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Parthenocarpy in plants is a relatively unusual condition but it does occur in some of our most common fruit. What is parthenocarpy? This circumstance occurs when the ovary of a flower develops into a fruit without fertilization. The result is a seedless fruit. Read on to discover what causes parthenocarpy. What is Parthenocarpy? The short answer is seedless fruit. What causes parthenocarpy? The word comes from Greek, meaning virgin fruit....

Planning a Patriotic Flower Garden Making a political statement with gardening may seem a bit much, but it can be a fun and beautiful addition to the landscape. A red, white, and blue garden is about so much more than a partisan statement. It is an expression of love and devotion to the land in which you live. American flag flowers may be perennials, annuals, or an entire bulb garden. You may even opt for bushes with colorful leaves and blooms....

Pests That Cause Pomegranate Leaf Curl Small, sucking insects are a common cause of curling pomegranate leaves and include: Whiteflies Aphids Mealybugs Scale These insects feed on the sap in the leaves, and as they remove the sap, the leaves curl. The little insects also secrete a sweet, sticky substance called honeydew, which quickly becomes infested with black sooty mold. If your pomegranate tree leaves are curling, look for spots of black sooty mold to determine whether these insects are the cause....

Creeping Rosemary Information Prostrate rosemary in the landscape is an easy to care for creeping perennial herb suitable for the herb garden, perennial beds, containers, and rockeries. A low growing herbaceous shrub, prostrate rosemary plants can be grown throughout USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 8 to 10. The plant only grows to a height of about 2 inches to 1 foot tall (5-30 cm.) and will spread 4 to 8 feet (1-2 m....

About Zone 3 Raspberries If you live in USDA zone 3, you usually get low temperatures of between -40 to -35 degrees F. (-40 to -37 C.). The good news about raspberries for zone 3 is that raspberries naturally thrive in cooler climates. Also, zone 3 raspberries might also be listed under their Sunset rating of A1. Raspberries are of two main types. Summer-bearers produce one crop per season in the summer while ever-bearers produce two crops, one in the summer and one in the fall....

Gardening in September Below are September to-do lists by region. Northwest Live in the Pacific Northwest region? Here are some things you should be doing: Continue to deadhead annuals and perennials to keep them blooming as long as possible.Pick tomatoes and peppers if frost is in the forecast.Divide iris and peonies.Bring green tomatoes indoors to finish ripening.Stop fertilizing trees and flowering shrubs. Tender new growth is likely to be harmed by winter freezes....

What Causes Sago Palm Root Rot Problems? Most sago palm rot comes from the fungal pathogen Phytophthora, which can infect any part of the plant. These harmful fungal spores are usually spread via water, insects, tools that have not been cleaned between use, and infected plants rubbing against other plants. Sago palm root rot can also be caused by soil or mulch being piled up on the root crown or soil that does not drain properly....

What is a Serviceberry? Serviceberries are trees or bushes, depending on cultivar, with a beautiful natural shape and edible fruit. While all serviceberry fruit is edible, the tastiest fruit is found on the Saskatoon variety. A member of the genus Amelanchier, serviceberries reward homeowners with a spectacular display of showy white flowers that look like lilacs in the spring, attractive fall foliage, and pretty gray bark. Reaching from 6 to 20 feet (2-6 m....

What are Soil Mites? So what are soil mites and are they dangerous? Potting soil mites make their home, with many family members, in soil. These tiny creatures are about the size of a pinpoint and are very easy to miss. They may appear as little white dots walking along the surface of the soil or along a plant container. There are many species of soil mites and all are close relatives to ticks and spiders....

Staghorn Fern Outdoor Care The staghorn fern (Platycerium spp.) is native to tropical locations of South America, Africa, southeast Asia, and Australia. There are 18 species of staghorn ferns, also known as elkhorn ferns or moosehorn ferns, that grow as epiphytes in tropical regions all over the world. Some of these species have naturalized in Florida. Epiphytic plants grow on tree trunks, branches, and sometimes even rocks; many orchids are also epiphytes....

