What is a Bulb Planter? When it comes time to plant bulbs, you can do it a couple of different ways. You can use a shovel and loosen the soil in the area to a depth of 8 inches (20 cm.) and then plant bulbs individually or in trenches. You can also use a bulb planter. These come in a couple different varieties. You may wonder, “do I need a bulb planter?...
Pummelo Tree Growing Information If you have ever heard of pomelo fruit and actually seen it, you would guess it looks very much like a grapefruit, and rightly so, as it is an ancestor of that citrus. The fruit of a growing pomelo tree is the largest citrus fruit in the world, from 4-12 inches (10-30.5 cm.) across, with a sweet/tart interior covered by a greenish-yellow or pale yellow, easily removable peel, much like other citrus....
What is a Spotted Snake Millipede? Spotted snake millipedes, along with centipedes, are members of a group of animals called myriapods. Centipedes are soil dwelling predatory animals that have only one pair of legs per body segment. Juvenile millipedes have three pairs of legs per body segment. Centipedes are more active than millipedes and, when discovered, make a run for it while millipedes either freeze in their tracks or curl up....
What is a Weed Tree? Weed trees are not a special kind of tree. They are unwanted tree seedlings that grow in your yard, young trees that you didn’t plant and don’t want. The status of “weed tree” is determined by the gardener. If you are thrilled to find the seedlings, they are not weed trees at all but volunteer trees. If you are not thrilled and want to get rid of volunteer trees, they qualify as weed trees....
What is a Woad Plant? Woad (Isatis tinctoria) is an erect biennial that grows to between 1-3 feet (30-90 cm.), sometimes up to 4 feet (1.2 m.) in height. Its leaves are bluish green overlaid with a powdery white fluff. The leaves are narrow and lightly serrated to wavy. The plant blossoms with small yellow flowers in the spring of its second year of growth and develops into blue/black fruit. The plant was cultivated for centuries as a medicinal and source of blue dye....
What is hemlock mulch and what is the plant that is actually unsafe to have in the garden and around pets? Can you use hemlock mulch in a vegetable garden and around other edibles? Read on for answers that will put your mind at ease as you contemplate the right organic mulch for your landscape. What is Hemlock Mulch? Hemlock is a softwood tree used for many industrial purposes. Its bark has a rich, red to orange or burgundy color, which accents plants in the garden and creates contrast among all the green growing things....
It rushes down dirty roofs; it washes over dirty city streets, sidewalks, and driveways; washes over yards and fields which have been freshly dosed with pesticides and fertilizers; and then makes its way into our natural waterways, carrying all sorts of pathogens and pollutants with it. It can also make its way into the basement or home, not only costing you a fortune in repairs, but also threatening the health of your family....
Information About Wild Lady Slipper Orchids Cypripedium species are native across much of North America as well as parts of Europe. This adorable little plant has only two leaves, which branch out from the center where its single flower stalk also grows. The unique flower looks just like a lady’s slipper (oftentimes spelled as such), closed tightly except for a small opening in the front. Blooms range in color from white and yellow to deep pink and nearly purple shades....
Growing Wildflowers in Zone 6 There are wildflowers for every region of the USDA map. If your garden is in zone 6, you’ll have a lot of options. This zone stretches across the U.S., including regions in Massachusetts and Connecticut, most of Ohio, and parts of Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, and stretching up to the interior areas of the Pacific Northwest. If you choose the right wildflowers for zone 6, enjoying them in your garden will be easy....
Trees for Zone 6 If you live in plant hardiness zone 6, the coldest winter temperatures dip to between 0 degrees and -10 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 to -23 C.). This is chilly for some people, but a lot of trees love it. You’ll find plenty of options for growing trees in zone 6. Take a look at your garden and figure out what type of trees would work best. Think height, light and soil requirements, and whether you prefer evergreen trees or deciduous trees....
10 Easy Cacti Gymnocalycium are among the easiest cacti to grow. The genus includes 70 species that are native to several countries in South America. These are also called Chin cactus and include the Moon cactus. Some are dwarfs and most form clusters as they grow. Mammillaria is the largest genus of the plant, with 170 types or more. Some estimate 200 to 300. Some are easy to grow but some are more difficult....
Details about Bowiea Sea Onion Bowiea is the genus for the climbing onion plant. These plants are native to Africa and indigenous where soil is poor, moisture is minimal and heat is severe. They grow well in most home interiors provided there is not excessive humidity. The plant itself is a curiosity, with its surface growing bulb and green starry flowers. Climbing sea onions (Bowiea volubilis) grow out of a bulb....
About Garlic Seed Propagation Although you may see or hear it referred to as seed, seed garlic, or even seed stock, the truth is garlic doesn’t usually set true seed, and on those rare occasions when it does, garlic seed resembles the small, black seeds of onions. The flowers of garlic plants usually fade long before producing any seed. Of course, plants produced using garlic seed propagation are not likely to grow anyway and those few that do will take years to produce any garlic....
Apartment Gardening Ideas Outdoors Outdoor container gardens for apartment dwellers is much easier if you use self-watering containers with reservoirs that hold enough water to keep the soil moist without constant attention. Outdoor containers, particularly those in full sun, dry out quickly on hot days and may need watering more than once a day in the heat of summer. With a self-watering container, you don’t have to arrange your life around a watering schedule....
Help, There are Beetles on My Green Bean Plants! First of all, don’t panic. You aren’t the first and you won’t be the last to find beetles on your green bean plants. If you try to identify the beetle, the better able you will be at finding a method of green bean beetle control. Japanese beetle – One ravager may be the Japanese beetle. These pests were inadvertently brought over from Japan and rapidly spread through most of the Eastern United States....
How Cold Hardy are Fig Trees? So, just how cold hardy are fig trees? Well, you can cultivate cold hardy fig trees in areas where the minimum winter temperatures do not dip below 5 degrees F. (-15 C.). Keep in mind, though, that stem tissue can be damaged at temps well above 5 degrees F., especially if it is a prolonged cold snap. Established or mature winter hardy figs are more likely to survive an extended cold snap....
How to Grow a Black Garden Growing your own Victorian black garden is not hard at all. It’s basically done just like any other garden. Careful planning always helps beforehand. One of the most important factors is proper positioning. Dark-colored plants need to be placed in sunny areas to prevent them from becoming lost in the dark corners of the landscape. They should also be placed against a lighter backdrop in order to stand out more effectively....
Why is My Cactus Going Soft? The arid gardener may ask, “Why is my cactus going soft?”. Likely causes are disease, cultivation, and improper site and ambient conditions. Cacti generally have low moisture needs. They thrive in temperatures above 70 to 75 F. (21-24 C.) in sunny locations and require little supplemental nutrients. Potted plants need good drainage holes and a soil mix with plenty of grit. In-ground plants have similar requirements....
You can collect seed and germinate it, but don’t expect the same cultivar as the parent plant. Can Figs Grow from Seed? Figs have been cultivated since around 5,000 BC. Their sweet flavor and rich scent truly make them fruits of the gods. Figs are propagated in several ways. Fig seed propagation is probably the most fickle of the methods but can result in a new cultivar and an interesting process....
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) was first cultivated in 1750 near London, England as an experimental hybrid between watermint and spearmint. That you can now find naturally growing peppermint almost anywhere in the world is a testament not only to its adaptability, but as an indication of its medicinal qualities. Once our forefathers, or more likely foremothers, learned how to use the peppermint plant, they took it everywhere they moved or visited where some, no doubt, was left behind with new friends....
