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What is Feather Reed Grass? Feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora) is a clumping ornamental grass with numerous cultivars. It is a deciduous plant, but is one of the first of the family to show foliage in early spring. Feather reed plant may grow 3 to 5 feet (1-1.5 m.) tall and produce an inflorescence in June that starts green and slowly blushes to purple or pink. The flower head becomes grain-like seeds within a few days....

Plant Disease: Fire Blight The plant disease fire blight is oftentimes influenced by seasonal weather and generally attacks the plant’s blossoms, gradually moving to the twigs and then the branches. Fire blight gets its name from the burnt appearance of affected blossoms and twigs. Fire Blight Symptoms The symptoms of fire blight can appear as soon as trees and shrubs begin their active growth. The first sign of fire blight is a light tan to reddish, watery ooze coming from the infected branch, twig, or trunk cankers....

White Fountain Grass Foliage Fountain grasses are perennial plants that form dense clumps of airy foliage. The grasses are warm-season plants, which means that they go dormant in winter. Fountain grass problems are few and the plants are tolerant when established. They are hardy, low-maintenance plants for the savvy gardener. White fountain grass, or Pennisetum setaceum ‘Alba,’ is an attractive form with slender green foliage and delicate nodding white inflorescences. Contrary to the name, it should not have white or even silvery leaves, but the name instead refers to the flower hue....

Tips for Protecting Plants from Frost First of all, do not panic. Keep in mind that any time there is a threat of frost, you need to take precautionary measures to protect tender plants from exposure to cold temperatures and subsequent damage. Listed below are some of the most common: Covering plants – The most popular way to guard against frost is with the use of some type of covering. Most anything will work, but old blankets, sheets, and even burlap sacks are best....

Planting Fruit Trees in Zone 7 Gardens In any hardiness zone, fruit trees require rich, fertile soil that drains well. Pests and diseases of fruit trees can vary somewhat from zone to zone, as certain pests and diseases thrive in specific conditions. However, trees that are properly planted, watered and fertilized are better able to withstand disease and pests. Just like a herd of gazelle being stalked by lions, the young, weak or sick are usually the first to fall victim....

Are Cheap Garden Supplies Worth It? The old saying: “You get what you pay for” is true when it comes to gardening supplies. The quality of discount and dollar store items is generally not as good as what one might expect from a greenhouse or online gardening supplier. On the other hand, if biodegradable pots from the dollar store last long enough to transplant seedlings into the garden, then they’ve served their purpose....

Golden Zucchini Information Zucchini is a rapidly growing, prolific producer. Golden zucchini plants are much the same. There is some confusion about yellow squash vs. golden zucchini. The two are not the same and yet are similar, being classified as summer squash. The major difference between the two is that golden zucchini has the classic elongated zucchini shape and yellow squash has a fat bottom and tapers towards the neck or even curves like a swan at the neck....

Where Does Paprika Grow? Paprika is a variety of mild pepper (Capsicum annuum) that is dried, ground, and used with food either as a spice or garnish. Most of what we are familiar with comes from Spain, or yes, you guessed it, Hungary. However, these are by far not the only countries that grow paprika peppers and, for the most part, Hungarian paprika is grown in the United States. Paprika Pepper Info It isn’t known exactly what the derivation of the word paprika arises from....

About Vegetables That Self Seed Those who grow their own lettuce know about vegetables that self-seed firsthand. Invariably, the lettuce will bolt, which simply means that it goes to seed. Literally, you can have looked at the lettuce one day and the next it has mile high flowers and is going to seed. The result, when the weather cools, may be some nice little lettuce starts. Annual veggies aren’t the only ones that self-seed....

What Kind of Plant is a Tickle Me Plant? So, what kind of plant is a tickle me plant exactly? It’s a shrubby perennial plant native to tropical regions. The plant can be grown outdoors as an annual, but it is more commonly grown indoors for its unusual growing characteristics. When touched, its fern-like leaves close up and droop as if being tickled. Mimosa plants will also close their leaves at night....

