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Growing Ninebark Shrubs Though the Physocarpus ninebark family is small, ninebark shrub info indicates there is a cultivar for every landscape. Most ninebark shrub info varies on climates that support growing ninebark shrubs, but most agree the Physocarpus ninebark and newer cultivars do well if planted in USDA Zones 2 through 7. Learning how to grow a ninebark bush includes the proper location and correct planting of the ninebark bush. Dig a hole as deep as the container holding the shrub and twice as wide....

When Rhododendron Bushes Do Not Flower Like many plants in the landscape, rhododendrons have very specific needs that must be met before they will bloom freely. If your plant set buds, but didn’t bloom, the buds were probably frost-nipped or destroyed by cold, drying winds. More commonly, however, buds aren’t set at all, guaranteeing non-flowering rhododendrons the following spring. Among problems of rhododendron, not blooming is one of the easiest to cure....

Small Ornamental Grass Varieties Like its taller cousins, small ornamental grass varieties are highly resistant to pests and disease that can overtake other, less hardy plants. They make great accents in a garden border. When planted in mass, short ornamental grasses create a groundcover that few weeds can penetrate. Below are some popular types of ornamental grass that stay small and make great additions to the landscape: Dwarf Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon spp....

What is Osage Orange? Many people have never heard of this tree. If you mention it, expect questions like: “What is Osage orange?” The Osage orange tree (Maclura pomifera) is no kin to the citrus, but the fruit has a faint orangey fragrance strong enough to result in the common name. Its odd shape and color have given it many nicknames, including green brains and hedge apple. The tree also bears long, tough thorns, sharp as steel and can bust tires....

Why Install a Fireplace in the Garden? If the scene above doesn’t entice you to build a backyard fireplace, what will? Certainly, this is a luxury and not a necessity for a yard or garden, but it’s a nice addition that will provide you with more usable outdoor living space. A fireplace can extend time you are able to enjoy being out in the garden you have worked so hard on, including going out earlier in the spring and later in the fall....

Although the vine is relatively easy to grow, it is prone to a number of problems, including rotten passion fruit. Read on to learn about passionflower fruit rot and why your passion fruit is rotting. Why Does Passion Fruit Rot? Passion fruit is affected by several diseases, many of which can cause passionflower fruit rot. Diseases that cause rotten passion fruit are often the result of weather – primarily humidity, rain, and high temperatures....

About Pawpaw Fruit Trees All types of pawpaw fruit trees require warm to hot summer weather, mild to cold winters and consistent rainfall throughout the year. They thrive in USDA zones 5 to 8 and can be found growing wild from south of New England, north of Florida, and as far west as Nebraska. Pawpaw trees are on the small side for fruit trees, about 15 to 20 feet (5-6 m....

Can Cat Feces Go in Compost? Toxoplasmosis is a parasite that causes disease in humans and other animals, but cats are the only animal known to excrete toxoplasmosis eggs in their feces. Most people who contract toxoplasmosis have headaches, muscle aches, and other flu symptoms. People with immunodeficiency diseases, such as AIDS, and patients who are receiving immunosuppressive treatment can become seriously ill from toxoplasmosis. Pregnant women are at significant risk because exposure to the disease can result in birth defects....

How to Take Photos of Flowers Here are some great tips to consider when taking pictures of flowers: Take your time. What attracts you about this bloom? Look at the flower from different angles. Stand back, then get up close. Walk around the flower. Often, a low angle offers a unique perspective. Don’t worry about nipping the tips off the petals. Filling the frame can create a strong image. Hold your camera steady when photographing flowers....

Plant Care for Daphne Daphne plants are winter to late spring bloomers suited for USDA zones 7 to 9. They have a very slow growth rate and are evergreen in all but the coolest climates. On average, a species of daphne will grow 3 to 4 feet (1-1.2 m.) tall with a 4-foot (1.2-m.) spread. They have a mounding form and thick leathery sword-shaped leaves. The plants do not tolerate moving, so you should be sure about their location at installation....

