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Scotch Broom Pruning Scotch broom plants may require pruning because of broken or diseased branches, like any other shrubs. More often, however, gardeners decide to prune a scotch broom plant because it has outgrown its allotted space or grown scraggly as it matures. However, once the plant is fully grown, it may be too late to reshape it by trimming and it can even get out of hand, requiring control. Scotch broom maintenance must begin while the shrub is young....

Using Greek oregano as groundcover is a lazy gardener’s quick and easy way of covering a trouble spot in the landscape. Spreading Greek Oregano Do you want to smell Greek or Italian food every time you walk a certain area of the garden? A Greek oregano plant cover will provide that unique experience and transport you to some of the most romantic cities in the world aromatically. Spreading Greek oregano is hardy and needs little care once established....

When to Plant Seeds in Zone 7 The last frost date for zone 7 is usually around mid-April. Keep in mind that while USDA growing zones and last frost dates provide helpful information for gardeners, they are merely guidelines. When it comes to weather, there are never any guarantees. To complicate matters even more, last frost dates can vary considerably. Before starting seeds in zone 7, it’s a good idea to check with your local cooperative extension office regarding frost dates specific to your area....

Can You Eat a Whole Sunflower? Can you eat a whole sunflower? This food trend is a little out there but definitely worth trying. Cooking a whole sunflower sounds like a wacky idea, but think about it. We often snack on the nutritious seeds and the squirrels sure seem to like them. The trick to perfect grilled sunflower heads is timing of your harvest. Learn how to cook a sunflower head and get a surprising culinary experience....

What is Curly Top Virus? As the name suggests, curly top virus of bean plants mimics the symptoms of moisture stress, a plant with curling leaves. In addition to curling leaves, beans with curly top disease have foliage that becomes thickened and stiff with leaves that twist and curl upward. The leaves may stay green or turn yellow, the plant becomes stunted, and the beans may be deformed or simply not develop....

Cleaning Out the Garden for Winter One of the key aspects of fall cleanup is the removal of potentially problem pests and disease. When you rake up old leaves and debris, you are removing a hiding place for overwintering insects and pests. The old plant material left behind is a perfect refuge for diseases such as fungal spores, which can infect fresh new plants in spring. Garden clean up should also include maintenance of the compost pile and proper practices to prevent mold and seed bloom....

Transpiration of Houseplants When the air is relatively dry, a plant acts almost like a straw. Dry air creates a “pull” that brings water from the soil into the roots, through the stems, and up to the leaves. From the leaves, the water evaporates into the air through pores called stomata. This process is called transpiration. Growing plants use transpiration to maintain a constant movement of water through the plant. Transpiration delivers water and associated nutrients up to the leaves, and it helps the plant cool down too....

Barley Leaf Rust Info According to barley leaf rust info, these types of fungal disorders seem to be host specific. That means barley leaf rust only occurs on barley and any of its family members. It is a late season disease that can cause crop loss. Historical infections between 1900 and the 1950s infected crops in the U.S. and into Canada. U.S. losses were in the Midwest and Great Plains states....

Do I Need to Stake a Tree? If you watch a tree in wind, you see it swaying. Swaying in the breeze is the norm, not the exception, for trees growing in the wild. In yesteryear, people routinely staked trees they planted in order to provide support for newly planted trees. Today, we know that most newly planted trees do not require staking and can suffer from it. When you are trying to decide whether to stake a tree or not, keep the overview in mind....

Weeping Willow Information The weeping willow (Salix babylonica) is native to China. These trees are popular worldwide for their unusual weeping branches. Utilized and admired in gardens and the subject of legends from ancient times, these trees grow throughout the eastern United States, thriving from Michigan to central Florida and west to Missouri. Some believe the ‘weeping’ refers to the way raindrops stream down the branches, dripping ‘tears’ from the tips....

Leatherjacket Pests in Your Lawn Exactly what are leatherjacket insects? Leatherjacket pests aren’t actually insects. The grub-like pests are the larval stage of daddy long legs, also known as leatherjacket crane flies – those big, mosquito-like bugs that fly around your porch light in late summer. Leatherjacket pests, which live in the soil, can definitely do their share of harm when they eat the roots and the base of plants. Adult leatherjacket crane flies lay their eggs in the grass in late summer....

