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Should You Deadhead Foxgloves? Most of us are familiar with foxglove, or Digitalis. It has a sinister history as a poison but, today, Digitalis is used in heart medicines. These amazing plants are biennial and bloom in the second year. Creamy white or lavender, bell-shaped flowers tower over the basal rosette. So what about deadheading the plant’s flowers? Removing spent foxglove flowers may encourage reblooming and further enjoyment of the plant late into the season....

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Succulent Garden Design Succulents are generally drought-tolerant plants that have thick leaves where they store moisture. Although succulent plants are very tolerant of dry conditions, they do need water, especially during the growing season. Succulent garden design should consider the location, soil type, configuration, moisture level, and the types of plants. Some succulents are more drought tolerant than others. Do a little research on the wide variety of succulent shapes and sizes before starting a succulent garden outside....

Cover Crops to Suppress Weeds Using cover crops isn’t a novel practice, but it hasn’t been common in small gardens until recently. Although inorganic groundcovers have been widely used, this practice can be both messy and unsustainable, not to mention the substantial amount of black plastic gardeners have contributed to landfills. This year, cover crops should be front of mind – not only can they out-compete weeds, but many release chemicals into the soil that actually prevent weed seeds from germinating (a process known as allelopathy)....

Symptoms of Strawberry Allergies Food allergies are an immune reaction from the body to a usually harmless substance or food. Most allergies are not life threatening but acute sensitivity can cause anaphylactic shock, a serious condition that requires medical attention. Symptoms generally come from ingesting the offensive food but can also show up just from handling. This may occur if you get a rash from picking strawberries. Strawberry plant allergies are serious and should be taken seriously....

What is a Tuber? The term “bulb” is all too often used to describe any plant that has a fleshy underground nutrient storage structure. Even the Meriam-Webster dictionary is vague on how tubers differ from bulbs, defining a bulb as: “a.) a resting stage of a plant that is usually formed underground and consists of a short stem base bearing one or more buds, enclosed in overlapping membranous or fleshy leaves and b....

Types of Elephant Ear Bulbs Elephant ear is the name given to plants with large foliage shaped like a pachyderm’s ear. Many produce white spathes and spadix flower forms. From giant plants reaching almost 10 feet (3 m.) tall to diminutive 2-foot (0.5 m.) tall species, elephant ear plant types are all excellent in partial shade to full sun in rich, moist soil. There are four types of plants called elephant ears: Colocasia, Caladium, Alocasia and Xanthosoma....

However, did you know that there are many bush vegetables suitable for urban gardens? What are bush vegetables and which bush vegetable plants work for a small garden? Read on to learn more. What are Bush Vegetables? Fear not; if you have a balcony, stoop, or access to the roof that has six to eight hours of sun, you too can have fresh herbs and vegetables. There are many dwarf varieties available, or you can vertically grow many vegetables— or you can plant bush varieties....

Should You Water Dormant Bulbs? Many gardeners neglect spent bulb plants or even cut off their foliage. This is a no-no, as plants need leaves to gather energy through photosynthesis. This is actually a very important part of the bulb life cycle. If plants cannot gather energy and store it in the bulb, the following season’s blooms and foliage will be negatively affected. While plants retain foliage and are doing their work, the entire plant will need to be maintained....

If you are new to adventurous cookery you may wonder, what are Asian herbs? They are the products of centuries-old civilizations whose flexible and adaptive methods of cooking utilize cultured and natural plants for their medicinal, sensory, and healthful uses. There are many types of Asian herb plants to grow for almost any climate, or as potted herbs. Try a few and expand your culinary horizons. What are Asian Herbs?...

What are Everbearing Strawberries? By looking at strawberry plants you cannot tell if they are everbearing, day-neutral, or June-bearing. Therefore, we must rely on the proper labeling of strawberry plants at nurseries and garden centers to know which type we are purchasing. Unfortunately, plant labeling is not a perfect science. They can fall out and get lost, plants can be mislabeled and, much to the vexation of garden center workers, customers sometimes pull out plant tags to read them just to stick the label back in any nearby plant....

