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What are Cucurbits? The Cucurbitaceae family is the species with the most food used for human consumption. The common types of cucurbits that we are familiar with include such things as: Cucumbers Pumpkins Summer/Winter squash Watermelons Muskmelons Many people don’t know that gourds are included in this group as well. All cucurbits, except the bottle gourd, have bright yellow flowers. Each vine produces a male and a female flower. Growing Cucurbit Crops Cucurbits grow best in summer weather when days and nights are consistently warm....

Mini Indoor Greenhouse Garden A mini greenhouse indoors is great at creating and maintaining the perfect microclimate for starting seeds before spring. This greenhouse garden for indoors can also be used to cultivate houseplants, force bubs, propagate succulents, or grow salad greens and herbs – anytime. There are lots of indoor greenhouse gardens for sale from elaborate Victorian era versions to simpler boxed sets. Or you can opt for a DIY project....

Why are My Dracaena’s Leaves Turning Brown? Foliar changes on houseplants occur occasionally. In the case of browning Dracaena leaves, the cause could stem from many things. These tropical plants thrive in temperatures of 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (21-26 C.) and can experience leaf browning in cooler temperatures. The most common cause when Dracaena leaves are brown arises from the type of water you use. Dracaena’s are extremely sensitive to excess fluoride....

Why Prune Elderberry Bush? Pruning of elderberries is important not only for the health aspect and overall appearance, but it’s necessary for ensuring the continual bearing of fruits. For the first two to three years of growth, let the elderberries grow wild with the exception of pruning out dead or damaged canes. Thereafter, prune elderberry bush regularly to make way for younger, vigorous canes. As the canes age, they lose their fruitfulness....

When provided with cool temperatures and moist but well-draining soil, five spot will put on a long display. However, it can struggle and die back in the intense heat of summer. Growing five spot in winter and autumn can ensure bountiful blooms when many other plants are just starting or fading out. Read on to learn more about five spot winter care. Does Five Spot Grow in Winter? Although five spot plants are not frost tolerant, they are grown as annuals around the world in any hardiness zone....

How to Make Dried Fruit Slices in a Wreath Citrus fruit can be dried using a dehydrator or in an oven set at a low temperature. You can choose a variety of citrus when making a dried fruit wreath including grapefruit, oranges, lemons, and limes. The peels are left on for this DIY fruit wreath project. If you wish to use dried fruit slices in a wreath, cut larger types of citrus into ¼ inch (....

Garden Tasks for the Southeast Get prepared for Southeast November planting by selecting the right site for your landscape additions. If you think November is too late to plant deciduous trees and shrubs in your area, you may be right, depending upon the temperature of your soil. If the soil is consistently 50°F (10° C) or above, you may plant. When planting evergreen trees, the soil should be 60° F (15....

What is Grevillea? Grevillea (Grevillea robusta), also known as silk oak, is a tree from the Proteaceae family. It originated in Australia, but is now growing well in North America. This is a tall tree and is referred to as being a skyline tree with lots of vertical accent. Grevillea is very fast growing and can live 50 to 65 years. This evergreen has a rugged look. It can grow to be over 100 feet (30 m....

Learning how to grow blanket flower is a fairly simple process. They are easily started from seeds or may be purchased as seedlings for a garden display of blooms in red and yellow colors of the traditional Indian blanket. Blanket Flowers in the Garden Gaillardia aristata is a resilient wildflower, often used in roadside plantings for its ease of naturalizing and care. Cultivars ‘Goblin’, ‘Burgundy Wheels’ and Arizona Sun’ drop seeds for more of the growing blanket flowers and are parented by G....

Growing Firebush in a Container In the landscape, the nectar laden blooms of firebush shrubs attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. When these blooms fade, the shrub produces glossy, red to black berries that attract a variety of songbirds. They are famed for being incredibly disease and pest free. Firebush shrubs also withstand the midsummer heat and drought that causes most landscape plants to conserve energy and wilt or dieback. In autumn, as temperatures begin to dip, the foliage of firebush reddens, putting on one last seasonal display....

