Posts

Carrot Root Knot Nematode Info? If you have discovered your carrot patch is yielding stumpy, rough looking, forked roots, you probably have a root knot nematode infestation. This pathogen is common in root crops but also in celery and lettuce. Symptoms vary slightly by plant variety, but in all cases crop production is reduced and the food looks unsightly. Root knot nematodes in carrots are particularly prevalent in northern regions. The good news is that you can control the pathogen to a certain extent....

Celery Planting Instructions Celery is a biennial plant that is best when harvested in moderately warm temperatures. The stalks can get bitter and pithy in hot weather. Celery has specific soil temperature needs for germination and should experience some light on the seeds to encourage sprouting. This makes the celery planting depth important. Celery is most often transplanted in order to give it a jump start on the season before hot summer days arrive....

What is Cenangium Canker? Pine, spruce, and fir trees provide much needed shade, food, cover, and enhance the landscape with their architectural elegance. Unfortunately, these species are prone to fungal diseases such as sooty bark canker, or Cenangium. Over time, the disease can girdle your trees, reducing nutrients and water to the upper growth and preventing the flow of plant starches that feed development. Trees can die without proper treatment. Cenangium is a fungal disease that produces a slow growing canker that affects the above mentioned evergreens as well as aspens....

What is Cheesecloth? This multi-purpose fabric is a type of lightweight cotton traditionally used by cheesemakers to protect cheese during the aging process, hence its name. Cheesecloth is handy in the kitchen because it allows air to circulate but doesn’t change the flavor of food. However, if cooking isn’t your thing and you’d rather be outdoors, there are a variety of uses for cheesecloth in the garden too. Read on to learn about a few of the many uses for cheesecloth fabric, cheesecloth garden uses in particular....

What is Endive, Escarole, and Chicory Perhaps you’ve seen endive, escarole, and chicory heads nestled among the leaf lettuce at your local grocery and wondered if these salad greens are a type of lettuce. While all these leafy greens are members of the aster family, lettuce belongs the Lactuca genus. Endive, escarole, and chicory belong to the Cicorium genus and are types of chicory. Most types of chicory originated in the Mediterranean area and have been used as a food source for centuries....

Humans have used flora as interior decor for centuries. Around the 1850s, interior design began to drift away from cut flowers to plant like palms. Palm trees provide lush greenery and elegance in the home interior. A parlor palm is a classic example of Victorian home decor. During this period, plants were likely fertilized with organic food such as fish emulsion or bone meal. Today we have the added benefit of synthetic foods as an option....

Vertical color shows provide zing to the landscape and clematis is one of the best plants to grow for such displays. Summer-flowering clematis varieties may bloom only in June and July, or they may last until fall. The types of clematis that bloom in summer are divided into vining and non-vining types. Each has a unique growth habit, yet still the stunning colorful blooms. If you are tired of your spring bloomers peeking out by spring’s end and want clematis flowers for summer, try some of the following species....

Common Types of Apricot Disease There are many types of apricot disease, though most are caused by the usual suspects – bacteria or fungus. Here are some of the most common diseases of apricot trees: Bacterial Canker Among the most frustrating of apricot problems, bacterial canker causes the formation of dark, sunken sores at the base of buds and randomly along trunks and limbs. Gum may weep through these wounds as the tree emerges from dormancy in the spring or the tree may die suddenly....

Is Tree of Heaven a Weed? You may wonder: “is tree of heaven a weed?” While definitions of “weed” vary, these trees have many weed-like qualities. They grow fast and spread quickly by suckers and seeds. They take over disturbed areas and shade out native trees. They grow where they are not wanted and are hard to get rid of. Although the lifespan of trees of heaven is not long, these trees dominate a site by their incredible ability to resprout....

Controlling Whiteflies in the Greenhouse and Indoors Effectively controlling whiteflies begins with familiarity of their life cycles, including various species. They deposit their eggs on the undersides of leaves, often in a circular or crescent-shaped pattern. Once hatched, they begin feeding on the plants until the adults emerge, whereupon they fly to nearby plants, lay eggs, and repeat the cycle all over again. They can produce hundreds of eggs within a month or so....

