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Container Gardening Vegetables Almost any vegetable that can be grown in a garden will work well as a container-grown plant. Vegetables normally suited for growing in containers include: tomatoes peppers eggplant potatoes beans lettuce carrots radishes Most vine crops, such as squash and cucumbers, also do well in containers. Generally, compact varieties are the better choices for growing in containers. Bush beans, for example, thrive well in this type of environment and look quite attractive when arranged with other container crops....

Native gardens are a smart, low maintenance choice. A natural garden design uses less water, less weeding, and no fertilizer. And if you downsize the lawn, there’s less mowing, too. A native plant garden can help perpetuate the species. Native perennials have deep root systems that improve the soil, redirect rainwater, and resist pests. Naturally acclimated to the environment, native gardens shouldn’t need protection in winter, saving you time preparing for weather events....

Screening Considerations Ask yourself questions to solve your particular screening problem. Do you want to screen an unsightly view? Are you looking for a little privacy? Do you need year-round interest, or are you simply creating a boundary between particular areas of the garden? Is it a large area or a small one? Is the area in question shady, or is shade what you need? Make a sketch of the area, jotting down important notes regarding growing requirements and preferences....

How to Care for a Dieffenbachia Plant Problems with dieffenbachia plant can be easily overcome in most situations. The most common problem with growing dumbcane dieffenbachia is too much moisture. Overwatering is a common problem with many houseplants and the dieffenbachia houseplant is no exception. Plant the dumbcane in a well-draining soil and water lightly, keeping the soil consistently moist, but not soggy. Check the soil to make sure it is dry an inch (2....

Why is Cyclamen Drooping? Drooping leaves on cyclamen may be the result of a natural process. Plants begin re-growth in fall and are actively growing in winter. By the time the heat of summer appears, the plants are slowly dying back and eventually there will be no sign that they were there. This process is natural and may result in drooping leaves on cyclamen. Wait until fall and see if you don’t find it coming back for its spring performance....

Dropwort Meadowsweet Info For centuries, people learned how to grow dropworts for medicinal purposes. An infusion of dropwort tea was used to treat minor pain and headache and in 1839, scientists discovered what herbalists had known all along. It worked. Salicylic acid, aspirin to we layfolk, was first extracted from the flowers of Filipendula ulmaria, queen-of-the-meadow, way back then. Maybe it’s the name, but you rarely read about dropworts in the garden anymore and yet they make such a beautiful and easy care addition....

Should You Fertilize an Apple Tree? As mentioned, it is likely that an apple tree will need both calcium and potassium feedings annually, but to really ascertain what other nutrients your tree will need, you should do a soil test. A soil test is the only way to really determine what type of fertilizer for apples might be needed. Generally, all fruit trees thrive in a soil pH of between 6....

About Fish Compost If you, a family member, or a close friend is an avid angler, then you know that often the general practice is to dump the fish innards or other fish waste back into the aquatic sphere it came from. The problem with this method of disposal, more specifically in commercial fishing, is that all that waste can damage the ecosystem, disrupting the delicate balance and wreaking havoc with the watery flora and fauna....

Ornamental Kale Plants Ornamental kale plants (Brassica oleracea) and their cousin, the ornamental cabbage, were developed for their spectacular colors and are not edible. Although they are sometimes called flowering kale, the plants rarely put out real flowers. The color is all in their extravagantly ruffled and feathered leaves. Ornamental kale plants are best used as an annual in spring and fall gardens and in container gardens. How to Grow Ornamental Kale Growing flowering kale can be done by starting seeds or with started plants purchased from the store....

What is a Sunken Garden Bed? So what is a sunken garden bed? By definition this is “a formal garden set below the main level of the ground surrounding it.” Gardening below ground level is not a new concept. In fact, sunken gardens have been used for centuries – most commonly when the availability of water is limited. Areas prone to dry, arid conditions, such as desert climates, are popular sites for creating sunken gardens....