What is Crown Shyness? Crown shyness, a phenomenon first observed in the 1920’s, is when the crowns of trees do not touch. What exactly is a crown though? It is the uppermost part of the tree where branches grow out from the main trunk. If you were walking in the forest and looked up, you would be looking at the canopy, which is a collection of crowns. Typically, when you look into the canopy, you see an intermingling of branches between the crowns of the trees....

Today, the plant is used primarily as an ornamental in the garden. Continue reading for more Adam’s needle information, as well as tips on growing Adam’s needle yucca plants. Adam’s Needle Information Adam’s needle plants are hardy in zones 4-10. They grow 3-4 feet (.91-1.2 m.) tall and wide. The common name Adam’s needle is derived from the plant’s long, sword-like foliage with sharp needle-like tips. These straps of foliage bear tiny thread-like filaments around their edges, which appear as if the plant is peeling....

What is Direct Sowing? Not all gardeners will opt for direct sowing. What is direct sowing? This is when you plant seeds directly out into prepared garden beds. That is a fine solution for gardeners in the warm climates, but northern gardeners have to cheat a bit and start earlier indoors. Seed packets have good guidelines for the different zones but waiting until May or June for cold climes can result in poor crops with plants that take several months to produce from sowing date....

What is Reflective Mulch? Reflective mulches are reflective material such as aluminum or silver polyethylene mulch that reflects light up onto the leaves of plants. They are great for gardeners growing in partially shady conditions. They also come in colors such as silver, yellow, orange, and red, and have been reported to be effective for management of certain pests and, thus, possible virus transmission. How Does Reflective Mulch Work? As mentioned, reflective mulch increases the amount of light available to plants, but it also increases air temperature and photosynthesis, which means better growth....

Is it getting too much or too little water? Is it getting too much or too little sunlight? Is it getting enough fertilizer? However, sometimes the questions we need to ask are: Is it receiving enough oxygen? Should I aerate the soil? Continue reading to learn more about soil aeration in the garden. Soil Aeration Info Most homeowners understand that every so often their lawn may need to be aerated. A buildup of thatch and foot traffic from family and pets can cause lawn soil to become compacted....

Getting Rid of Weed Growth in Mulch Manual Mulch Weed Control Mulch acts as physical barrier against weeds, but it must block sunlight in order to be effective. If you notice weeds coming up in mulch, you may need to thicken the layer as blocking light generally requires at least 2 to 3 inches (5-7.6 cm.). Replenish mulch as it decomposes or blows away. How to Kill Weeds in Mulch with Herbicides Other than hand-pulling, mulch is probably the single most important means of weed control....

Why Won’t My Cranberry Fruit? A cranberry vine with no fruit may simply be too young. Cranberry plants are most commonly available for purchase in two forms: one-year-old rooted cuttings and three- or four-year-old plants. If you plant cuttings, you will have to wait about three to four years to get fruit. If you transplant older plants into your garden, you may get a small amount of fruit the same year you plant, and you should get a full harvest by the third year....

Some varieties are more cold hardy than others, and eucalyptus cold protection can help the plants sustain less damage. Even if you choose a hardy specimen and protect it, however, you should still know how to fix cold damaged eucalyptus since weather can be surprising. Winter damage in eucalyptus can be mild or severe and needs to be triaged before treatment. Recognizing Eucalyptus Cold Damage The scent of the volatile oils in eucalyptus is unmistakable....

Reasons for a Yellow Bay Laurel Plant Bay Laurel is native to the Mediterranean region. A sweet bay leaf tree (Laurus nobilis) can grow 40 to 50 feet (12 to 15 m.) and is considered one of the oldest cultivated species of trees. If you’re noticing any yellow leaves on bay laurel plants that you may be growing, here are the most common causes. Soil conditions Bay laurel trees demand well-draining soil....