Posts

Read on for information about your best options for desert garden fruit trees, as well as tips for growing fruit trees in arid conditions. Desert Garden Fruit Trees If you live in a region with a hot, desert-like climate, you can still have a backyard orchard. However, you’ll have a few extra challenges to get optimum fruit production from fruit trees that grow in desert landscapes. One immediate problem for fruit trees for desert climates is the chilling requirement....

Kangaroo Paw Plants Occurring naturally in southwest Australia, kangaroo paws belong to the genus Anigozanthos, of which there are eleven species – Anigozanthos flavidus being the most commonly grown. Size, stalk height, and color of kangaroo paws are dictated by the different species, and arise as a result of hybridization. Kangaroo paws are moderately growing specimens commonly used for cut flowers, and are exported all over the world from commercial growing sites such as the USA, Israel, and Japan....

About Shrimp Plants The Mexican shrimp plant, or Justicia brandegeeana, is a native of Guatemala, Honduras, and as its name implies, Mexico. It is an evergreen shrub that rarely grows more than 3 or 4 feet (1 m.) high, and about as wide. It thrives in the understory, a partially shaded area of tropical forests. The plants grow in many stemmed clumps and in USDA plant hardiness zones 8-11 growing shrimp plants in gardens has become so prevalent, it has now naturalized in many areas....

Stonecrop Succulents The family of stonecrop succulents is large and encompasses low growing, trailing plants and tall spiked-flowering plants that may get up to a foot (31 cm.) in height. All stonecrop plants have a rosette form and most produce a flower held above the base foliage. The leaves are thick and semi-glossy. Most stonecrop plants cultivated in gardens have their origins in Europe and Asia, finding their way to North America and other places across the globe through exploration, trade, etc....

Types of Tomatoes Some of the most common types of tomatoes include: CherryMain Crop/Mid-SeasonRomaBeefsteakLong Keepers Cherry tomatoes are easy to grow and mature quite early. These small, bite-sized snacks are a big hit with children and can be easily grown in containers. Oftentimes the most widely grown in home gardens, the Main Crop varieties produce an exceptional harvest during mid-season. Roma tomatoes, sometimes referred to as Plum tomatoes, are generally small and elongated....

Growing Wintergreen Plants Any area of the garden that is shady to partially sunny make ideal wintergreen growing conditions. These low growing plants form creeping mats of glossy green foliage that turns red to bronze in winter. The decorative red berries are an added bonus that were used in candies, gum, perfume, cosmetics, teas, and other uses prior to synthetic flavorings. Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) is a forest plant in its native habitat....

When to Harvest Horseradish Horseradish is cultivated for its pungent root. The plant is a large leaved herb that thrives in full sun but tolerates some shade. Hardy to USDA zone 3, horseradish is resistant to most diseases and adaptable to many soil types. Plant horseradish in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Prepare the soil by digging down 8 to 10 inches (20-25 cm.) and incorporating a generous amount of compost....

Container Herb Garden Tips and Tricks Buy plants – If this is your first experience container gardening with herbs, you may have more success by purchasing seedlings from your local nursery rather than starting plants from seed. Germinating plants in the microclimate of a container requires stricter adherence to soil moisture levels and sunlight requirements. Use quality potting soil – Garden soil from the backyard can introduce pests and disease into an indoor herb garden....

How to Get Rid of Aphids Naturally Killing aphids naturally is not only better for the environment, but also more effective. You can get them under control by taking advantage of their weaknesses and making a few changes in the way you manage your garden. Aphids have a number of natural enemies, and these insects are much better at controlling aphids than any other method available to gardeners. Pampering and nurturing their natural enemies is an excellent method of organic aphid control....

About Oakleaf Hydrangeas How you prune a hydrangea depends on the type, so it’s important to understand what you have. Hydrangea quercifolia is a deciduous shrub native to the southeastern U.S. but hardy through zone 9. The easiest way to distinguish this hydrangea from others is by its leaves, which have a shape similar to oak leaves. Oakleaf hydrangea is also much larger than other types, growing to 8 feet (2....

