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What is a Living Wall? A living wall is simply a vertical planting space. Growing plants in some kind of structure that is erected on or against a wall creates a green, living garden on a wall, fence, or other vertical surface. Some people use vertical outdoors spaces, like fences or patios, to create more growing area in a small space. Others embrace the living wall simply as a design element or to make a wall (indoors or out) more interesting and a focal point....

What Are Alternative Pollinators? Eighty percent of the fruit, nuts and seeds that make up the American diet depend on animal pollinators, including insects, birds and mammals. In the past, gardeners depended on honeybees, but with the decline in the honeybee population, the focus is shifting to alternative pollinators in the garden. There are about 3,500 additional species of bees in the United States, some of which make excellent alternative pollinators....

What are Celery Worms? Larvae of the eastern black swallowtail (Papillo polyxenes asterius) are sometimes seen in the vegetable garden where they munch celery, parsnips, and carrots. You might also see them in the herb garden where they eat dill, parsley, and fennel. Their appearance changes depending on their life stage. Young celery worms might resemble bird droppings. As they age, they develop dark and light stripes punctuated by bright yellow spots....

Today, crosnes (or chorogi) can be found in specialty gourmet shops and high-end restaurants with a price to match, but you can also grow your own. Read on to learn how to grow and when to harvest Chinese artichokes. What are Chinese Artichokes? The Chinese artichoke plant (Stachys affinis) is a perennial root vegetable found in the mint family. Like mint plants, Chinese artichoke have a propensity to grow wantonly and can easily overtake a garden area....

Danvers Carrot Information Carrots are one of the easier and least fussy crops to grow. From eating fresh out of hand to steamed, sautéed, or blanched, carrots have a wide variety of culinary applications. One of the nicer varieties is Danvers. What are Danvers carrots? This is a very adaptable root vegetable with little core and a nice tapered shape and size. Try growing Danvers carrots and add an heirloom vegetable to your garden....

What are Day-Neutral Strawberries? Day-neutral strawberries continue to fruit as long as the weather holds. This means that, unlike the familiar June-bearing cultivars that only fruit for a short time, day-neutral strawberries fruit into the summer and fall, which is great news for strawberry lovers. They also have firmer and larger fruit than June-bearing strawberries. When Do Day-Neutral Strawberries Grow? As long as temperatures remain between 40 and 90 F. (4-32 C....

What are Lenticels? Lenticels are special pores in plant tissues that allow oxygen exchange with the outside world. Similar to stomas, lenticels appear on woody tissues like stems and roots instead of along more tender leaf tissues. So, you may ask yourself, “What causes potato lenticels to swell?”. The answer is moisture and lots of it. Enlarged lenticels in potatoes can appear while the potatoes are still growing, or they can pop up when potatoes are in storage, giving a gardener a sudden surprise....

What are Oxlips? Also known as true oxlip or oxlip primrose plant, oxlip (Primula elatior) is a member of the primrose family and the leaves look quite similar. However, oxlips are tougher and more able to withstand heat and drought than its more sensitive cousins. The plant is commonly confused with another closely related primula known as cowslip (P. veris), which is similar looking but has smaller, bright yellow flowers (with red dots inside) and are bell shaped....

What are pesticides? Why should we pay close attention to pesticide labels? And what are the dangers of pesticides if we don’t? Keep reading to learn the answers to these questions about different types of pesticide. What are Pesticides? Many people call a spray that controls the bugs in their gardens a pesticide, and that is partially true. However, that spray actually carries the sub-classification as an insecticide that is under the overall heading of pesticides....

Tamarix Information and Uses Tamarix (Tamarix spp.) is a graceful, fast-growing tree that tolerates desert heat, freezing winters, drought, and both alkaline and saline soil, although it prefers sandy loam. Most species are deciduous. Tamarix in the landscape works well as a hedge or windbreak, although the tree can appear somewhat scruffy during the winter months. Because of its long taproot and dense growth habit, uses for Tamarix include erosion control, particularly on dry, sloped areas....

