What is Jatropha Multifida? Jatropha multifida is also called Guatemala rhubarb and, more commonly, coral plant. It is a showy ornamental plant in the Euphorbia family. Like all members of the family, Jatropha exudes latex sap, which is milky to opaque. Growing coral plants requires little fussing. They are vigorous plants that can grow 6 to 10 feet (2-3 m.) tall and up to 20 feet (6 m.) in their native habitat....
Christmas cacti hail from the coastal mountains of southeastern Brazil. They belong to the genus Schlumbergera, which includes all the holiday cacti. Their native region receives plentiful rain much of the year, so Christmas cactus is not the classic drought tolerant desert variety. They need a good drenching, but then the soil should be allowed to almost dry out. During flowering they need to be kept moderately moist but take care not to use too much water on Christmas cactus....
Shade tolerant annual vines grow in several types with a variety of bountiful blooms. Coordinate them with other flowers in your landscape to quickly improve your curb appeal. As annual plants complete their lifespan within the same year, we don’t have to wait until next year for blooms as we must with many perennials. Some of the vines are warm season perennials but grow as annuals because of locations where they won’t survive the winter....
Perennials for Zone 8 Perennials are plants with a life cycle longer than one growing season. Annual plants complete their life cycles in one season. Many perennials for zone 8 die back in fall then send up new shoots in spring. Yet some have evergreen foliage that stays green through the winter. If you start growing perennials in zone 8, you’ll have to decide whether you are looking primarily for flowers or for foliage....
Can Peach Trees Grow in Pots? Absolutely; in fact, growing peaches in a container is an ideal growing method. Peaches bloom as early as March, so growing peaches in a container makes the it easier to protect the tree from sudden frost or winds. There are a few things to consider if you want a container grown peach tree. First, unlike apple trees, peaches have no dwarf rootstock to keep the trees small....
Should My Compost Bin Have Bugs? Many people ask, “Should my compost bin have bugs?” If you have a compost pile, you are likely to have some bugs. If your compost pile is not constructed properly, or you only turn it infrequently, it can become a breeding ground for insects. The following are common bugs in compost: Stable flies – These are similar to house flies except that they have a needle-type beak that protrudes from the front of their head....
Corn Ear Rot Diseases Usually, corn ear rot diseases are fostered by cool, wet conditions during silking and early development when the ears are susceptible to infection. Damage caused by weather conditions, such as hail, and insect feeding also opens the corn up to fungal infections. There are three main types of ear rot in corn: Diplodia, Gibberella, and Fusarium. Each differs in the type of damage they afflict, the toxins they produce, and the conditions that cultivate the disease....
Basic Cyclamen Plant Care Cyclamen care starts with the correct temperature. In nature, cyclamens grow in cool, humid environments. If the temperature of your house is over 68 degrees F. (20 C.) during the day and 50 degrees F. (10 C.) at night, your cyclamen will start to die slowly. Temperatures that are too high will cause the plant to begin to yellow, and the flowers will fade rapidly. Cyclamen that are sold as houseplants are tropical and cannot tolerate temperatures below 40 degrees F....
How to Make a Macramé Planter Here are the materials you will need to make an easy macramé plant hanger: Heavy-duty cord – For a 6 to 8 inch (15-20 cm.) pot, you will need four 8 foot (2 m.) strands of heavy-duty cord. Choose a color of macramé yarn that accents your home décor or go for the rustic look and use heavy-duty jute.1 inch (2.5 cm.) metal macramé hoop or heavy-duty carabiner clip (optional)Decorative beads (optional)Planters – Choose an attractive or decorative 6 to 8 inch (15-20 cm....
What are Eriophyid Mites? Eriophyids are one of the smallest of all plant-feeding mites at less than 1/100th of an inch in length. Since the mite is so incredibly small, it is very difficult to identify these translucent bugs. However, most identification is based on the host plant and the nature of the plant tissue damage. There are over 300 known eriophyids with only a few being known as a serious pest....
