Pear Scab Symptoms Scab diseases affect many trees such as apples and pears. It is primarily a cosmetic fruit problem but some foliar and stem death does occur. Pear scab symptoms affect young growth, leaves, and fruit. Some tips on how to treat pear scab can see your fruit blemish free and the rest of the tree in good health. The initial signs of pear scab disease on fruit are velvety, olive green to black round spots....
Coral Bells Perennial Coral bells (Heuchera) may also be known by alumroot. These perennial plants are hardy to USDA plant hardiness zone 3 and though they’re usually listed as evergreens in many climates, they can actually be found in several foliage colors—like bronze, purple, and more. The spikes of tall, bell-shaped blooms is where the coral bells flowers get their name and are just as impressive as the foliage color, blooming in late spring to early summer....
What is a Coral Vine? Also known as Mexican creeper, chain of love or queen’s wreath vine, coral vine (Antigonon leptopus) is a fast-growing tropical vine that grows in the warm climates of USDA plant hardiness zones 9 to 11. The plant usually freezes in chillier zone 8 but regrows readily in spring. Native to Mexico, coral vine is a vigorous vine with showy, dark rose, white, or pink flowers and big, heart-shaped leaves....
Cover Crop Planting Times Gardeners have two options when planting cover crops. They can plant them in the fall and let them grow over winter, or they can plant them in early spring and let them grow during spring and summer. Most gardeners plant cover crops in fall and let them mature over winter – a time when they aren’t usually growing vegetables. This cover crop planting guide tells you the best time for planting different types of cover crops....
About Creeping Junipers Creeping juniper is a low-growing, evergreen shrub that is often used as a ground cover. It features plume-like branches that extend horizontally. The foliage often has a blue-green cast in spring and summer and plum-colored tint in winter. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants, and the female plants produce berries. Neither the flowers nor the berries are particularly ornamental. The height varies depending on the cultivar....
Types of Croton When it comes to different croton plants, the selection of croton varieties is nearly endless and absolutely none are boring. Oakleaf Croton – Oakleaf croton has unusual, oakleaf-like leaves of deep green marked with veins of orange, red, and yellow. Petra Croton – Petra is one of the most popular croton varieties. The large leaves of yellow, burgundy, green, orange, and bronze are veined with oranges, reds, and yellows....
Tips for Naming Plants When choosing a name for your plant, the first rule of thumb is to make it easy to remember. For instance, you could simply call your potted friend “Ms. Plant” or “Professor Plant.” Fern, Jade, Lily, or Olive are obvious choices for those species. Other easy-to-remember plant names include: Bill or Penny (Money plant) Blossom or Bud (Favorite flower) Killer or Bug Eater (Venus fly trap) Pearl (String of pearls) Spike or Prickles (Cactus) Sunny (Sunflower) Woody (Indoor tree) Velvet or Violet (African violet) Vera (Aloe vera)...
Chicory Plant Pruning People grow chicory as easy-care, flowering plants. The lovely, blue blossoms open during sunny days and close during cloudy times and at night. But that is not the only reason to grow chicory. The roots of chicory plants are used to make a coffee substitute, and some gardeners decide to plant chicory for this reason. One type of chicory (called ‘Witloof’ chicory) is used for Belgian or French endive, while small-rooted plants are used for salad greens....
The question is not “can I prune conifers?” but “should I prune confers?”. For more information about when and how to prune conifers, read on. Pruning a Conifer Pruning a conifer is quite different from pruning a broadleaf tree. A broadleaf tree requires pruning to create a stable structure for the tree, correct the spacing of lateral branches, and to make sure no branches push out the center leader. Pruning can also be done to balance the shape of the tree or reduce its size....
At this size, dahoon holly trees are big enough to provide an attractive amount of shade, but not so big they take over the yard or totally hide the front of the house. Additionally, when grown in pairs (one male and one female), dahoon hollies produce an abundance of red berries that adorn the branches in fall and winter. These berries provide food for wildlife and will attract various bird species and squirrels....