Myth of the Green Thumb Green thumb gardening is just that– a myth, at least as I see it. When it comes to growing plants, there are no inherent talents, no divine gift for gardening, and no green thumb. Anyone can stick a plant in the ground and get it to grow with the right conditions. In fact, all alleged green-thumb gardeners, myself included, possess little more than the ability to read and follow instructions, or in the very least, we know how to experiment....

What is African Gardenia? A very unique and fairly hard plant to find is Mitriostigma axillare. This plant can become a small tree in its habit but is a small bush in container situations. One of the most important things about caring for African gardenias is their intolerance to soggy soil. These plants also prefer indirect light or even partial shade since they grow in forested areas where taller plant species dapple the light....

Growing and Propagating Leeks Leeks are a cool-weather, long-season crop. They grow best when the ambient temperature is from 55 to 75 degrees F. (13-24 C.), but many varieties can withstand below freezing temperatures. Depending upon variety, leeks can take up to 180 days to reach maturity. Growing leeks from seed is the most common method of propagation. In warm climates, leeks can be direct-seeded outdoors during the summer and harvested as a winter crop....

How to Propagate a Mesquite Tree Mesquite trees are drought tolerant, stoic trees that thrive in hot, arid climates. They have become an interesting landscape specimen due to their adaptability and lovely cut pinnate leaves. The ornamental pods add even more seasonal appeal. Growing new mesquite trees may happen naturally by finding seedlings under a mature specimen. However, mesquite tree reproduction in this manner is uncommon due to the capriciousness of the seeds, and human intervention may be necessary if you want more trees....

Growing Pumpkins with Milk If you do a search regarding feeding pumpkins with milk, you will find quite a bit of information with about a 50/50 split on the veracity of using milk to grow pumpkins. Milk does have vitamins and minerals, with calcium being the most touted. Most kids are given milk to drink with the idea that it will make them grow up strong and healthy. Of course, there is some dissension over whether cow’s milk is really very good for kids, but I digress....

Roselle Flower Seeds Hibiscus sabdariffa, commonly called Roselle, is a large, tropical, bushy perennial in the Mallow family. Sometimes it is called Jamaican Sorrel or French Sorrel because its edible leaves look and taste like Sorrel. Roselle can be found in humid tropical locations, like Southeast Asia and the Caribbean, where the bright red plant stems are used for making a fiber similar to jute, and its fruits are harvested for beverages, sauces, jellies, and wine....

When to Harvest Pecans Statuesque and stately pecan trees begin to shed their nuts in the fall, prior to leaf drop. Depending upon the variety and climate, harvesting pecan trees takes place from late September through November. Before the nuts begin to drop, they look nothing like the finished product – light brown, dark-striped nuts. The nut forms inside a green husk that gradually browns as it dries and the nut matures....

Either of these options can seem challenging initially, but over time the fresh vegetable dishes are likely to become beloved holiday traditions. And it’s a great idea for gardeners to grow some of these in your own backyard. Typical American Thanksgiving… Plus Unless all family members and Thanksgiving guests are vegetarian or vegan, the easiest way to increase the plant-based portion of a holiday meal is to add fresh vegetables ideas to a traditional Thanksgiving meal....

What is a Fungus Gnat? Fungus gnats may be confused with fruit flies. The difference between the two is evident upon close inspection. Fruit flies have bodies that are perfect miniatures of the house fly, while fungus gnats have long legs dangling from an elongated body, much like a mosquito. If you are still unsure what type of gnat you have, place potato slices on the surface of the soil of a potted plant....

How Do Trail Cameras Work? A trail camera, also known as a wildlife camera, is a remote camera you can set up outside to take pictures and video. The idea is that you can capture images that would be impossible to get otherwise because your presence would keep animals away. The camera doesn’t run or take pictures constantly. It is triggered by motion. The devices store the images and videos so you can view them later....