Common Lettuce Pests There are a number of pests that attack lettuce plants. Some of the most common lettuce pests are: Aphids Armyworms Corn earworms Crickets Darkling beetles Flea beetles Garden symphylans Grasshoppers Leaf miners Nematodes Snails and slugs Thrips Vegetable weevils Whiteflies Depending on your climate and region, you may find any or all of these pests on lettuce plants. As you can see, not only are you lusting after tender greens, but every insect in town has designs on your romaine....

About Fancy Leaf Caladiums These caladiums, as with others, can be used as single specimen accents or planted in groups for a dramatic-looking tropical display. The 12 to 30 inch (31-76 cm.) heart shaped leaves will retain their color throughout the summer and into the early fall if treated properly. Before you decide to grow fancy leaf caladiums though, there are a few things you should know about them and their care....

When is Lentil Plant Harvest Time? Most varieties of lentils take between 80 and 110 days to reach maturity. After flowering, a short pod will develop. Each pod will contain one or two lens-shaped seeds. The color of the lentil seed is dependent upon the variety, but they can be orange, yellow, green, brown or black. As lentil plants reach maturity, home gardeners will likely find their lentil plants bending toward the ground....

Drip Irrigation Installation Drip or micro-irrigation is an irrigation method that applies water slowly to individual plants. Drip systems are fairly easy to set up yourself and require four easy steps: laying out the irrigation grid, assembling the hoses, installing tees, and then installing emitters and feed lines. When installing a drip irrigation system, the first thing to do is lay out a grid with the hoses so you can get an idea of how far apart they need to be....

How to Propagate Office Plants There are several different methods of propagating plants in the office, and the best technique depends on the growth characteristics of the plant. Here are a few tips on propagating common office plants: Division Division is the simplest propagation technique, and works beautifully for plants that produce offsets. In general, the plant is removed from the pot and a small section, which must have several healthy roots, is gently separated from the main plant....

Hybrid fruit trees are the result of pollinating the flowers of one type of tree with pollen from another type of tree. The seeds from the cross-pollinated fruit produce a different type of tree that has some characteristics of both trees. Don’t confuse hybrids with genetically engineered trees. Genetically engineered plants are modified by artificially introducing genetic material from another organism. Hybridization is a natural process. What is a Pluot?...

Is Agapanthus Winter Hardy? There are two main types of Agapanthus: deciduous and evergreen. Deciduous species appear to be more hardy than evergreen but both can survive surprisingly well in cooler climates in spite of their origin as South African natives. Agapanthus lily cold tolerance is listed as being hardy in United States Department of Agriculture zone 8 but some can withstand cooler regions with a little preparation and protection. Agapanthus is moderately frost tolerant....

Common Spinach Pests There are a number of insects that feast on spinach plants. However, the most common spinach pests that affect these plants include the following: Cutworms and wireworms – Cutworms cut young seedlings off at ground level and wireworms feed on the foliage and roots. Older transplants are less appealing to these insects than tender seedlings. To trap wireworms, plant full grown carrots in the garden every 2 ½ to 3 feet (76-91 cm....

Lacebark Elm Information Also known as Chinese elm, lacebark elm is a medium size tree that typically reaches heights of 40 to 50 feet (12-15 m.). It is valued for its shiny, dark green foliage and rounded shape. The multiple colors and rich textures of lacebark elm bark (the focus of its name) are an added bonus. Lacebark elm provides shelter, food, and nesting sites for a variety of birds, and the leaves attract a number of butterfly larvae....

Reasons for Lantana with Yellow Leaves Premature dormancy – Lantana with yellow leaves may think winter is coming. Lantana is a perennial in warm, frost-free climates. Everywhere else, it grows as an annual or else needs overwintering indoors. Extremely drought tolerant once established, lantana are unable to tolerate cold weather. They die at the first frost. In warmer climates, they go dormant as the weather chills. If you area has been experiencing cool weather lately, your lantana will have noticed....