Dancing Bones Information A native of Brazil, dancing bones cactus isn’t a desert cactus but rather an epiphytic denizen of the rainforest. The stems are spineless, although older plants may develop a few spiny growths at the base. A mature dancing bones cactus plant reaches heights of 12 to 18 inches (31-46 cm.) Growing dancing bones is possible outdoors only in USDA plant hardiness zones 10 to 12. Gardeners in cooler climates, however, can enjoy this tropical plant indoors....
Gardening with Sharp Leaved Plants When it comes to plants that have sharp edges, many gardeners may immediately think of plants like succulents and cacti. Though these plants are better suited to drier regions, they can thrive in most places, as long as the proper growing conditions are provided. If these plants are not ideal for your yard, however, many other sharp leaved plants are available in the form of palms and ornamental grasses....
What are Lace Bugs? Lace bugs are tiny insects that grow no more than one-eighth inch (3 mm.) long. Small, clear cells cover their wings and thorax, giving them their lacy appearance. They feed by sucking the sap from the foliage of trees and shrubs, leaving them looking mottled, stippled, and discolored. Dealing with lace bugs can be annoying but the good news is that with effective lace bug treatment, you can rid them of the garden....
How to Divide Fern Plants As a general rule, ferns need to be repotted or divided every 3 to 5 years. If your plant is starting to die out in the middle and produce smaller leaves, chances are it’s outgrown its container or garden space. It’s possible to simply move it to a bigger container, but most gardeners choose dividing fern plants instead. Separating ferns is easy and almost always successful because, unlike a lot of perennials, ferns and their roots can take some serious manhandling....
Homemade Evergreen Wreaths There was a moment in our country’s history when store bought was better. Christmas was purchased in the drug store. Artificial trees were all the fashion, and the halls were decked with blinking lights, not boughs of holly. Everything that comes around, goes around though. Today, real is rated better than artificial and authentic wreaths from evergreen branches are so sought after that the garden store has a hard time keeping them in stock....
Does Aloe Vera Bloom? There are over 400 species in the family aloe, with aloe vera one of the most popular forms. These easy to grow succulents tolerate a range of light neglect and thrive in well-draining, gritty soil, full sun, and regular water. Aloe plant blooms rise from an inflorescence which soars above the attractive rosettes. Only mature plants of at least four years of age will bloom, so if you see no flowers on aloe plants, it may simply be due to the plant’s age....
What is Leaf Mulch? Mulch is any material that is placed atop the soil to moderate its environment and enhance the landscape. There are many types of mulch, and leaf mulch is comprised of exactly what it sounds like, leaves. This organic mulch will decompose and needs to be replaced eventually but, in the meantime, it improves the soil’s fertility and its organic content. Mulching with leaves is a win/win in many situations where you want more rapid decomposition and is generally a free commodity to anyone that has deciduous trees....
About Catnip Drying A member of the mint family, catnip grows readily when located in its happy, full sun location. As with all herbs, leaves are smaller when dried, so let leaves get to a mature size before drying. If your cat is one of those that does not care for fresh catnip, you can dry leaves early in the growing season to experiment whether your kitty likes dry catnip herb....
What are Earthbags? Earthbags, otherwise known as sandbags, are cotton or polypropolene bags filled with native soil or sand. The bags are stacked in rows, with each row staggered offset from the one below it. Earthbag gardens create a stable and heavy wall that will withstand flood, snow, and high winds, protecting the garden and plants within. Tips for Building Earthbag Garden Beds Earthbag construction is easy; just buy empty bags from bag companies....
What Does a Blister Bush Look Like? Blister bush is native to South Africa, and you aren’t likely to encounter it unless you visit the Table Mountain or Western Cape Fold Belt regions of the Western Cape. This is a particularly nasty weed, so take precautions when you go hiking in these areas. A member of the carrot family, blister bush (Notobubon galbanum— re-classified from Peucedanum galbanum) is a small shrub with leaves that resemble those of flat-leaved parsley or celery....
