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Trees are typically sold in containers, burlap sacks, or as bare roots. This is an important consideration when planting them. Trees in containers should be carefully removed and inspected prior to planting. Check to ensure the roots are not rootbound and gently spread the roots apart. Burlap-wrapped trees should be carefully unwrapped, removing the burlap completely and gently separating the roots prior to planting. Bare root trees have no soil surrounding the roots as those in containers or burlap....

Buttercup Weed Information Creeping buttercup is in the Ranunculus family and known for its lovely flowers. However, buttercup is considered by many to be a weed due to its invasive and prolific nature. Buttercup control is particularly difficult in large scale infestations unless you wish to resort to an herbicide. Chemical control is one option, but there may be better ways to minimize the plant’s impact on your landscape. The saying, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” may have the sting of truth in regards to buttercup....

Can You Eat Cactus Pads? If you have ever been to an ethnic store specializing in Mexican and southwestern cuisine, you may have seen cactus pads. The plants grow especially well in desert type areas and adult plants can produce 20 to 40 pads per year. The locality where the plants grow wild call the pads nopales, a desert delicacy that has been transported across the states. There is a specific time of the day and year for harvesting edible cactus pads....

Growing Muscadine Grapes Muscadine grapevine planting should take place in an area of full sun with well-draining soil. For maximum grape production, the vine should be in full sun for most of the day; shaded areas reduce fruit set. Well-draining soil is of paramount importance. Vines may die if they are in standing water for even a short period of time, such as after a heavy rainstorm. Muscadine grape care requires a soil pH of between 5....

About Pimento Sweet Peppers Pimento peppers are small, sweet, heart-shaped peppers that ripen to red in color. They only get to be about 1 ½ inches (4 cm.) across and are very mild with a Scoville heat rating of less than 500 units. Pimento stuffed green olives and pimento cheese are two very familiar packaged products found at the grocers that use this type of sweet pepper. Depending on the variety, plants may become large and bear hundreds of fruit, or they may be smaller, perfect for container gardening....

About Cherry Black Knot Disease Black knot of cherry trees is a fungal disease caused by the pathogen Apiosporina morbosa. Fungal spores are spread amongst trees and shrubs in the Prunus family by spores that travel on wind and rain. When conditions are damp and humid, spores settle on young plant tissues of the current year’s growth and infect the plant, causing galls to form. Old wood is not infected; however, the disease may go unnoticed for a couple years because the initial formation of galls is slow and inconspicuous....

The only character trait that unites the large family of annual flowers is that they all die off at the end of the season, making it ever so enjoyable to start again with a whole new palette of color, texture, and perfume the next season. Planting Annual Flowers Even a die-hard perennial fan like me can appreciate the simplicity of the annual flower. You either start the annual from seed in the spring, following package directions; or buy the plant from your local nursery....

Cobra Lily Information California pitcher plants (Darlingtonia californica) grow in distinctive groupings across the state’s countryside. Cobra lily pitcher plants are native to North America and found in nutrient-poor boggy areas. The plants spread asexually through runners and stolons and infrequently flower. They are inimitable plants, unmatched by most flora in exceptional structure and eccentric beauty. The cobra lily plant almost defies description. The main features of the plant are the modified leaves that rise from the base and terminate in hooded foliage....

Can You Water Plants with Coffee? Coffee used as a fertilizer is not exactly a new idea. Many gardeners add coffee grounds to compost piles where it decomposes and mixes with other organic matter to create some fantastic, nourishing soil. Of course, this is done with grounds, not the actual cold cup of coffee sitting here at my desk. So, can you water your plants with coffee proper? Coffee grounds are about 2 percent nitrogen by volume, nitrogen being an important component for growing plants....

How to Plant Dahlia Tubers If you’re sure there will be no more frosty nights in early spring, it’s safe to get your dahlia tubers into the ground. If you’re wrong about the frost, you could lose or damage them. Plan to grow your dahlias in a spot where they’ll receive full sun and be sure the soil is very well draining. Tubers that sit in wet soil tend to become mushy and rot, and dahlias are no exception....

