Posts

What’s Wrong with my Dracaena? Problems with dracaena houseplants usually involve inappropriate cultural care rather than something more serious. Plant diseases are very rarely a problem. Dracaena cultural care is not difficult, but you need to pay attention to their requirements to keep them healthy. These plants need bright but indirect sunlight. They also need to be irrigated with tepid water on a regular basis when they dry out. So what’s wrong with my dracaena houseplant, you ask?...

How to Propagate Hydrangeas from Cuttings The first step for how to root cuttings from hydrangea is to select a stem for cutting. In early fall, choose a stem for hydrangea propagation that is at least 6 inches (15 cm.) long, has no flower, and is new growth. A new growth stem will be a lighter green than old growth. Also be aware that if you live in a colder climate where the hydrangea dies back to the ground, the whole shrub may consist of new growth Once you have selected a stem to propagate the hydrangea, take a sharp pair of shears and cut the stem off just below a leaf node....

For this reason, it’s important to learn about safe pesticide usage. The proper use of pesticides, should you decide to go this route, can alleviate many safety concerns. Types of Garden Pesticide There are many different types of garden pesticide serving many different needs. These include insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides. There are botanical forms of pesticide that are available as well. These are generally derived from plants and considered ‘organic’ by some, however, these may still be toxic to beneficial insects and wildlife....

Using rainwater to irrigate can save money on your water bill, but in some areas rainwater collection is actually illegal. This is due to drought conditions where the water needs to percolate naturally to irrigate wild flora. But where the practice is legal, is rain water good for plants? The answer is complex, with several factors affecting outcomes. Should You Use Tap Water? Concerns over levels of lead, chlorine, and other compounds in water have raised questions about the use of tap water on our plants....

Before Trimming Mango Trees On a cautionary note, mangos contain urushiol, the same chemical that poison ivy, poison oak, and sumac contain. This chemical causes contact dermatitis in some people. Since urushiol is also present in the mango leaves, care should be taken to completely cover exposed body parts when pruning mango trees. Also, if you have a mango that’s in dire need of pruning because it has been left to run amok, say it’s 30 feet (9 m....

Quince Fruit Tree Problems Quince are small, irregularly shaped trees that grow to some 15 feet (5 m.) high. They bear dramatic flowers on the tips of the shoots in hues of white or bright pink. Quince trees are hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 to 9. Quince trees are vulnerable to various quince fruit tree problems, including: Fire blight Borers Codling moth Curculio Scale Tent caterpillars The fruit itself can suffer from quince fruit split....

Growing Red Maple Red maple trees vary in size depending on the location and the cultivar. They grow 40 to 70 feet (12-21 m.) tall with a spread of 30 to 50 feet (9-15 m.). Red maples tend to be shorter in the southernmost part of their growing range, which is USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. For small urban lots, consider growing smaller cultivars, such as ‘Schlesingeri,’ which rarely exceeds 25 feet (8 m....

Even if you fertilize, changing the soil is important for all plants that live in containers. It is good for the plants to have expanded room for the root system to continue growing. The top portion of the plants grows according to the size of the roots. So, whatever the reason, repotting succulent plants is a necessary task. Make it one that’s fun by dividing plants when needed and creating an interesting display....

How to Propagate Asiatic Lily Plants Asiatic lily is probably one of the most recognized of the lilies. Its impactful flowers and tall, elegant stems pack a real punch in the perennial flower garden. Asiatic lily propagation from seed is time consuming and may take two to six years to develop flowers. A quicker method to increase your stock of these plants is by division. A vegetative method using leaves is also possible but takes some serious patience....

Rose of Sharon pruning done later than early spring may cause the loss of some blooms, but those that are not removed will be larger. Learning how to prune a rose of Sharon and when to prune rose of Sharon is simple once you learn the methods. Younger shrubs may benefit from a light pruning while older specimens may need more extreme branch removal. When planning to trim a rose of Sharon, stand back and take a look at the overall form....

