Posts

About Plum Leaf Sand Cherry Purple leaf sand cherry (Prunus x cistena) is a member of the Rose family. Prunus is Latin for ‘plum’ while cistena is the Sioux word for ‘baby’ in reference to its smallish size. The “x” is indicative of the shrub’s hybridism. This Prunus hybrid is useful as an ornamental specimen due to its beautiful red, maroon, or purple foliage. The shrub grows at a moderate rate and is suitable in USDA zones 2-8....

When can you work on a tree yourself and when should you pay for professional tree removal or pruning? We’ll give you a framework for making that decision, plus tips on how to pick someone to help when you are having trees removed professionally. Professional Tree Cutting Info No matter how much you love trees, it’s important to accept that pruning a tree and tree removal are sometimes necessary. Tree pruning can be done to create a pleasing canopy but is often essential to maintain tree health and build a strong branch structure....

Is Pruning Crepe Myrtle Trees Needed? Before going into how to prune crepe myrtle trees, we need to look at if you need to prune you crepe myrtle at all. While pruning crepe myrtle trees is good for helping to keep the tree shaped like you would like it to be, it is not normally necessary to the health of the tree. Prune crepe myrtle trees when you wish to shape them or if you find the branches are too close together for your taste, but for the most part, you do not need to prune crepe myrtle trees....

When to Prune Thyme Plants The right time to trim thyme will depend on the kind of pruning you plan on performing on the plant. There are four ways of pruning thyme plants and they are: Hard Rejuvenation – Late fall after first frost Light Rejuvenation – After blooming in the summer Shaping – During spring Harvesting – Anytime during active growth (spring and summer) Let’s look at why and how to prune thyme in these different ways....

The popularity of watermelon in the United States is inarguable, leading many of us to try our hand at growing watermelons in our home gardens. Because the habitat of watermelon is vining, the fruit tends to need a lot of space, or possibly some cutting back of the watermelon vines. Can You Prune Watermelon Plants? As previously mentioned, watermelons do require significant space. Not only do the vines reach significant length, but the fruit itself can weigh as much as 200 pounds (91 kg....

Removing trees is a drastic measure, which reduces wildlife populations and changes the entire character of the landscape. Learn how to reduce shade with a few quick tricks or learn to embrace the condition and turn it into an advantage. How to Reduce Shade Effectively Overly shady areas can be either boggy or overly dry. The lack of sun promotes water conservation and damp soils. Where trees cover a garden bed, soil can also be extremely dry....

Should Moon Cactus be Repotted? Most moon cactus plants are the result of grafting Gymnocalycium mihanovichii to a base of Hylocereus. The Hylocereus is a chlorophyll producing plant while the Gymnocalycium does not produce its own chlorophyll and requires the assistance of the Hylocereus to produce food. These tiny cacti do not require repotting very frequently, but you should know when and how to repot moon cactus at least every three to four years....

Common Causes for Deformed Rose Flowers and Leaves Most rose deformity in the blooms and sometimes leaves is caused by Mother Nature herself or genetic mutations. Proliferation – Proliferation, or vegetative center, causes deformed rose flowers. This is one of those Mother Nature’s Kitchen items. It can occur with many rose bushes, perhaps a bit more with the floribunda roses. There is some school of thought that using high nitrogen fertilizers can bring about an imbalance within the rose bush that will cause the vegetative center....

Where do Seedless Watermelons Come From? First off, seedless watermelons are not completely seed-free. There are some small, almost transparent, seeds to be found in the melon; they are unremarkable and edible. Occasionally, you will find a “true” seed in a seedless variety. Seedless varieties are hybrids and are derived from a fairly complex process. Hybrids, if you remember, do not breed true from seed. You may end up with a mutt of a plant with a mix of traits....

Determining Shade Density in Your Garden With the position of sunlight shifting every minute, it can be easy to underestimate the amount of light or shade that envelops a given area. Before you plan your shade garden, be sure to note how long the space you have in mind actually is shaded. A digital camera is a great way to record how much shade your garden will receive. Take several photos over the course of a day to determine the area and density of shade you will have in your garden....

