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Different Agave Plants Generally hardy in U.S. zones 8-11, agave plants are native to southern parts of the North America, Central America, West Indies and northern parts of South America. They thrive in intense heat and sun. Oftentimes confused with cactus because of their sharp teeth and spikes, agave plants are actually desert succulents. Most varieties are evergreen with very little ability to handle frost. Many common varieties of agave will naturalize by forming clumps of new rosettes....

Can You Transplant an Almond? Almond trees are related to plums and peaches, and, in fact, the growth habit of an almond is similar to that of a peach. Almonds thrive in areas of hot summers and cool winters. Trees are usually sold when they are one to three years of age for the simple reason that they are easier to handle at that size, but sometimes transplanting a more mature almond might be in order....

April Ohio Valley Garden To-Do List Here are a few ideas you might want to add to your monthly gardening to-do list. Lawn Mowing season gets underway this month. Prepare for that first lawn mowing by adding these tasks to your gardening to-do list for April. Pick up debris. Remove those twigs, leaves and trash which have accumulated over the winter. Fill in low spots. Backfill those bumpy dips in the yard with quality top soil....

Likely the focal point of your shady summer flower bed, astilbe flowers can be recognized by their tall, fluffy plumes that tower above frilly, fern-like foliage in the shade garden. These attractive flowers make great companions for other shade tolerant plants, such as hosta and hellebores, with contrasting foliage and coordinating blooms. Astilbe Plant Information Twenty five species of Astilbe exist, with hundreds of hybrids available. Some are borne on arching stems, while others are erect....

How to Avoid Basil with Woody Stems Basil, Ocimum basilicum, is a member of the Lamiaceae or mint family. Basil is grown primarily for its tender, young leaves which are used either fresh or dried in Asian and European foods. Proper planting and ongoing care of basil give it the best chance to flourish and avoid disease and pests. Basil, like most herbs, likes lot of sunshine, at least six to eight hours per day....

How to Create a Le Jardin Sanguinaire Garden Bloody garden themes are perfect for the Halloween holidays, but can add an interesting focal point to the landscape year around. If you are interested in herbal remedies combined with rich, red foliage and flowers, creating gardens of gore influenced plants might be the right fit for you. Learn how to create a Le Jardin Sanguinaire garden to enhance the eerie aspects of your home and bring in a touch of the morbid nature of death mixed with the wondrous aspect of living things....

What are Blueberry Bud Mites? Blueberry bud mites (Acalitus vaccinii) are tiny arthropods that live and feed inside the fruit buds of both huckleberries and blueberries. These tiny creatures can be found through most of eastern North America extending from the ocean provinces of Canada to southern Florida and into Texas. Mild winters in the southern areas of its reach result in the most severe infestations. Identifying Blueberry Bud Mites Blueberry bud mites are white and only about 1/125 inch (0....

If you are looking for colorful winter trees, conifers make the list. Planting colorful conifers for winter gives you year-round wind protection as well as subtle charm. Read on for some colorful cold weather conifers to consider adding to your landscape. Bright Winter Conifers You count on deciduous trees to liven up the summer garden. They offer lush leaves, flowers, and fruits that add interest and drama to the backyard....

All of my other herbs are grown in pots, but can you grow lovage in pots too? Let’s learn more about how to grow lovage in a pot. Potted Lovage Plants Lovage is not easily found at your grocery store in the fresh herb section or the spice rack, which makes it a worthwhile venture in the garden. The stalk of this aromatic herb can even be used as a straw in your favorite cocktail – I’ve heard that a pairing with Bloody Mary is pretty awesome....

About Moving Mesquite Trees Native to hot, arid areas of North America, South America, Africa, India, and the Middle East, mesquite grows quickly in tough, southwestern exposures where many other trees fail. In fact, the dappled shade provided by some 30 foot (9 m.) tall tree varieties of mesquite can help tender, young plants get established in xeriscape landscapes. Its main drawback is the sharp thorns protecting the tender, young growth of mesquite plants....

