Benefits to Growing Vegetable Gardens on a Deck Even if you do have yard space for a garden, vegetable garden containers can help overcome some common gardening problems like fusarium or verticillium wilt, nematodes, poorly draining soil, or pests like gophers. Additionally, the soil in a container warms more quickly in the spring, allowing you to plant tomatoes or peppers way ahead of schedule. Also, those crops which require more sun or are receiving too much sun and perhaps getting sunburned, can more easily be moved to a more exposed or protected area dependent upon the need....

What is Dragon Arum Lily? Dragon arum lily (Dracunculus vulgaris) is also called voodoo lily, snake lily, stink lily, and many more colorful monikers. With the spadix nestled in the center, it’s no wonder the plants are called amorphallus. The plant is a deciduous tuber which produces large-fingered aroid leaves of glossy light green. The leaves perch atop thick stalks decorated with a snakeskin pattern and are set in groups of three....

Insects That Feed on Flower Bulbs Flower bulb pests are inevitable if you grow any significant number of bulbs for any amount of time. The trick is to not panic when you encounter them. All’s not lost when you come across bugs that eat flower bulbs, you just need to know how to handle them. Below, you’ll find a list of the most common pests and some tricks for dealing with them: Aphids....

DIY Natural Christmas Garland To make a natural evergreen garland, you’ll first need to collect the materials you’d like to use. These can come from your own backyard or from the yards of family, friends and co-workers. It’s advisable to ask permission from property owners before foraging garland natural materials from fields and alongside roadways. Here’s a list of suggested materials that can be used to craft DIY natural Christmas garland:...

Types of Agave Almost every climate is capable of growing agave, as some are hardy down to single digits for short periods of time and with shelter. Agave is in the Agavaceae family of succulents which include dracaena, yucca and ponytail palms. The century plant (Agave americana) is one of the most notorious landscape agaves. It produces a lovely inflorescence (flower) and then the main plant dies, leaving behind pups or offsets....

Planning an Aquarium Herb Garden Three plants are plenty for most aquarium gardens. A larger tank will accommodate more but allow at least 3 to 4 inches (7.5-10 cm.) between plants. Be sure the plants have the same growing conditions. Don’t grow moisture-loving basil with herbs that like dry conditions, for instance. An internet search will help you determine what herbs make good neighbors. Growing Herbs in a Fish Tank Here are some tips for planting herbs in an aquarium:...

Why is a Watermelon Grown Square? So where did the idea come from and why on earth would anyone think of a watermelon grown square? The idea of growing square watermelons began in Japan. Japanese farmers needed to find a way to work out the issue of traditionally round watermelons being too awkward by rolling around or taking up too much space in the refrigerator. After playing around with different ideas, they finally came up with one that worked—a watermelon grown square!...

When to Start Tomato Seeds The best time to start tomato plants from seeds is about six to eight weeks before you plan on planting them out into your garden. For areas that get frost, plan on planting out your tomato seedlings two to three weeks after your last frost, so you will start growing tomatoes from seed at four to six weeks before your last frost date. How to Start Tomato Plants from Seed Tomato seeds can be started in small pots of damp seed starting soil, damp potting soil, or in moistened peat pellets....

When are Pears Ripe to Eat? It’s always hard to wait for something good but often the waiting just enhances the experience. This is the case with pears. Pears don’t ripen best on the tree. They ripen from the inside out and develop soft interiors with a mushy, grainy texture. Pears should be firm and juicy for the best results eaten out of hand or canned. Habitual canners know how to pick pears and when they are ready for use....

Why is My Celery Hollow Inside? If you’ve ever bitten into a piece of celery, I’m sure you noticed its crisp texture and satisfying crunch. Water is the key element here, and boy, celery needs a lot of it! Celery roots are short reaching, only about 6-8 inches (15-20 cm.) away from the plant and 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm.) deep. Since celery plants can’t reach out for water, water must be brought to it....