When to Plant Bulbs in Zone 8 Gardens Bulbs that are designed to be planted in the autumn can be planted in zone 8 any time between October and December. The bulbs need the cool weather of autumn and winter to become active and begin to grow roots. In mid to late winter, the bulbs should put up growth above ground, and the flowers ought to appear in late winter to spring....

Why Do Pears Split? Cracking of pear fruit arise from one factor – water. Simply put, a lack of water followed by a surplus of water is what causes pears to split. The same goes for nearly any other fruit cracking. Split pear fruit is a condition that is caused by an irregular supply of water. While the splits are not usually deep, they may be enough to invite disease or pests to attack otherwise tasty fruit....

According to folklore, this fascinating plant was thought to have great powers, both positive and negative. What do you do with mandrake? Let’s explore the many uses for mandrake. What is Herbal Mandrake? The mandrake plant consists of a rosette of floppy, oval leaves. White, yellowish-green, or purple, bell-shaped flowers are followed by large, fleshy, orange berries. Native to warm Mediterranean climates, Mandrake doesn’t tolerate cold, wet soil; however, herbal mandrake is sometimes grown indoors or in greenhouses....

Limequat Information What is a limequat? A limequat (Citrus x floridana), as previously stated, is a fruiting tree that is a hybrid between a kumquat and a key lime. It is more cold tolerant than most lime trees, but a little less so than most kumquats. It can usually survive temperatures as low as 22 F. (-6 C.), and it can sometimes survive as cold as 10 F. (-12 C.). That being said, it is mostly a heat loving plant that thrives in tropical and subtropical climates....

Echeveria Red Velvet Plants Red Velvet Echeveria (Echeveria pulvinata) is a hybrid plant named for Athanasio Echeverria Godoy. The secondary name, pulvinata, refers to its cushion-like leaves. Red Velvet has softly hairy stems and chubby leaves. The species is from Mexico, but this particular cultivar originated in California. You will be charmed by Red Velvet. It is a small plant, growing only 12 inches (30 cm.) in height with a shrub-like form....

What is a Swamp Tupelo? Unless you live on the country’s southeast coastal area, you may never have seen a swamp tupelo (Cornaceae Nyssa biflora), let alone heard of it. These are trees that thrive in wet bottomland soils. If you are considering growing swamp tupelo trees, you’ll need to take heed of the following swamp tupelo information: these trees grow in the wild in mucky areas, heavy clay soil, or wet sands – not your average landscape tree....

What is Butter Lettuce? Originating in Kentucky, butter lettuce (also known simply as ‘Bibb’) is a variety of crisp lettuce that forms a loose head as it grows. Due to its characteristic tenderness, butter lettuce is frequently used to add subtle flavor to salads, sandwiches, wraps, and more. Though it can be stored in the refrigerator for a short period of time, leaves of this lettuce are very delicate and more prone to wilt than some other lettuce cultivars....

What is Crookneck Squash? Yellow crookneck squash is a type of summer squash, closely related to the yellow straightneck squash. Varieties may be smooth or ridged. Usually shaped somewhat like a bottle, it grows in summer, sometimes prolifically, and is often a top-producer in the garden. Numerous recipes are available online for its use. Crookneck squash is often breaded and fried as a delicious side, used in a range of casseroles, and is a great healthy ingredient to include in those green smoothies....

Growing garlic at home is not only cost effective, but also allows growers to choose varieties that best suit their own tastes and needs in the kitchen. Polish White garlic is one such variety known for its mild taste. Read on for some more Polish White garlic info. What is Polish White Garlic? Polish White garlic plants are known for their production of large, reliable bulbs. Yields of these garlic plants are especially beneficial to home gardeners which may be looking to maximize their growing space....

What is Potato Leafroll? The pesky aphids strike again. Yep, aphids are responsible for plants with potato leafroll virus. The aphids transmit a Luteovirus into the vascular tissue of the potato plants. The worst culprit is the green peach aphid. The virus is introduced either by the aphids or previously infected seed tubers. The virus, unlike some other potato plant diseases, takes some time for the aphids to acquire (several minutes to hours) and process through its body before it is a vector of the disease....