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Simple Potting Bench Ideas If you are curious about how to make a potting bench, first take some time to discover what your specific requirements might be. What is a potting bench supposed to look like? The simplest potting table info describes a table at least waist high. You can then add a shelf, hooks, cubbies, and even a watering station of some sort. The point is to make the process of tending your plants easier and less back breaking....

Today, scientists have developed new strains of American chestnut that resist blight, and the species is making a comeback. You can propagate these trees for your backyard. If you want to learn about chestnut tree propagation, and how to grow chestnut tree cuttings, read on. Chestnut Tree Propagation Chestnut tree propagation is not difficult. In the wild, these trees reproduce readily from the abundant crop of nuts they produce. Each shiny nut grows in a spiky casing....

Pumpkin Disease Identification It is important to identify as soon as possible any diseases affecting the pumpkin crop. Early detection will enable you to treat the symptoms early on and, hopefully, save the crop. It is helpful to not only recognize the symptoms of infectious diseases but also to know how they spread and survive. Diseases afflicting pumpkins may be foliar in nature or diseases of the fruit. Foliar disease often opens the plant up to other infectious diseases as well as sunscald....

Purple Loosestrife Info Coming from Europe, purple loosestrife was introduced to North America some time in the early to mid 1800’s, probably by accident, but attempts at purple loosestrife control did not begin until the mid 1900’s. It has an aggressive growth habit and because it has no natural enemies (insects and wildlife won’t eat it), there is nothing out there to stop the spread of purple loosestrife. Control measures have also been hampered by local gardeners who take the plant home....

Advantages of Growing in Unframed Raised Beds Unframed raised beds offer most of the same advantages as framed raised beds. These include improved drainage, a deeper volume of loosened soil for plant roots to explore, and a raised growing surface that is easier to reach without kneeling. Raised bed soil also warms up earlier in spring. An additional advantage of unframed raised beds is that you can install them with significantly less expense and effort, which is especially important if you’re gardening on a large scale....

Why are My Watermelons Small? Okay, let’s attack the obvious here. Do you know what type of watermelon you are growing? Are you sure it’s not one of the personal sized? I’ve been guilty of not labeling areas of the garden and forgetting not only what cultivar, but even exactly what I sowed in a certain spot! If you’re sure your melons are not supposed to be small, you’re still left with the question “why are my watermelons small?...

What are Reblooming Flowers? Reblooming plants are plants that produce more than one set of blooms in a growing season. This can occur naturally or as a result of specialized breeding. In nurseries and garden centers, plant tags will usually say reblooming or repeat bloomer on plant hybrids that rebloom. When in doubt, ask nursery workers about a plant’s blooming habits. Or, look up the specific variety online. What Plants Rebloom?...

Symptoms of Turnip Mosaic Virus The onset of mosaic virus in turnips presents as chlorotic ring spots on young turnip leaves. As the leaf ages, the leaf spots morph into a light and dark green mosaic mottling in the leaves of the plant. On a turnip with mosaic virus, these lesions become necrotic and generally occur near the leaf veins. The entire plant may become stunted and distorted and yields are reduced....

About Full Sun Rockery Plants A rockery is a great feature that adds dimension to the garden. It is also a space for low moisture plants and can be a bouquet of color and texture. In full sun situations, you need to select plants that are tolerant of drought and high heat. A rock garden with full sun needs species that are tolerant of such punishing conditions. One great way to ensure your plant selections have the necessary toughness is to use native plants....

Growing Dipladenia Vine from Cuttings You can grow Dipladenia vine in your backyard if you live in USDA hardiness zones 9 through 11. It’s a real pleasure since the vine grows and flows to 15 feet (4.5 m.), perfect for balcony baskets. Its evergreen foliage lasts all year so can the lovely trumpet-shaped blossoms in warmer climates. This vine also does well in hanging baskets on a patio or in a sunny living room....

Ivy Plant Propagation Ivy plants have long trailing vines with multiple leaves growing along their lengths. Vines such as these are simple to cut and root, as long as you use the right cutting methods. One vine can be cut into multiple pieces and grown into new plants, turning one plant into a dozen. The secret to rooting ivy vines is in the cutting and care you give them during the rooting process....

Amaryllis bulbs, specifically those sold for forcing during the winter, require certain conditions for adequate growth and the production of large flowers. From planting to bloom, there are several factors which may impact the overall health of the plant. Like many potted plants, diseases and issues related to fungal infections can be detrimental to the development of the plant and may even cause it to die before it is able to bloom....

Sea Kale Information What is sea kale? Sea kale is a perennial known by a variety of interesting names, including sea-colewort and scurvy grass. Why is it called sea kale? Well, because the plant was pickled for long sea voyages, when it was used to prevent scurvy. Its use extends back hundreds of years. Is Sea Kale Edible? Sea kale shoots grow from the roots, much like asparagus. In fact, the tender shoots are eaten much like asparagus, and they can also be eaten raw....

Zone 8 Seed Starting Preliminaries Before you get around to planting seeds in zone 8, you have a few preliminary steps to tend to. These are the first essential to-dos on your seed starting schedule for zone 8. First, you’ll have to choose which ones you want and buy them so that you don’t have to postpone zone 8 seed starting. The next step is to determine which seeds you want to start inside and which you will plant directly in the garden beds....

What is Semi-Hydroponics? Semi-hydroponics, ‘semi-hydro,’ or hydroculture, is a method for growing plants using an inorganic medium instead of bark, peat moss, or soil. Instead, the medium, usually LECA or clay aggregate, is strong, light, very absorbent, and porous. The purpose of using semi-hydroponics for houseplants is to make their care easier, especially when it comes to under or overwatering. The difference between hydroponics and semi-hydroponics is that semi-hydro uses capillary or wicking action to uptake nutrients and water held in a reservoir....

Flowering Plants For Very Small Pots Miniature gardens are often arranged in very small pots. Therefore, finding tiny flowers to grow may be key in making certain that space is used efficiently. Fortunately, there are several small perennial flowering plants and annuals ideal for such ornamental uses. 

Growing Small Fry tomato plants is easy: just begin by planting seeds indoors or purchase small plants ready for planting outdoors. Read on to learn all you need to know about growing Small Fry tomatoes. How to Grow Small Fry Tomatoes in the Ground Growing Small Fry tomatoes is possible in spring, when you’re sure frosty nights are over. Plant Small Fry tomatoes in a sunny location, as tomatoes need a minimum of six hours of sunlight per day....

Lawn and Garden Holes Not only is size an important clue when identifying holes, but so is location. Holes throughout the lawn are usually sourced to small rodents, like voles or moles, or insects. Mole holes are covered by a hill of earth, while a vole hole is not. Birds make holes in sod as they search for food and earthworms make small little holes the size of pencils to aerate the soil and provide air to their tunnels....

Standard bulbs take up a lot of space in the garden, but with miniature flower bulbs, it’s possible to create the same impact in even the smallest space. Plant miniature bulb plants en masse for a dramatic effect. Bulbs for Small Gardens Below are some of the most popular small space bulbs for planting in the garden: Grape hyacinth (Muscari): Purplish blue is the most common color for grape hyacinth, but this lovely little flower is also available in white....

Help, Something is Eating my Radishes! No one knows exactly where radishes originate from, but they can be found growing from the Mediterranean to the Caspian Sea. They thrive in cool, moist climates with the optimal temperature between 60 and 65 degrees F. (15-18 C.). They do well in almost any soil type but prefer light, sandy loam with a pH of 6.5 to 7.0. They are easy to propagate from seed sown directly into a prepared bed in full sun to part shade....