Posts

About Schimmeig Striped Hollow Tomatoes Another of the wonderful stuffing tomatoes, Schimmeig tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum ‘Schimmeig Stoo’) are an open-pollinated German heirloom. Also known as Striped Cavern, of which ‘schimmeig stoo’ translates to in Manx Gaelic, this tomato plant features orange stripes on a red, bicolored fruit. With sturdy walls and hollow spaces inside, they’re great for stuffing with a tasty chicken salad or other mix. Not widely known yet among most gardeners, many chefs have learned of the hollow tomato varieties and use them for unusual presentations in fine dining restaurants....

When to Divide Sedum Whether you have tiny spreading rosettes or towering Autumn Joy stonecrop, you should know how to divide sedum so you can spread more of these popular plants. Sedums grow in hot, dry areas of the landscape and add cheery color and whimsical form to hard-to-plant zones. Separating sedum is an easy project that will increase the number of the easy to grow plants quickly. New divisions establish rapidly and need little extra care....

What is Snow Mold? As the snow melts for the last time this spring, you may notice some unusual brown rings and matted areas on your lawn. This is the calling card of one of the more frustrating turfgrass diseases: snow mold fungus. Snow mold in grass is a problem that seems to defy logic entirely. After all, isn’t it too cold under the snow for fungi to grow? Snow mold is actually a group of fungal diseases caused by pathogenic fungi that lie dormant in the soil until the conditions are just right to invade nearby grasses....

Here are a few examples of beautiful, easy-to-grow bulbs from South Africa. South African Flower Bulbs That Bloom in Winter Chasmanthe – This plant shows off fans of bright green leaves in autumn, followed by spiky orange-red flowers in late winter or early spring. Chasmanthe buds may be damaged by a late frost. Deadhead regularly, as Chasmanthe can be aggressive. Sparaxis (harlequin flower, wandflower) – This plant consists of sword-shaped leaves and clusters of spiky, long lasting blooms....

Plants for South-Facing Windows Many people would be shocked to find out that Sansevieria are actually good houseplants for direct light. These plants are commonly labeled as “low light” plants, but this simply means that they tolerate low light. This doesn’t mean that they REQUIRE low light! These plants will have sturdier growth in direct light and may also occasionally reward you with a spray of fragrant white flowers. Many succulents will thrive as south-facing window houseplants....

Hosta Particulars Hostas range from the largest at 4 feet (1.2 m.)to the tiniest at only a couple inches (5 cm.). Most Southern Hostas grow in a clump from 1½ to 2 feet tall and wide (.5 to .6 m.). The long-lived perennials, hardy to USDA zones 3 to 9, can be blue, yellow, green or variegated with long, sword-shaped or heart-shaped leaves, sometimes accented with wavy edges or a puckered texture....

What Causes Split Cabbage Heads? Split cabbage heads usually follows a heavy rain, especially after a period of dry weather. When the roots absorb excess moisture after the cabbage head is firm, the pressure from internal growth causes the head to split. The same thing may happen when the heads are fertilized late in the season. Early varieties are more susceptible to splitting cabbages than late varieties, but all varieties can split under the right conditions....

How to Make Tomatoes Turn Red Getting tomatoes to turn red is not difficult. There are several methods that can be used for making tomatoes turn red. One way how to turn green tomatoes red is to ripen mature green tomatoes in a well-ventilated area at room temperature, checking their progress every few days and discarding unsuitable or soft ones. The cooler the temperature, the longer the ripening process will take....

Sugar Ann Pea Facts Spring means the first vegetables of the season, and Sugar Ann pea plants are right at the top of the produce available. What are Sugar Ann peas? They are not shelling peas, since you eat the entire tasty pod. The pods are delicious fresh or cooked and add flair to salads, stir fries, and dunked in your favorite dip. Snap peas are the early birds of the growing season....

Regardless of the rationale behind growing these beautiful plants, there is no doubt that planting sunflowers is an asset to many gardeners. However, there is one thing that many do not know – sunflower weed control can be used in the garden. How can sunflowers stop weeds from sprouting though? Let’s find out. Do Sunflowers Limit Weeds? While sunflowers are commonplace in the garden, one interesting and frequently overlooked aspect of these plants is that they are allelopathic....

