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Overwintering Succulents Indoors Indoor care for succulent plants in the winter is primarily about lighting. Many are dormant during winter and need little water. Winter is the season of growth for some succulents, though, and they need water, food, and even pruning. Learn your plant’s names so you can research their individual needs and provide adequately for them. If you’re not sure which plants you have, stop feeding and limit watering as you move them inside in autumn....

Plant propagation containers can be as simple as recycled kitchen containers or as elaborate as commercial self-watering systems. If you’re just beginning to grow your own seedlings instead of buying them, start collecting containers used to propagate plants and fill in your collection with homemade versions to avoid a huge expense at the beginning of the season. Types of Pots for Plant Seeds and Cuttings The type of containers for propagating plants depends on what you want to grow and how many plants you plan to plant....

Tree Branch Growing If you trim your trees every few years to make the backyard more orderly, you can use those clippings to plant new trees. To be successful when you are planting tree branches, you’ll need to get those branch cuttings to root. When you are planting trees from twigs, you’ll end up with trees identical to the “parent” tree. This is not always the case when you plant seeds, since two trees were involved and you may be growing a hybrid....

Potato Storage Tips Generally speaking, storing potatoes in the ground is not the most recommended method, especially for any long term storage. Leaving the tubers in the ground under a heavy layer of dirt that may eventually become wet will most certainly create conditions that will either rot the potato or encourage sprouting. Cool humid conditions of 38 to 45 degrees F. (3-7 C.) found in cellars or basements are ideal for most potato storage....

Reasons for Oleander with Yellow Leaves Treating yellow leaves on oleander starts with pinpointing a cause. Below are the most common reasons for leaf yellowing in oleanders. Insufficient watering may lead to yellow leaves on oleander Improper watering, either too much or too little, may be the cause for yellowing oleander bushes. Although oleanders are highly drought tolerant, they benefit from irrigation during long dry spells. However, too much water can harm the plant and may be to blame for an oleander with yellow leaves....

Propagating Impatiens by Seed Impatiens is a slow-growing plant, and you’ll need to start the seedlings about three months before your last spring frost. Impatiens seed germination can take up to 21 days, with most of the sprouting happening within the first two weeks. Some gardeners may try to save money by broadcasting the seeds over a tray, then transplanting the tiny seedlings once they grow leaves, but you’ll reduce the chance of transplant shock if you start the seeds off in individual small pots or six-pack cells of their own....

Agastache Pruning Info Many of our native perennial herbs are designed by nature to thrive without any human intervention. That being said, even a hardy specimen like anise hyssop can benefit from some minor meddling. Pruning anise hyssop when it is young in early spring will help force a bushier plant. Cutting back anise hyssop in late winter will allow the fresh, new stems to come up unimpeded. The plant can also do quite well without any trimming but, if you choose to cut, know when to prune Agastache for the most effective maintenance experience....

Raspberry Mosaic Virus Raspberry mosaic virus is one of the most common and damaging diseases of raspberries, but it’s not caused by a single pathogen. The raspberry mosaic complex includes many viruses, including Rubus yellow net, black raspberry necrosis, raspberry leaf mottle and raspberry leaf spot virus, which is why mosaic symptoms in raspberries can vary significantly. Mosaic virus on raspberry usually causes a loss in vigor, reduced growth and a significant loss of fruit quality, with many fruits becoming crumbly as they mature....

Also known as San Marzano sauce tomatoes, the fruit is sweeter and less acidic than standard tomatoes. This provides a unique balance of sweetness and tartness. They are widely used in sauces, pastes, pizza, pasta, and other Italian cuisines. They are delicious for snacking as well. Interested in growing San Marzano sauce tomatoes? Read on for helpful tips on tomato care. San Marzano Tomato Care Purchase a plant from a garden center or start your tomatoes from seed about eight weeks before the last average frost in your area....

Symptoms of a Pecan Tree with Bacterial Leaf Scorch Pecan bacterial leaf scorch afflicts over 30 cultivars as well as many native trees. Scorch on pecan leaves manifests as premature defoliation and a reduction in tree growth and kernel weight. Young leaves turn tan from the tip and edges towards the middle of the leaf, eventually browning entirely. Soon after symptoms appear, the young leaves drop. The disease may be seen on a single branch or afflict the entire tree....