What are Cottonwood Trees? Members of the Poplar family, cottonwoods were important to Native Americans who used all parts of the tree. Their trunks were used as dugout canoes. The bark provided forage for horses and a bitter, medicinal tea for their owners. Sweet sprouts and inner bark were a food source for both humans and animals. The trees also served as trail markers and meeting places for both Native Americans and early European settlers....

Types Of Peony Let’s talk about the different types of peonies: The most common type is the herbaceous garden peony. These are the pretty spring bloomers you see in most people’s gardens. But there are also fernleaf peonies, woodland peonies, tree peonies, and Itoh peonies which are a cross between tree and garden peonies. In this article, we’re going to focus on the common garden peony. There are thousands of cultivars of garden peonies that grow in zones 3 through 9....

Info on Edible Parts of Vegetable Plants Most vegetable plants are cultivated for one, sometimes two major purposes, but they actually have a multitude of useful, edible parts. An example of secondary edible parts of a vegetable is celery. We’ve all probably bought the trimmed, smooth sheath of celery at the local grocers, but if you are a home gardener and grow your own, you know celery doesn’t look quite like that....

Why Does a Fig Tree Need Cover for Winter? The common fig, Ficus carica, is one of over 800 species of tropical and subtropical fig varieties in the genus Ficus. Found amongst this diverse group, one will find not only large trees, but trailing vine varieties as well. Figs are native to the Middle East, but have been brought to all corners of the globe that can accommodate their habitat. Figs were first introduced to North America by early colonists....

What are Fingerling Potatoes? Fingerlings, like most potatoes, originated in South America and were brought to Europe. European immigrants brought them to North America. They are heirloom potatoes with long, knobby, finger-like shapes. Some say they look like adorable, chubby baby fingers, but some of them more resemble the gnarled fingers of a Disney witch. To each their own. Regardless of how you view them, the fact is that these spuds are delicious and are featured more often with restaurant cuisine, but they may be found at the local grocers too....

September in the Northeast Garden Labor Day weekend is often a time for family gatherings and the last chance to enjoy summer weather. However, that doesn’t mean winter is imminent. There will still be plenty of days to get out in your northeast gardens to work on that to-do list for fall. For one thing, fall crops need to be harvested and then processed for storage. Weeds continue to flourish and must be dealt with, and while rain showers are more often in the forecast, some watering will likely still need to be done....

Whether you’re growing food for the community or for your family, growing antiviral plants could become the wave of the future. Do Antiviral Plants Keep You Healthy? Little research has been done to definitively prove antiviral foods boost immunity in humans. Successful studies have used concentrated plant extracts to inhibit viral replication in test tubes. Laboratory experiments on mice have also shown promising results, but more studies are clearly needed....

What is Hechtia? There are approximately 56 genera in the Bromeliad family. Hechtia are in the sub-family Pitcairnioideae, and are wonderful little examples of the plant form. They are most commonly grown indoors or in greenhouses, but some regions can support outdoor growth so long as the plants aren’t subjected to temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-6 C.). These small bromeliads thrive from Texas into Mexico and Central America. They occur in areas with cactus and other succulents where soils are harsh and arid....

History of Planting Pomegranate Trees The pomegranate is an ancient fruit native to Persia, in what is now modern day Iran. Once the plants were discovered by travelers, people were quickly planting pomegranate trees throughout the regions of Asia, Africa, and Europe surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Over the millennia, the luscious fruit has worked its way into the mythology of the Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks; been praised in both the Bible and Talmud; and featured in major works of art....

Picking Elderberries and Other Info Elderberries are easy to grow, non-invasive plants that are attractive additions to the landscape, especially with their cluster of large white flowers in the summer that turn into bunches of black edible berries. The plants are very hardy in USDA growing zone 4 but some varieties are suitable to zone 3. Elderberries flower in late June, so the crop is less susceptible to late spring frosts....