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Some find indoor hydroponic spinach turns bitter. This leaves home gardeners asking, “how do you grow hydroponic spinach that tastes good?” Hydroponic Spinach Growing Tips There’s no doubt growing spinach using hydroponics is more difficult than other types of leafy crops, like lettuce or herbs. While the cultivation techniques are similar, there are many issues which can lead to crop failure or bitter-tasting spinach. To improve your success rates, try these tips from commercial indoor hydroponic spinach growers:...

Information on Kentucky Bluegrass What Does Kentucky Bluegrass Look Like? At maturity, Kentucky bluegrass is about 20-24 inches (51-61 cm.) tall. It can be recognized quite easily because of its “V” shaped leaves. Its rhizomes allow it to spread and create new grass plants. Kentucky bluegrass rhizomes grow quite quickly and form a thick sod in the spring. There are over 100 cultivars of this grass and most stores selling grass seeds will have a variety to choose from....

Propagating Lavender Plants You can start lavender from hardwood or softwood cuttings. Softwood cuttings are taken from the soft, pliable tips of new growth. Hardwood is thicker than softwood and resists bending. It may snap if you force it to bend. The best type of cutting to use depends on the type of lavender and the time of year. Softwood cuttings are plentiful in spring, and you can gather more of them without destroying the parent plant....

Why are My Orange Tree Leaves Curling? Citrus trees may be affected adversely by pests, diseases, environmental conditions, and/or cultural practices. There are four major reasons for leaf curl in orange trees: pests, disease, water stress, and weather. Sometimes it’s a combination of all four. Citrus Tree Leaf Curl Treatment and Pests If you observe orange leaves that are curling, one culprit may be an insect pest, or rather many insect pests because they never seem to travel alone, do they?...

Choosing Living Mulch Plants Companion planting isn’t anything new. Generally, we use companion plants to protect other plants from insects, disease, over grazing and to enhance root and fruit development. Living mulch plants provide numerous benefits to their companions in the garden and liven up the soil. The most common types of living mulch for vegetable gardens focus on fixing nitrogen and breaking up soil. Living mulch as a groundcover is used to keep weeds down, conserve moisture, and fill in landscape gaps....

Mosquito Control Information Begin your program of backyard mosquito control by eliminating all sources of standing water. Anywhere water stands for four days or more is a potential breeding ground for mosquitoes. Therefore, controlling mosquitoes in the lawn can easily be accomplished simply by eliminating unwanted water sources. Breeding areas that you might overlook include the following: Clogged gutters Air conditioner drains Birdbaths Tarps Flower pot saucers Old tires Children’s wading pools Wheelbarrows Pet water dishes Watering cans...

What is Olive Knot? Olive knot (Olea europaea) is a disease caused by the pathogen Pseudomonas savastanoi. This pathogen is known as an epiphyte. ‘Epi’ is from the Greek meaning ‘upon,’ while ‘phyte’ means ‘upon the plant.’ Thus, this pathogen thrives on the rough bark of the twigs rather than the olive’s leaves. As the name suggests, olive knot presents itself as galls or “knots” at infection sites, usually but not always, at leaf nodes....

Information About Patchouli Herb Plant As you might guess due to its inclusion in the mint family, the patchouli herb plant has a fragrant scent that has singled it out for special value for centuries. The patchouli plant is native to the Malay Archipelago and West Indies. Chinese, Indian, Malaysian and Japanese cultures included patchouli cultivation among their medicinal herb garden to treat fungal and skin problems, stomach ailments and as an insecticide and antiseptic....

Beefsteak Tomato Varieties Beefsteak tomatoes have meaty flesh and numerous seeds. There are many varieties available with different sized fruit, harvest times, and growing ranges. Some of the varieties are more suited to humid climates such as Mortgage Lifter and Grosse Lisse. The huge nearly 2 pound (1 kg.) Tidwell German and Pink Ponderosa are both old-time favorites. For super-productive plants, chose Marizol Red, Olena Ukranian, and Royal Hillbilly. There are many heirloom varieties of beefsteak....

Plumeria Care and Pruning Plumeria (common name frangipani) is a small tree that grows around 30 feet (9 m.) high. It is native to tropical America and is very common in Hawaii. The leaves are glossy and pale green, while flowers are pale-colored and form a pretty pinwheel shape. They can be white, red, yellow, or pink and are often used to make leis, keeping for days. This tree loves hot and dry locations, so full sun and well-draining soil is a must....

