There is a huge variety of unique flora in our parks, forests, and waters. Gardeners whose landscape mimics the natural landscape may find themselves enticed by the plants in public spaces, but in most states, plant harvesting from wild sources is illegal. There are also other reasons not to remove plants from their natural state. What is Wild Harvesting? You may think wild harvesting is simply gathering blackberries in the forest or mushroom hunting....

The Perfect Valentine’s Day Plants Philodendron – Perhaps the most popular heart-shaped-leaf plant, Philodendron are valued for their ability to thrive in low-light conditions. Most varieties require very little care and can happily adorn your sweetie’s office space for years. For the busy professional, consider the beloved Heartleaf Philodendron variety (Philodendron hederaceum). With its 2 to 3 inch (5 to7.6 cm.) leaves and fast-growing vines, this heart-shaped plant is ideally suited for hanging baskets and trellises....

Planting Around Pools Planting around pools raises some concerns and challenges. The first is concern about chlorinated water splashing on the plants. This, however, is actually not a problem for plants. In fact, you could even water them with the pool water if you wish with no health problems for the plant. The second concern is debris. Plant at least 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 m.) away from the edge of the pool if specimens are low growing....

Growing Container Plants in Full Sun When you grow plants in full sun, the main threats you’ll need to protect plants from are the drying out and heating of soil and the burning of leaves. Plants in containers are more exposed to the elements than plants in the ground, so drying and heating problems are intensified. To minimize these problems, be sure to choose a large enough pot that is still proportional to the size of the plant inside....

Due to their size, purchasing haworthia to fill a flowerbed or a large succulent planter can get expensive. Propagating haworthia is not difficult and can give gardeners the quantity of plants they need. There are several methods of propagating succulents, so let’s consider which methods work best for haworthia propagation. How to Propagate Haworthia There are three proven methods for propagating haworthia: seeds, offset division, or leaf cutting. Which method you choose will depend upon what is available to you....

What are Defensive Bushes? Home security via plants? Sounds like a funny idea but it has both economical and aesthetically sound logic. Defensive barriers have been used for centuries. The commonly known defenses might be moats or even stone walls, but the humble plant can provide resistance and security as well. Defensive shrubs for landscaping blend in and still guard the home against invasion. Natural barriers are a wonderful way to keep unwanted guests off the property and away from the home....

What Causes Holes in Cucumbers? Some cucumbers are almost hollow inside, which is usually due to improper irrigation or a lack of water. However, a cucumber with holes riddling it is most probably due to an insect of some kind. Slugs In my neck of the woods, the Pacific Northwest, the most likely culprit for cucumber holes may be slugs. These guys will eat almost anything and will drill holes through both green and ripe fruit....

Choosing Red Apples As mentioned above, choosing an apple tree with red fruit is a matter of taste, of course, but there are a few other considerations. About the only thing that apples that are red have in common is, that they are red. First off, not every red apple variety will be suited to your neck of the woods. Be sure that you are selecting only apples that thrive in your region....

What is Blue Eyed Grass? The gardener looking for a substitute for iris or other bulb flowers should explore the blue eyed grass plant (Sisyrinchium spp.). So what is blue eyed grass and is it a suitable plant for the garden? This plant is clumping and can get 4 to 16 inches (10-40 cm.) tall and equally wide. Blue eyed grass wildflower grows from hardy rhizomes that send out tall, blade-like foliage, much like grass blades and this is where the “grass” in its name derives....

If your yard has heavy soil, your best bet is to amend it to increase drainage, then select clay-tolerant shrubs. We’ll give you some tips on amending clay soil as well as a list of shrubs for clay backyards. About Clay Tolerant Shrubs Clay is not a “bad” type of soil, despite its reputation. It is simply soil that is composed of extremely fine particles sitting close together. That means that substances like nutrients, oxygen, and water don’t pass easily through them, leading to poor drainage....

