Lettuce Mollusk Problems The type of slugs and snails you may encounter in the vegetable garden vary depending upon where you live. Even though slugs obviously lack shells, both slugs and snails are classified as mollusks. The mollusks use their single “foot” to move within the garden in search of plant matter. Slugs and snails seek shelter from direct sunlight within the garden and are most active at night and when temperatures are cool....

Growing Shrubs in Upper Midwest States Shrubs are useful additions to gardens for many reasons. They offer a mid-range height in the landscape, visual interest between the height of trees and lower flower beds. Shrubs make great borders and privacy screens and are nice alternatives to fences and walls. Some produce edible fruit and pretty smelling flowers. Native species attract and support local wildlife. When choosing among northern Midwest shrub varieties, look for those that will match your needs and growing conditions....

Growing Pawpaw Sucker Root Cuttings You’ve probably only tasted a pawpaw if you’re lucky enough to have a tree growing nearby, either in the wild or on a neighbor’s property. You may have noticed suckers (shoots that grow directly from the roots) emerging from the ground. Seeing these emerging from the ground, some may ask: “can you root pawpaw suckers?” It is difficult to propagate the tree in this manner. According to people experienced with this tree, pawpaw sucker propagation tends to have a low success rate....

Periwinkle Control Methods Periwinkle is a very popular groundcover due to its glossy evergreen leaves and bright starry blue flowers. The plants establish and grow quickly, with remarkable tolerance to poor soils, unfavorable weather conditions, and even mechanical damage. Mowing or string trimming the plant to keep it in a manageable condition works well in containing the tangled stems. Be cautious with the trimmings though, as periwinkle will produce new plants with just a tiny bit of stem to ground contact, even once severed from the parent plant....

Every plant in the vegetable garden is a little broken heart waiting to happen. After all, you start them from seeds, nurture them through their awkward teenage stages, and then hope, as adults, they’ll be fruitful and, in some cases, even multiply. When pink rot potato disease appears in your mature potato patch close to harvest, your first thoughts may be about treating pink rot in potatoes, but sadly, there is no cure once it has taken hold....

The question some indoor gardeners have is not so much what is a terrarium, but what plants will grow well in a terrarium. Once you have a little know how on plants for terrariums, you’ll soon be on your way to growing these old-age houseplant gardens with ease. What is a Terrarium? So what is a terrarium? Houseplant terrariums are sealed plant display units that are more modest than plant windows, but equally as beautiful when taken care of properly....

Exceptional Houseplant Trees Here is a variety of indoor trees that you can grow. Some will be appropriate for lower light and some need higher light. There are appropriate indoor tree varieties for many different conditions. Fiddle Leaf Fig – You can’t look anywhere these days without finding a fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata). These can grow in a variety of light conditions ranging from bright indirect light to pretty sunny conditions....

Vines of South Central areas provide nectar, seeds, and berries relished by wildlife. Hummingbirds are drawn to the nectar of crossvine, trumpet coral vine, trumpet creeper, and cypress vine. Below is a list of annual and perennial South Central vines for Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas. Vines for the Southern Region There are many South Central vines to choose from, annual and perennial, with different climbing habits which may determine the type of vine you need....

How to Propagate Astilbe with Seed Astilbe grows from rhizomes, which produce the shoots and blooms of this lively shade plant. You may also choose to grow astilbe from seed, but the results are variable, blooms take many seasons to produce, and the plants tend to be short-lived. For faster plants and bigger bloom displays, the best way of propagating astilbe plants is through division. It is an easy process and the results are better parent plants and babies to dot around the shady areas of your landscape....

Why Raspberries Won’t Form Sometimes it takes a bit of detective work to figure out why there’s no fruit on raspberry plants. But before you don your detective’s hat, let’s first consider how raspberries grow. The root of the raspberry plant is a perennial which sends up new canes each year. The individual canes act like a biennial, with each cane living for 2 years before dying. Everbearing raspberry canes produce berries twice in their lifetime — once in the fall of their first year and again in the summer of their second year....

