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Can You Split an Aloe Plant? While you can divide an aloe, dividing aloe plants is not quite the same as dividing a perennial or ornamental grass. This is usually as simple as cutting the root zone in half and, ta-da, you have a new plant. Aloe plant division is accomplished by removing the offsets, which are the baby plants at the base of the parent. The process takes just moments and rejuvenates the parent while providing a new aloe start to propagate....

Anaheim Pepper Information Anaheim pepper grows as a perennial and can produce peppers over three years or more. It is an erect plant that grows to 1.5 feet (46 cm.) tall. It is mild rather than mouth-scorching and excellent for cooking and stuffing. For those interested in Anaheim pepper growing, note that the plant is easy to grow. All you need is a basic knowledge of Anaheim pepper care. How to Grow Anaheim Peppers Getting informed about the basic growth requirements of the Anaheim will help you produce a healthy, low-maintenance plant....

Does Artificial Turf Harm Tree Roots? People often consider using artificial grass around trees because they can’t get real grass to grow there. Dense tree canopies can make an area too shady for grass to grow. Tree roots can hog all the water and nutrients around them. The other benefit of artificial turf is all the money saved by not having to water, fertilize, mow, or treat the lawn for pests, weeds, and diseases....

What Do Bluebirds Need? If you’re in the eastern half of the U.S., you can encourage bluebirds to stay a little longer. Ready and available supplies of food and water are essential, as is the right nesting spot. Eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) have no issue with moving into a tree that was previously prepared in past years by a woodpecker or other bird. As secondary cavity nesters, they look for hollowed-out spots in trees....

Indoor Plant Watering Devices There are a few indoor plant watering systems that you can purchase and put together, including smart irrigation systems. There are also self-watering stakes and self-watering containers. These are ready to use straight from the box. We’ve likely all seen the bulbs that are used to water our plants. Some are plastic and some are glass. These are attractive, inexpensive, and easy to use but the capabilities are limited....

How to Make an Outdoor Kitchen If you live in a warm region, you probably spend as much time outdoors as possible. Cooking outside avoids heating up the home interior. Even northern cooks like to spend spring and summer outside. With heaters, fireplaces, and misters for hot zones, any outdoor space can be comfortable enough to entertain and have guests for dinner. First, you must build the perfect backyard kitchen. Dream of an outdoor kitchen?...

However, the advantages of involving toddlers in the garden are numerous. Learning more about the very special needs of this unique demographic of future growers can help to ensure that time spent outdoors is valuable, enjoyable, and safe. Garden Tools for Toddlers Allowing toddlers to be involved in gardening is beneficial for a variety of reasons. Quality, supervised time outdoors is an excellent way in which young children are better able to experience and sense the world around them....

Can a Boston Fern be Grown Outside? Although Boston fern is often grown as a houseplant, it thrives outdoors in warm, humid climates in USDA zones 9 to 11. With adequate moisture, the plant may tolerate drier climates. Frost may kill the fern to the ground, but it will rebound in spring. Boston fern in gardens require partial to full shade, or dappled, filtered light. This makes the plant a good choice for shady, damp areas, providing a spark of bright color where few other plants will grow....

Burning Nettle Plants Burning nettle (Urtica urens) grows in various areas across the Eastern, Central, and Western United States. It is a small to mid-size, upright, broadleaf weed with bristly, deeply serrated leaves. Small, greenish-white flowers appear from late spring until late autumn. Burning nettle is found primarily in disturbed areas such as ditches, roadsides, fences, rows, and, unfortunately, in gardens. The plant earns its name, and if you accidentally brush up against the leaves, you’re unlikely to forget the experience....

How to Care for a Camellia Plant Camellias have a reputation as being demanding and picky plants, but much depends on how they are planted. If you take the time to plant this shrub appropriately, your camellia plant maintenance will be significantly reduced. Camellias require acidic soil that drains well. Test the soil first to be sure the pH is between 6 and 6.5 before you begin installing the plant. While you are digging, work in several inches (8 cm....

