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Flower Spacing Guide for Perennials Perennials should come with information on spacing, which accounts for keeping plants healthy. Correctly spacing flowering plants will help reduce the risk of disease from poor air flow. Although it will take more time to fill the space, sticking with proper spacing will mean you won’t have to divide your perennials so soon after planting. Here are general guidelines for spacing perennials: Small perennials – 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm....

When to Split Forget-Me-Nots Many perennials benefit greatly from division. Dividing forget-me-nots can help the plant form stouter stems that are less floppy and prevent center die-out. It can also increase the number of plants or control the size of an existing plant. In the annual form, forget-me-not will readily self-sow, populating the garden in every nook and cranny over time. Perennial forget-me-not flower division is recommended for the above reasons....

Climbing Fragrant Flowers Fragrant vines for the home flower garden are generally divided into one of two categories: annuals or perennials. Though most flowering vines are easy to grow, they require a secure support onto which they are able to climb. This can be accomplished through the use of simple plant netting, decorative trellises, and/or large arbors. The type of support used also depends greatly upon the plant species. In fact, there are several ways in which various species of plant grow upwards....

Kids love colorful flowers in a variety of shapes. Here are some great selections to try: Sunflowers – What kid can resist the fun-filled sunflower? Sunflowers come in a variety of sizes and colors, from the nearly 12 foot (4 m.) tall ‘Mammoth’ variety to the smaller 3 foot (91 cm.) ‘Sonya.’ There are common yellow sunflowers, or you can grow red and orange varieties, such as ‘Velvet Queen’ and ‘Terracotta....

Ganoderma in Palms Fungi, like plants, are divided into genera. The fungal genus Ganoderma contains different wood-decaying fungi found around the world on almost any type of wood, including hard wood, soft wood, and palms. These fungi can result in ganoderma palm disease or other palm tree trunk diseases. The first sign you are likely to have when ganoderma palm disease has infected your palm is the conk or basidiocarp that forms on the side of a palm trunk or stump....

What is Partial Shade? Different plants either require or tolerate varying degrees of garden shade, which can range anywhere from dense or full shade to dappled or partial shade. To garden successfully, it helps to understand the difference between them, part shade, also known as partial shade, being the most commonly confused type. In short, partial shade is approximately two to four hours of sun per day in a given location....

Common Garden and Yard Care Laws Fences and hedges– Among the more common urban garden ordinances are ones regulating how high a fence or hedge can be. Sometimes fences and hedges can be banned all together, particularly in terms of the front yard or street facing yards. Length of grass– If you have dreamed of having a wildflower meadow instead of a lawn, this is one gardening law you need to pay attention to....

Why Garlic Mustard Management is Important Garlic mustard was first introduced to Europe and used both medicinally and for cooking. Garlic mustard plants are also known as garlic mustard weeds because they produce hundreds of seeds per plant. These seeds travel on the fur of large animals, such as horses and deer, and also in flowing water and by human activity. It is because of this, garlic mustard spreads in woodlands and quickly takes over native woodland wildflowers....

What are Gesneriads? Houseplant lovers will recognize many of the species in the Gesneriaceae family. Many of the plants make excellent indoor specimens and their wildly diverse forms make them a collector’s dream. Gesneriad culture can be challenging or stimulating, depending which way you look at it, but it is never dull. These plants often have sensitive systems to things like lighting, soil, and even water temperature and type, so growing gesneriad plants can be a challenge....

What is a Golden Nematode? They may be termed “golden,” but that doesn’t mean they are good for your garden. What is a golden nematode? It is an insect that attacks plants in the nightshade family including potatoes, eggplant, and tomato plants. Golden nematode information helps you understand how these pests injure your garden plants. The damage is done when the golden nematode is in the larval stage. Larvae live on or near the host plant’s roots and bore into the plant roots to suck out their juices, weakening and eventually killing the plants....

