or wind blocks or offer round-the-year interest. Here are some tips for choosing shrubs for easy landscaping as well as a short list of some of our favorites. Best Easy Shrubs Because so many shrubs can be classified as low maintenance bushes, the “best easy shrubs” have got to offer even more....

Marigold Uses and Benefits Check out the following marigold flower uses, and a few important marigold benefits for gardens. Nematode control – The roots and stems of marigolds emit a chemical that may suppress the population of root-knot nematodes, tiny soilborne worms that feed on the roots of ornamental plants and vegetables. It appears that French marigolds, particularly the ‘Tangerine’ variety, are most effective against the destructive pests. Bees and other beneficial insects – Marigolds attract ladybugs, parasitic wasps, hoverflies, and other beneficial insects that protect your plants from aphids and other harmful pests....