The popularity of this veggie prompts one to grow it in the home garden. Be aware, however, that celery has its share of growing problems, one of which being celery too thin. Thin Celery Growing Problems One of the most frequent complaints when growing celery is in regards to the skinny celery stalks. There are a number of reasons why your celery plants are not thick; in other words, stalks of celery too thin....
However, gardeners living in urban areas are likely to see more common animals native to southern regions such as squirrels, rabbits, bats, and raccoons. Let’s learn more about animals native to South Central U.S. Common Animals in Southern Gardens There are plenty of native backyard animals in Southern gardens. Here are a few: Rabbits – Gardeners often see cottontail rabbits in their yards. The eastern cottontail has long fur which is usually gray or brown....
Fungal Kale Plant Diseases Fueled by longer nights, heavy dew and cooler temperatures, fungal diseases are the biggest problems gardeners are likely to experience in fall crops of kale. Add a few days of rain and the entire crop can be compromised. Here are the most common fungal diseases of kale crops: Alternaria leaf spot (Alternaria brassicae or Alternaria brassicicola) – Symptoms include small, circular spots with concentric (target-like) rings. The rings can range in color from purplish-black, to gray or brown and sometimes the centers fall out....
Pea Plant Diseases Asocochyta blight, bacterial blight, root rot, damping off, downy and powdery mildew, fusarium wilt, and various viruses are some of the pea plant diseases that may afflict pea plants. Asocochyta blight Asocochyta blight is composed of a trio of fungi, Ascochyta pisi, Phoma medicaginis var. pinodella (A. pinodella), and Mycosphaerella pinodes (A. pinodes), which survive through the winter months in plant debris or are introduced during planting season on infected pea seeds....
Contorted Filbert Trees The trunks of twisted hazelnut trees/contorted filbert trees grow to 10 or 15 feet (3-4.5 m.) tall and are so twisted that gardeners give the tree the nickname “Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick.” The branches are also uniquely curled and twisted. The other ornamental feature about the trees is the male catkins. They are long and golden and hang from the branches of the tree beginning in winter, providing visual interest long after leaf drop....
What is Creeping Bellflower? It’s said that the Old World fairytale character Rapunzel got her name from creeping bellflower after her father stole a plant from a witch’s magic garden. The witch gets revenge on the father by hiding Rapunzel away in a tower. The plant was trouble then, and it’s trouble now for anyone who gets it in their garden. Creeping bellflower is a perennial that thrives in moist soil but tolerates nearly any soil and either sun or shade....
Information on Coffee Plants Before we explore how to prune a coffee plant, a little background on Coffea arabica is in order. A member of the Ruiaceae family, one of 90 in the genus Coffea, the coffee plant is an evergreen, perennial shrub with dark green, glossy leaves decorated with ruffled edges and pleasantly aromatic white blossoms. Grow this specimen as an attractive houseplant, or if you aren’t shy on patience, for its fruit, which will take about four years to produce anything approximating a decent cup of coffee....
Do You Need to Deadhead Coneflowers? Though most of us would love to spend all day, every day, in our gardens, real life gets in the way. Instead, we select easy, low maintenance plants that look like we spent hours in the garden when, in fact, their care only requires a few minutes here or there. I often suggest coneflower, which tolerates poor soil, excessive heat, drought, full sun to part shade, and will bloom continuously whether you deadhead it or not....
Decorative Vegetable Garden Ideas To add visual interest and variety to your vegetable garden, plant them with flowers and herbs. Flowers and herbs not only help with creating a pretty vegetable garden, but they are beneficial in other ways. For instance, did you know that they can attract beneficial insects to the garden while deterring others? Flowers or herbs that have strong odors, such as marigolds and garlic, actually can repel pests from your garden and help prevent disease as well....
