When to Cut Eucalyptus While many people assume fall to early spring is an appropriate time for eucalyptus trimming, this isn’t the case at all. In fact, pruning too near the onset of cold weather or post freezing temperatures can trigger dieback and encourage disease. The best time for pruning eucalyptus is during the heat of summer. Although some bleeding of sap may occur, these trees actually heal quicker in hot weather....
Lawn Care During Fall When temperatures cool and the blades of grass stop growing, the roots of the turfgrass continue to grow. That’s why grass care in fall includes watering and fertilization to provide the nutrients and moisture the lawn needs to develop strong roots and build a reserve of energy. You can use a hand-held spreader to fertilize a small lawn, but you’ll have better control and apply the fertilizer more evenly if you use a walk-behind spreader....
What are Fern Spores? In nature, these lovely plants reproduce through their spores. Fern spores are the tiny, genetic bases for new plants. They are found contained in a casing, called sporangia, and grouped into bunches, called sori, on the underside of the leaves. Spores look like little dots and may be harvested for fern spore propagation by the intrepid gardener. Timing and some skill are required when propagating ferns with these minute specks....
Ripe figs Tomatoes Grapes Berries Peaches Plums Figeater beetles can cause extensive injury in home lawns and gardens. Fig Beetle Facts Figeater beetles are generally harmless and actually quite attractive. Many people don’t mind their presence in the garden, but due to their clumsy air-raid flight habits and loud buzzing, they may wear out their welcome in a hurry. In large numbers, they can do more serious damage. Adult figeater beetles lay their eggs 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm....
What are Golden Jubilee Peaches? Golden Jubilee peach trees produce mid-season peaches that can be grown in cooler climates. They need about 800 chilling hours, temperatures below 45 F. (7 C.), to set fruit. They are a hybrid peach whose parent is the Elberta peach. The Golden Jubilee peach variety produces yellow-fleshed, sweet and juicy, freestone peaches that are ready for harvest in summer. The trees bloom in the spring with scented pink-tinted blossoms, which give way to yellow fruit with a flush of scarlet that can be used for canning or eating fresh....
Growing fruit trees in a greenhouse is entirely possible and enables you to bring in species that otherwise might not survive your climate. Read on for information on the best trees to grow in a greenhouse with tips on greenhouse tree care. Can You Grow Trees in a Greenhouse? Greenhouse fruit tree growing is a foreign concept to many gardeners who ask: Can you grow trees in a greenhouse – (legit regular sized trees)?...
Gardens with limited sunshine often lack flowering plants for shade. Such plants brighten low light areas and provide the flowers necessary for pollinators and pleasure. There are specimens of red, orange, blue, white, yellow, and purple shade plants. So, no matter the color scheme, there are plenty of plants for the shade flower garden. Planning the Shade Flower Garden There are many things to consider when starting a shade garden....
Can a tree grow from a stump? It’s entirely possible to regrow certain species of trees from a trunk. Read on to learn the best way to grow back tree stumps into trees. Regrow Tree from Stump If you walk through a forest, you’ll see many a tree sprouting from stump tops. Nature often works hard at regrowing felled trees, whether the gardener is in agreement or not. That’s because stump sprouting is a natural way that fallen trees regenerate, allowing a stand of trees to make a comeback after a forest fire or even deer browsing kills young trees....
Dianthus Plant The dianthus plant is also called Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) and has a fragrance with cinnamon or clove notes. The plants are small and usually between 6 and 18 inches (15-46 cm.) tall. Dianthus flowers are most often in pink, salmon, red and white hues. The foliage is slender and sparsely spread on thick stems. Dianthus had a short blooming season until 1971, when a breeder learned how to grow forms that did not set seed and, therefore, have a prolonged bloom period....
Planting Holly Bushes The best time for planting holly bushes is either in the spring or fall. The relatively low temperatures combined with higher rainfall will make settling into the new location much less stressful for the holly bush. The best location for planting holly bushes is in well-drained but not dry, slightly acidic soil in full sun. That being said, most hollies are very tolerant of less than ideal locations and will grow well in part shade or dry or swampy soil....
