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What are Natural Swimming Pools? When summer’s heat is at its worst, a natural dipping pool seems like the perfect thing. Natural swimming pool design should be integrated into the landscape, but it can be any style you wish. Natural pools are less expensive than conventional designs and require no chemicals. They are a sustainable take on traditional swimming pools. Natural swimming pools mimic a wild pond. They are designed in two zones of approximately equal size....

Oriental Hellebore Info Word of Caution – As it turns out, there is just one aspect of hellebore, commonly referred to as Lenten rose or Christmas rose, which is not so rosy. It is a toxic plant and is poisonous to humans and pets if any plant parts are ingested. Other than this, there does not seem to be any other significant negative characteristics for growing oriental hellebore plants, but this is something you will definitely want to take into consideration particularly if you have young children....

Pastel Garden Ideas Pastel colors are soft and light tones of pink, purple, blue, green, orange, and yellow. In marketing, we often see pastel colors used for baby stuff because these colors remind us of softness, sweetness, and security. At 3 a.m. when the baby is fussy and fighting sleep, it will be much easier to lull him or her back to sleep surrounded by soft colors and lights. Pastel colors also adorn everything around Easter time to celebrate the start of spring....

Peonies form interesting, clusters of wedge-like gray to brown seed pods, covered when young with a slight fuzz. As they mature, the seed pods turn dark brown and leathery, and as they ripen, the seed pods crack open, revealing dark purple to black shiny seeds. They can add interest to the garden and allow you to harvest seeds for peony propagation. Continue reading for tips on collecting peony seeds....

Persian ironwood offers year-round interest with showy red flowers in spring and lovely, exfoliating bark on display in winter. Read on for more Persian ironwood facts, including tips on how to care for the tree. Persian Ironwood Facts It will not surprise you to learn that the Persian ironwood tree is native to Iran, modern-day Persia. It is a fairly small tree, topping out at 35 feet (11 m.) but is often seen shorter....

Why are My Philodendron Leaves Turning Brown? There are a few possible causes for brown philodendron leaves. Philodendrons have specific water and light requirements, and if the plant looks sickly, there’s a good chance it’s because one of these requirements isn’t being met. Water Philodendrons require a steady supply of water to remain healthy. The soil should always be a little bit moist. If you’re spacing your waterings out too much or watering too lightly, this could be the cause....

What is a Hard Frost? So, what is a hard frost anyway? A hard frost is a frost where both the air and the ground freeze. Many plants can withstand a light frost, where only the tips of the stems are affected, but most cannot withstand a hard frost. While the effects of hard frost can often be repaired by pruning, some tender plants may not recover. Hard Frost Protection You can give tender plants some hard frost protection by covering garden beds with sheets of plastic or tarps that trap the heat radiated by the earth....

We’ll go over some plant gift considerations so you don’t accidently make a blunder you’ll regret. Are All Plants Good Presents? Plants are a classic gift and appropriate for many occasions. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, graduation, or even in sympathy, plants are an appreciated gift. There are things to consider when gifting plants though, such as size, ease of care, etc. You don’t want to give someone a burden or a plant that could make someone sick....

About Growing Vegetables in Zone 6 Planting times for zone 6 will depend on whose zone map you are consulting. There is a zonal map put out by the United States Department of Agriculture and one put out by Sunset. These vary greatly for zone 6. The USDA map is broad of stroke and encompasses Massachusetts and Rhode Island, extends southwest through parts of New York and New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon and Washington....

How Plants Survive Extreme Environments One of the most common arguments for the use of native plant species in the garden is their adaptability to local growing conditions. Depending upon your growing region, some plants will simply be more suited than others. Just like the native plants in your own backyard, plant species throughout the world are able to withstand the hottest and the coldest of extreme weather. Plants from harsh climates are naturally suited to withstand those conditions....

Trimming a weeping crabapple is essential to keep it healthy and blooming. Annual weeping crabapple pruning also helps maintain the tree in an attractive shape. If you are wondering how to prune a weeping crabapple, read on for info and tips. Pruning Weeping Crabapple Trees The flowering crabapple tree known as “Louisa” is an ornamental, beloved for its dramatic, weeping shape. It grows to 15 feet (5 m.) tall and wide in U....

Yucca Plant Care and Pruning With yucca plants, care and pruning are easy. When your yucca plant becomes too tall for the space it is in, gently remove it from the pot. Determine where the halfway mark is on the trunk or a point where you wish to be pruning a yucca that is above the halfway point. Using a saw or a sharp pair of loppers, cut the trunk in half....

About Cucumber Leaf Spot Cucumber leaf spot is also called angular leaf spot of cucumber. It is caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. lachrymans. You’ll find pseudomonas syringae on cucumbers but also on other vegetable including zucchini squash and honeydew melon. Bacterial Leaf Spot Symptoms Pseudomonas syringae on cucumbers causes dark spots on the leaves. Look closely and you’ll find that they are water-soaked lesions. In time they will grow into large, dark blotches....

Raspberry Horntail Information Raspberry horntail larvae are like teenagers running amok in your berry patch. While the parent is the originator of these pests, they have little effect on the berry canes. Controlling raspberry horntails begins with control of the adults, removal of host plants, and vigilance towards identifying infected canes. Host plants include wild brambles, caneberries (like raspberry and blackberry), and rose. Since control would start with recognizing the adults and preventing them from laying the eggs, identifying cues are useful....

The Benefits of Starting Seeds Indoors Whether you’re starting flower seeds indoors or working on this year’s vegetable garden, there are several good reasons to begin inside rather than outside: Start gardening sooner. Seed starting provides a task you can do to start gardening before the last of the snow melts. While your yard lies dormant, you can scratch the gardening itch by starting seeds inside. Try more varieties. Transplants are easier in many ways....

Types of Cuttings The time a cutting is taken depends upon what type of plant you are propagating. Most plants will root well from a softwood cutting, which is this season’s new growth. It hasn’t had time to harden and the interior cells are very active and generally easy to reproduce. Semi-softwood cuttings are taken in summer when the new growth is nearly mature and hardwood cuttings are very mature material and generally quite woody....

Can a Garden be Planted Over a Septic Tank? Gardening over septic tanks is not only permissible but also beneficial in some instances. Planting ornamental plants on septic drain fields provide an oxygen exchange and help with evaporation in the drain field area. Plants also help control erosion. It is often recommended that leach fields be covered with meadow grass or turf grass, such as perennial rye. In addition, shallow-rooted ornamental grasses can look particularly nice....

The typical South African gardening style combines native plants with edible and exotic specimens. The seasons are opposite to many western countries, with typical fall and winter the warmest and wettest months, while the months of summer are cooler and dry. South African gardens must take into account when rainfall will occur, and how to protect plants from May to September when the chance of rain is minimal. Gardening in South Africa Because the weather is so warm consistently year round, you can garden in any season....

How to Plant a Fruit Tree Hedge When considering fruit trees to use as hedging, it is best to stick with dwarf or semi-dwarf varieties. Larger trees can be pruned down to restrain their size, but then you are constantly pruning. All kinds of fruit trees can be used to create a hedge from cherries to figs to apples to citrus. Be sure to plant trees that are suitable for your region....

About Spinach White Rust Disease White rust is a fungal disease caused by the pathogen Albugo occidentalis. There are many strains of Albugo that can affect a wide variety of plants. However, the Albugo occidentalis strain is host specific to spinach and strawberries. Initial symptoms of spinach white rust disease may look very much like the initial symptoms of downy mildew. As the disease progresses, the two become distinguishable by their specific symptoms....