Named after the French Guiana city of Cayenne, cayenne pepper plants are related to bell peppers, jalapenos, and other peppers with just a touch more heat than the latter. On the Scoville scale, cayenne pepper is rated at 30,000-50,000 units — spicy, but not so much it will knock your socks off. This Capsicum genus is in the nightshade family of Solanaceae. How to Grow Cayenne Pepper Plants Growing cayenne pepper plants requires some heat....

Chinese Pistache Facts The Chinese pistache tree is, as mentioned, a notable ornamental tree, especially during the fall season when the normally dark green foliage changes to a dramatic profusion of orange and red leaves. An excellent shade tree with a broad canopy, Chinese pistache will attain heights of between 30-60 feet (9-18 m.). A deciduous tree, the one foot (30 cm.) long pinnate leaves consist of between 10-16 leaflets. These leaves are mildly aromatic when bruised....

Growing Requirements for Common Cucumber Types Whether growing slicing or pickling cucumber varieties, both types of cucumber plants have the same requirements. Cucumbers thrive in fertile, well-draining soil in full sun exposure. These warm-season veggies should be planted after all danger of frost has passed in your area and the soil temps are at least 60-70 degrees F. (15-21 C.). Seeds are usually planted in hills with 4-5 planted at a depth of one inch (2....

No place is free of insect pests, and that includes the American Northeast. The bugs of New England span a variety of attacking behaviors. The home garden will be visited by many annoying insects, but the greater wild regions are also prey to bugs like borers. Recognize the local flying and crawling creatures and know what steps to take to reduce their potential damage. Insect Pests in the Vegetable Garden Gardeners who plant food are aware of the need to protect their vegetables from insects....

Conifers in Southern Regions There are some conifers in southern regions that do well though. This includes Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas. Extra care is required to alleviate environmental stress (such as irrigating conifers in times of drought or hot spells). Applying a thin layer of mulch will prevent rapid loss of moisture and help regulate fluctuating temperatures in southern regions. By checking regularly for signs of disease, stress, or insects, many problems can be eased before they become serious....

White Clover Identification White clover is a perennial weed that grows low to the ground. While it can grow in many different places, it is typically found in lawns, especially sparse lawns where the competition from grass is weak. The leaves on white clover grow in sets of 3 leaflets. Each leaflet is tear shaped and many have a reddish stripe across it. The flowers on white clover are spiky and white with a brownish green center....

Edible landscaping isn’t a new concept, but when combined with suburban permaculture, it is part of a sustainable system. Some planning must go into the permaculture yard, developing systems that go hand in hand for a cyclical garden. A well planned front yard permaculture garden offers seamless beauty and readily available food in a practice that fosters the return of nutrients to soil, water management, and encourages a natural ecosystem....

How to Add Interest with Garden Features From simple paths to complex structures, there’s a feature to fit any style or budget. Let’s take a look at some popular landscaping features for the garden. Paths Boundaries must be marked and paths need to be laid. Most likely, the garden has at least one path. Paths typically serve a practical purpose in the garden, however, they can also become prominent landscaping features used to enhance the overall design....

Dahlia Fertilizer Needs Healthy tubers are the first step to vigorous dahlia bushes. Choose tubers that are free from blemish, chubby, and have plenty of growth eyes or nodes. Proper soil preparation and knowing how to fertilize dahlias will also help you achieve the massive plants with prolific blooms that are the goal of any dahlia gardener. Feeding dahlia plants within 30 days of planting will jump start the tubers production of sprouts and stems, while giving the plant enough of the right fuel to enhance flower production and healthy root development....

Mini succulent gardens are a fun, easy, and low maintenance way of developing a fairy garden. A fairy garden with succulents is also an innovative and creative way to introduce plants and their care to children or beginner gardeners. Succulent Fairy Garden Ideas Remember reading a favorite story book as a child and the magical feeling that swirled around you as you imagined strange new worlds and fantastic beings? You can get a smaller version of that sentiment by using inspired succulent fairy garden ideas....