Can You Grow Azaleas in Cool Regions? You can find different species of azaleas growing in the wild through the entire temperature range, from the arctic to the tropics. Azaleas can thrive anywhere that has acidic soils, sufficient water, limited humidity, and winds, and a lack of very high and very low temperatures. For years, most of the azalea cultivars were developed for moderate climates, and azaleas seemed the realm of warmer regions....

Kikusui Asian Pear Info Asian pears are also often called apple pears because, when ripe, they have the crispness of an apple but the flavor of a ripe European pear. Asian pears (or Nashi) are pome fruits similar to apples, quince, and pears, but they differ in their temperature requirements. The Kikusui Asian pear tree needs 500 hours of chilling to break dormancy and force blooms. It is hardy to USDA zones 5 to 8....

Can you Grow Pothos in the Garden? Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is an understory vine native to the Solomon Islands. In this tropical environment, pothos can reach 40 feet (12 m.) in length. Its genus name is derived from the Greek ‘epi’ which means upon and ‘premon’ or ‘trunk’ referring to its habit of clambering up tree trunks. It’s logical to assume that you can grow pothos in the garden, which is correct provided you live in USDA zones 10 through 12....

Can a Tomato Plant Pollinate By Itself? Many plants are self-fertilizing, or self-pollinating. Edible plants like fruit and vegetables with self-pollinating flowers are also referred to as self-fruitful. In other words, you can plant just one variety of the plant and still get a crop from it. Tomatoes are self-pollinating, as flowers are equipped with both male and female parts. One tomato plant is capable of producing a crop of fruit on its own, without the need of planting another one....

Yellow Leaves on Ivy Plant There are many causes of ivy turning yellow, including pests, disease and environmental stressors. Fortunately, these problems are simple to correct if they’re promptly identified. When your ivy leaves turn yellow, look for signs of these problems on your plant: Environmental Stress Yellowing leaves on ivy are often caused by a shock to the plant’s system. Leaves may yellow following transplantation or when exposed to drafts, dry air or when there are high levels of fertilizer salts in the soil....

When to Prune Honeysuckle Vines and Bushes Honeysuckles include both vines and shrubs. Prune honeysuckle bushes in the spring, as soon as the flowers drop off. You can prune honeysuckle vines lightly any time of year. Wait until fall or winter when the vine is dormant for major pruning jobs. Pruning Honeysuckle Plants Honeysuckle pruning begins with the removal of the three D’s: dead, damaged, and diseased stems. Next, correct stems that are growing in the wrong direction and those that rub against each other....

What is Wintercreeper Vine? Euonymus fortunei is also known as climbing or Japanese euonymus and wintercreeper. Native to Japan, euonymus grows as a groundcover, a shrub, and when given something to climb, a vine. Wintercreeper produces rootlets from branches when they hit soil and also in the air. This helps the plant spread rapidly over the ground and up trees and supportive structures. Is Wintercreeper Invasive? Wintercreeper is not native to North America....

About Biscuitroot Lomatium root is a perennial that appears in the spring. Low growing, 2 to 12 inches (5-31 cm.), most species grow in arid regions during the early spring, seed, and then die back during the heat of the summer. The root survives underground. Most species of Lomatium root bear flowers borne in compound umbels and are usually white or yellow although rarely they may be purple to maroon. The seed pods of biscuitroot are generally papery or corky and winged to help with wind dispersal....

What is a Fall Vegetable Garden? Basically, a fall vegetable garden is one where you can plant a whole new crop of harvestable crops. In the South in the fall, the weather returns to a manageable level and the onset of any kind of winter is still many months off. Plenty of time to grow plenty of things. Fall gardens make an ideal way for a Southern gardener to take advantage of their climate....

What are Basal Cuttings? Simply put, basal means bottom. Basal cuttings come from the new growth that shoots up at the plant’s edges on those that grow from a single crown. They become a cutting when you use a sharp tool to remove them around ground level, near the bottom. If you wish to go a little further, you can dig and get the new roots that are attached. However, this is not appropriate for plants growing from a taproot....