Feeding Passion Flower Vines A casual stroll in sub-tropical states may find you spotting a wild, tangled vine in a ditch or along a roadside with complicated, scented flowers sporting distinctive fringed ray petals. The plant may or may not also bear round to oval waxy fruits of speckled purple, orange-gold or light yellow. These are passion flowers, which have become naturalized in some regions and are a commonly grown ornamental vine....
How to Reuse Old Bottles in Gardens Our old neighbors along the beach had a glorious cobalt blue glass “tree” made from the kind of fancy bottled water that we shunned for tap. Artistic it certainly was, but there are plenty of other ways to use not only glass but plastic bottles in the garden. We like to use plastic bottles to water our outdoor container plants when we are out of town....
How to Save Garlic for Next Year Garlic originates from Central Asia but has been cultivated for over 5,000 years in Mediterranean countries. The ancient Greeks and Romans enjoyed garlic with reports of gladiators consuming the bulb prior to battle. Egyptian slaves are purported to have consumed the bulb to give them the strength to build the great pyramids. Garlic is one of 700 species in the Allium or onion family, of which there are three specific types of garlic: softneck (Allium sativum), hardneck (Allium ophioscorodon), and elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum)....
How to Root Ginkgo Cuttings Propagating ginkgo cuttings is the easiest way to make more of these beautiful trees. The cultivar ‘Autumn Gold’ is the easiest to root from cuttings. When it comes to propagating cuttings, your first question may be, “can you root ginkgo in water?” The short answer is no. Ginkgo trees are sensitive to poor drainage; they prefer well-drained soil and do well in urban areas surrounded by concrete....
Preventing Spring Frost Damage to Grapes There are cultural practices growers can take to reduce grapevine frost damage in the spring: Site Selection – Grapevine frost protection begins with choosing a site which offer natural protection from springtime blasts of cold air. Mid-slope is often recommended, as cold air flows downhill creating pockets of cold in lower lying areas. Choice of cultivar – Bud break in different varieties of grapes can vary as much as two weeks, with cold hardy varieties coming into the growth season the earliest....
Virgin’s Bower Facts Virgin’s Bower clematis is native to eastern United States and Canada. This perennial, deciduous vine can be found growing in moist lowlands, thickets, and woodlands, especially those bordering streams and ponds. Virgin’s Bower vine readily climbs natural elements like trees and shrubs. It can also spread along the surface of the ground, forming a dense foliage cover. The Virgin’s Bower vine has several common names including Italian clematis, woodbine, and devil’s darning needle....
Can Flower Bulbs Grow in Water? Even a novice gardener can learn how to grow flower bulbs in water. You only need a few materials, some fresh water and your choice of bulbs. Not all spring bulbs are good choices for forcing but you can try daffodils, tulips, hyacinth, crocus, and many more. Provide the right container, lighting, and clean water and properly chilled bulbs can fill your home with their winter blasting color and form....
When maturing in warm weather, carrots often have a bitter taste and lack the sweetness of those grown at cooler temperatures. The ideal temperature for the development of fat, sweet-tasting carrots is approximately 40 F. (4 C.). Ideally, carrots are sown when it’s warm and mature when it’s cool. Growing Carrots in Hot Climates Gardeners in states like Florida may be wondering if it’s even possible to grow carrots in the South....
Growing Vines in Zone 8 Do you want flowers sailing up the trunk of a tree or an eyesore dilapidated building covered in foliar displays of Boston ivy? No matter what your landscape goal is, vines are a quick and easy solution. Most are tough enough for a broad range of weather conditions while others are suited to the slow, sultry heat of the South. Zone 8 plants need to be both....
How to Identify Weed Types In order to identify weed types and bring them under control, it’s important to understand how they grow. Like other plants, weeds can be annual or perennial. Annual weeds are less troublesome as far as control measures go. While they are known to sprout up nearly anywhere due to seed dispersal, their root systems are relatively shallow. This makes them easy to pull and eradicate, although doing so before they set seed is recommended....