What are Shore Flies? If you don’t have a greenhouse, you may not know about shore flies (Scatella stagnalis). They are one of several types of insects that are nuisance pests in areas that get excess water, like greenhouses. Shore flies have short antennae like the fruit flies that they resemble. They are very strong fliers and have dark wings with five light spots on each one. Shore flies also look a little like fungus gnats, another greenhouse and indoor nuisance pest, and are often confused with them....

What Causes Leucostoma in Apricots? Leucostoma canker in apricots is caused by two related fungal pathogens: Leucostoma cinctum and Leucostoma persoonii. The pathogens invade the trees only through dead or wounded tissue, usually in late fall and early winter, or late winter and early spring. The disease can enter the tree through scars or injuries on small twigs and wounds on larger branches. The most common infection sites are insect injuries, pruning wounds, and bark or buds damaged or killed by winter cold....

What is a Buttercup Watermelon? As the name suggests, the flesh of the Yellow Buttercup watermelon is a lemony yellow while the rind is a medium green tone striped with thin green lines. This variety of watermelon produces round fruit that weighs between 14 and 16 pounds (6-7 kg.) each. The flesh is crisp and extremely sweet. Yellow Buttercup watermelon is a seedless melon hybridized by Dr. Warren Barham and introduced in 1999....

What Causes Cilantro with Leaf Spots? Leaf spot on cilantro is a common bacterial disease favored by cool, damp conditions. Cilantro with leaf spots develop yellowish, water-soaked lesions that eventually turn tan or dark brown. The lesions may become larger and grow together and the leaves become dry and papery. The pathogen responsible for cilantro with leaf spots is Pseudomonas syringae v. coriandricola. Although leaf spot is a common disease that affects many plants, this pathogen affects only cilantro....

With glossy evergreen foliage and bright red berries that persist through winter, holly has long been associated with Christmas. Holly plants of all types are often the first go-to plant to add winter interest in the landscape. Due to this, plant breeders are continually creating newer varieties of hollies for the winter garden. One such new variety of holly is the Robin Red holly (Ilex x Robin™ ‘Conal’). Continue reading this article for more Robin Red holly info....

What is Wild Simulated Ginseng? Growing ginseng can be divided into two categories: wood grown and field grown. Wood grown ginseng can be further divided into ‘wild simulated’ and ‘wood cultivated’ ginseng plants. Both are grown in forest soil and planted in tilled beds with leaf and bark mulch, but that’s where the similarities end. Wild simulated ginseng plants are grown for 9 to 12 years while wood cultivated ginseng is only grown for six to nine years....

Plant Grass Now or Control Weeds First? Whether to sow grass seeds or control the weeds prior to sowing is a big question, and one that depends on three different scenarios. For areas with broadleaf weeds and a few annual grasses sow now and control the weeds later. Broadleaf herbicides should not be sprayed onto newly seeded turf until it has been mowed at least twice which can first be done when the grass is three inches (8 cm) tall....

Also known as windflower, wood anemone plants (Anemone quinquefolia) are low-growing wildflowers that produce dainty, waxy blooms rising above attractive, bright green foliage in spring and summer. Flowers may be white, greenish yellow, red, or purple, depending on the variety. Read on for tips on growing wood anemone plants. Wood Anemone Cultivation Wood anemone uses in the garden are similar to other woodland plants. Grow wood anemone in a shady woodland garden or where it can border a perennial flower bed, much as you would with other anemone windflowers....

Growing Trees in Zone 4 Young zone 4 tree selections may need a little extra protection to make it through the winter. It’s not uncommon for deer or rabbits to rub or chew on new saplings in fall and winter. Tree guards placed around the trunks of new trees can protect them from animal damage. Experts argue about using tree guards for frost protection. On one hand, it is said that tree guards can protect a tree from frost damage and cracking by keeping the sun from thawing and warming the trunk....