Trumpet Vine Problems Prolific blooms and wide ranging stems are characteristics of trumpet vine or Campsis radicans. This plant is such a tough specimen that it can thrive in USDA zones 4 to 10, quite a wide range of conditions for any plant. In fact, the creeper can become invasive in warm climates and is a plant of concern in higher temperature ranges. We have heard several readers commenting, “My trumpet vine is dropping buds....
Types of Common Garden Herbs These are the types of herbs I grow when I plant my own herb garden. Basil– Basil is quite popular as far as edible herbs go and is great in tomato sauces and other tomato dishes. It requires a lot of sun and demands that you pinch off the ripe leaves so it will continue to get bigger. Bay Leaf– Another one of the more common garden herbs is the bay leaf....
Umbrella Pine Information Growing Japanese umbrella pines is not for everyone. The tree is unusual, and people tend to either love or hate it. In Japan, the trees are associated with Buddhism in the Kyoto Prefecture. In fact, centuries ago Japanese umbrella pine trees were at the center of worship in Kyoto temples and became a part of Buddhist prayers. Legends associated with the trees in Japan include the belief that the women who stroke the whorls of the wood will conceive healthy children....
What is Victorian Box Tree? According to Victorian box information, the tree is an evergreen ornamental that thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 10. It shares the same genus as the more familiar pittosporum shrubs. The Victorian box tree usually grows with a single trunk and can reach 40 feet (12 m.) tall and wide. It is a quick-growing tree, shooting up to a yard (1 m....
What are ways to extend the vase life of these cut flower bouquets? Many tips and techniques lend themselves to improving the length of time that flowers are kept fresh. One method, adding vinegar to cut flowers, is especially popular. Does Vinegar Help Cut Flowers? Various types of vinegar have a multitude of uses around the home. Many have explored the potential use of vinegar for cut flowers. Adding vinegar to cut flowers may work due to its ability to alter the pH of water in the vase....
Voodoo Lily Info Voodoo lily, also called Devil’s tongue, is a member of the genus Amorphophallus. The voodoo lily, A. titanum, is the largest flower in the world. A. konjac has smaller flowers, but it is still quite large compared to other garden flowers. Each bulb produces one stalk, about 6 feet tall (2 m.), topped by one gigantic leaf. After the leaf stalk withers, the voodoo lily bulb produces a flower stalk....
Is Wintercress a Weed? Wintercress, or yellow rocket, is not classified as a weed in most states. However, any individual landowner, farmer, or gardener may consider it a weed. If you don’t want it in your garden or on your property, you probably would classify wintercress as a weed. Wintercress is a perennial or biennial plant in the mustard family. It is native to Europe and Asia but is now found across much of the U....
Weeping Fig Plant Information Growing weeping fig trees indoors and growing weeping fig trees outdoors are two completely different endeavors. It is almost as if indoor and outdoor weeping figs are different species. Indoors, weeping figs are attractive container plants that rarely grow above 6 to 8 feet (2 m.). Outdoors, however, the trees grow into huge specimens, up to 100 feet (30 m.) tall and 50 feet (15 m.) wide and are often used for hedges....
Hydrophyte Facts: Wetland Plant Info Hydrophytic plants have several adaptations that allow them to survive in water. For example, water lilies and lotus are anchored in the soil by shallow roots. The plants are equipped with long, hollow stems that reach the surface of the water, and large, flat, waxy leaves that allow the top of the plant to float. The plants grow in water as deep as 6 feet (2 m....
What are Half-Runner Beans Like pole beans, half-runner beans will continue to produce blossoms when young beans are removed from the vines. Typically, bush beans produce green beans for about a two week period and need to be successively planted in order to extend the harvest period. Like bush beans, half-runner beans have a much more compact growth habit. While they do produce runners, the vines only reach lengths of three to five feet (1-1....
Leatherjacket Pests in Your Lawn Exactly what are leatherjacket insects? Leatherjacket pests aren’t actually insects. The grub-like pests are the larval stage of daddy long legs, also known as leatherjacket crane flies – those big, mosquito-like bugs that fly around your porch light in late summer. Leatherjacket pests, which live in the soil, can definitely do their share of harm when they eat the roots and the base of plants. Adult leatherjacket crane flies lay their eggs in the grass in late summer....
