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What is a Mini Bougainvillea? Regular sized bougainvilleas are gorgeous drought tolerant vines that grow rather rapaciously and have wickedly sharp thorns. Miniature bougainvilleas also have thorns but they are much less worrisome because of their diminutive size. Like its larger relative, dwarf bougainvillea can be grown in USDA zones 9 to 11, where it provides lovely pink or purple blooms year-round. Bougainvillea Dwarf Varieties The only true dwarf bougainvillea is the ‘Helen Johnson’ variety....

Is Scarlet Ivy Gourd Invasive? In tropical areas, like Hawaii, the scarlet ivy gourd vine has become a problematic invasive species. In a single day these vines can grow up to 4 inches (10 cm.). It’s a vigorous climber which engulfs trees, smothering them with thick, sun blocking foliage. Its deep, tuberous root system is difficult to remove, and it doesn’t respond well to glyphosate herbicides. The vine propagates easily by roots, stem pieces, and cuttings....

What is Amherstia? Amherstia is a tree that appears to have come from India. This solitary family contains just one medium sized tree that produces unimaginable, scarlet flowers dotted with saffron yellow accents. The intense color of the blooms is only overshadowed by the reddish purple new leaves, large mature leaves with white undersides, and 4 to 8 inch (10-20 cm.) long pods. Although named after a prominent collector, Amherstia is more than just a specimen plant....

What is Bacterial Necrosis? Saguaro cactus can live for 200 years and grow up to 60 feet (18 m.) in height. These monstrous desert dwellers look imposing and impervious but can actually be brought down by a tiny bacterium. Saguaro cactus necrosis can invade the plant in a number of ways. It eventually creates necrotic pockets in the flesh which will spread. These necrotic areas are dead plant tissue and, if left unchecked, can eventually kill these regal plants....

What is Crookneck Squash? Yellow crookneck squash is a type of summer squash, closely related to the yellow straightneck squash. Varieties may be smooth or ridged. Usually shaped somewhat like a bottle, it grows in summer, sometimes prolifically, and is often a top-producer in the garden. Numerous recipes are available online for its use. Crookneck squash is often breaded and fried as a delicious side, used in a range of casseroles, and is a great healthy ingredient to include in those green smoothies....

Lomandra Information Nothing beats the sway and swish of ornamental grasses in the landscape. Not only are they acoustically appealing but their dimension and movement sends visitors into a pleasant swoon. One of the nicest grasses for dry to wet landscapes is Lomandra. Its main attraction comes with Lomandra maintenance, which can swing from outright neglect to brutal shearing. More lush growth and a fuller plant will result from average watering and feeding, but the plant has an attractive natural aspect even when left to its own devices....

Why is soil percolation important? Read on to learn what soil percolation is and how to test soil percolation. What is Soil Percolation? Anytime you plant or sow seeds, the instructions will most certainly say to plant in well-drained soil. This is because while it is a simple matter to introduce more water, it’s quite difficult to remove an excess of water in the soil. Percolation in the soil is simply the movement of the water through the soil and a soil percolation test is the means to measuring this movement....

Recycling pumpkins into craft projects is fun if they aren’t already decomposing, but wildlife and farm animals can also be happy recipients. What to Do with Old Pumpkins? So, you have leftover pumpkins after Halloween and want to dispose of them in a sensible way or use them for something else if they are still in good condition. In the latter case, you can roast them and make a savory soup or scoop the guts and bake a flavorful pie....

When to Start Seeds in Zone 6 As mentioned, zone 6 has a frost-free date range of March 30th to April 30th with a more definitive first freeze-free date of May 15th and a last freeze-free date of October 15th. These dates are intended to be a guideline. Different areas of zone 6 may vary by as much as two weeks depending upon the microclimate, but the above dates will give you a gist of when to start seeds in zone 6....

Spring vs. Fall Garden Vegetables One reason is many cool season crops are biennials. These plants are preprogrammed to produce seeds once they have lived through a cold spell. Planting frost-tolerant veggies like lettuce and kale in early spring can expose them to winter-like weather. The onset of hot weather triggers these plants to flower, sometimes before they’ve reached a usable size. If you’ve ever been disappointed when your spring veggies bolted before you had a chance to enjoy them, you’ll find this is less likely to happen in a fall garden....

