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Why Pepper Plants Have Black Streaks on Stem Growing peppers in your garden can be a rewarding and nourishing experience. Peppers are usually easy to grow, generate a lot of fruit, and are not bothered by many pests. One commonly reported concern with regards to peppers, however, has to do with a purple-black coloration that occurs on the stems. For some peppers, purple or black stems are normal and as long as the plant looks healthy, you shouldn’t worry about the dark coloration on the stem....

Mixing Pinecones with Succulents Pinecones are dried seed repositories of conifer trees that have released their seeds and fallen to the ground. Succulents are plants native to dry areas that store water in their fat leaves and stems. Could any two botanical objects be more different? While pinecones and succulents are not natural woodland companions in most areas, something about the two feels like they go well together. Growing Succulents in a Pinecone Since succulents are living plants, they obviously require water and nutrients to keep them alive....

What are Aerial Roots? Aerial roots are roots that grow on the above-ground parts of a plant. Aerial roots on woody vines function as anchors, affixing the plant to supporting structures such as trellises, rocks, and walls. Some types of aerial roots also absorb moisture and nutrients, just like underground roots. Plants that live in marshes and bogs have underground roots but they can’t absorb gasses from the air. These plants produce above ground “breathing roots” to help them with air exchange....

What is Poa Annua Grass? Poa annua grass, also known as annual bluegrass, is a annual weed that is commonly found in lawns, but can be found in gardens as well. It is rather difficult to control because the plant will produce several hundred seeds in one season, and the seeds can lay dormant for several years before sprouting. The identifying characteristic of poa annua grass is the tall tasseled seed stalk that will typically stand up above the rest of the lawn and becomes visible in late spring or early summer....

Poinsettia Plant Propagation If you are wondering about propagating poinsettias, there are two primary methods of poinsettia plant propagation. You can get new poinsettia plants either by planting seeds or by rooting a poinsettia cutting. Most people who propagate these plants do so by rooting a poinsettia cutting. This is the only way to ensure that you will get a poinsettia plant that is identical to the parent plant. It’s fun to plant the seeds though, and you may grow a great new variety....

Also called a porcelain berry vine (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata), the plant produces clusters of interesting berries once in late summer and fall. The berries start out white, but gradually darken to shades of pink, lavender, turquoise, blue, and black as they age. Each cluster may have berries of several different colors. Birds and squirrels relish the berries, but people find them inedible. How to Grow a Porcelain Vine Porcelain vines are hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9....

Prairie Smoke Plant This interesting looking plant is naturally found growing in prairies within the United States. The plant’s low-growing, fern like, gray-green foliage is semi-evergreen, turning red, orange, or purple in late fall and lasting throughout winter. This wildflower is among one of the earliest blooming prairie plants of spring and continues through summer with nodding rose-pink colored flowers. Blooming is soon followed by the long-plumed seedpods, which look a lot like puffs of smoke—giving the plant its name....

How Do I Prune Blueberry Bushes? “How do I prune blueberry bushes;” one of the most commonly asked questions when growing blueberries. Knowing how to prune blueberries is important; proper pruning of blueberries can make the difference between an average crop and a plentiful one. The type and amount of blueberry plant pruning, however, may depend on the type and size of the bush. For trimming blueberry bushes, you should remove any lower growth to prevent fruits from settling on the ground....

What is a Panama Rose? Panama rose plant (Rondeletia stigosa) is a small, sprawling, evergreen shrub with glossy, green leaves. Panama rose bush produces clusters of reddish-pink flowers with yellow throats beginning in December, continuing into spring or early summer, and sometimes longer. Panama rose is suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. The plant won’t survive freezing temperatures, although it may bounce back from a light frost....

Why Propagate Petunia Cuttings? If you want to propagate petunia to grow the same type next year, there are a couple of problems with simply saving the seeds and planting them next year. First, if you live in the northern half of the country, it may be the middle of summer before you see any blooms on your petunia plants. Second, if the petunias you grow and care for are hybrid varieties, the seeds you collect won’t breed true the next year....