An Indoor Garden How To Use the following tips to help get you started with how to start an indoor garden room: Plan how to start an indoor garden – Garden room ideas are varied, so it’s best to sit down and think about what you want from your garden room. Do you want a tropical paradise where you can escape the winter outside? Are you looking for an English-style garden to take tea?...

Types of Fungal Damage in Cactus The vast number of cacti species can only be outcompeted by the huge quantity of fungal varieties. Fungus spots on cactus pads are common, as in the case of Phyllosticta pad spot. It is often quite impossible to diagnose which fungal organism is causing the spots, but often that is unimportant since treatments are generally the same. A few fungus types damage the roots and eventually the whole plant, so once their visual damage is seen, it is too late for the plant....

What is Stinging Nettle? Stinging nettle is a member of the large family Urticaceae and is a decidedly unpleasant herbaceous perennial. As the name implies, stinging nettle has the capacity to irritate and blister when it comes into contact with skin. The most common variety (Urtica dioica procera) is native to North America, being prolific in California and other areas of the western United States, and is referred to by a number of common names for its two most widespread subspecies....

What is a Kentia Palm? Kentia palms are native to Lord Howe Island in the South Pacific. These palms are also known as sentry or paradise palms. They are suitable for growing in USDA zones 9-11, but for those outside these ranges, Kentia palm plants make terrific container grown specimens. Kentia palms have the typical large palm-shaped leaves. They can grow up to 40 feet (12 m.) in height but they are slow growers, and indoor Kentia palms typically max out in containers at fewer than 12 feet (3....

How to Grow Ligustrum Shrubs Privets are very adaptable trees and shrubs. In fact, ligustrum plants thrive in full sun or partial shade. They tolerate most soil types, and with the exception of Chinese privets (Ligustrum sinense), they tolerate moderate amounts of salt in the soil. Don’t plant them near roadways that are treated with salt in the winter or on ocean-front property where the foliage is likely to be sprayed with salt....

Common Marigold Diseases Among the most common marigold diseases are blights, rots, and mildews. Usually, these types of diseases show up when conditions are wet and warm, and fungal spores are rampant. In most cases, simply discontinuing overhead watering can stop the formation and spread of spores. As mentioned, fungal marigold plant diseases occur most often. These might be Aster yellows, wilt, and stem rot, collar rot, flower bud rot, and damping off when in the seedling phase....

Why Morning Glory is Not Blooming Morning glories have been popular flowers for centuries. They were favorites for the cottage garden because they grew readily in poor soil and needed little special care. The vines grow at a rapid pace and eventually produce trumpet-shaped flowers. There are several species of morning glory, each of which develops at a different time. No morning glory flowers could mean the soil is too fertile, the plants aren’t sited correctly, or even that you have a late-blooming variety....

These trees require special care to look their best. High humidity, plenty of bright light and reasonable fertilization are on the menu, and any Norfolk Island pine trouble shooting should start by examining these key ingredients. Branch drop in Norfolk pines is common and happens for a couple of reasons. Norfolk Dropping Branches Branches, needles or branch tips falling off Norfolk pine is a regular occurrence with these plants, even when conditions are ideal....

Dog Waste in Compost Composting is a natural process to reduce organic waste to a useable nutrient source for plants. As you responsibly pick up your pet’s waste, it might occur to you to wonder, “Can dog feces go in compost?”. After all, the waste is an organic derivative that should be able to be converted back into a garden amendment much like steer or pig manure. Unfortunately, our pet wastes contain parasites that may not be killed in household compost piles....

Harvesting Edible Flowers Flowers have been used for centuries from China to Morocco to Ecuador for making teas, tinctures, and aromatics but they have also been used in cuisine from soups to pies and even stir-fries. That doesn’t mean that every flower you encounter is edible. Many of us already utilize the blossoms from our herb gardens but there are many other edible flowers. Before picking flowers to eat, however, be sure to identify the flower first....