Gardening for Winter Interest Many gardeners neglect thinking about winter interest simply because their perception of the garden in winter is that it is dead. This is actually as far from the truth as it could possibly be. As a matter of fact, your garden in the winter is merely sleeping. Like a sleeping child, the winter interest garden can be one that brings about feeling of peace and beauty. With a little planning and time, your garden can become something that is pleasing to look at 365 days a year....

When to Put Fertilizer on Lawns All lawns need fertilizer in early spring when the grass begins to green up. Your fertilization schedule for the rest of the season depends on the type of grass in your lawn, the type of fertilizer you use, and your climate. Most lawn seed is a mixture of several different types of grasses, and both spring and fall fertilization are appropriate. The label on a bag of lawn fertilizer will recommend a schedule based on the type of fertilizer it contains....

Tomato Plants and Temperature Most tomatoes are warm season plants and should only be planted after the danger of frost has passed. Tomato temperature tolerance for extreme heat or cold snaps is of extreme importance to the development of blossoms and subsequent fruit set. Blossom drop will occur in the spring if daytime temperatures are warm but night temps drop below 55 F. (13 C.). In the summer when temperatures soar over 90 F....

What is Alternaria? The fungal pathogens in the genus Alternaria can be devastating to plants year after year. The spores overwinter on old plant debris and attach themselves to seeds, making Alternaria leaf spot especially tricky to completely eliminate if you save your own seeds. Garden vegetables are common targets of these wind-blown spores, but Alternaria is not discriminatory in the plants it attacks– apples, citrus, ornamentals, and weeds have been known to develop leaf spots caused by this fungus....

How Do Flowers Affect Honey? Honey has terroir, a term used more often by wine makers. It comes from the French term that means “taste of place.” Just like wine grapes take on certain flavors from the soil and climate in which they grow, honey can have a variety of flavors and even colors or aromas based on where it was made, the types of flowers used, the soil, and the climate....

How to Revitalize Vegetable Gardens If you’ve thrown in the “trowel” for the year, don’t worry. Reclaiming a vegetable garden is not terribly difficult. Even if you’ve recently purchased a new property and are dealing with a very old vegetable garden, following these simple steps can have you going from weed patch to veggie garden in no time: Remove weeds and debris It’s not uncommon for a neglected vegetable garden to contain bits and pieces of gardening equipment such as stakes, tomato cages, or tools hidden among the weeds....

Children and Vegetable Gardens Kids enjoy planting seeds, watching them sprout, and eventually harvesting what they have grown. Allowing children to become involved in the planning, caring, and harvesting of a garden not only gives parents a unique opportunity to spend time with their children, but it helps the kids develop an understanding of that which they are curious about– nature. Children also develop a sense of responsibility and pride in themselves, which can ultimately improve self-esteem....

Read on and learn about a few of the most effective weeding tools. Tools For Weeding: Tips On Choosing Easy Weeding Tools When it comes to choosing weeding tools for gardens, no single tool is right for everybody. Here are a few things to consider before you rush out to buy tools for weeding: Type of weeds: Do you fight weeds with long taproots? If you don’t get the root, little pieces left behind will generate a new plant....

What are Perennial Vegetables? Okay, so what are perennial vegetables anyway? As with all perennials, perennial veggies are those that live for more than two years. The word “perennial” distinguishes them from the short-lived annuals and biennials. There are fewer true perennial vegetables than annuals, but there are still plenty to choose from. Perennial veggies extend the growing season by providing food both earlier and later in the year. Since they return each season, they give you more bang for your buck than annuals....

Vertical Farming How To The beauty of vertical gardening at home is it takes up very little space. A closet, a corner of the kitchen, or an unfinished basement might be the perfect spot for starting a vertical farm. You will need the ability to control temperature and humidity as well as provide artificial light, water, and fertilizer. Before starting a vertical farm, you will need to acquire some equipment. A wire-rack shelving unit with grow lights is one possibility....