Growing Salt Resistant Gardens If you have a coastal garden where sea salt will be a problem, don’t despair. There are ways to combine gardening with salt water soil. Salt tolerant shrubs can be used to form wind or splash breaks that will protect less tolerant plants. Trees that tolerate salty soil should be planted closely to protect each other and the soil beneath. Mulch your garden of plants that tolerate salty soil and spray them regularly and thoroughly, particularly after storms....

What are Pincushion Flowers? The pincushion flower is part of the Scabiosa genus of flowering plants. Its common name derived from the flower’s cushion-like center and pin-looking stamens, which resemble that of a pincushion. This attractive summer bloomer can be found in a variety of colors with blue, purple and white being the most notable. Flowers may reach up to a foot or two (.3-.6 m.) in height above the lush gray to blue-green foliage....

Fragrant Garden Plants When planting fragrant garden plants, keep in mind how strong their scents are. You want to be able to smell them, but at the same time, you don’t want them to be overwhelming. Situate your lightly scented plants along walkways where people will brush against them often. You want them to notice the scent as they pass but not be overwhelmed by it. When choosing scented plants for gardens, it’s important to know what you’re looking for....

Scratch and Sniff Garden Theme A scratch and sniff garden theme not only makes a fun addition to the landscape but it affords the opportunity to become a crucial teaching element. Kids can learn about different textures, scents, and more. Watching their ‘Scratch N Sniff’ plants grow teaches them about plant growth and the life cycle of plants. Plant parts can even be used for craft projects. For instance, leaves and flowers can be dried and used to make fragrant potpourri....

Types of Seedless Tomato for the Garden Many of the earlier seedless tomatoes are almost completely free of seeds, but some of them fall a little short of this goal. ‘Oregon Cherry’ and ‘Golden Nugget’ varieties are cherry tomatoes, and both claim to be mostly seedless. You’ll find about one-quarter of the tomatoes with seeds, and the rest will be seed-free. ‘Oregon Star’ is a true paste-type, or roma tomato, and is great for making your own marinara or tomato paste without having to mill out pesky seeds....

Should You Deadhead Calendula? Should you deadhead calendula? Honestly, you don’t have to, as the spent heads are also rather interesting. However, removing spent calendula flowers will increase air circulation and light penetration, promoting even more of the charming blooms. The process may be a little tedious but all you need are some scissors or garden snips and a little patience. Calendula flowers lose their petals and leave behind interesting heads that will produce numerous seeds and, in some instances, reseed themselves....

Another way is to actually cut back living growth on your houseplant in order to encourage a more shapely and full plant. When should you prune houseplants? How do you prune indoor plants? Let’s take a look. When to Prune Houseplants It is important to know when to prune houseplants because there are good times and bad times to do this task. The best time to prune indoor plants is right at the beginning of the growing season....

What is Sudangrass? Sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor) may grow from 4 to 7 feet (1 to 2 m.) in height and is grown as pasture, green manure, hay, or silage. When it is hybridized with sorghum, the plants are slightly smaller and easier to manage with superior high heat tolerance. In addition, sorghum sudangrass care is minimal, as the seed needs little moisture to germinate and the seedlings thrive in heat and low water regions....

Growing Greenhouse Succulents Professional growers and hobbyists are adding substantial greenhouse succulent plants to their inventory in many areas. In places where succulents and cacti only grow outside for part of the year, greenhouse growing allows for bigger plants earlier in the year. However, they are facing a few pitfalls, especially with first-time growers. Growing succulents in a greenhouse is different from growing other plants in this environment. If you have a greenhouse and keep your succulents there, maybe you will benefit from these tips....

Can You Plant Seeds in Cold Frames? The answer is a resounding yes, cold frames for spring seedlings is a great idea. In fact, you should consider starting your seeds in early spring this way for a few reasons: With a cold frame, you can start seeds as much as six weeks earlier than you would put them in the ground. You can control the soil content more easily in a cold frame than in an outdoor bed....