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Amsonia Flower Information The Amsonia flower is a North American native with a long season of interest. It emerges in spring with willowy foliage that forms a neat, rounded mound. In late spring and early summer, loose clusters of half inch (1 cm.), star-shaped, blue blossoms cover the plant, giving rise to the common name blue star. After the flowers fade, the plant continues to look good in the garden, and in fall, the foliage turns bright yellow-gold....

Types of Smart Garden Technology Robotic mowers, automatic sprinklers, robotic cultivators, and even smart weeders have the potential to make your life a whole lot easier. Robotic Lawn Mowers Robotic vacuum cleaners have gradually caught on with homeowners, and they’ve paved the way for robotic lawn mowers. Maintaining gardens by using robotic lawn mowers can be done from your smartphone, Bluetooth, or Wi-fi. So far, they tend to be most effective in relatively small, smooth yards....

Avocado Seed Growing What you will need for this avocado seed growing project: a few avocados some toothpicks a few glasses of water a sunny window Remove the avocado pits from the center of the avocados. Have the children wash the avocado pits so that none of the meat from the avocado fruit remains on the seed. Once the avocado pits are clean, take a look at the avocado seed. You will notice that it is almost tear shaped....

What is Cane Blight? Cane blight is a disease that affects brambles. It is usually caused by the fungus Leptosphaeria coniothyrium, a fungus that can also attack roses and rot the fruit of apple and pear trees. The fungus can live all winter long on dead canes. Spores formed on these canes cause infection when rain, wind or insects carries them into damaged areas or wounds on the canes. A bacterial form of cane blight also exists....

About Basil ‘Blue Spice’ Blue Spice basil plants have small, brilliantly green leaves. When the plants bloom, they produce dense spikes of dark purple bracts with light purple flowers reminiscent of salvia. As the plant matures, the stems darken to maroon and new leaves emerge blushed with purple. The flavor has the quintessential licorice flavor of sweet basil but with notes of vanilla, spice, and lemon. Its unique flavor profile lends itself well to tomato, eggplant, and zucchini dishes as well as meat, fish, and cheese dishes....

Calla Lily Winter Care in Warm Climates Calla lilies are not cold hardy. This means that calla lily winter care in some gardens will be different from other gardens. If you live in USDA plant hardiness zone 8 or higher, your calla lilies can survive the winter outdoors in the ground and do not need to be dug up. Winter care for calla lily plants in the ground in warm climates is simply to mulch the spot where the calla lilies grow in the winter and stop watering the spot for the winter....

Cutting yucca flower stalks after they die is thought to spur further flowers. Should you remove spent yucca flowers? If you have questions on how to care for yucca after blooming, read on for a few answers. Should You Remove Spent Yucca Flowers? Yuccas produce a flower spire with many dangling panicles, which are individual flowers. Yuccas are members of the lily family with blooms of similar form but much different foliage....

Reasons Why Cherries are Falling Off Tree Why are cherries dropping? Fruit trees drop immature fruit for a variety of different reasons, and cherry trees are no exception. While the loss of immature and developing fruits may be alarming to gardeners, minimal early season fruit drop is natural and does not signal that there is a serious issue with the tree. Pollination One of the most common causes of a cherry tree dropping fruit results from pollination....

Seed Storage Containers Chances are you already have plenty of containers in your kitchen, bathroom, or garage; most are easily turned into containers for seed saving. The following are some tips to help: Paper containers for seeds Paper is great for storing seeds, especially if you aren’t sure your seeds are completely dry. Paper is beneficial because it provides ample air circulation and is easy to label. You can store paper seed containers in larger containers such as plastic storage bins, wicker baskets, large glass jars, filing boxes, or recipe boxes....

Why is My Croton Losing its Color? Color loss of croton is common in winter and in low light conditions. Croton plants are native to the tropics, growing wild in Indonesia and Malaysia, and they do best in full sun or bright indoor light. Most often, croton plants with faded leaves are simply not receiving enough light. Conversely, some colors may fade if crotons are exposed to excessive direct light. Each variety has its own light preferences, so check whether the variety you have does best in full sun or partial sun....

