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Why is Citrus Fruit Hard to Pull Off the Tree? If your fruit won’t come off the tree easily when harvesting citrus fruits, the most likely answer is because it isn’t ready yet. That’s an easy answer, but one fraught with seeming debate. In a search on the internet, it seems that citrus growers are of two dissimilar minds. One camp says that citrus fruit is ready when the fruit slips easily from the tree by grasping it firmly and giving it a firm, yet gentle, rotating tug....

When to Pick Parsley Parsley is a biennial but is usually grown as an annual and is native to the Mediterranean. Like most herbs, it thrives in areas with six to eight hours of sun, although it will tolerate light shade. While it is often used as a garnish, parsley has more to give; it is high in vitamin C and A, as well as iron. Parsley is easy to grow either from nursery starts or from seed....

Common Turkish Herbs and Spices Turkish food is delicious and, for the most part, healthy. That’s because the food is allowed to shine through with a hint of spice here and there rather than drowned in sauces. Also, Turkey has several regions, each perfectly suited to growing different Turkish herbs and spices that will be reflected in that region’s cuisine. That means that a list all of the different Turkish herbs and spices used could be quite lengthy....

How to Transplant Seedlings One common question from people who are growing plants from seeds is, “How do I know when my seedlings are big enough to put out in my garden?” This is a good question to ask when learning how to start plants from seeds because planting seedlings out in the garden at the proper time is crucial to their development later on. If you put them out before they are ready, they may have a hard time surviving the elements....

Natural Skunk Repellent and Deterrents Here are some common methods for getting rid of skunks in the garden: Bright lights – Probably the best skunk repellent is a light. Skunks are nocturnal and their eyes are very light sensitive. A motion sensor flood light will frighten them off if they come into your yard. Citrus smells – Most animals, including skunks, dislike the smell of citrus fruits. Place orange or lemon peels around the yard as a natural skunk repellent....

Houseplant Bleeding Heart Bleeding hearts can get quite large over time, so choose a pot that is about twice as wide as the root ball of your plant, and that also has a drainage hole. Next, select a good all-purpose potting mix for your plant. Outdoors, these plants love plenty of organic material, so choose a potting mix that has plenty of organic material, or at least fertilizer blended in it in order to give your indoor bleeding heart plant a good start....

About Ivy Houseplants Ivy houseplants can actually be one of several different varieties. These include: English ivy (Hedera helix) Irish ivy (Hedera hibernica) Japanese ivy (Hedera rhombea) Algerian ivy (Hedera canariensis) Persian ivy (Hedera colchica) Nepal ivy (Hedera nepalensis) Russian ivy (Hedera pastuchovii) English ivy cultivars are the most common type of ivy grown in the home, but all can be found if you look hard enough. Each of the varieties of inside ivy plants also come in several different cultivars....

Why Soil in Berm is Settling For architectural appeal, few things are as attractive as a well planted berm. Berms offer the opportunity to change the topography of your landscape. Most berms are built with organic matter such as compost. This will rot over time and cause soil settling in berms. Another factor when soil in berm is settling is drainage. The first step to fixing the problem is identifying the cause....

Think Pumpkins for Decorating a Fall Table While pumpkins have always been included as a basic part of your autumn theme, interesting DIY options for them have gained popularity. Loads of ideas for painting and decorating them for autumn centerpiece use are available online, using faux pumpkins and the real thing too. Everyone’s getting in on the fun with many department stores advertising lighted and ceramic pumpkins for those who don’t have the time or inclination for DIY....

Almond Winter Care Closely related to peaches and other stone fruit trees in the Prunus species, almond trees are hardy in U.S. hardiness zones 5 to 9. In the cooler regions of their range, however, the early spring blooms of almond trees may be susceptible to bud damage or loss from late winter frost. In these locations, it’s recommended that you use later blooming varieties of almond to avoid frost damage....

First Things First If you’re a diehard gardener who’s been itching to dig in the dirt all winter, you’ve no doubt already compiled a to-do list for March gardening chores but if not it’s time to sit down and make one. The first thing you want to consider is your soil. Send a soil sample to your local extension office to see if it needs to be amended in any way....

Common Diseased Pansy Symptoms Alternaria Leaf Spot – The first symptoms of alternaria leaf spot include tan or greenish yellow lesions turning dark brown. As the lesions mature, they may appear sunken or as concentric brown rings, often with a yellow halo. The centers of the spots may drop out. Cercospora Leaf Spot – Symptoms of cercospora leaf spot begin with purple-black lesions on lower leaves, eventually developing pale tan centers with bluish black rings and greasy looking, water-soaked lesions....

Iris Seed Propagation Can iris be grown from seed? Anyone accustomed to planting iris rhizomes may be surprised to hear that iris can be propagated from seed just as easily. It takes a little longer to get blooms, however, and they don’t necessarily look like the mother plant. When you grow an iris (or any other plant) from its root structure, you are cloning the parent plant. This type of non-sexual propagation will produce an exact duplicate of the iris from which you cut a piece of rhizome....

About the Pineapple Lilies Pineapple lilies are in the genus Eucomis and include a wide range of tropical plants native to warm moist regions of the world. A little known fact about pineapple lilies is that they are actually related to asparagus. Both plants are in the Lily family. Pineapple lily plants grow from bulbs. These interesting bulbs start out as a rosette and do not usually start blooming for a year....

These pre-formed hedge plants come already trimmed and ready to install. What is a Pre-formed Hedge? If you are the type of person that wants what they want right now, planting an instant hedge would be right up your alley. What is a pre-formed hedge? These come from companies that grow the plants to maturity and prune them so they fit closely together. Once installation is complete, your privacy is immediate and low maintenance....

How to Grow Chinese Cabbage When considering planting Chinese cabbage, you have to remember that you can grow an early winter or mid-winter crop or a spring crop. Just don’t plant your cabbage too late or it will send up flower stalks before making heads, which robs the plant of nutrients. One of the steps to grow Chinese cabbage is to prepare the soil. Planting Chinese cabbage requires heavy soil that holds moisture....

About Ponytail Palm Plants Another name for this plant is the elephant’s foot palm due to its thick, roughly skinned trunk. It is in the same family as agave plants and native to southeastern scrub desserts of Mexico. It is not a true palm but a succulent, which saves moisture in the trunk. In times of drought, the trunk will shrink in diameter and get slightly shriveled bark. When the rainy season arrives, it sucks up and stores as much moisture as it can and the trunk swells markedly....

About Zone 9 Potatoes Although considered a cool season crop, potatoes actually grow in USDA zones 3 to 10b. Zone 9 potato growers are actually quite lucky. You can plant some late maturing varieties in early summer for a fall harvest and/or plant early potato varieties and midseason types a few weeks prior to the last spring frost date for your area. For instance, say your last spring frost date is around the end of December....

What is Rosary Pea? Finding hardy, tropical vines with several seasons of interest can be difficult. In the case of rosary pea, you get delicate foliage, beautiful flowers, and interesting seeds and pods combined with a tough, no-fuss nature. In certain regions, rosary pea invasiveness has made it a problem plant. The plant is a climbing, twining, or trailing woody-stemmed vine. The leaves are alternate, pinnate, and compound giving them a feathery feel....

About Plumeria Rust Fungus Plumeria rust fungus is specific to plumeria plants. It is caused by the fungus Coleosporium plumeriae. Plumeria rust affects the foliage of the plant but not the stems or flowers. Its spores are airborne or spread from plant to plant from the backsplash of rain or watering. When the spores make contact with moist leaves, they stick to them, then begin to grow and produce more spores....