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Common Flowering Trees for Zone 9 Whether you’re looking for a quaint little ornamental tree or a large shade tree, there is a zone 9 flowering tree that can meet your needs. Another benefit of growing flowering trees in zone 9 is that with the warm climate you can select trees that bloom in any season. Some of the same trees that flower only for a short period in spring in northern climates can bloom throughout the winter and spring in zone 9....

Pear Tree Diseases Several pear tree diseases can attack your trees. Since these tend to occur in a regular sequence, you can anticipate them and take protective action where possible. Fire blight The most devastating problems with pears come from a disease called fire blight, caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora. The bacteria can remain in the area over the winter in fallen fruit or new shoots. With the spring warmth, it multiplies rapidly and you’ll see a liquid oozing from tree tissues....

Companion Planting with Beans Beans fix nitrogen in the soil, a necessary nutrient for healthy growth of other crops, which is truly a boon to the gardener. The Iroquois people were aware of this reward, although they chalked it up to a gift from the Great Spirit. Their god also bequeathed to the people corn and squash, which then became logical companion plants for bean. Corn was planted first and when the stalks were tall enough, the beans were sowed....

Growing Wisteria in Pots Wisteria offers so much ornamental value. This includes attractive, gnarled stems and stunning blooms with a delightful fragrance. However, they are aggressive vines that can easily outgrow the area you’ve allotted them. There are many species of wisteria. The most popular for gardens are Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda), Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis), and silky wisteria (Wisteria brachybotrys). These species of wisteria are all vigorous. They can reach 30 feet (9 m....

Contender Peach Facts Contender peach trees are cold hardy and tolerant of sub-zero temperatures. Although Contender peaches grow in a wide diversity of climates, they are especially prized by northern gardeners. Contender peach trees were developed at North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station in 1987. They are favored by home gardeners, not only for the quality of the fruit, but for the masses of pink blooms in springtime. Growing Contender peaches is easy, and the tree’s mature height of 10 to 15 feet (3 to 5 m....

Why is Controlling Japanese Barberry Important? Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) has escaped its original landscape confines, and now ranges from Nova Scotia south to North Carolina and west to Montana. It thrives in not only full sun but deep shade as well. It leafs out early and retains its leaves late into the fall while forming dense thickets that shade out native species. Not only are native plants in peril, but Japanese barberry has been shown to have a role in the spread of Lyme disease....

In storing the fruits, growers will be able to enjoy homegrown produce throughout the growing season and into the winter months. Cooling is a big part of that. Why Does Fruit Need to Be Cooled? Post-harvest cooling of fruit is used both commercially and by home gardeners. Cooling fruit is important for maintaining the quality of the harvest. Removing excess heat and bringing the temperature of the fruit down to an optimal level will help stop the ripening process....

Do Crabapple Trees Produce Fruit? Crabapple trees are great ornamental choices for a variety of settings, and most are hardy across a wide climate range. Most people choose crabapples for their smaller size and for the pretty white or pink flowers that they produce in spring. Of secondary consideration is the fruit on a crabapple tree, but most will produce them. By definition, a crabapple is 2 inches (5 cm.) or less in dimeter, while anything larger is just an apple....

The cottage garden lends itself to images of English countrysides and farmhouse landscaping. The concept wouldn’t be valid without cottagecore flowers, which are essential to the plan. The informal design is perfect for setting off small homes, but can also be used in a grander estate. Cottagecore design relies upon different colors and textures that work together creating a moving, living space. Planning a Cottage Garden The most important part in planning a cottagecore garden is plant selection....

Creeping Zinnia Info Also called narrow leaf zinnia, several colors of flowers appear as daisy-like blooms. Foliage is thin leaved and attractive while waiting for the flowers to open. Grow them as a showy groundcover or border specimens. The plants are low maintenance too. This North American native attracts butterflies and is great for cut flowers. Flowers bloom in white, red, orange, yellow, and pink. Warmer zones may grow them as perennials, or self-seeding annuals, and plants sometimes return in colder areas from dropped seeds....

