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What is Algae? You can think of algae as the microscopic weeds of aquatic environments. In the presence of strong sunlight and excess nutrients, algae builds up to form an unsightly growth on the surface of the water and on underwater plants, rocks, and ornaments. It can also give the water a green, pea-soup like appearance. Aquarium Algae Removal The best algae control for aquariums is cleanliness. Use an algae scrubbing pad to remove algae from the sides of your aquarium....

Identifying Bindweed Before you can get rid of bindweed, you need to make sure that the weed you have is bindweed. Bindweed (Convolvulus) is often called wild morning glory because it looks like morning glory. Bindweed is a climbing vine. Normally, the first signs that you have bindweed will be thin thread-like vines that wrap themselves tightly around plants or other upward objects. Eventually, the bindweed vines will grow leaves, which are shaped much like an arrowhead....

What is a Crimson Sweet Watermelon? Who doesn’t like fresh, juicy watermelon? Growing your own means you have fresh fruit at hand whenever you crave the melon’s sweet flavor. Bright red and firmly fleshed, Crimson Sweet in gardens require room to sprawl but bring a taste of summer to your table fresh from the melon patch. Some tips on how to grow Crimson Sweet watermelons will have your family enjoying them within 80 days in proper growing conditions....

What is a Cucumber Tree? Cucumber tree magnolias (Magnolia acuminata) are hardy varietals grown more for their foliage than their blooms. This is because the three-inch (8 cm.) long flowers are yellow-green in hue and tend to blend in with the trees foliage. These trees are stately as adults, especially when the lower limbs have been pruned to prevent them from dragging. Cucumber Tree Characteristics This fast growing, hardy magnolia is pyramidal in its youth and gradually matures into more of an oval or round shape....

Different Varieties of Roses The first roses started with the Old Garden or Species roses. Old garden roses are those that existed prior to 1867. Species roses are sometimes referred to as wild roses, such as Rosa foetida bicolor (Austrian Copper). Other varieties of roses, to some degree, are products of these types. With so many rose varieties available, how does one choose? Let’s take a look at some of the most common along with their descriptions....

Choosing And Using Lawn Herbicides Keeping a lawn green and weed free takes some action on the gardener’s part. Using weed killer for lawns is part of annual maintenance that reduces pest plants and promotes grass growth. Frequent mowing and hand pulling of weeds can reduce their presence, but often in areas with heavy weed populations, the best defense is a chemical application. How to Control Weeds in Lawns Promoting healthy turfgrass can reduce the presence of some weeds....

Decorating with Pinecones Wreaths – This classic pinecone décor is sure to add a touch of wintry warmth to the house or office. Try wiring pinecones together to form a wreath or simply add them to a prefab one. Dust the pinecones with craft snow for a rustic design or use metallic spray paint for a fashionable look. Holiday centerpiece – Pinecone decorating ideas for the tabletop are endless. Use a mix of candles, ornaments, pinecones, and branches to create a unique centerpiece....

Perle von Nurnberg Info If you are searching for an uncomplaining plant with cherubic appeal and beautiful form and color, look no further than Perle von Nurnberg Echeveria. This little succulent produces pups and will eventually grow as big as a dinner plate with good light and care. Warm region gardeners can add this plant to their landscape, while the rest of us should enjoy them in the summer and bring them indoors for winter....

Let’s talk about how to prune a ficus tree and, more importantly for the plant’s health, when should ficus be pruned? Ficus are not winter hardy and are generally grown as houseplants in the United States and other parts of the world. They are native to tropical and subtropical regions and are considered part of this type of exterior landscaping in warm zones. Indoor plants have slow, steady growth but can become heavy on the ends and lose their arching shape....

Flower Spacing Guide for Perennials Perennials should come with information on spacing, which accounts for keeping plants healthy. Correctly spacing flowering plants will help reduce the risk of disease from poor air flow. Although it will take more time to fill the space, sticking with proper spacing will mean you won’t have to divide your perennials so soon after planting. Here are general guidelines for spacing perennials: Small perennials – 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm....