Wandflower, or Dierama, is slightly frost tolerant and grows well in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 to 9. Growing Dierama wandflowers provides dramatic form and texture to sunny, well-drained areas of your garden. Dierama Plants Dierama plants spring from corms, which are underground storage organs much like tubers or bulbs. The angel’s rod fishing plant has delicate bell-shaped pink, purple, or white flowers dangling from the stems. The stems may grow 6 feet (2 m....

Types of Gardening Forks First, there are the forks used for digging or aerating soil: the garden fork, digging fork (a.k.a. spading fork), and border fork. Garden fork – The garden fork is the largest of these and is useful for larger spaces. When to use a garden fork? These tough tools are great for heavier tasks like breaking up hard soil or establishing a new garden. Other garden fork uses include double digging and aerating soil....

What is a Stroll Garden? If a stroll garden was simply a garden you could walk through, every garden would qualify. Instead, Japanese stroll gardens are outdoor areas designed with a different intent than most gardens. The Japanese apparently got their initial stroll garden ideas from the Chinese who developed two sorts of gardens, gardens to foster spiritual development and gardens to provide pleasure. The Japanese made two similar types of gardens often identified as Zen gardens and stroll gardens....

Does Aloe Vera Bloom? There are over 400 species in the family aloe, with aloe vera one of the most popular forms. These easy to grow succulents tolerate a range of light neglect and thrive in well-draining, gritty soil, full sun, and regular water. Aloe plant blooms rise from an inflorescence which soars above the attractive rosettes. Only mature plants of at least four years of age will bloom, so if you see no flowers on aloe plants, it may simply be due to the plant’s age....

Organic Bug Spray for Plants There are many organic insect sprays for humans and pets available at health food stores. Even the big brands like Off, Cutter, and Avon have jumped on the organic bandwagon. When purchasing organic and eco-friendly insect sprays, be sure to read the labels. If a product has understandable ingredients like lemon eucalyptus oil, citronella, or rosemary extract, it probably is truly organic. If the product’s ingredients contain complex chemical compounds or DEET, keep browsing....

What are Fairy Gardens? Fairy gardens are basically miniature gardens with added touches that give the appearance of a tiny creature residing in the garden. Many fairy gardens are planted in a small, almost secluded area in your garden, somewhere that someone will feel that they simply “stumbled” upon a magical location. Just as many miniature fairy gardens are planted in containers though. Fairy gardens are also normally filled with whimsical items to add to the feeling of magic....

Fall Garden Planting Guide Knowing when, where and what to plant in the fall garden is important. The best time to plant a fall garden is late September through early October, depending on where you live. In order to be successful in planting, check the hardiness zone for your particular area beforehand. This will also come in handy for choosing appropriate plants for fall gardens. Fall Garden Plants There are a number of plants for fall gardens....

Indian poke plants Corn lily American false hellebore Duck retten Earth gall Devil’s bite Bear corn Tickle weed Devil’s tobacco American hellebore Green hellebore Itch weed Swamp hellebore White hellebore They are not related to hellebore plants, which are in the Ranunculus family, but are instead in the family Melanthiaceae. False hellebore flowers may be in bloom in your backyard. What is False Hellebore? Indian poke plants come in two varieties: Veratrum viride var....

Complementing Garden Surroundings The hardscape is just as important, serving as the framework for the garden. Think of the hardscape as a design map for planting flowers, trees, and shrubs. The hardscape is made up of the non-growing structures within a landscape, such as patios, walkways, edging, and even the home itself. General hardscape features such as a deck, wall, or flagstone walk, are added to the garden design at a later time....

Big space, small space or not much at all, we’re here to help. Let’s dig in and get started! How to Get Started with Gardening Starting a garden at home for the first time begins with learning more about your specific region and growing zone. Importance of Regional Gardening ZonesUSDA Planting Zone MapHardiness Zone Converter Other factors to consider include your available garden space (it helps to start small and expand as your knowledge and confidence grows), what types of plants you’d like to grow, your current soil conditions, your light conditions and, of course, some basic garden terminology helps....