Posts

Growing Groundcover in Zone 9 Below you will find some zone 9 groundcovers suitable for your landscape or garden. Algerian ivy (Hedera canariensis) – This ivy plant prefers any well-drained site in deep or partial shade. Note: Algerian ivy can become invasive in certain areas. Asiatic jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum) – Also known as yellow star jasmine, this groundcover prefers rich, well-drained soil in partial shade to full sun. Beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae) –Also known as railroad vine or goat’s foot, beach morning glory plant enjoys nearly any soil, including poor soil, and full sun....

What is Achocha? Achocha (Cyclanthera pedata), also known as caigua, caihua, korila, slipper gourd, wild cucumber, and stuffing cucumber, is a deciduous, vining edible in the cucurbit family. It is believed that achocha is native to certain regions of the Andes Mountains in Peru and Bolivia and was an important food crop to the Incas. However, achocha has been widely cultivated throughout South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean for hundreds of years, so its specific origin is unclear....

Year-Round Garden Planner Before beginning your garden, create a year-round garden planner where you can identify the plants that will bloom each season in your garden. A planner will not only help you keep track of what you have planted, but it will also allow you to add garden notes or other thoughts as well as pictures. How to Create a Four-Season Garden Designing year-round gardens simply begins with choosing appropriate plants for your region....

Christmas Tree Options Of course, an option to chopping down a fresh fir tree for use as your Christmas tree is to utilize one of the many synthetic trees available on the market. While the upside to this is that the tree can be used year after year, the downside is that the composition of these trees is less than eco-friendly and you need space to store it. Still, this is, of course, an option and trees are available in a multitude of sizes and materials (including 100% recyclable cardboard) suitable to even the smallest habitude....

Planning for How You Use Your Backyard Since the backyard is going to accommodate your individual needs as well as those of your family, planning your landscaping design beforehand is crucial. You want a backyard to be functional; therefore, you should first determine how it will be used. Ask yourself questions. No one knows your family and needs better than you. Will you be doing a lot of entertaining? Do you have children?...

Why Use Drought Tolerant Desert Plants? Every garden has its trials whether it is poor drainage, shady plots, or heavy soils. The test for gardeners is to choose plants that will do well in the particular conditions of the landscape and still require minimal maintenance. The water-storing features of desert plants make them perfect for the arid garden. Using less water in dry regions saves money as well as that limited resource....

Bird of paradise freeze damage can be as mild as winter burnt leaves to stem and trunk freezes, which are more serious. A few tips will help you protect bird of paradise from freezing and can help you learn how to heal bird of paradise plant freeze damage. Read on to learn more. Is Bird of Paradise Cold Hardy? Bird of paradise is hardy to 24 degrees Fahrenheit (-4 C)....

Preparing Blanket Flowers for Winter The daisy-like heads, with their zing of color and prolific growth habit, are an excellent addition to any perennial garden or container. The majority are grown in sunset hues with some sporting brilliant oranges, reds, and yellows. The foliage is grayish green and slightly hairy, usually about knee high. Blanket flower starts readily from seed and will produce larger and larger patches of the flower over the seasons just from seed....

What is Bluebunch Wheatgrass? Bluebunch wheatgrass is a perennial native grass that attains a height of between 1 and 2.5 feet (31-76 cm.). Agropyron spicatum grows well in a variety of habits but is most commonly found in well-drained, medium to coarse soil. It has a deep, fibrous root structure that makes it well adapted to drought conditions. In fact, bluebunch wheatgrass will flourish with only an annual rainfall of between 12 and 14 inches (31-36 cm....

What is Buttoning of Broccoli? Broccoli plants are buttoning when the broccoli forms small or no heads. Buttoning of broccoli is the development of small (for a commercial grower), unmarketable heads or “buttons” when the plant is immature. Primarily, buttoning of broccoli occurs in young plants when they are exposed to several days of cold temperatures of around 35 to 50 degrees F. (1-10 C.). Cold temperatures are not the only reason for poor broccoli heads, however....

