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Cucurbit Cross Pollination The cucurbit family includes: Watermelons Muskmelons Pumpkins Cucumbers Winter/summer squash Gourds Since they reside in the same family, many folks believe that there will be cross pollination between the members. Although they all have similar flowering habits, bloom around the same time and, of course, are family members, it is not true that all cucurbits will cross pollinate. The female flower of each can only be fertilized by pollen from the male flowers of the same species....

What to Plant with Lemongrass Lemongrass contains citronella, a plant oil with pest repelling properties, especially mosquitoes. Using lemongrass among your patio plantings is an excellent way to enjoy your outdoors in summer without worrying about those disease transmitting insects. Planting next to lemongrass provides a rich contrast for the golden leaves while the pungent oil helps prevent other pests. You can readily snap off the leaves and cover your skin with the natural oil to protect you and your family from dangerous mosquitoes and your plants from pests, like whiteflies....

The solution? Grow you own birdseed! Birdseed plants are beautiful and easy to grow. At the end of the season, you can use the seeds to make fresh, nutritious, homegrown birdseed. Growing Plants for Feeding Birds Sunflowers should always be included in homegrown birdseed. The seeds provide energy for many birds, including finches, nuthatches, juncos, chickadees, cardinals, and grosbeaks, among others. These easy-to-grow plants are available in a variety of sizes....

Why Go Native for West North Central Gardening? There are many great reasons to use native plants in the landscape. These are the plants specifically adapted to your region, climate, and environment so they are more likely to grow well and be healthy than nonnative plants. A native garden will require less of your time because you don’t need to adapt the environment to suit them. You will use fewer resources too, including water....

Reasons for Garden Peas Not Producing Here are the top reasons why a pea plant may not be growing or producing as it should: Too Much Nitrogen Nitrogen is one of the macronutrients plants need. In the case of peas, more is not better. Peas are legumes, and these types of plants have the ability to take nitrogen from the atmosphere and convert it into a form used by plants. Legumes can even add nitrogen to the soil....

How to Sterilize Mulberry Trees Ask any arborist and they will probably tell you that sterilizing mulberry trees is a difficult proposition, if not impossible. Expensive chemicals are required and the potential drift can affect surrounding unprotected trees and bushes. Generally, the results are inconsistent and must be timed perfectly during fruit bloom and in prime temperature conditions for any efficacy. The best course of action to stop a mulberry from fruiting and preventing the type of mess described above is to plant a male tree or fruitless variety of mulberry....

What is a Fruit Cage? A cage is generally something to contain an animal or bird so that they cannot escape. In this case, a fruit cage is designed to keep the birds and animals out, away from those succulent berries you had planned on using. A fruit cage can be a very simple structure just for protecting the fruit or quite grandiose. Some gardens are designed with ornate fruit cages as a focal point....

Pruning Tool Sterilization Many gardeners ask, “Do you need to clean garden tools?” To maintain proper function, prevent rust and reduce the spread of plant diseases, garden tools should be kept clean and frequently sanitized. After each use, soil, sap and other debris should be cleaned off garden tools. Rinsing or washing pruners regularly will not prevent the spread of many different plant diseases. For this reason, we recommend regular pruning tool sterilization....

Red Poppy Flowers: In Flanders Field the Poppies Blow World War I, also known as the First World War or the Great War, took a monumental toll, claiming the lives of more than eight million soldiers between 1914 and 1918. The war also did extensive harm to the environment in Europe, particularly in the war-ravaged areas of northern Europe and northern Belgium where fields, trees, and plants were destroyed. Surprisingly, bright red poppies began popping up amidst the destruction....

Landscaping with Rocks and Pebbles When we hear the word “mulch,” we oftentimes think of wood chips, straw, or composts. However, landscape rocks are also generally described as mulch. Just like organic mulching materials, rock and pebble mulches have their pros and cons in the landscape. While excellent at controlling erosion, rock mulches do not help retain moisture in the soil like organic mulches. In fact, rock mulches tend to heat up quite a bit in the sun, causing the soil beneath them to be hot and dry....

What is a Root Cellar? Before the widespread use of refrigeration, root cellars were the primary method of storing food for the winter. Often located underground, the various root cellar designs had one thing in common – the ability to hold produce at a desired temperature and humidity without the use of electricity. The desire to reduce one’s carbon footprint has created renewed interest in the benefits of root cellar storage....

Fungus Causing Leaves Falling Off a Rose Bush An attack of black spot fungus can cause the leaves to fall off of our rose bushes. First, you will notice tiny black spots on some of the leaves, which look a lot like fly specks or fly poo, but they certainly are not. If left untreated, the black spot fungus will quickly spread over the foliage of the infected rose bush. The black spots will get bigger, leaves turn yellow with sometimes brownish edges and fall off....

Seed Propagating Houseplants If you plan on starting plants from seed, you have to have a place to put the seed trays where they can be kept warm and at a fairly constant temperature. Good light is important too. So is keeping them away from drafts. The pots you plant the seedlings in are going to take up a lot of room, so make sure you have the space to do this as well....

Container gardening in a crate is a creative and fun way to add plants to any location, from the patio, deck, or front porch to creative indoor displays. Read on for more info on growing plants in wooden crates. Planting in a Slatted Box Container Growing plants in a wooden crate is easy. Line the crate. Select a sturdy, well-made crate with slats less than 2 inches (5 cm.) apart....

Why Use Soilless Potting Mix? Primarily, the very best reason for utilizing soilless planting medium is that you can control any types of insects, diseases, bacteria, weed seeds and or other pesky additions which are commonly found in garden soils. When starting seeds indoors, there are no longer the checks and balances of weather or natural predation that aid in containing these unwanted additions, unless the soil has been sterilized first, usually with a heat treatment of some sort....

What is Gummy Stem Blight Disease? Gummy stem blight fungus is most active during periods of warm, wet weather. The spores of the fungus can spread in soil or by air. The fungus will overwinter in milder climates in soil and plant debris. The leaves will get necrotic areas of dead tissue that turn brown and have a darker halo. The stems and fruit will show black, soft spots or large brown lesions that are bordered by black....

How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs Once temperatures rise in spring, stink bugs begin to emerge from their winter hibernation. Females eventually begin laying their eggs on whatever plants are readily available. Both the larvae and adult stink bugs will then feed on plant juices but may also attack nearby fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, corn, beans, etc. Noticeable damage may appear as pin pricks surrounded by a yellow or green color....

Rooting String of Pearls Plant Cuttings If you are lucky enough to have a string of pearls plant or know someone who does, it is easy to make more of this delightful succulent. Taking string of pearls cuttings is the easiest and fastest way to multiply your stock of this whimsical succulent. No matter if you are a pro or a novice, cuttings of succulents are practically foolproof ways of string of pearls propagation....

Succulents native to arid regions must have adequate drainage and moderate watering for good root rot control. Why Do Succulents Rot? Limp, shriveled, and yellow leaves are an indicator that succulent roots are rotting. Why do succulents rot? The answer can be cultural or fungal. In most cases, it is an issue brought upon by poor draining soil and too much moisture. Learning how to stop succulent rot is important to save your plant....

Signs You Need to Transplant Iris There are a few signs that you should consider dividing iris plants. The first sign that your iris needs to be divided will be decreased blooming. Overcrowded iris rhizomes will produce fewer flowers than uncrowded iris rhizomes. If you have noticed that your iris are blooming less than they usually do, you may need to transplant the iris in your garden. The next sign that you should consider transplanting your iris is if the rhizomes start heaving out of the ground....