Troublesome pests like pin nematodes may be difficult to detect without prior suspicion of their presence. Awareness of pin nematode symptoms may help in determining whether or not this may be an issue in the home garden. What are Pin Nematodes? Pin nematodes are the smallest of all nematode types. Though it is believed that there are several species of pin nematode, they are collectively labeled as Paratylenchus spp. Miniscule in size, these plant-parasitic nematodes can exist in large numbers throughout garden soil....
Sweetheart Cherry Info Sweetheart cherry trees, which reach heights and widths of 7 to 10 feet (2-3 m.), are highly ornamental year round, with beautiful pink and white blooms against a backdrop of shiny, dark green leaves. The beauty continues with red and orange autumn leaves, followed by bark that adds textural interest throughout the winter. Unlike many cherry trees, Sweetheart cherry trees are self-pollinating, so it isn’t necessary to plant another cherry tree nearby....
What are Water Sprouts? Water sprouts are thin shoots that arise from the trunk or branches of an apple tree. Most water sprouts serve no useful purpose and will never produce much fruit. Many never produce any fruit at all. They are also called suckers, although this term more accurately refers to growth that arises from the roots rather than the trunk and branches. Apple tree growers remove water sprouts so that the tree can direct all of its energy toward supporting productive branches....
About Cold Resistant Cactus Cacti are primarily found in the warmer regions of North and South America, but several have made their way up even into Canada. These chilly champions are uniquely adapted to freezing periods and have evolved certain protections to thrive even when buried in snow. Learn which cactus for cold climates might be suitable for your winter landscape. Any cactus, no matter if it is cold hardy or not, needs well-draining soil....
What Causes Apricot Rhizopus Rot? Rhizopus rot of apricot trees is a fungal disease caused by the fungus Rhizopus stolonifer. It affects stone fruits such as peaches, nectarines, and apricots, and it most commonly strikes when fruit is ripe, often after it has been harvested or allowed to get overly ripe on the tree. The fungal spores live and thrive in debris on the orchard floor, especially in rotting, fallen fruit....
What Does Everbearing Mean At first mention of the term “everbearing,” gardeners may mistakenly believe they’ve discovered the ultimate fruit plant. Images of plants continuously laden with fruit year after year pop into one’s mind. Unfortunately for gardeners, this is not the case. Fortunately for everbearing varieties of plants, this is also not the case. Fruit production is the method plants use to protect their seeds while they mature. As part of the reproductive process, growing fruit requires a large expenditure of energy....
What is a Cordyline Plant? Cordyline is a genus of plants native to Pacific islands and parts of Southeast Asia. There are around 15 species of this evergreen and woody perennial. While in the U.S. it will only be hardy through zone 9 outdoors, cordyline plant varieties are easy to grow as houseplants. They just need warmth, bright, and indirect sunlight, rich soil, and regular watering. Is Cordyline a Dracaena? Identifying a cordyline and distinguishing it from similar plants, like dracaena, can be challenging....
What is a Cypress Tip Moth? This moth is a small, gray bug that reproduces damaging larvae. These larvae mine the foliage and twigs of evergreen trees and others, sometimes causing visible damage. Cypress tip moths include several species in the genus Argyresthia. A. cupressella is also called cypress tip miner, while A. thuiella is called the arborvitae leaf miner. They lay eggs in the foliage and on the tips of twigs so their larvae can further mine (burrow into) the leaves and twigs and eat them....
What is a Feijoa Tree? Pineapple guava (Feijoa sellowiana) is an attractive, evergreen tree or shrub with many landscape uses. It’s ideal for warm, western climates and well suited to home gardens. The plant grows 12 to 15 feet (3.5-4.5 m.) tall and wide. The edible flowers bloom in May, followed in late summer or fall by sweet, fragrant, reddish fruit that drops to the ground when ripe. Feijoa fruit trees and shrubs look best when you prune them lightly....
