What is Jojoba Oil? Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) is a woody shrub native to desert regions of southern California, Arizona, and northwestern Mexico. The small, green fruits of jojoba are not edible, but the oil extracted from the seeds is useful in several areas of industry as well as in the garden. Jojoba oil has been used in traditional medicine, and today it is included in many cosmetics and hair products....

Difference Between Sempervivum and Jovibarba Some of the easiest and most adaptable plants available are succulents. Many of these are even hardy specimens that can live in the USDA zone 3. Jovibarba hens and chicks are not Sempervivum, a genus that includes hens and chicks and several other succulent species. They have been defined as a separate genus and while they have a similar appearance and share a common name, they reproduce quite differently and produce distinctive flowers....

What is Polyploidy? Molecules of DNA determine whether a living entity is a human, dog, or even a plant. These strings of DNA are called genes and genes are located on structures called chromosomes. Humans have 23 pairs or 46 chromosomes. Chromosomes come in pairs to make sexual reproduction easier. Through a process called meiosis, the pairs of chromosomes separate. This allows us to receive half of our chromosomes from our mothers and half from our fathers....

Why a Parsley Plant is Wilting You’ve planted a variety of herbs in your cottage garden or a window box and now it’s time to let them flourish and begin using them in your favorite dishes. One day you look out the window and wonder, “Why is my parsley plant wilting?” Site conditions, lighting, moisture levels, disease, damping off and even failure to harden off seedlings can cause limp leaves and stems....

When Winterizing a Bougainvillea is Necessary Bougainvillea is hardy to United States Department of Agriculture zones 9 to 11. It can withstand a light freeze but deep freezes will kill the roots. In areas below those zones, a bougainvillea in winter should be kept in containers and moved indoors. This takes some special bougainvillea winter care and preparation for the plant to slumber during the cold season. Even warm regions like Texas can experience some pretty sustained freezes and, in some cases, snow and ice....

Gardening in Cold Climates Zone 4 refers to the United States Department of Agriculture’s map identifying your region in relation to what plants will survive in your area. Zones are divided by 10 degree increments and are only using temperature to ascertain survivability. Sunset zones are climate zones that are more specific and take into account your latitude; ocean influence, if any; humidity; rainfall; wind; elevation and even microclimate. If you are in USDA zone 4, your Sunset zone is A1....

What Does Well Established Mean? Let’s take a moment to think about our jobs. When you started a new job, you initially needed a lot of nurturing and support in your position. Over the course of a period of time, perhaps a year or two, the level of support you received was gradually reduced until you were able to begin thriving in your position by yourself with a good support system from above....

Residential Irrigation System Examples The different irrigation types can be divided into two broad categories: Those which send water droplets into the air and those which deliver at ground level. Within each category, an irrigation system design can be simple or complex, manual or automatic and can be quite affordable or more costly. Here are several basic irrigation system examples: Above-Ground Sprinklers – Perhaps the least expensive and easiest to set-up, these sprinklers are the type you attach to the end of a hose and drag to the area you wish to water....

The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcintus) is nocturnal, which means it does most of its foraging at night. Its strong legs and claws are built for tearing apart termite mounds and digging burrows that can reach 15 feet (4.5 m.) long. They eat bugs, grubs, and worms, but the claim that they carry and spread leprosy is largely unprovable and unfounded. One of the reasons getting rid of armadillos is so difficult is that they aren’t territorial....

What is Bacillus Thuringiensis? Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is actually a naturally occurring bacterium, common in some soils, that causes disease in certain insects, most notably leaf and needle feeding caterpillars. It was first discovered in the early 1900’s. The French were the first to advocate using Bt in the garden and by the 1960’s, Bacillus thuringiensis products were available on the open market and were readily embraced by the organic gardening community....

If you live in an apartment, you may think a raised bed is out of the question, but with a little ingenuity, creating a raised apartment garden is very possible. Read on for balcony raised bed ideas and tips. Raised Garden Beds for Balconies Attractive raised garden beds are readily available and easy to put together. However, it’s not difficult to create your own raised bed on a balcony. Generally, a simple wooden box is the easiest way to go....

What are Herbs? Herbs are generally defined as non-tropical plants whose leaves, stems, and flowers are grown for culinary, medicinal, or aromatic uses. Herbs can be herbaceous perennials, biennials, or annuals. Some are cool season plants, while others thrive in warm season conditions. They can add lovely blue or green foliage and varying textures to the garden. Flowers are often spikes of color such as red or purple salvia or flat heads of yellow on fennel and dill....

Common Variegated Houseplants The addition of houseplants serves a number of purposes. Even an all green houseplant brings the outdoors into the living space. Plants can add height, drama, depth, and all around interest to an otherwise uninspired living area. Variegated plants take it one step further. Even the most common variegated houseplants such as Dieffenbachia, Pothos, prayer plant, and snake plant add a “wow” factor when incorporated into your home décor....

Pruning Brussels Sprouts Brussels sprouts were first cultivated in, you guessed it, Brussels, where they are a cool weather crop thriving in temps between 60 and 65 degrees F. (15-18 C.). In some regions, they may even survive throughout the winter if temperatures are mild enough. They grow much akin to broccoli and cauliflower, in well-draining soil with plenty of irrigation. One of the most common questions in reference to this plant is about pruning....

Foliar Pest Damage on Blueberries There is a long list of blueberry insect pests that damage fruit, shoots, leaves, flowers, and roots. The list is so long, in fact, it is actually overwhelming. Oriental beetles attack roots, their damage is hard to see above ground and often deadly by the time you do see it. Other bugs on blueberry bushes are easier to see and, therefore, easier to control. The flea beetle bothers all sorts of plants....

Fertilizing Plants with Caffeine Many gardeners, including myself, add coffee grounds directly to the garden or into the compost. The gradually breaking down of the grounds improves the quality of the soil. They contain about 2% nitrogen by volume, and as they break down, the nitrogen is released. This makes it sound like fertilizing plants with caffeine would be an excellent idea, but pay attention to the part about breaking down....

Canada Thistle Identification Canada thistle is a perennial weed that has soft green, deeply lobed, spear-like leaves and these leaves have sharp barbs on them. If allowed to go to flower, the flower is a purple pom-pom shape that will be produced in clusters at the top of the plant. If the flower is allowed to go to seed, the flower will become white and fluffy, much like a dandelion seed head....

Tips for Urn Plant Care In the rainforests, rainwater gathers in the stiff rosette of leaves that form the urn. Plant care in the home consists of keeping the center filled with water at all times. For a healthy plant, the water should be emptied and refilled once a week to prevent stagnation. Watch out for dry brown edges of the leaves. It’s a sign of dehydration in your urn plant....

Blooming often lasts throughout summer and in some areas, they will continue to delight the fall season with their outstanding colors. Most primrose flowers seen in gardens are Polyanthus hybrids, which range in color from white, cream and yellow to orange, red and pink. There are also purple and blue primrose flowers. These perennial plants prefer damp, woodland-like conditions. Growing Primrose Plants Growing primrose is easy, as these plants are quite hardy and adaptable....

Light pruning, low food and moisture needs, and minimal pest and disease issues are hallmarks of Chamelaucium waxflower care, creating a vital, low maintenance shrub for those of us “lazy gardeners.” Read on for Chamelaucium waxflower info and see if this plant is right for your garden. Chamelaucium Waxflower Info Waxflower plants are native to Australia and make excellent border plants in the hot, dry regions of North America. As part of the xeriscape or drought tolerant garden, this perennial can’t be beat for consistent bloom, ease of care and tolerant nature....