Exploring Mother’s Day flower ideas that are both creative and long-lasting is another option. Using flowers for Mother’s Day in interesting ways is sure to leave quite an impression. Flowers to Get for Mom Traditional Mother’s Day flowers commonly consist of blooms that have been shipped thousands of miles. Instead, consider sourcing flowers from local farmers. Local specialty cut-flower farmers are guaranteed to have blooms that are fresh, beautiful, and will have a much longer vase life....

Symptoms of Pink Mold on Pecans Initially, pink mold enters through cracks and fissures in the pecans, which exposes damaged tissue within the green hull. If conditions are moist, the pink mold grows rapidly and enters the interior of the pecan, destroying the nut and leaving a mass of pink powder in its place. A rancid odor is often present. How to Treat Pecan Pink Mold Management of pecan scab disease usually takes care of any problem with pink mold on pecans....

Why Won’t My Tree Leaf Out? Trees not leafing out? A tree with no leaves when spring comes indicates a tree in some degree of distress. It is best to do a thorough investigation before jumping to any conclusions regarding the lack of growth. A tree with no leaves can be attributed to bud issues. If the tree has some leaves, begin your assessment of buds that never broke. If you cut into the bud and it is brown and dead, it is an indication that it has been dead quite a long time....

Purple Flowering Plants and Foliage Flowers for the purple garden design may be traditional purple or purples with hues of red, blue, violet or even black. Learning how to create a garden of purple begins with your choice of coordinating or contrasting colors and limiting plant selection to a few shades of the popular purple colors. Planning a purple garden is a delightful chore and the result can be an elegant and royal reward....

Repetition in the garden is a relatively easy way to create structure, flow, and a balance between shapes, textures, and colors. Don’t be intimidated, as creating garden repetition is a relatively straightforward concept. Read on for a few basic tips on using garden repetition to your best advantage. Repeating Garden Designs Although planting with repetition means using similar elements, your garden plan doesn’t need to be exact. In fact, too much precision tends to become dull and monotonous....

About Nomocharis Bulbs While very similar in bulb and flowering appearance, alpine lilies (Nomocharis) are not technically in the lily (Lilium) family. Native to regions of Northern India, China, and Burma, these ornamental plants produce flowers that range in color from light pink to pink-purple. Depending upon the variety, these blooms may also exhibit unique, dark purple-spotted patterns throughout the flower petals that make them exceptionally beautiful. How to Grow Chinese Alpine Lilies Similar to many lilies, Nomocharis lily care is relatively simple....

What are Silvanberries? Hybridized in Australia, this berry is a cross between Marion berry and a seedling cross of Pacific and Boysenberries. Categorized in the blackberry family, silvanberry plants have a number of traits commonly found among other blackberry varieties. These plants are long-living (15 to 20 years) perennials, hardy and cold-tolerant, easy to grow, and prolific spreaders. As with any blackberry type, you will want to contain your silvanberry fruit plants in a pot or planter box with a trellis or up against a fence to restrain its enthusiastic spread....

What are Trees Used For? The answer you get here probably depends on who you ask. A gardener is likely to point to the benefits of trees growing in the backyard, providing shade on warm days and habitats for birds. A carpenter might think of lumber, shingles, or other building materials. In fact, everything made of wood is made from trees. That certainly includes houses, fences, decks, cabinets, and doors that a carpenter may have in mind....

When you are putting together a “parts of a tree” lesson for children, it’s a great opportunity to engage them with the magical world of nature. Read on for some ideas on interesting ways to show how a tree functions and the work the different tree parts accomplish. How a Tree Functions Trees are as diverse as humans, different in height, breadth, shape, color and habitat. But all trees function in largely the same way, with a root system, a trunk or trunks, and foliage....

Though these climates may be difficult to recreate in gardens elsewhere, many of these same ornamental plants will grow well in containers indoors or in the garden in spring. Harlequin flower bulbs, for example, can add vibrance and color to spaces with minimal care. What is a Harlequin Flower? Sparaxis harlequin flowers (Sparaxis tricolor) bloom in spring when temperatures are cool. Unlike many other cool season flower bulbs, these plants are tender to frost....