Harvesting Seeds for Seed Storage Seed pods or dried flower heads can be harvested by drying in an open paper bag. When the seeds have dried sufficiently, shake the bag and the seed will spill out of the pod or off the head. Remove the non-seed material and store. Scoop the vegetable seeds out of the vegetable and rinse to remove the pulp or meat. Place the seeds on a paper towel until they are dry....

When is the Best Time for Separating Yucca? Can I divide yucca? Dividing yucca isn’t an easy task, especially for large varieties. You may need an extra set of hands. On a positive note, yucca is a hardy, robust plant that tolerates a little rough handling. Early spring is the best time for dividing yucca plants in most climates. This allows a few months for the roots to establish before the next winter....

Should I Feed my Ornamental Grasses? Many ornamental grasses have become popular staples in the colder hardiness zones both for their cold tolerance and visual interest throughout the fall and winter seasons. Generally, ornamental grasses are not cut back until the early spring, which allows the grassy fronds to add some aesthetic value during a time when most plants are dormant. Once established and in their second year from planting, ornamental grasses require very little maintenance beyond occasional division and cutting back, or cleaning them up in the early spring....

What Soil Do Bulbs Like? Bulbs like a neutral pH 7.0, which is ideal soil for bulbs. Neutral pH is important in establishing root health and growth. Lower than 7.0 is acidic and higher than this is alkaline, neither of which help the roots develop. The best kind of soil for planting bulbs is sandy loam – a balanced mix of clay, sand, silt, and organic matter. Keep in mind that “balance” is needed as soil requirements for bulbs....

Why Use a Hose to Water? Setting up a sprinkler and walking away is a convenient and good way to water a lawn. However, for beds and walkways, it can be tough to hit every spot using a sprinkler. Additionally, an in-ground, automatic sprinkler system that gets to every corner is costly. For your beds and other areas of plantings, using a hose is an inexpensive way to water. You can reach every nook and cranny by walking around the yard with a hose....

Spring vs. Fall Always spring clean your garden rather than doing a fall cleanup to protect pollinators and other beneficial insects. Avoiding cleanup of dead plant material in the fall isn’t procrastinating. It is an important way to protect your ecosystem. The material protects insects, promotes the growth of microbes, and ultimately further up the food chain supports birds and other animals. Should I Clean up My Garden Early? There is a very good reason to wait on cleaning your garden – pollinators....

What Causes Hollow Squash? When squash fruit is hollow, it may be the result of inadequate fertilization of the flowers. On hot, dry days, the interior parts of the flower may dry out, leading to poor pollination. Most often, poor pollination comes from a scarcity of pollinating insects. It takes several hundred grains of pollen to completely fertilize a female flower so that it can form fruit that is well-filled out in the center....

What are Sweat Bees? Sweat bees are a group of solitary bee species that live alone in underground nests. Some species resemble bumble or honeybees, while others resemble wasps. About half of the North American species have a green or blue metallic sheen. A few nests don’t present a serious problem, but you should take steps to control the bees when they build several nests in the same area. Since they build their nests on bare, dry dirt, the obvious sweat bee control method is to grow something....

Plant Based Candy Refined sugar has been shown to have some serious unhealthful effects on our bodies, but that doesn’t stop us from craving sweets. Early candies were made from common plants of the region. The licorice root plant started a craze over anise flavored goodies, while the marshmallow root provides us with one of the basics necessary for a s’more. Cinnamon flavor is from tree bark, ginger is a root, and vanilla stems from a bean....

Why You Should be Thinning Seedlings? The practice of thinning plants is done to allow them plenty of growing room so that they can receive all the proper growth requirements (moisture, nutrients, light, etc.) without having to compete with other seedlings. When you thin seedlings, you’re also helping to improve the air circulation around them. Crowded plants limit air movement, which can lead to fungal diseases, especially if the foliage remains wet for extended periods....