Dahlia Companion Plants Dahlias grow from tubers and produce flowers that range in size from dinner plate giants to diminutive discs. Dahlias are perennials and work well in a mixed perennial bed. Consider the huge water needs of these plants when selecting companions for dahlia. Plants can also grow several feet (0.5 to 1 m.) tall and nearly as wide. Lower plants should be able to tolerate some shade and taller plants can be used at the rear of the bed as an accent....

Why are Deer Rubbing Antlers on Trees? Living close to nature can be an incredibly rewarding experience, but even the most dedicated lovers of wildlife may get pretty frustrated when they discover the local deer rubbed the bark off the trees in their yard. Not only does this behavior cause unsightly damage, it can permanently disfigure or kill young trees. Male deer (bucks) grow a new set of antlers each year, but they don’t start out as the horn-like headgear that normally springs to mind....

Do Pitcher Plants Need Fertilizer? Sarracenia is a large group of carnivorous plants found across the globe. More commonly known as pitcher plant, the genus is formed of plants that have found a unique way to survive in low nutrient soil. Sarracenia are North American natives. Nepenthes are the tropical varieties of the pitcher plant, which need warm weather and plenty of humidity. The plants harvest insects by trapping them in their pitcher-shaped leaves....

Drought Tolerant Grass Varieties Finding a drought resistant grass type is not as difficult as it used to be. Tighter water restrictions in moisture deficient municipalities have made using drought tolerant lawn grass or alternatives to turf lawns a priority. Fortunately, breeding and technology have come to our rescue and you can now install a lawn that requires less than one quarter of a traditional turf grasses water needs. Sod selection isn’t only dependent upon water needs....

So if you’re ready to turn that bare spot in your yard into the next Mona Lisa, just follow my brushstrokes… Determine Your Flower Garden Theme There are many ways to approach your canvas, and it’s really quite up to you. There is no right or wrong here. I particularly enjoy heading over to the local library or bookstore and pulling up a chair in the gardening aisle. Pouring over pictures of English gardens, their classic beauty is always a welcome sight, or delving into dreams of sophisticated Japanese gardens that inspire zen....

Common Forget-Me-Not Problems A robust stand of forget-me-nots is a truly remarkable sight, but that picture perfect image doesn’t simply happen by accident. Awe-inspiring forget-me-nots are the product of a grower who is intimately familiar with the common problems with forget-me-nots, from fungal disease to pest insects. Although forget-me-nots are generally pretty tough once established in the landscape, that doesn’t mean that they’ll never have a problem. Luckily, most pests and diseases of forget-me-nots are pretty simple to control....

Ideas for Garden Color Schemes Garden color schemes accent the landscape. Whether you are using color in the garden with plants or more obviously on a trellis, fence or outbuilding, the addition of some bright tones will really perk up the garden space. There are many ways to introduce color and activate new senses and viewpoints in the landscape. Experiment with using color on landscape structures. It is an easy way to make something old new again and increase the sensory output of your outdoor space....

Garden Windbreak Design The best garden windbreak design incorporates up to four rows of trees and shrubs. It begins with a row of tall evergreens closest to the home, with rows of successively shorter trees and shrubs, both evergreen and deciduous, behind it. This design directs the wind up and over your home. The National Renewable Energy Foundation recommends planting the windbreak at a distance of two to five times more than the height of the closest trees....

Zone 1 Perennial Plants Even extreme northern gardens should have some perennials and annuals. Plants for extreme cold are rare, but the first choices to look at are the native specimens. If it can survive in your region in the wild, it should do pretty well in your garden. However, you aren’t limited to native choices, especially if you don’t mind annual plants. Many of these are hardy enough to survive the warmer season in the region and then simply die back when the really cold temperatures arrive....

German vegetable gardening also has a different philosophy than that followed by most American gardeners. Read on to learn about growing German vegetables. German Vegetable Gardening The German people have been using a gardening method called Hugelkultur for centuries. Literally meaning “mound culture,” Hugelkultur is a horticultural technique whereby a mound, or raised planting bed, is composed of decaying wood or other compostable plant material. This method has many benefits such as water retention, improvement of soil tilth, an increase of surface volume, and is the ideal method for growing German vegetables, here or in Germany....