Growing Grass in Shade isn’t the Only Solution Growing grass in deep shade is next to impossible. Prune your trees as much as possible without hurting their health or shape to reduce shade. This will allow as much light as possible to reach the growing grass. In deep shade where tree pruning is impossible or ineffective, shade loving groundcovers such as English ivy, ajuga, liriope, or pachysandra may be a more attractive solution....
What is Canola? You’ve probably heard of canola oil but did you ever stop to think about where it comes from? Canola oil does indeed come from a plant, which contains about 44% oil. Canola is derived from rapeseed. In the 60’s, Canadian scientists bred out the undesirable traits of rapeseed to create canola, a contraction of “Canadian” and “ola.” Today, we know it as the oil with the least saturated fat of all the culinary oils....
Zone 7 Vegetable Planting The last frost date for zone 7 is usually between late March and mid-April, with the first frost date in autumn occurring in mid-November. Keep in mind that while it’s useful to know weather patterns, first and last frost dates can vary considerably due to topography, humidity, local weather patterns, soil type, and other factors. Your local cooperative extension office can provide average frost dates specific to your area....
What is Woad? Woad, Isatis tinctoria, is a plant that is easy to grow and is often considered a weed. It is also an herb. Known as dyer’s woad, it has been used for millennia as a blue dye. It is native to Europe and Asia, and in the U.S. woad can be seen as invasive. In many places, you can harvest it to use just by foraging for woad in the wild....
What are Wild Cucumbers? Native to North America, the wild cucumber vine (Echinocystis lobata) is a rambunctious vine that can reach mature lengths of 25 feet (7.6 m.) in a hurry. Wild cucumber vine likes moist areas and is often found near ponds, streams, or in moist meadows or bottomland. However, the vine can pop up in typically dry areas when rainfall levels are higher than average. Wild cucumber plants climb up vertical surfaces by wrapping their clingy tendrils around anything in their path....
What are Worm Beds? A worm bed is essentially a larger version of a worm bin, an ecosystem for raising and feeding earthworms. Worm bins are easy to find at any gardening store, but they are small and limiting. A worm bed, on the other hand, is a larger space that you can construct in your yard to get more earthworms and more benefits. Worm bed benefits include having more space to raise worms and, therefore, more space to produce additional compost....
What is a Calliope Eggplant? There are more types of eggplant than can be named. The Asian variety is usually slender, while the American type is a big, chubby fellow. African species are usually more rounded and it may be from these varieties from which Calliope hails. The fruits are fairly small, but the plant itself boasts a wonderful surprise, and Calliope eggplant uses are abundant. The plants from which we get the delicious fruit can be a bit nasty, often covered in spines or sharp hairs....
What is a Larch Tree? Larch trees are large deciduous trees with short needles and cones. The needles are only an inch (2.5 cm.) or so long, and sprout in little clusters along the length of the stems. Each cluster has 30 to 40 needles. Tucked in among the needles you can find pink flowers that eventually become cones. The cones start out red or yellow, turning to brown as they mature....
What is a Virgin Mary Garden? If you haven’t heard of a Mary-themed garden, you might ask what it is. The tradition of naming flowers after the Virgin Mary began centuries ago. For example, during the Middle Ages missionaries in Europe began to unite plants named after Mary in “Mary Gardens.” Later, gardeners in America picked up the tradition. Virgin Mary Garden Ideas Creating a Mary Garden of your own isn’t difficult....
Smooth Cordgrass Info If you live on the Atlantic Coast, you have probably noticed the tall feathery grasses on beaches, wetlands, and marshes. This is smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora). What is cordgrass? It is widely dispersed in the southwest and eastern coastal regions. This saltwater-loving plant can be used in landscaping as an ornamental plant but is also an important wildlife cover and as a dune stabilizer. It prefers periods of submersion and consistently moist soil....