When to Use Rue Herbs Rue (Ruta graveolens) has acclimatized to the United States and can be grown in USDA zones 4 to 9. A fascinating herb, the shrub bears small yellow flowers that, along with its foliage, emit a strong, some say obnoxious, fragrance. Interesting in that the genus, Ruta, belongs to the family Rutaceae, whose members include aromatic citrus trees. More interestingly, ‘graveolens’ is Latin for “having a strong or offensive smell....

Companion Planting with Heather Heather is the overall term for either heathers or heaths. Both plants have similar growing needs and are evergreen with elegant, colorful blooms. When planted en masse, heathers and heaths make a swath of tones and foliage with easy appeal and graceful texture. Adding some dimension to such plantings further enhances the garden area and increases interest year around. There are several common heather companion plants due to their preference for the same growing conditions but also some surprises that will give the heather garden a whole new appearance....

About Honeybee Swarms Warm spring and summer temperatures and the lure of sweet nectar bring the active bees out to gather food. Bee colonies form over time and honeybee swarm nesting may be in a tree, under your eaves or even your attic. This close proximity to a large number of stinging insects can pose a problem. Honeybee swarms en masse pose a real threat to children, pets and even adults, especially those with severe allergic reactions to stings....

Do Insects Care for Their Young? Do insects care for their young? Well, not in the same sense as humans or even other animals. Much of the insect life cycle consists of laying eggs and moving on. Most species are not especially attentive parents but often do give their children a way of protecting themselves. Nature has a way of creating the necessary defenses so young have a chance to grow up and reproduce themselves....

What is a Honeydew Melon? Akin to its popular relative the cantaloupe, honeydew melons are members of the cucurbit or gourd family along with cucumbers and squash. One of the sweetest melons, honeydews are high in vitamin C and potassium. Honeydews are eaten fresh for their succulent, sugary, pale green flesh. The peel may be pickled or cooked, or the seeds may be pressed for oil or roasted and dried. In appearance, the honeydew melon is oval to round with a smooth creamy yellow rind that is peeled to reveal the aromatic, pale green interior....

Can I Grow Orchids in Water? Orchids can be pretty fussy about their growing environment. Soggy or infected media can cause health deterioration and other issues if improperly maintained. Most growers use a bark mixture especially made for the plants, but there is another method that is even more effective and quite surprising…water culture. While you may wonder, “Can I grow orchids in water,” this technique is simple enough even for a novice and it may help improve the health of your plant....

Of course, in their native environments, this doesn’t pose a problem. Nature simply takes care of itself. In the home landscape, however, knowing how to tell the difference between a male and female holly bush is important. If you don’t have at least one male within close proximity of a female, pollination will not occur. As a result, there will be no berries on holly. It takes just one male to pollinate several female plants....

What is Melampodium? Most of the plants in the species are native to tropical to sub-tropical regions from the Caribbean to South America, and in parts of Central America to the southwestern United States. They are not fussy plants and produce prolific blooms all season long. The majority of the species grow as bushes or small shrubs with thick almost twiggy stems. A few are lower and herbaceous, more suited as ground covers or in pots....

How to Start Compost for Gardens There are a number of ways to compost, but on average, compost can be created using five methods: holding units turning units compost heaps soil incorporation vermicomposting The focus of this article will be on heap composting for beginners, as this is the easiest and least expensive method for most people. With heap composting, there are no structures required, though you may use a compost bin if desired....

Strange Uses for Basil In Italy, basil has always been a token of love. Other cultures have had more interesting basil uses, or rather downright strange uses, for basil. Whatever the ancient Greeks and Romans were using it for, they thought it would only grow if you screamed and cursed at the plant. If that isn’t strange enough, they also thought that a leaf from the plant left under a pot would turn into a scorpion, although who wanted to attempt this miraculous act is beyond me....