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What are Sweet 100 Cherry Tomatoes? Sweet 100 tomato plants produce red cherry tomatoes on indeterminate vining plants that may grow 4-8 feet (1.2 to 2.4 m.) tall. These vines produce high yields of fruit from early summer right up to frost. The high yields are indicated by the “100” in their name. However, this does not mean that the whole plant itself will only produce about 100 fruit. Instead, just one cluster of fruit on the plant can produce up to 100 cherry tomatoes, and the plant can produce many of these tomato clusters....

About Guinevere Plum Trees Choosing the right plum tree for your landscape is about more than proper site and growing characteristics. The actual fruit is crucial to the decision of species. The plum ‘Guinevere’ is a fruit you could weep for. It has such intense sweet, nectar-like, juicy flavor that it could easily substitute for a candy craving. Unlike many European plums, Guinevere also stores well in refrigeration. Guinevere is similar to Marjorie’s Seedling but produces more fruit....

When Do You Prune a Pear Tree? Pruning a pear tree begins in late winter before the buds begin to swell. Earlier pruning may encourage excessive vegetative growth and suckering in spring and summer. It also increases the chances of winter injury to the pruning sites. Limit spring and summer pruning to light thinning and try to avoid trimming pear trees after midsummer. Pear tree pruning also begins at planting time....

Bromeliad Propagation Bromeliads are popular tropical looking houseplants, or outdoor plants in warm regions. The most commonly sold forms develop a cup at the center of the rosette which holds water. Many also form a brightly colored flower that dies after a few months. At this time, pup starts from bromeliad begin to form. You can carefully divide these away from the parent plant and have a new bromeliad that will flower and pup after a few years....

Red Raspberry Herbal Use Raspberries are suited to USDA zones 2-7. They are perennials that grow to their full height in their first year and then fruit during the second. While most of us know raspberries for their use in preserves, baking, and eating fresh, Native American peoples used the leaves to make tea to treat diarrhea. Raspberry tea has long been used to treat menstrual symptoms and ease childbirth. Aboriginal tribes of Australia used a raspberry decoction to treat morning sickness, menstrual cramping, and the flu....

More and more gardeners are discovering the bold statement that an entirely red garden has. If you need to bring life and warmth to a particular area of your landscape or simply want a dramatic focal feature, consider a red color scheme. Planning Red Gardens Red garden design is much like any other monochromatic garden design. Decide on the best location for your red garden where it can be enjoyed the most....

May Gardening Tasks for the West May is still planting time and putting in more seeds is part of every garden to-do list. Almost any warm season vegetable can be planted in May in western gardens. Stay away from lettuce, peas, and other crops that do not like the heat. Instead, start heat-loving tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and melons. You can also put in beans, okra, corn, cucumbers, and squash too. That’s not all....

Learning more about regional gardening tasks and creating an October to-do list can help growers stay focused, even as the activity in the yard begins to slow. South Central Gardens in Fall October can be one of the most enjoyable months for gardening. Without the heat and humidity of summer, growers may find a sudden renewed interest in working outdoors. While gardening in fall often does not consist of too much planting and seed sowing, there are some crops that will continue to thrive late into the season....

When to Repot an African Violet Most plants need repotting at some point to either increase the container size or to refresh the soil. There are several schools of thought on the right way to repot, but all agree you can buy or make your own African violet mix. Before removing your plant, select a container that is one third the size of the plant’s leaf spread. Most collectors recommend repotting at least once and up to twice per year....

How to Use Rocks as Garden Border As a natural material, rocks come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. This range lends itself well for gardeners wishing to create a unique stone garden-edging design. How you line your garden with stones will depend upon which type of stones are readily available. Here are some ideas for designing a border made of rocks: Large flat stones can be layered to create a stacked stone edging....

About Shooting Star Plants Shooting star gets its name from the way the flowers hang from tall stems, pointing downward like falling stars. The Latin name is Dodecatheon meadia, and this wildflower is native to the Great Plains states, Texas, parts of the Midwest, and Canada. It is rarely seen in the Appalachian Mountains and northern Florida. This flower is most often seen in prairies and meadows. It has smooth, green leaves with upright stems that grow to 24 inches (61 cm....

What is Silver Spike Grass Silver spike grass (Helichrysum thianschanicum) is an evergreen perennial subshrub, 19 – 24 inches (48 to 61 cm.) in height with a width to 36 inches (91 cm.) It is a member of the daisy family. More than 600 specimens are related to this attractive perennial. Silver spike grass resembles the lavender plant in shape and form, although it is not related. Erect stems and branches with linear 2-inch (5 cm....

Solomon’s Seal Info Solomon’s seal info indicates that scars on the plants where leaves have dropped look like the sixth seal of King Solomon, hence the name. The variegated variety and the green Solomon’s seal plant are true Soloman’s seal, (Polygonatum spp.). There is also a widely grown False Solomon’s seal plant (Maianthemum racemosum). All three varieties were previously of the Liliaceae family, but the true Solomon’s seals were recently moved to the Asparagaceae family, according to Solomon’s seal info....

How to Recognize Phylloxera Symptoms Grape root aphids are not actually aphids. They are simply small insects that look like aphids and cause great destruction to their host plant – grapes. Grapevine aphids are scientifically known as grape Phylloxera or Daktulosphaira vitifoliae. They are small insects, which overwinter as nymphs on grape roots beneath the soil. In spring, when soil temperatures stay consistently around 60 degrees F. (16 C.), the insects become active, feeding on grape roots, maturing into adults, and then breeding....

How to Store Potatoes Proper storage of your crop begins with a few cultivation practices prior to harvesting. Severely reduce the water you give the plants for a couple of weeks before harvest. This will toughen up the skins on the potatoes. Make sure you let the vines die all the way back before you dig up the crop. The vines will turn yellow and speckled before they are completely dead, then they dry up and turn brown....

Strawberry ‘Northeaster’ Info This June-bearing strawberry, released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1996, is suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. It has gained favor for its generous yields and large, sweet, juicy berries, which are delicious baked, eaten raw, or incorporated into jams and jellies. Northeaster strawberry plants reach heights of about 8 inches (20 cm.), with a spread of 24 inches. (60 cm....

Garlic Varieties Gardeners in warmer climates, USDA zones 7 through 9, will have a difficult time growing garlic in the garden from just any garlic varieties. Most likely you will want to look for some of the gourmet or heirloom cultivars that grow well in warmer weather. These cultivars include: Creoles Asiatic Hardnecks Marbled Purple Stripe These cultivars may not be available at your local garden center but can be found online at many reputable online garlic dealers....

How Long Does Compost Take? This depends on the size of the scraps you put in and the purpose of the compost. Larger scraps naturally take more time to break down. For a top dressing or to mulch a bed, you don’t need uniform compost. For a container or raised bed, it should be uniform and thoroughly composted. With these varying factors in mind, it can take between a month and a year before your compost pile is ready for harvesting....

Identifying Tomato Hornworms Image by Beverly NashTomato hornworms are easy to identify. They are bright green caterpillars with white stripes and a black horn coming off the ends. Occasionally, the tomato hornworm will be black instead of green. They are the larval stage of the hummingbird moth. Normally, when one tomato hornworm caterpillar is found, others will be in the area as well. Examine your tomato plants carefully for others once you have identified one on your plants....

Types of Water Features If you lack space to dedicate to a large water feature, you may opt for small features such as a container water garden, tabletop fountain, or a bubbling water container or urn. Small water features are attractive on a patio or deck, and most are large enough to provide the pleasant sound of bubbling or running water. Small fountains and waterfalls are portable and ready to plug in straight out of the box....