Killing rush skeletonweed isn’t easy. It is extremely resilient and resistant to mechanical and cultural methods of control. Since it is so persistent, the question is how to control skeletonweed? About Skeletonweed Control Rush skeletonweed is thought to have been introduced to eastern North America via contaminated seed or animal bedding around 1872. Today, this nearly 3 foot (91 cm.) herbaceous perennial has spread across the country. It reproduces by seed as well as lateral roots that, even when broken, determinately produce a new plant....

What is a Saltwater Aquarium? Learning about a saltwater aquarium for beginners is fine, but understand before you dive in that these ecosystems require meticulous and regular care, or the fish will die. Be prepared to put in lots of time and effort. A saltwater aquarium is simply a tank or container with saltwater into which you put species that live in that type of environment. It’s like a small slice of the ocean....

While scaredy-cat coleus does have a distinctive skunk smell, which is worse when someone brushes up against the plant or bruises it, there’s no proof that this alone will keep any animals away from the garden. Coleus canina plant repellent is probably another old gardener’s tale that grew up from some anecdotal evidence, and now is a great advertising tool for nurseries that want to sell more of these plants....

How to Choose a Seaside Plant Many seaside landscape areas are in a full sun location, and shrubs and trees for coastal usage have to be tolerant of sea spray. High winds are common at the beach and soil is sandy, meaning water retention can be a problem with plants for a seaside garden. There are many plants for a seaside garden that tolerate these elements. Plants are categorized as having low, medium, and high salt and sea spray tolerance....

Yellow Seedling Leaves The first thing to establish is which of your seedling leaves turned yellow. When seedlings emerge from the soil, they put forth two starter leaves called cotyledons. After the plant becomes more established, it will begin producing differently shaped leaves that are characteristic of its species. The cotyledons are designed to get the plant started in the very beginning of its life, and once it’s producing more leaves, these aren’t really needed anymore and will often yellow and eventually fall off....

How to Grow Siberian Iris Learn how to grow Siberian iris for its lush, long-lasting blooms and low-maintenance, narrow foliage, which remains attractive after the blooms are spent. Easy Siberian iris care involves regular watering during the first year, limited fertilization and division of the clumps every three to five years. Through division and learning when to plant Siberian iris, you can ensure continuing blooms each year. Smaller and less common than the spring blooming bearded iris, Siberian iris offers a reliable perennial bloom for many years....

How to Divide Shooting Star Plants Native plants are wonderful additions to the landscape due to their adaptability and ease of care. In the case of perennials, you can have two for the price of one after just a couple of years by the process of division. This propagation method is easy provided you do it at the right time of the year, so you don’t harm the plant or sacrifice flowers....

Choosing a Location for Starting an Herb Garden Most of the herbs that you can grow at home need two things — sunlight and well-drained soil. This means that when considering places in your yard to plant an herb garden, you need to look for a location that gets six or more hours of sunlight a day and that is well drained. Many people also consider convenience when selecting a place to start growing an herb garden....

How to Keep Squash Some varieties of squash can keep months in good storage conditions. The rind must be kept from injury when storing winter squash and others, as this invites pests and infection into the fruit. Harvest the squash when they are the size you want for eating now, but for storage you need mature fruit. Dead vines may be an indication of ripeness or it may be when the squash twists easily off the vine....

What are Strawberry Plant Runners? Most varieties of strawberries produce runners, also known as stolons. These runners will eventually develop their own roots, resulting in a clone plant. Once these adventitious roots establish in the soil, the runners begin to dry up and shrivel away. For this reason, using strawberry plant runners for propagation makes it especially easy to make more plants. When to Cut Strawberry Runners Since many people choose to pinch out runners in order to allow plants to concentrate their energy on making large fruits, you can cut them off as they appear and pot them up rather than simply tossing them....