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Growing Houseplants for Medicine Healing houseplants can be found in the most common of plant species. Below are five plants that can be grown indoors and used medicinally. One of the most popular medicinal houseplants, aloe vera leaves are handy for soothing minor burns, sunburn, rashes, and other skin conditions, thanks to its generous anti-inflammatory properties. The juice of an aloe plant may even brighten the skin and help prevent wrinkles....

What is Mountain Mint? Virginia mountain mint (Pycanthemum virgineanum) grows as a native perennial in most parts of North America. They are hardy perennials in U.S. zones 3-7. In the U.S., they range from Maine to North Dakota and south through Missouri to North Carolina. Like mint plants, mountain mint plants produce the telltale square stems with opposing leaves, and all parts of the plant are highly aromatic. Mature plants can top out at 2- to 3-feet (0....

Astilbe Transplanting You can transplant most flowers, including astilbe, whenever you want to give them more advantageous positions in the garden. Moving astilbe plants is the right thing to do when the flowers have been planted in inappropriate spots, or have been overshadowed by neighboring plants. Perennials that bloom in the spring, including astilbe, should be transplanted in late summer or fall. This is the right time to divide too, if necessary....

What is Witches’ Broom in Blueberry Bushes? Witches’ broom on blueberry plants is caused by a rarely found fungal disease. This disease caused clusters of small branches to form at the base of the bush known as witches’ brooms. Although a fungal disease, the symptoms of blueberries with witches’ broom are more viral in nature than fungal. The year after infection, blueberry bushes afflicted with witches’ broom produce a multitude of swollen, spongy shoots with tiny leaves and reddish bark rather than the green found on healthy young branches....

Nerine lily bulbs are not hardy below 38 degrees F. (3 C.), so you should check your gardening zone before planting. You can also treat them as annuals but rather than waste these lovely flowers, pull the bulbs and overwinter them. Growing instructions for Nerine lilies are similar to most summer blooming bulbs. Nerine Bulb Information There are nearly 30 species of these bulbs, which are also called Bowden Cornish lily or Japanese spider lily....

What is a No Mow Lawn? No mow lawns are mixtures of three species of fine fescue. Fescues are hardy plants with visual appeal and require little specialized care. They can provide solutions for moisture conservation, natural habitat, soil amendment, and reduce the need for pesticides and herbicides. Fescue is a perennial cool season grass, of which several species are useful as low-growing plants with a clumping and spreading character. Their easy nature means no mow lawn care is minimal and highly environmentally friendly....

Orientation of Plant Growth The question of plant growing orientation is one scientists and gardeners have been asking for at least a few hundred years. In the 1800s, researchers hypothesized that the stems and leaves grew up toward light and the roots down toward water. To test the idea, they put a light under a plant and covered the top of the soil with water. The plants reoriented and still grew roots down toward the light and stems up toward the water....

How to Grow a Pawpaw Tree in a Pot Pawpaw is the largest American fruit, weighing up to a pound (0.5 kg.). Originally native to the eastern United States, the Native Americans spread the fruit west into Kansas and as far south as the Gulf of Mexico. Pawpaw is packed with nutrients. They have almost as much potassium as bananas and three times more Vitamin C than apples, along with plenty of magnesium and iron....

What is a Pepino? It is unknown exactly where pepino melon shrubs originate, but it doesn’t grow in the wild. So, what is pepino? Growing pepino plants are cultivated in temperate regions of California, New Zealand, Chile, and Western Australia and appear as a small woody, 3 foot (1 m.) or so shrub that is hardy to USDA growing zone 9. The foliage looks very similar to that of the potato plant while its growth habit is akin to that of a tomato, and for this reason, may often require staking....

Let’s learn more about basic nursery business requirements. How to Start a Plant Nursery Nursery owners face substantial challenges and risks including, but not limited to, floods, freezes, snow, drought, plant diseases, insects, soil types, increasing expenses, and an unpredictable economy. Needless to say, there is much to consider when starting a plant nursery business. Here are just a few major points: Types of plant nurseries: Consider the various types of plant nursery businesses....