About Dendrobium Orchid Plants Dendrobium is sort of the catch-all of orchid species. When you look for Dendrobium orchid info, you can find whole books devoted to each of the different types of Dendrobium orchids that can fall into this category. In general, though, you can separate them in a few different groups. Sheer beginners will love Nobile orchids. These hybrids go dormant for a couple of months in the winter, losing some of their leaves in the process....

There are many types of daisies available in commerce today. Most belong to the Asteraceae family with 1,500 genera and 23,000 species. While some of them look like the classic daisies of childhood, others come in bright colors and different shapes. Read on for information about daisy plant varieties as well as tips for growing different daisy cultivars. Different Types of Daisies The term “daisy” comes from “day’s eye.” Plants called daisies close at night and open in the morning light....

Preserving Pressed Roses: Can You Press Roses? When it comes to pressing roses, varieties with single petals are a little easier. However, with a little more time and patience, you can also do multi-petal roses. Roses of any color can be pressed, but yellow and orange typically hold their color. Shades of pink and purple tend to fade faster, while red roses sometimes turn muddy brown in time. Start with a healthy, fresh rose....

Is Dog Urine on the Grass Really the Problem? Believe it or not, dog urine is not as damaging as many people believe it is. Sometimes you may blame the dog for brown or yellow spots in the lawn when in fact it is a grass fungus causing the problem. To determine if dog urine is killing the lawn or if it’s a grass fungus, simply pull up on the affected grass....

Let’s look at some nearly foolproof plants for dorm rooms that are easy to care for and hard to kill. Plants for Dorm Rooms Choose plants that match the surrounding conditions. If you are in a cold, dank basement devoid of much sunlight there are still options for you. Plants suitable for low light situations may include: Snake plant (mother-in-law’s tongue) Philodendron Grape ivy Lucky bamboo ZZ Plant Plants that come from rainforests are ideal choices, since the dim light is similar to the dappled sun they receive as understory plants....

What are Double Potted Plants? Double potted plants are exactly what they sound like, plants growing in a pot that are then plunked into another pot. There are several reasons for this. First off, nursery pots have drainage holes but not all decorative pots do. Plus, they may lack a saucer with which to collect run off. The solution is double potting, or putting a potted plant into a cache pot, a French term meaning “to hide a pot....

Dracaena Marginata Info Dracaena is a genus of about 120 different species that come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. One of the most popular species is the Dracaena marginata, also frequently called dragon tree, Madagascar dragon tree, and red-edged dracaena. This last name is the most evident in its appearance, as it produces very long, variegated leaves that are green in the center and red on both sides....

Perle von Nurnberg Info If you are searching for an uncomplaining plant with cherubic appeal and beautiful form and color, look no further than Perle von Nurnberg Echeveria. This little succulent produces pups and will eventually grow as big as a dinner plate with good light and care. Warm region gardeners can add this plant to their landscape, while the rest of us should enjoy them in the summer and bring them indoors for winter....

Care for Evergreen Container Plants When a plant is grown in a container, its roots are essentially surrounded by air, meaning it’s more susceptible to temperature change than if it were in the ground. Because of this, you should only try to overwinter container grown evergreens that are hardy to winters considerably colder than what your area experiences. If you live in a particularly cold region, you can increase your evergreen’s chances of survival by piling mulch up over the container, wrapping the container in bubble wrap, or planting in an overlarge container....

Evergreen Iris Plants Dietes evergreen iris looks like a clump forming, flowering, ornamental grass and is frequently used in the landscape as one. However, it is actually a member of the iris family. Its blooms, which appear sporadically from May through September and sometimes throughout winter in the hottest zones, look similar to bearded iris flowers in shape and size. Evergreen iris blooms, though, are generally yellow, cream, or white in color and variegated with black, brown, or orange....