Shaker Herb Garden Info The early Shakers relied primarily on faith healing and the laying on of hands to treat medical ailments. A doctor was called upon only for the most severe injuries or illnesses. Instead, Shakers focused on prevention by living a life of regular routine comprised of work, exercise and rest, three meals per day and little to any use of alcohol or tobacco. When all else failed, the Shakers looked to the gardens they planted and indigenous plants....

Skyrocket Juniper Info If you enjoy evergreen trees, Skyrocket juniper plants may be the right fit for your garden. These cultivars are narrow columnar trees that may approach 15 to 20 feet (5-6 m.) in height with a 3 to 12 foot (1-4 m.) spread. The natural growth pattern is part of the plant’s charm and its ease of care adds to the allure. This slow-growing plant takes up to 50 years to reach maturity, which means it can be used in a large container for many years before it must go in ground....

Webworm Lawn Damage The first signs of sod webworm feeding are found in spring. The chewing activity of the worms removes the tender top growth of the grass and leaves behind thin patches of shorter grass. As they grow, the webworms cause larger areas of brown sod. These are usually in sunny locations and dry spots, such as curb edges and along driveways. The worst evidence is seen in late July and August and may be mistaken for drought stressed grass that has entered summer dormancy....

Natural remedies have been around for untold centuries. These natural remedies included cures for almost any physical ailment as well as mental and emotional afflictions. Ancient healers may not have known why something worked but simply that it did. Modern scientists have unraveled the why of many medicinal plants and practices but only recently are they finding remedies that were previously unknown and yet, still a part of the natural life cycle....

One way to grow roses is from the seeds they produce. Propagating roses from seed takes a little time but is easy to do. Let’s take a look at what it takes to start growing roses from seed. Starting Rose Seeds Before growing roses from seed, the rose seeds need to go through a period of cold moist storage called “stratification” before they will sprout. Plant the rose bush seeds approximately ¼ inch (6 mm....

Why is my Schefflera Sticky? Scheffleras have gorgeous, large, glossy leaves arranged in a circle around a central stem. Each of the leaflets that make up the entire umbrella design can get up to 12 inches (31 cm.) long in mature plants. Indoor plants benefit from having the leaves dusted and it is during this activity that you may notice something new on the plant– sticky stuff on schefflera foliage. The culprits may be several sucking insect pests which deposit excrement called honeydew on their host plant’s foliage, creating sticky schefflera leaves....

When to Move Yuccas Moving yucca plants takes preparation and good timing. Some specimens may be very large and old and might need professional help. At the very least, it is a good idea to have an extra hand or two, as these are cumbersome plants with sharp leaves. Choose your site very carefully when transplanting yuccas, as they prefer not to be moved frequently. Expect to baby it for a few months and don’t be surprised if a bit of transplant shock occurs....

If you have a lantana that is struggling in its current location or has outgrown its space and is not playing nice with other plants, you may be searching for some tips on how to transplant lantana. Can You Transplant Lantanas? First and foremost, if you live in a climate with frost-free winters, be sure to check with your local agencies before bringing lantana plants to a new area. It is considered an invasive weed and serious problem in some parts of the world....

What is Inorganic Mulch? The most common types of inorganic mulch are rocks or gravel, plastic sheeting, landscape fabric, and rubber mulch. Inorganic mulches do not decompose, or they slowly break down only after a long period of time. The benefit of inorganic mulch is that they may initially cost more, but they are more cost efficient because they do not need to be reapplied or topped off as frequently as organic mulches....

Digging Fork Functions There are a few different types of garden forks. Each type is made for specific purposes. The basic garden fork, or compost fork, is a large fork with four to eight tines shaped with a horizontal curve and a slight upward curve at the bottom of the tines. These forks are generally used to move compost, mulch, or soil. The curves in the tines help you scoop up a large heap of mulch or compost to spread it into the garden or turn and mix compost piles....