Reasons for Non Flowering Tulips The overwhelmingly most common reason why tulips leaf out but don’t bloom is simply that the environment needed for tulips to bloom every year is very specific. Tulips evolved in the mountains where it is often dry and there are hot summers and cold winters. Tulips planted in our gardens may not get this exact environment and they have a hard time forming a flower bud without it....

How to Collect Aloe Seeds Aloe plants must be four or more years old before they produce reliable seed. The exact time depends upon the species and some plants don’t mature for up to a decade. Once the plant is flowering, it is able to produce seed. You can harvest seed from spent flowers or order them from reputable dealers. In the former method, you need to know how to collect aloe seeds and save them....

Lime, or any other citrus, can take mild frost and cold temps, but potted lime trees cannot. Whatever variety of container grown lime tree you choose, the hardiness zone is one zone higher than the USDA recommended zone. So if you plant a lime that has a USDA of 7, the container grown lime tree has a hardiness zone of 8. Step 1: Choose a Suitable Variety of Lime Tree A dwarf variety of lime tree is the best choice when growing lime trees in containers....

There are fruits that grow in extreme heat naturally: tropical fruits you can plant in your own hot backyard. But there are also specially cultivated, heat-tolerant varieties of fruits usually cultivated in mild climates. For more information on heat tolerant fruits, read on. Fruit That Likes the Heat Plants tend to prefer their native climates and grow best in these conditions. That’s why it makes sense that trees native to tropical climes will produce fruit that likes the heat....

Fennel Growing Problems Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is an herbaceous, short lived perennial plant in the carrot or Apiaceae family that is used for its licorice-like flavor. The dark green feathery foliage of fennel can rise to over 6 feet (2 m.) in height. Hailing from the Mediterranean, fennel is usually grown as an annual, although some types are hardy in USDA zones 4-9. There are both common fennel and Florence fennel (var....

About Hot Weather Hops It is the female plant which produces the valuable cones for beer making. In commercial production, vines (called bines) are strung upward to catch more sun and to support the plant. Hot weather hops grow similarly but production of cones can be sacrificed if the plant is heat stressed or doesn’t receive enough moisture. For this reason, choosing the right zone 9 hops is key to successful harvest....

Growing Houseplants in Bedrooms While many plants release carbon dioxide, not oxygen, at night, having a few plants in the bedroom will not release enough carbon dioxide to be harmful at all. Also, not all plants release carbon dioxide at night. Some still release oxygen even when they are not in the process of photosynthesis. In addition, certain plants also filter harmful formaldehyde, benzene, and allergens from the air, improving air quality in our homes....

Things You Can Use in Garden Recycling Some of the more organic fertilizers we use are actually a form of garden recycling. A few of these include: Blood meal Kelp Bone meal Cottonseed meal Alfalfa meal We can also use “green” garbage from around the house and use it to recycle in the garden too. Here are a few more items around the home that can be recycled into the gardens and what they bring to the garden:...

Concrete Planter Ideas Concrete doesn’t seem to be a medium that translates in the natural garden, but it can add some interest and inspiration with your creative touches. Plus, it is easy to work with and can even be tinted to suit personal preferences. You can customize them to almost any size, with concrete planter ideas that are grandiose or diminutive cuties for succulents and smaller plants. We’ll walk through some basic DIY cement planters that will inspire you and give you the tools to get started on your own....

Raising Caterpillars and Butterflies There are many stages a caterpillar has to endure before finally emerging as a moth or butterfly. Each phase is fascinating and has a lesson to teach. Raising caterpillars and butterflies provides a window into one of nature’s little miracles and is a unique way to add beauty and mystery to your garden. You can build a butterfly house to raise and attract these beautiful insects, or simply go low tech and use a mason jar....