Pollinators and Winter Survival Chances are, you won’t see pollinators out and about on cold winter days. Where they go and how they survive the cold tends to be species-specific. As a whole, pollinating invertebrates have adapted several methods for surviving harsh winter weather. When we think of pollinators, we often think of honeybees. To survive the winter, these hive-dwellers cuddle together and vibrate their bodies to create heat. Along with a sufficient supply of honey, it takes a special generation of bees during winter months to sustain the hive....

Problems of Pomegranates Pomegranates are fairly vigorous trees or shrubs which adapt well to regions that support citrus plants. There are also varieties suited for semi-temperate zones but these need well-drained soil and protection from excess moisture. Although the plant likes supplemental irrigation in summer for best fruit formation, overly wet soils and humidity can cause a variety of pomegranate tree diseases. There are many methods of treating pomegranate fruit diseases, so don’t despair and keep reading for some solutions....

How to Identify Potato Blight Both types of blight are common in American gardens and pose some risk to other closely related plants like tomatoes and eggplants. Symptoms of potato blight are distinct when the timing of their appearance is taken into account, making blight easy to diagnose. Potato Early Blight Potato early blight is caused by the fungus Alternaria solani and attacks older leaves first. Fungal spores overwinter in plant debris and tubers that were left behind after harvest, but it waits to activate until the humidity is high and daytime temperatures first reach 75 degrees F....

What is Red Feather Clover? Growing red clover to enhance soil is a time honored tradition amongst organic gardeners and traditional farmers. Trifolium rubens is an ornamental form of white clover, valued for its nutrient benefits and its lovely blooms. Ornamental red clover performs the same functions as standard red clovers while enhancing the natural landscape. Red feather foxtail clover is easy to grow from seed and needs little care or maintenance....

What Causes Root Bound Plants? Oftentimes, root bound plants are simply plants that have grown too big for their containers. Healthy growth will cause a plant to develop a root system that is too big for its container. Occasionally, a plant may be put into a container that is too small to begin with. This will also cause a plant to become quickly root bound. In short, a root bound plant is just that, a plant whose roots are “bound” by some kind of barrier....

Panic can set in as we begin to wonder if the plant is dormant or dead. We may search the internet with the vague question: when do plants wake up in spring? Of course, there is no exact answer to that question because it depends on too many variables, such as which plant it is, what zone you live in, and precise details of the weather your area has been experiencing....

Squash with Powdery Mildew Powdery mildew spreads rapidly and can travel a long distance. In addition to squash plants, it may afflict any number of veggies, including: Artichokes Cucumbers Eggplant Lettuce Melons Parsnips Peas Radishes Tomatoes Turnips However, there is a different species of powdery mildew that attacks each different veggie. In the case of cucurbits, there are three different fungal species responsible for causing powdery mildew: Podosphaera xanthii, Golovinomyces cucurbitacearum, and Golovinomyces orontii....

What is a Hedgehog Gourd? Hedgehog or teasel gourd (Cucumis dipsaceus) has many other names including (in English) hedgehog cucumber, tiger’s egg, and wild spiny cucumber. Native to eastern Africa, hedgehog gourd plants are widely grown in the coastal regions of India where they are called Kantola in Hindi and are available during the monsoon season– late spring through summer. In fact, teasel gourd is so popular in the Konkani region on the western coast of India that it is used in many of the ritual dishes of the local monsoon festivals....

Read on for Thanksgiving holiday cactus information that will keep you growing and giving away these plants for a lifetime. Thanksgiving Cactus Information Schlumbergera truncata is the Thanksgiving cactus. It is called a leaf cactus but is not a true cactus. Rather it is an epiphyte, those plants which live on other plants. The leaves are broad and flat with slight serrations on the edges in the Thanksgiving vs. Christmas cactus, which has smoother edges....

Powdery Mildew on Rosemary Perhaps you’ve noticed a white powder on your rosemary plants in your kitchen. If so, you aren’t alone. The white powder is actually powdery mildew on rosemary, a common plant ailment. It is caused by many different fungi that are closely related. This is one of the most common problems with growing rosemary plants, and all indoor plants actually. Each indoor plant has a white powdery mildew that is specific to that particular plant....