Using Sedge as Lawn It’s time to look outside the box on landscaping and veer away from the old tried and true. Sedge lawn substitute brings a modern, yet natural, touch to the garden. Adding to that is the ease of care and lazy man’s upkeep, and sedge is a winning plant for lawns and other spaces. There are dozens of varieties from which to choose, many of which are native to North America....

Sempervivum Information Plants that take a lot to grow, such as orchids, are a collector’s dream but their fussiness and specific needs take a lot of time and energy to sustain. For us lazy gardeners, sempervivum offers unique form and beauty without any of the effort. Try growing these succulent plants on a rockery, vertical wall, or even on driftwood. Sempervivum growing conditions are only limited by good drainage and sunlight....

About Pea Trees A member of the pea family (Fabaceae), the Siberian pea tree, Caragana arborescens, is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to Siberia and Manchuria. Introduced into the United States, the Siberian pea tree, otherwise known as Caragana pea tree, attains heights of between 10 to 15 feet (3-4.5 m.) tall, some up to 20 feet (6 m.) tall. It is composed of alternate 3- to 5-inch (7....

What is a Snofozam Tree? Snofozam, sold under the trade name of Snow Fountain, is a deciduous tree hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8. With a weeping habit, Snow Fountain cherries are stunning in the spring, covered with their showy, brilliantly white booms. They are members of the family Rosaceae and the genus Prunus, from the Latin for plum or cherry tree. Snofozam cherry trees were introduced in 1985 by Lake County Nursery in Perry, Ohio....

Top Plants for South Central Gardens When looking for tried and true plants for South Central gardens, don’t forget to include plants native to this gardening region. Native plants are acclimated to the region and require less water and nutrients than non-native plants. They are easy to find in native plant nurseries or by mail order. Before purchasing plants, know the United States Department of Agriculture’s plant hardiness zone for your area, and check the plant tags for the hardiness zone....

Spindle Palm Houseplant Spindle palm trees are fairly common indoor plants. The tree is endemic to the Mascarene Islands near Madagascar where it thrives in dry, sandy soil. It is only hardy in United States Department of Agriculture zone 11, but it makes an excellent indoor tree and its growth is slow enough to make it perfect for a container. There are a few things to know about growing spindle palm inside, most importantly, the amount of water this pretty palm should receive....

Thyme Alternative to Grass A creeping thyme lawn is not only drought resistant, but it generally requires much less water than traditional turf grasses too. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, can be walked upon, and will rapidly spread to fill in a space. As an added bonus, thyme blooms in a long-lasting profusion of lavender hued flowers. The downside of planting thyme as lawn replacement is the cost. Planting a creeping thyme lawn with plants set 6 to 12 inches (15-31 cm....

Adaptive Gardening at Home There is no reason why a person with some limitations cannot enjoy gardening. The hobby is a healthy way to get moderate exercise, enjoy the outdoors, and engage in an activity that produces pride and a sense of accomplishment. Adaptive gardening utilizes new, innovative lightweight tools for disabled persons. Many garden tools can be adapted at home to save you money and allow you to use a favorite item with ease....

Why are My Beans Tough and Stringy? Some beans are referred to as string beans, as they have a string that is often removed prior to cooking, lest the beans are too fibrous to eat. All beans are at their peak when freshly picked with tender young pods. One reason beans are fibrous, tough, and stringy may simply be that they are picked past their prime. Pod diameter, NOT length is the best indicator for harvesting beans, and freshness can be confirmed by an audible snap when the bean is broken....

Wisteria Borer Damage Damage to the appearance of a wisteria is one of the obvious problems, but the issue goes deeper. The holes open up the plant to introduction of rot and disease, as well as other insect invaders. The most important issue is the girdling of crucial meristem tissue on the interior of the stems. This tissue is responsible for ferrying nutrients and moisture to all parts of the plant....