Those living in warm weather areas will need to pay special attention to heat tolerance when selecting the varieties to grow. ‘Green Magic’ is especially adapted for growth throughout a wide range of temperatures. Read on for more info. How to Grow Green Magic Broccoli Green Magic broccoli is a hybrid variety of heading broccoli. The Green Magic broccoli variety matures in as little as 60 days from transplant and produces large, densely-packed heads....

When Water is Scarce Though irrigation is an option in some places, the problem becomes much more serious in regions where strict water usage restrictions are enforced. Fortunately, all is not lost for those who frequently experience these less than ideal growing conditions. Specifically selecting plants which are able to tolerate scorching sun and dry soil can transform the appearance of the landscape. Learning more about full sun/dry soil plants will allow growers to craft spaces that are low maintenance, beautiful, and able to thrive during the stress of summer....

Are There Porch Plants That Don’t Need Sun? Seasonal color displays, mixed foliage, succulents and cacti – many of these will perform well as shade plants for the porch. Flowering plants will need at least a little bit of sunlight to bloom, but many foliage plants enjoy their best color in low light. Container porch plants for shade will still need regular water, as pots dry out faster than in-ground plants....

Although the dappled willow grows fast and is an undemanding small tree, you may occasionally see problems with dappled willows. “What’s wrong with my dappled willow?”, you may question. Read on for an overview of dappled willow issues and tips for troubleshooting dappled willow. Troubleshooting Dappled Willow Willows are shrubs and trees known for their catkin-type seeds. These trees are susceptible to a variety of diseases and pest problems. Disease problems include:...

Steps for Pruning Geraniums There are three different methods for cutting back geraniums. Which one you use will depend on what you are trying to do. Pruning Geraniums After Winter Dormancy If you place your geraniums into dormancy for overwintering or if you live in an area where geraniums die back some over the winter, the best time to prune geraniums is in early spring. Remove all of the dead and brown leaves from the geranium plant....

Creative Succulent Displays Here are some unusual planting options for succulents: Frames: One of the quirky ways to use succulents is to fit them inside a picture frame without glass. A traditional frame offers an interesting spot for your echeverias, or other rosette topped plants. Attach a shallow planting container underneath. Cover with wire to help hold the soil. You can use a color-wheel design when planting your frame or alternate between different colors or shades....

Collecting certain species of plants is a common habit amongst serious gardeners. Exotic houseplants top the list of favorite varieties for acquisition. There are plant groups that exchange rare plant cuttings and other ways to source very rare plants. Depending upon the availability, some of these sought after flora are expensive houseplants. Prices of Very Rare Plants Supply and demand are rules of commodity and influence the prices of things....

Clove Tree Diseases Below are the most prevalent diseases that affect clove trees. Sudden Death – Sudden death disease of clove trees is a major fungal disease that affects the absorbing roots of mature clove trees. Seedlings are immune to the disease and young trees are highly resistant. The only warning of sudden death disease is chlorosis, which refers to yellowing of the leaves due to lack of chlorophyll. Death of the tree, caused when the roots are unable to absorb water, may occur in a few days or may take several months....

About Red Fleshed Apple Trees Apples with red flesh inside (as well as out) occur naturally in some regions of Central Asia — basically crabapples. These tend to be too bitter tasting for consumption, so breeders decided to cross them with scrumptious, sweet, white-fleshed apples to produce commercially viable apples with red flesh inside. The creation of sweet tasting red-fleshed apple trees is not only a novelty to grow, but these red-fleshed fruits may have antioxidant properties as well....

How to Keep Rodents Away from Cactus Some cacti are hardy plants that can survive an occasional nibble, but in many cases, rodents feeding on cactus can be deadly, so cactus plant protection is necessary. Here are a few tips for protecting cactus from rodents: Fencing: Surround your cactus with wire fencing. Bury the fencing at least 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm.) into the soil to discourage rodents from digging under....