This same eye-catching, evergreen foliage can be an excellent accent in the outdoor landscape as well. With such a tropical-looking plant, many people skeptically question, “Can you grow Ti plants outside?”. Continue reading to learn about growing Ti plants in the landscape. Can You Grow Ti Plants Outside? Native to Eastern Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands, Ti plants (Cordyline fruticosa and Cordyline terminalis) are hardy in U.S. hardiness zones 10-12....

Carolina Reaper Hot Pepper Fans of hot, spicy food should try growing Carolina Reaper. It is considered the hottest pepper by the Guinness Book of World Records, although there is a rumored contender by the name of Dragon’s Breath. Even if Carolina Reaper isn’t the record holder anymore, it is still plenty spicy enough to cause contact burns, chili burn, and should be used with caution. The Carolina Reaper is a cross between the well-known ghost pepper and red habanero....

What is an Arborist? Arborists are tree professionals, but unlike other types of professionals like lawyers or doctors, there is no one license or certificate that helps you identify an arborist. Membership in professional organizations is one sign that an arborist is a professional, as is certification by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). Full-service arborists are experienced in all aspects of tree care, including transplanting, pruning, fertilizing, managing pests, diagnosing diseases, and tree removal....

Plant Crafts for Kids: Coloring Flowers with Food Dye This is a fun experiment for older kids, but younger kids will need a little help. All you need are glass jars, food coloring, and a few white flowers such as gerbera daisies, carnations, or mums. Fill several jars with water and two or three drops of food coloring, and then put one or two flowers in each jar. Encourage your kids to watch as the color moves up the stem and tints the petals....

Read on for more information about how you can use hot peppers for fruit trees. Hot Peppers for Fruit Trees A chili pepper fruit tree spray can keep hungry bugs and mammals from your orchard. It is considered a deterrent rather than a pesticide because it keeps the critters away from the trees and doesn’t kill them. While many people love hot sauce, few animals do. The naturally occurring substance that makes the peppers taste hot is called capsaicin, and this is an irritant to most pests....

Hellebore Pest Problems Hellebore plants are generally vigorous and healthy, and they are not particularly susceptible to bug damage. However, there are a few bugs that eat hellebores. One to watch for is aphids. They can munch the hellebore foliage. They are not very serious as pests of hellebore, however. Just wash them off with hose water. Other bugs that eat hellebores are called leaf miners. These bugs dig into the leaf surface and cause “mined out” serpentine areas....

Garlic Companion Planting Companion planting is a great low maintenance, low impact way to improve the health and flavor of your garden. Mainly because of the tendency of some plants to repel certain pests, there are pairings you can make when you plan your garden that just work. Garlic, in particular, is something of a wonder plant that improves the quality and health of almost anything it’s planted next to. Garlic takes up very little space and can grow in most conditions, as long as it has full sun....

About Zone 7 Deer Resistant Shrubs Even in little subdivisions on the edge of town, trees, flowers, and shrubs invite wildlife into the yard. Certain plants can be more appealing to certain animals. Birds flock to ripening berries, not caring if it’s the native shrub you planted specifically to attract birds, or your patch of strawberries. Squirrels build nests in large trees and forage for seeds and nuts in your yard and bird feeders....

What are Organic Fertilizers? Unlike commercial chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizer for gardens is typically made up of single ingredients and can be matched to your garden’s particular nutritional needs. The various types of organic fertilizer can come from the plant, animal, or mineral sources, depending on what chemicals your garden requires. In order to qualify as an organic fertilizer, the materials must naturally occur in nature. Fertilizer for organic gardening isn’t the quick and instant fix that chemical fertilizers can be....

Drake Elm Tree Information When you read up on drake elm tree information, you’ll learn all about the tree’s exceptionally beautiful bark. It is green, gray, orange, and brown, and it exfoliates in small thin plates. The trunk often forks, producing the same vase shape that American elms display. Drake elms (Ulmus parvifolia ‘Drake’) are relatively small trees, generally staying under 50 feet (15 m.) tall. They are deciduous, but they shed leaves late and almost act like evergreens in warmer climates....