Why are Leaves on My Beans Turning Yellow? There is a wide variety of beans for the home gardener. Any type of bean can get yellow leaves, including any of the following: Bush beans produce the long classic green beans good for canning, freezing or eating fresh. Pole beans grow in a vined habit and produce dangling green pods. Snap peas are smaller and have been engineered without the “strings” to make them less fibrous....

Chaste trees are one of the easiest flowering trees to grow. Not only do they thrive in the poorest of growing conditions, but their spectacular lavender blue blooms provide continual color throughout the summer months. So, you may be wondering, “are chaste trees good for containers?” Container Grown Chaste Trees In recent years, several smaller cultivars of chaste trees have been developed. These smaller varieties only reach heights of 3 to 6 feet (1-2 m....

Moving a Tree Fern Though most varieties of tree fern grow only about 6 to 8 feet (around 2 m.) tall, the Australian tree fern can reach heights of 20 feet (6 m.) tall, and relatively quickly. As they mature, their root ball can also become quite large and heavy. It is because of this a tree fern transplant is usually recommended for smaller plants. That said, sometimes transplanting tree ferns that are larger can’t be avoided....

Aphids are responsible for spreading bean mosaic virus in two ways: bean common mosaic as well as bean yellow mosaic. Either of these types of bean mosaic may afflict your bean crop. The mosaic symptoms of beans afflicted with either bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) or bean yellow mosaic (BYMV) are similar so careful inspection can help determine which one is affecting your plants. Bean Common Mosaic Virus BCMV symptoms manifest themselves as an irregular mosaic pattern of light yellow and green or a band of dark green along the veins on an otherwise green leaf....

In spite of this, many plant dyeing activities still exist for the home gardener and can be a fun family project as well. In fact, making dye with kids can be a great learning experience and a rewarding one at that. Arts and Crafts Plant Dyeing Activities Natural sources of dye come from many places including food, flowers, weeds, bark, moss, leaves, seeds, mushrooms, lichens and even minerals. Today, a select group of artisans are committed to preserving the art of making natural dyes from plants....

Testing Blueberry pH Soil Level Regardless of whether you are planting a new blueberry bush or trying to improve the performance of established blueberry bushes, it is essential that you have your soil tested. In all but a few places, your blueberry soil pH will be too high and testing the soil can tell how high the pH is. Soil testing will allow you to see how much work your soil will need in order to grow blueberries well....

A well planned garden should include a riot of plants that complement each other. The types selected will depend upon the zone, light exposure, soil type, and other factors, including personal taste. Dramatic foliage plants can provide interest during several seasons, while flowering plants enhance the spectacle with their bright blooms. Dramatic garden plants are part of the symphony of the landscape, lending their unique forms and hues to promote an exciting plant show....

Bug Identification Guide Garden pest ID is important. It helps you distinguish between beneficial bugs and bug pests in order to encourage the former and discourage the latter. It also allows you to tailor necessary pest control to the particular bugs involved. Now how to identify pests… One day there very well may be a “bug identification guide” app for your phone that will tell you the name of an insect just by taking a photo of it....

Additionally, they can survive low light levels, drought and have few insect problems. NASA research has even shown that snake plants are able to help keep the air inside your home clean, removing toxins such as formaldehyde and benzene. In short, they are the perfect houseplants. Snake Plant Info – How to Grow a Snake Plant Growing snake plant from cuttings is relatively easy. The most important thing to remember is that they can easily rot, so a free draining soil needs to be used....

Chocolate Garden Plants The best part of designing chocolate gardens is choosing the plants. Here is a selection plants that smell like chocolate or have a rich, chocolaty color or taste: Chocolate cosmos – Chocolate cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus) combines the color and fragrance of chocolate in one plant. The flowers bloom all summer on tall stems and make excellent cut flowers. It is considered a perennial in USDA zones 8 through 10a, but it is usually grown as an annual....