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November Gardening Chores The creation of a regional to-do list will help ensure that growers stay on the path to completion of crucial garden chores before the winter season arrives. Let’s examine these regional garden chores more closely. Northwest As the weather begins to cool and becomes progressively more wet, November gardening chores in the Pacific Northwest include preparing perennial plants for coming cold and possible snow. Mulching will ensure that plants have the best chance of survival into the spring....

About Rose of Sharon Pests and Diseases Both pests and diseases can afflict rose of Sharon plants at any given time. Pests Rose of Sharon shrubs are much loved for their large, prolific, tropical-looking blooms in late summer. Depending on variety, these blooms come in a wide range of color and may be single or double. Besides gardeners, these blooms are attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Unfortunately, Japanese beetles are also very attracted to the lovely blooms too....

Significance of Garden Snakes For some people, the thought of attracting snakes to the garden would seem absurd, but for die-hard gardeners with a slug, snail, or small mammal problem, they are the perfect solution. Garter snakes, for instance, can, in fact, be a gardener’s best friend. Garter snakes are harmless to humans and love to bask in the warm sun in and around garden areas. Unfortunately, many people kill these garden snakes before they realize just how beneficial they can be....

What is a Snake Gourd? As its name not so cunningly suggests, a snake gourd is a gourd available in two varieties in the United States. Ornamental snake gourds are long, hard-shelled gourds grown as a curio in the garden, while their counterparts are edible, wax-skinned gourds (Trichosanthes anguina or T. cucumerina) that taste much like a cucumber. Additional snake gourd info describes the interior of the striped, speckled fruit as being red, seeded, and slightly slimy....

Spindle Palm Plants Spindle palms (Hyophorbe verschaffeltii) are slow growing plants equally at home in containers or in-ground. The plants are native to the Mascarene Islands in the Indian Ocean. Spindle palm plants are so called because of the ridges on the trunk that resemble a spindle and the shape, which is narrow at the base, widens and then constricts where fronds begin to grow. The spindle palm is a true palm that may grow up to 25 feet in full sun conditions....

Ornamental Grass Sun Exposure Not all ornamental grasses are created equal. Some, like many sedges and tufted hairgrass, like partial shade, while others such as June grass and Northern sea oats prefer full shade. That said there are plenty of sun loving ornamental grass options. Ornamental Grass in Full Sun So you want to grow ornamental grass in full sun. No problem. First you need to identify what type of habit you are looking for....

What is Sunblotch? Sunblotch on avocados was first reported in California during the late 1920’s, and it has subsequently been reported in avocado growing regions around the world. It was several decades until biologists confirmed that the disease, initially believed to be a genetic disorder, is actually caused by a viroid – an infectious entity smaller than a virus. The viroid is known as avocado sunblotch viroid. Avocado Sunblotch Symptoms Sunblotch in avocado damages the fruit and is introduced by grafted wood or from seed....

Greenhouse Growing Issues The number one problem with greenhouse maintenance is lack of cleanliness. Growers are likely to have mechanical issues fixed immediately but less likely to tackle cleaning projects, preferring to postpone them until later. Procrastinating about the greenhouse problem of cleanliness is a recipe for disaster. Not only are you surrounded by dirt, but moisture allows that dirt to cling to everything. Standing water encourages fungal growth and attracts pests....

Sustainability is a buzzword in today’s world. We attempt the concept through recycling, repurposing, composting, and other types of activities. In sustainable homestead farming, the idea becomes holistic, including many other variables as they work towards a main goal. The end result is a farm that is maintained with minimal effort and materials, and returns back surplus energy. Combining the Homestead and Sustainability A peek into our ancestral past sees our forbearers utilizing what was at hand to feed, clothe, and house themselves....

Should You Try Moving a Baptisia Plant? Baptisia is one of those easy to care for herbaceous perennials that attract beneficial insects, provide cut flowers, require little maintenance, and don’t usually need to be divided. After about 10 years, some plants do get floppy at the center and it may make sense to try to divide the root mass. This can be quite tricky due to the fragile, fibrous root system and deep taproot....