Eight Butterfly Plants for the Garden Here are eight gorgeous flowers that are sure to attract more butterflies to your garden. Butterfly Weed – Also known as milkweed (Asclepias), this hardy perennial will be appreciated by more than just butterflies, as it shows off brilliant orange or rose flowers on 2-foot (0.5 m.) stems. It has been shown to attract a wide variety of butterflies, including Red Admiral, Monarch, Painted Lady, Cabbage White, and Western Swallowtail....

Can You Force Freesia Bulbs? Many varieties of bulbs can be forced to bloom inside the home. Most of them come from regions where chilling is necessary to break the bulb’s dormancy and encourage it to sprout. Bulbs from tropical regions don’t require a cold period. Freesia plants are from South Africa where they experience high heat and no freezing, which makes them perfect to grow indoors. Provided you have a good, southern-facing window, you can enjoy forced freesia at any time of the year....

Can You Grow Mango in a Pot? Yes, growing mango trees in containers is possible. In fact, they will often thrive container grown, especially the dwarf varieties. Mangos are native to India, hence their love of warm temperatures. The large varieties make excellent shade trees and can grow up to 65 feet (20 m.) in height and live as long as 300 years still fruitful! Whether you live in a cool climate or just plain don’t have space for a 65-foot (20 m....

Canadian Hemlock Tree Facts Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), also called eastern hemlock, is a member of the pine family and native to North America. You’ll see the trees in the wild growing on woody slopes, rocky ridges, and river valleys from eastern Canada south to Georgia and Alabama. They have a slow to medium growth rate of up to 24 inches (61 cm.) a year, maturing to 50 to 70 feet (15-21....

Companion Planting Cauliflower Before we talk about the specific plants that grow well with cauliflower, let’s look at exactly what companion planting is. As mentioned, companion planting is when two or more species are planted together for their mutual benefit. Sometimes this enables plants to uptake nutrients more efficiently or sometimes certain plants act as natural pest repellents or beneficial insect attractors. Choosing the correct plant to benefit another mimics nature’s symbiotic relationship in the ecosystem....

Gardening with Duct Tape What can gardeners do with duct tape? Outdoor uses of it are ideal due to this product’s durability and waterproof properties. For just a few bucks, gardeners can brighten up the yard, garden and patio. They can make unique, homemade gifts for family and friends. There are thousands of creative uses for duct tape. Let’s look at a few ways to use duct tape in the garden and around the house:...

Christmas Cactus Cold Hardiness Holiday cacti are popular houseplants that bloom around the holiday in their name. Christmas cacti tend to flower around the winter months and produce bright, bountiful, pink blooms. As exterior plants, they are only hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11. How cold can Christmas cactus get? Cold hardiness in Christmas cactus is greater than in some cacti, but they are tropical. They can’t tolerate frost, but they need cold temperatures to force blooms....

Coltsfoot Information Early European settlers brought coltsfoot to the U.S. to use as an herbal remedy. It is said to ease asthma attacks and treat other lung and throat ailments. The genus name Tussilago means cough dispeller. Today, there is some concern about the use of this herb for medicinal purposes because it may have toxic properties and it is known to cause tumors in rats. The undersides of the leaves are covered with a thick, matted, white fiber....

Start with Big Plants As much as we would like Fido the dog to not tear up our new plants, chances are he will. When you put a new plant into your garden, you may want to invest in a larger plant. A larger plant is less likely to be disturbed by your dog than a smaller plant. If you don’t want to buy bigger plants, make sure you put a cage around it until it gets bigger....

What is Crown Rot Disease? Crown rot is a disease caused by a soil-borne fungus which can survive in the soil indefinitely. This fungal disease is often favored by wet conditions and heavy soils. While symptoms may vary from plant to plant, there is often little you can do once the disease occurs. Signs of Crown Rot Disease While the crown or lower stem of plants affected by this disease may exhibit dry rotting at or near the soil line, most other symptoms often go unnoticed—until it’s too late....