What is a Hard Frost? So, what is a hard frost anyway? A hard frost is a frost where both the air and the ground freeze. Many plants can withstand a light frost, where only the tips of the stems are affected, but most cannot withstand a hard frost. While the effects of hard frost can often be repaired by pruning, some tender plants may not recover. Hard Frost Protection You can give tender plants some hard frost protection by covering garden beds with sheets of plastic or tarps that trap the heat radiated by the earth....

Growing Plants from Fruit Seeds If you’ve ever wondered if it’s possible to plant seeds from fruit and grow your own fruit trees, the answer is yes. However, I would suggest a more direct approach than tossing peach pits into the raspberry patch. Before you head to the grocery on a seed scouting expedition though, there are a few things you should know about planting fruit seeds. First of all, the most common types of fruit trees are propagated by grafting or budding....

About Plum Tree Nematodes Nematodes are microscopic roundworms that are not uncommon in the soil. Plum trees and plum rootstock are susceptible to damage from root knot nematodes. This type of nematode burrows into the cells of roots and stays there, feeding for its entire life. Signs of root knot nematodes in plums include a root system that is poorly developed. Above the soil, trees will show a general lack of vigorous growth, smaller leaves, and twigs or branches that die back....

Different Poinsettia Varieties It is a funny irony that poinsettia plants are native to Mexico’s warm climate but we use them as a celebratory item during our coldest month. However this came to pass, poinsettias are here to stay as indicators of the holiday season. Today, you are not just stuck with the regular old red varieties but can choose from a nearly limitless array of colors and textures. Even the big box stores carry a wide variety of poinsettia plant varieties that can get you on your way to celebrating this special time of year....

Poison Ivy – the Real Deal Let’s start with poison ivy, an excellent plant to avoid while gardening or hiking. Its stems and foliage contain urushiol, compounds that inflame and blister the skin. The result is itching and sometimes a quick trip to the doctor. This native plant invades forests, wetlands, and mountain landscapes, appearing as a shrub or a vine. What does a poison ivy leaf look like? You may expect this notorious plant to have a dramatic presentation, but no, it looks like many other low shrubs or climbing vines....

The Ponytail Palm Tree Oddly enough, a ponytail palm tree is neither a palm nor a tree. In fact, it is a member of the Agave family and is actually a succulent. Other common names for this plant include the bottle palm tree or the elephant foot tree. In the past, it has been classified as either Nolina recurvata or Beaucarnea recurvata, but the latter is now the correct classification of this plant....

About Creeping Jenny Plants This is a trailing, or creeping, herbaceous perennial that produces waxy, small round leaves on thin stems. It is hardy in zones 3 through 9 and includes several cultivars of Lysimachia nummularia. Native to Europe, some of the varieties are more aggressive than others and can be considered invasive. In addition to the pretty leaves, creeping Jenny produces small, cupped yellow flowers beginning in early summer and continuing intermittently through the fall....

Tips on Schefflera Transplant The two main reasons to replant any plant are to grow it larger and to replace depleted soil. Schefflera repotting may see it moved to a larger container to grow it bigger or into the same pot with fresh soil and a gentle root trim. Either should be done in spring, according to houseplant experts. There are several things to consider when repotting a Schefflera. How big it will get and how heavy the pot will be are major issues....

Greenhouse conditions often facilitate the disease, making managing greenhouse powdery mildew a challenge. That said, powdery mildew greenhouse control is attainable. Powdery Mildew Greenhouse Conditions Powdery mildew affects many of the commonly cultivated ornamentals grown in greenhouses. It is a fungal disease that may be caused by different fungi such as Golovinomyces, Leveillula, Microsphaera, and Spaerotheca. Whichever fungi is the causal agent, the results are the same: a downy white growth on the plant’s surface which is actually a multitude of conidia (spores) that are easily spread from plant to plant....

What are Primitive Plants? Many plants are available for use in prehistoric gardens. Prehistoric garden designs simply use plants that have existed for millions of years. These plants have adapted to a range of climates and conditions and remain viable today, often reproducing from spores, such as with ferns. Creating a prehistoric garden in the shade is a great way to use this variety of plants. Among the oldest plants found in fossil records, ferns have adapted to climate changes and sprung up in new locations across the planet....