Best Easter Flowers Any flowers you can get your hands on as Easter approaches are great flowers for Easter décor. But there are certain blooms that are more often associated with the spring holiday that are easier to get this time of year, or that display the pretty, pastel colors you like to use at Easter: Tulips. Tulips are the obvious choice for spring decorations of any kind, but they are never disappointing....

Do Cherry Laurels Need Fertilizer? Cherry laurels have many benefits to the landscape. They tolerate full sun to shade, drought, and salt spray. Cherry laurel plants are also resistant to many common pests and diseases. However, they are not so tolerant of over-fertilization. When fertilizing cherry laurels, it is important to follow all fertilizer labels and instructions carefully to avoid burning cherry laurel roots and significantly damaging these plants. That being said, cherry laurels will benefit from an annual application of fertilizer....

Foxgloves are gorgeous biennial flowers that come in wide range of colors. Though some cultivars are perennial, all types of foxglove have one thing in common – they are extremely toxic. These plants should never be made accessible to children, pets, or any other individuals of special concern. Always handle these plant materials carefully. With that said, there’s another thing to consider – staking. Do You Need to Stake Foxgloves?...

Elephant Ears Gardening Uses There are a number of uses for elephant ears in the garden. These plants come in a variety of colors and sizes. Elephant ear plants can be used as background plants, ground covers, or edging, especially around ponds, along walkways, or patio enclosures. Their most common use, however, is as an accent or focal point. Many are even well adapted to growing in containers. Planting Elephant Ear Bulbs Growing elephant ear plants is easy....

About Essential Oil Bug Repellents Insect repellents prevent pests from driving us crazy on long hikes or lazy summer evenings, but they serve a more important function; a good bug repellant may also ward off serious insect-borne diseases like Lyme disease and West Nile virus. The problem is that toxic chemicals in commercial insect repellants may present certain health risks, especially when they build up in the tissues over time. The answer may be essential oil bug repellents, most of which work by releasing vapors that confuse a pest’s ability to detect their host....

Eucalyptus Shallow Root Dangers Eucalyptus trees are native to Australia, where the soil is so leached of nutrients that the trees stay smaller and their roots must dive deep in order to survive. These trees are not likely to suffer damage like that from strong storms and wind. However, eucalyptus trees are also cultivated in many parts of the world with richer soil. In more fertile soil, eucalyptus tree roots have no need to descend very far to search for nutrients....

What is a Garden Spade? Garden spade tools are used in cultivation, terracing, contouring, and aid in such tasks as drainage and more. What is a garden spade? Don’t call it a shovel, as the spade is an altogether different implement. It is an all-purpose tool that most gardeners can’t live without. Ergonomic design makes using a garden spade less difficult and modern tools are increasingly being fashioned for comfort but also to accommodate certain handicaps and physical stresses....

This plant thrives outside in areas like southern California and requires plenty of bright light and warmth. In cooler climates, container-grown Grevilleas may be brought inside in fall and returned to the patio or yard when temperatures warm in late spring. Discover how to grow a Grevillea houseplant so you can enjoy the graceful form and colorful flowers as an attractive accent plant to your home. Grevillea Plant Facts There are over 250 species of Grevillea and new cultivars are introduced to nurseries and specialty plant markets every year....

F1 Hybrid Murdoc Cabbage Variety Murdoc matures in approximately 60 to 80 days, producing a cone shaped head that has a sweeter flavor than round cabbage varieties. The heads have heart-shaped centers and the thinner leaves give it a silky texture that’s perfect for a variety of fresh or lightly sautéed cabbage dishes. Additionally, this cabbage variety is a key ingredient in many Bavarian weisskraut recipes. This braised cabbage dish has a sweet and sour flavor that’s milder and easier to make than traditional sauerkraut recipes....

Information on Growing Potato Plants When undertaking the cultivation of potatoes, be sure to purchase certified disease-free seed potatoes to avoid some of the nasty diseases like potato scab, viral disease or fungal issues such as blight. Plant the potato seed about two to four weeks before your last late frost date, depending on the potato variety and whether it is an early season or late season type. Soil temperature should be at least 40 F....