What is Tomato Blight? What is tomato blight? It’s actually three different fungi that attack tomatoes in three different ways at three different times. Septoria blight, also called leaf spot, is the most common blight on tomatoes. It usually appears at the end of July with small black or brown marks on the lower leaves. While fruits may remain uninfected, the leaf loss can affect yield as well as exposing the fruit to sunscald....

Can you warm a greenhouse with compost, for instance? Yes, heating a greenhouse with compost is, indeed, a possibility. In fact, the idea of using compost in greenhouses as a heat source has been around since the ‘80s. Read on to learn about compost greenhouse heat. About Compost Greenhouse Heat The New Alchemy Institute (NAI) in Massachusetts had the idea to use compost in greenhouses to generate heat. They began with a 700 square foot (65 sq....

What are Valencia Peanuts? Valencia peanuts have three to six small red-skinned seeds per shell, each with a sweet flavor. Valencia peanuts are found growing for commercial use in New Mexico and account for less than 1% of the United States production of peanuts. Their sweet flavors make them a favorite for boiled nuts and are also often used for all-natural peanut butter. When roasted, Valencias come close to achieving the crispness of Spanish peanuts....

Veggies and Herbs for Container Foliage Using edibles as ornamentals to accentuate the beauty of potted annual flowers isn’t a new thing. Many people tuck an herb in here or there amongst their hanging flower baskets. The idea of using vegetable plants as ornamentals first and foremost over growing them for food is a newer inspiration. Really, this is a win-win proposition since many of these ornamental vegetable plants are also decorative edibles....

What is Prairifire Tree? In Latin, Malus means apple. The many varieties of these pomes stem from their ability to cross pollinate and hybridized. Prairifire tree is a member of these fruiting trees that produce copious blooms and edible fruit. Try growing Prairifire trees en masse, or as standalone plants with several seasons of beauty and unmatched tolerance to numerous site conditions. Prairifire can grow 20 feet (6 m.) tall with a spread of 15 feet (5 m....

So what is cardoon– weed or useful medicinal or edible plant? Growing cardoon attains a height of up to 5 feet (1.5 m.) tall and 6 feet (2 m.) wide at maturity, depending upon the cultivar. Large spiny perennials, cardoon plants flower from August to September and its flower buds may be eaten just as the artichoke’s are. Artichoke Thistle Info Native to the Mediterranean, cardoon plants (Cynara cardunculus) are now found in dry grassy areas of California and Australia, where it is considered a weed....

Why is My Ocotillo Not Blooming? Ocotillo plants are common in their native regions. The slender stems and tiny leaves are accents for the crimson blooms that decorate the tips of the branches. The plants make excellent natural screens and borders, adding bright garden accents during their bloom time. Native garden centers can provide you with healthy specimens of the plants for a natural and easy-to-grow desert landscape solution. Also known as Jacob’s Staff, Ocotillo is a tenacious desert dweller which is mostly leafless until the rainy season....

Direct Sowing Info Many varieties of plant seedlings perform best if they are transplanted. These include long season plants such as tomatoes and peppers. In northern zones, plants which take a long time to mature should be transplanted if any chance of fruiting or flowering should be achieved by the time the season ends. But direct seeding works for short season plants such as lettuce. Deciding between direct sowing and transplanting will depend upon plant type and zone....

Identification of Wild Onion Plants Wild onion weeds grow in clumps and are typically found in flower beds or near difficult to mow areas, though they can also grow in the lawn. Wild onions can be identified by their thin, waxy, spear-like leaves. Wild onion is often confused with its close cousin, wild garlic. Wild onions have flat leaves while wild garlic has round leaves. Wild onions grow from white bulbs....

What is a Yellowhorn Tree? Yellowhorn trees (Xanthoceras sorbifolium) are deciduous shrubs to small trees (6-24 feet tall) that are native to north and northeast China and Korea. The foliage looks a bit like a sumac and is glossy dark green on the upper side and paler on the underside. Yellowhorns bloom in May or June prior to leafing out in sprays of white blossoms with greenish-yellow streaking with a blush of red at their base....