Since some things are going right, some people have been kind and some things have turned out better than we hoped. One way to remember this – and teach our kids the importance of gratitude in the process – is putting together a gratitude tree with kids. If this craft project interests you, read on. What is a Gratitude Tree? Not everyone is familiar with this enlightening craft project. If you’re not, you may ask “What is a gratitude tree?...

Common Pests in a Greenhouse The most common pests in a greenhouse include sap-feeding insects, pollen feeders, caterpillars, and slugs. Some are considerably harder to control than others, making constant monitoring vital to successful greenhouse production. Sap-feeding insects Aphids, mealybugs, and scale insects are tiny, slow-moving sap-feeding insects that camp out in groups on the undersides of leaves and on stems deep within plant canopies. They exude a sticky substance, called honeydew, as they feed that sometimes coats plant tissues....

Bay Tree Propagation Bay tree, also called bay laurel or California laurel, can grow to 75 feet (22 m.) tall. The branches are laden with fragrant, shiny leaves that are used in cooking. These trees thrive in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 through 10. If you already have a bay tree in your backyard, you know that your climate is appropriate for bay trees and can proceed with bay tree propagation....

Types of Agave Almost every climate is capable of growing agave, as some are hardy down to single digits for short periods of time and with shelter. Agave is in the Agavaceae family of succulents which include dracaena, yucca and ponytail palms. The century plant (Agave americana) is one of the most notorious landscape agaves. It produces a lovely inflorescence (flower) and then the main plant dies, leaving behind pups or offsets....

Gourmet Pear Info Gourmet pear trees are medium in size, growing 15 to 20 feet (4.5-6 m.) tall and spreading 8 to 15 feet (2-4.5 m.). These pears are hardy in zones 4 through 8, so they can be grown throughout most of the upper Midwest, the plains states, the Rocky Mountain region into the southeastern states, and New England. The fruit of the Gourmet pear tree is medium with skin that is mostly yellow when ripe but with a tinge of green left....

Green Globe Artichoke Plants The Green Globe Improved artichoke is a perennial heirloom variety with silvery-green leaves. Hardy in USDA zones 8 to 11, green globe artichoke plants require a long growing season. When started indoors, they can be grown as annuals in colder climates. Green Globe artichoke plants grow to height of 4 feet (1 m.). The flower bud, the edible part of the artichoke plant, develops on a tall stem from the center of the plant....

What is a Jackman Clematis? First introduced in 1862, the jackmanii clematis vine is named after a nurseryman named George Jackman. From early spring throughout summer, vigorous blooms consistently cover the plant, creating a spectacular garden display. This characteristic makes jackman hybrid clematis an excellent choice for perennial flower borders, even in colder USDA growing zones. At maturity, these deciduous vines can quickly grow to reach heights of up to 10 ft....

Linden Tree Info Linden trees are attractive trees that are ideal for urban landscapes because they tolerate a wide range of adverse conditions, including pollution. One problem with these trees is that they attract insects. Aphids leave sticky sap on the leaves and cottony scale insects look like fuzzy growths on the twigs and stems. It’s hard to control these insects on a tall tree, but the damage is temporary and the tree gets a fresh start each spring....

Why Choose Plants with Red Foliage? Red is a color that indicates passion. Our ancestors saw it as the hue of fire and blood, key primal-and-life-giving forces. Bringing plants with red foliage into the garden provides a tie to the most primitive elements in our lives. Plus, it’s a bright, cheery tone that is the perfect foil for standard green-leaved specimens. Small Plants with Red Leaves You don’t have to be big to make a big impact....

Trees and Vines Trees and vines have a troubled relationship. Some vines climb up your tree trunks and add color and interest. Vines on trees can also cause structural problems as the extra weight breaks branches. Other vines shade out the tree’s foliage. Do vines harm trees? Should you let vines grow on trees? As a general rule, trees and vines should grow separately. Certainly, evergreen vines and fast-growing vines should not be allowed to take over your trees....