Pros and Cons of Sedum Lawn Substitute Sedums are wonderful succulent, drought tolerant plants that grow like weeds and need little babying. The only drawback with growing sedum lawns is its inability to take heavy foot traffic. The leaves and stems are fragile and break off easily, but for lightly used areas it will create a wonderful textured green groundcover. It is true that sedum is a fast growing, no fuss plant with few pest and disease issues and wonderful drought tolerance....
Iguana Damage Iguanas are plant eating lizards and will eat a great many kinds of plants. In particular, they like flowering shrubs, like hibiscus, and berry fruits and vegetables, like tomatoes, strawberries, and figs. They also dig burrows to live in. These burrows can damage lawns and walkways in the garden. Iguanas may also leave feces that is not only smelly and unsightly, but a health hazard as well– iguanas carry salmonella....
While eliminating Japanese beetles can be challenging, one of the things you can do is to grow plants that deter Japanese beetles or plants that don’t attract Japanese beetles. Either of these options will allow you to have a garden that will not become an annual smorgasbord for Japanese beetles. Plants That Deter Japanese Beetles While it may seem amazing, there are actually plants Japanese beetles avoid. The typical kind of plant that will help to drive away Japanese beetles will be strong smelling and may taste bad to the insect....
About Invasive Ornamental Grasses Ornamental grass management is necessary with many species of these elegant waving plants. Part of what makes them so attractive are their plumed, feathery inflorescences, but that is also what makes them such a problem. The seeds are windborne and will result in a host of baby plants. If that isn’t the propagation method, many grasses spread from rhizomes and can become a nuisance. Springtime is when any grass that wasn’t evergreen starts coming back up....
Ivory Silk Japanese Lilac The Ivory Silk cultivar is loved by many gardeners for its impressive size and glorious flower clusters. The plant can grow to 30 feet (9 m.) tall and 15 feet (5 m.) wide. The cream-colored blossoms arrive in summer. They are very showy and last two weeks on the tree. Though most lilac blossoms have a heady fragrance, the Ivory Silk flowers are much subtler. Ivory Silk Japanese lilac thrives in cooler areas, specifically in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 6 or 7....
Is Your Jade Going Red? There are around 200 species of Crassula, or jade plant. Many of these naturally have blushed tips, such as the Golden Jade Tree. This plant has almost lime green leaves, adorned with pinkish red edges. Other examples might be ‘Botany Bay,’ ‘Harbour Lights,’ ‘Silver Dollar’ jade, or Silver jade. There are many more varieties that normally sport red edging along the leaves. So if your jade is getting red, look up the variety and see if this is part of the plant....
What is Lagos Spinach? Cockscomb Lagos spinach (Celosia argentea) is a variety of Celosia grown as an annual flower in the West. The genus Celosia contains about 60 species native to tropical regions. Celosia is divided into five categories according to the type of inflorescence or “bloom.” The Childsii group is composed of terminal inflorescence that looked like fuzzy, colorful cockscombs. Other groups have flattened cockscombs, are dwarf varieties, or bear plumed or feathery inflorescences....
What is Bearded Tooth Fungus? Bearded tooth is a mushroom that you can feel confident about collecting in the wild because it has no look-alikes, either poisonous or non. Although they aren’t common, you can sometimes find them in the fall in shady forests. The bearded tooth fungus habitat is the trunks of old beech or oak trees. The mushrooms grow in wounds in the tree trunk, and they are a sign that the tree has heart rot....
Why is My Lime Tree Losing Leaves? Watering issues and lime tree leaf drop Watering citrus plants can be a little tricky. If you give the tree too much water, you’ll find your lime tree dropping leaves, but if you don’t water it enough, you’ll also find your lime tree dropping leaves. The trick is to find a happy medium. When you have lime trees that are planted, you should water them once a week or so to prevent lime tree leaf drop....
About Mandrake Toxicity The oftentimes forked root of mandrake is said to resemble the human form and, as such, brought to rise many supposed effects of the plant. People who live where the plant grows wild have often mistakenly eaten its round fruits with surprising results. Although fantasy writers and others have given the plant a colorful back story, mandrake is a potentially dangerous vegetative selection that can get the diner into serious trouble....