Preventing Leyland Cypress Diseases Prevention is easier than cure when it comes to diseases of Leyland cypress trees. Your first, best step toward keeping these attractive evergreens healthy is planting them in appropriate sites. The second step is giving them the best care. A healthy, vigorous plant shakes off problems with more ease than a stressed plant. And Leyland cypress disease treatment is often impossible or ineffective. So save yourself the time and effort involved in treating disease in Leyland cypress....
Rose Water Benefits Obviously roses have a pleasant scent which has been used for millennia to soothe anxiety, counter depression and to lull insomniacs, but roses have other beneficial qualities as well. Rose water can be used to flavor foods and drinks but, surprisingly, it also has antibacterial properties and can be used to treat infections. It has been used to soothe irritated throats, aid in digestion and digestive related ailments, relieve inflammation and reduce fluid retention....
DIY Trellis Info A trellis is a simple support structure that can be made out of almost any material you can think of. Basically, a trellis is a framework of bars set vertically and used as a support for climbing plants or even fruit trees. A homemade trellis is also a space saver and allows those with smaller gardens to maximize space by growing vertically. Plus, it can be used to create privacy walls and “living fences....
Does Amaryllis Need Fertilizer? Amaryllis is often given as a gift during the holiday season wherein folks treat the plant as a one-shot, single-blossom plant, almost like cut flowers. Once the bloom is gone, the entire bulb is often tossed as well. However, amaryllis can be grown year-round and you can even entice it to bloom again by feeding amaryllis plants. Proper amaryllis bulb fertilizer is the key to a healthy plant and show-stopping bloom....
When is the End of Tomato Season? Everything, to the best of my knowledge, has a life cycle and tomatoes are no exception. Although in their native habitat tomato plants grow as perennials, they are usually grown as annuals for cultivation. Tomatoes are referred to as tender perennials, as they will generally succumb once temperatures drop, especially once frost hits. Other tender perennials include bell peppers and sweet potatoes, which will also die back once frost is in the forecast....
An espalier fruit tree can make an exceptional focal point for bare areas along outdoor walls of the home or other structures. When trained on a trellis, these plants can also serve as attractive screens to hide unsightly views or to add privacy. Read on to learn more about how to espalier and fruit tree training. Fruit Tree Training You can train espalier trees by removing undesired growth. The best plants for espalier fruit tree training are those with flexible branches....
Using Flower and Plant Baby Names Garden-related baby names are a great choice for many. Whether choosing a more unique name or one that has long been used throughout history, the options are limitless when choosing baby names inspired by plants. Garden names for babies are also quite versatile. While many may assume that flower baby names might only work for girls, many of these plant baby names also make a good choice for boys....
Gardening with Crystals Using crystals and other precious stones for their healing energies is not just a New Age fad. Native American shamans and other healers from all around the world have relied on the powers of gemstones for thousands of years. Different stones were believed to possess different healing properties for different ailments. These energies were used to aid in the healing of humans, animals, or plants. Using stones in healing is still popular amongst holistic healers today....
Native plants have survived for generations without supplemental water, fertilizers, or soil amendments. Many are showy, and provide a natural, pleasing look to the backyard landscape. Gardening With Native Plants of the South Whether you are adding native plants among your cultivated perennials, shrubs and trees, or are planting a wildlife garden or pollinator garden, or even a wildflower meadow, here are the best native plants for the Southern gardens of Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi....
So what wasteless vegetables can be used in their entirety? Read on to learn more. What is Stem to Root Gardening? Those who compost are utilizing the remnants of plants to nourish next year’s crop, but if you really want to maximize your yield, think twice before lopping off those turnip or beet tops and tossing them into the compost pile. Turnips and beets are just some of the virtually wasteless vegetables available....
Gardens are designed for all sorts of functions. Some gardens are specifically grown for food or medicinal herbs, while other gardens may be grown purely for their aesthetic value. However, even gardens filled with nothing but ornamental plants can have some medicinal and healing value – a collection of plants meant to soothe and heal the mind and body are known as healing gardens. Continue reading for some healing garden ideas to help get you started in creating a healing garden of your own....