A casual stroll in your local forest may find you surrounded by several types of hickory and their attending nut crop. Hickory nut harvesting is a fun, family activity that will provide you with a supply of these high-protein nuts to last through the winter. Best Time for Hickory Nut Harvesting Hickory trees have dense, sweet nuts that are reminiscent of mild walnuts. The nut meat is hard to get to because of the hard, thick shells, but once you finally get a taste of these buttery nuts you’ll be hooked....

Tatsoi Plant Info Tatsoi (Brassica rapa) is indigenous to Japan where it has been cultivated since 500 A.D. This Asian green belongs to the cabbage family of Brassicas. A low growing annual with small, spoon-shaped leaves, tatsoi is also called spoon mustard, spinach mustard, or rosette bok choy, of which it is a close relative of. They have a mild mustard-like flavor. The plant looks similar to spinach; however, the stems and veins are white and sweet....

How to Make a Homemade Raised Garden Nearly anything that holds soil and maintains shape is the best way to build a raised garden bed. Wood, concrete, bricks, stones, or containers that are situated in tiers can all be implemented for use in a raised bed. Normally wood is the most commonly used; you should try to stay away from using any lumber which has been pressure treated; however, since the chemicals that are used to treat the wood can get into the soil and harm plants....

What to Know Before Planting Blueberries Blueberries need acidic soil to produce fruit so before even thinking about planting a blueberry, have a soil test done. Most fruit like a neutral soil pH of 6.5 to 7.5 but blueberries are unique in that they thrive between 4.3 to 5.5 pH. Growing them in a neutral soil will result in slow growth, stunted plants with yellowing leaves, and little to no fruit....

What is an Epiphyte Plant? The word epiphyte comes from the Greek “epi,” which means “upon” and “phyton,” which means plant. One of the amazing adaptations of epiphytes is their ability to attach to vertical surfaces and capture their water and much of their nutrient needs from sources other than soil. They may be found on branches, trunks, and other structures. While epiphytes may live on other plants, they are not parasites....

Can You Dig Holes in Garden for Food Scraps? Yes, and this is actually one of the simplest and most effective methods of composting kitchen scraps. Variously referred to as trench or pit composting in gardens, there are a few different trench composting methods, but it all comes down to composting food scraps in a hole. How to Compost in a Hole in the Ground Composting food scraps in a hole is definitely not a new technique; it’s probably how your grandparents and great grandparents got rid of kitchen waste....

Why Try Upside-Down Gardening? You don’t have to turn the world on its head to try upside-down gardening. The concept reportedly started in 1998 when a gardener, Kathi Lael Morris, tried it on peppers and tomatoes. The concept worked and has since become a phenomenon. Growing plants upside down has several benefits and may be the method condo and apartment dwellers have been searching for in their smaller gardening spaces. The benefits and drawbacks of growing in inverted containers can fill this page....

What is the Best Natural Mulch? There are a number of natural mulches out there, with hardwood bark mulch, pine straw, and old hay most popular. Which is the best choice for your garden? Using pine straw mulch Pine straw is good for suppressing weeds. It has a tendency to form a thick mat, and woe to the weed that tries to come up through that! However, pine straw is not for every garden....

Keeping weeds out of landscapes means knowing the best soil for weed plants. When you learn what common weeds grow where and the type of soil they prefer, maintenance in the lawn and garden can be greatly minimized. Identifying Weeds by Soil Type By looking closely at the weeds in a garden and surrounding landscape, you can maintain the soil’s quality more effectively; thus, producing a healthier environment in which all plants will thrive....

What Causes Apricot Phytophthora Rot? Several species of phytophthora cause crown and root rot of a wide array of trees and shrubs including members of the Prunus genus like cherry, peach and apricot. Apricot phytophthora rot is fostered by orchards planted on poorly draining soil. Phytophthora root rot of apricots is a fungal disease that kills tiny rootlets and progresses to larger and larger roots until it reaches the crown of the tree....