Growing garlic at home is not only cost effective, but also allows growers to choose varieties that best suit their own tastes and needs in the kitchen. Polish White garlic is one such variety known for its mild taste. Read on for some more Polish White garlic info. What is Polish White Garlic? Polish White garlic plants are known for their production of large, reliable bulbs. Yields of these garlic plants are especially beneficial to home gardeners which may be looking to maximize their growing space....
Sedum Touchdown Flame Info If you are a slightly lazy gardener, Sedum ‘Touchdown Flame’ may be the plant for you. It is almost too polite in its needs and asks little of the grower but appreciation and a sunny location. With that little input you can enjoy its various stages from spring until winter. As an added bonus, it will un-fussily reward you for neglect by coming back up in flame colored glory the next spring....
Catnip for Cats Catnip, Nepeta cataria, is an herb from the mint family that has long been known to be attractive to cats. A common myth is that all cats react to it. In fact, only about two-thirds of cats will be drawn to catnip, exhibiting behaviors like licking, rubbing catnip toys, rolling in the herb, and drooling. Even some wild cats react to catnip. For use with cats, catnip can be provided as a fresh plant indoors in a container or outdoors in a bed....
In her poem, The Holly, Edith L.M. King perfectly describes the traits we love in holly plants. Holly’s deep, evergreen foliage and bright red berries are sometimes the only sign of life in the winter landscape. Commonly associated with Christmas, everyone knows of holly’s winter appeal. However, you may wonder does holly bloom or what other interest does holly have in the garden? Continue reading to learn more about holly fruiting and flowering times....
Why are My Yucca Leaves Curling? When you see yucca plant leaves curling, it’s easy to panic and worry that your plants are perched at the edge of the abyss between life and death, but usually these problems are ugly and very minor. In fact, more often than not, the biggest damage linked to curled leaves is the cosmetic defect itself. However, if you notice curling leaves on yucca, it’s important to find the source....
About Yellow Leaves on Lily of the Valley Everyone has their “pet” plant. That one specimen or stand that they’d throw any kind of treatment at or try any crazy thing just to keep it going another day. For a lot of gardeners that plant is lily of the valley. That’s why when lily of the valley has yellow leaves, gardeners start to panic – and rightfully so. Yellow leaves on lily of the valley could mean a lot of different things, some that are easy, some that are not so easy....
Zone 7 Grass Planting Graceful and arching, ornamental grasses made lovely additions to almost any landscape. All offer varying shades of green that change subtly throughout the year, and some zone 7 grasses have spectacular flower plumes. When you are considering ornamental grass plants for zone 7 gardens, you’ll be glad to know that these species rarely suffer from insect damage or diseases. Most types of zone 7 grass plants tolerate heat as well as drought....
When to Plant Bulbs in Zone 8 There are two main types of bulbs we plant in the garden: spring flowering bulbs and summer flowering bulbs. Spring flowering bulbs are probably what comes to mind most often when you hear someone mention bulbs. These bulbs include: Tulip Daffodil Crocus Hyacinth Iris Anemone Ranunculus Lily of the valley Scilla Some lilies Allium Bluebells Muscari Ipheion Fritillaria Chinodoxa Trout lily The flowers usually bloom in early to late spring, with some even blooming in late winter in zone 8....
Reasons an Apricot Tree Won’t Flower Apricots, like all fruit trees, have some basic requirements that must be met before they start to create blooms, and another set of requirements that keep those growing buds and blooms alive through the end of fruiting. It sounds really complicated, but it’s easier than you think to cure no flowers on apricot trees. Start with these basic questions when you’re trying to determine how to get blooms on an apricot tree: How old is your tree?...
Poplar Tree Facts Poplars can grow very tall and anchor their trunks with powerful roots. These roots might cause problems for homeowners or gardeners who are not familiar with basic poplar tree facts. For instance, planting hybrid poplar trees near houses is not recommended. Poplar trees thrive in warm weather and moist to wet soil. They grow most prolifically in the southern states where these conditions are met. Although poplar varieties range in height and breadth, most share some traits that make them easy to recognize....