Christmas Cactus Fertilizer Requirements Christmas cacti produce trailing jointed stems and wonderful flowers. These plants are epiphytes native to Brazil and make perfect houseplants. For the most part, the cacti are easy to care for and thrive in indirect, bright light, well-draining soil, and average moisture. Christmas cactus feeding takes place monthly during the growing season, generally April through October. This will keep your plants in tip-top condition to form buds and eventually that fully bloomed look in time for Christmas....

Will Kale Grow in Containers? Yes, kale (Brassica oleracea) will grow in containers, and not only that, but it’s easy to grow your own potted kale plants and they don’t need much space. In fact, you can grow one or two kale plants in a pot along with your annual flowers or perennials. For a bit more drama, you can add colorful Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris) into the mix for another supply of healthy greens....

What is a Salsa Garden? Salsa gardens should include the basic components of homemade garden salsa: tomatoes or tomatillos hot peppers garlic cilantro onions or chives Hot peppers need a long growing season and usually produce best if started indoors and transplanted out after the chance of frost has passed. There are many varieties of tomato to choose from, but a firmly fleshed fruit is best for garden fresh salsa. Tangy tomatillos are excellent in salsa verde, a green milder version of the red salsa....

Hydroponic Garden Types Below we offer basic information on different hydroponic systems. Wicking is the most simple and basic of the hydroponic garden types and has been used for centuries before hydroponic gardening was a “thing.” A wick system needs no electricity because it requires no air pumps. Basically, this hydroponic method simply uses a wicking system to draw water from a bucket or container to the plants. Wick systems are generally effective only for small setups, such as a single plant or a small herb garden....

The Origin of the Outdoor Vertical Garden Outdoor living walls are fairly common today, but the first modern incarnation didn’t appear until the 1930s. Stanley Hart White, a University of Illinois professor of landscape architecture invented and patented what he called botanical bricks used to create vertical gardens. The idea of a vertical garden is popular today because of climate change. A green wall allows people to grow more carbon-storing, air-filtering plants in smaller, urban spaces....

What are Double Hellebores? Also known as Lenten Rose or Christmas Rose, hellebores are early blooming perennials for zones 4 through 9. Their nodding flowers are oftentimes one of the first plants in the garden to start blooming and their foliage may be semi evergreen to evergreen in most climates. Due to their coarse, serrated foliage and waxy blooms, hellebores are rarely eaten by deer or rabbits. Hellebores grow best in part to full shade....

Tomato Plant Ripening Ethylene gas is responsible for the tomato plant ripening process. This process begins with ethylene gas being produced inside the tomato once it has attained full size and is pale green. Once tomatoes turn about half green and half pink, called the breaker stage, cells form across the stem, sealing it off from the main vine. At this breaker stage, tomato plant ripening may occur either on or off the stem with no loss of flavor....

Gasteria Information Gasteria succulent plants are often small and compact, just the right size for container growth. Some are excellent additions to the xeric garden. Textured leaves on these plants vary, but most are rough to the touch. They are flattened, stiff, and thick on many species and lead to common names, such as lawyer’s tongue, ox tongue, and cow tongue. Many varieties have warts; some are black while some are pastel colors....

Finding heat-tolerant herbs that will grow in Texas climates is the key to success. So let’s take a look at some herbs for Texas gardens which will survive this brutal summer weather. Texas Summer Herbs Basil – This family of heat-tolerant herbs includes varieties such as the common sweet basil as well as Genovese, purple, Thai, African blue, and ruffles. One of the best Texas summer herbs, varieties of basil offer a potpourri of flavors, textures, and leaf shapes....

The clusters of tiny flowers produce a large bloom held aloft on stems above the majority of the foliage. If you wish a second bloom, it is incumbent to know how to take care of a kalanchoe. These plants need short winter light periods to form new buds. Learn how to grow kalanchoe and the perennial can reward you with several seasons of bright, colorful flowers. About Kalanchoe Plants The deep green, scalloped leaves of the kalanchoe are just as attractive as the flowers....