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What are Bark Beetles? Trees in the landscape represent someone’s major commitment to remake the area in a very long-term way. Since most trees easily live 50 years or more, it’s hard to not see them as permanent residents, but no matter how much you think they’re basically impervious, a tiny beetle can quickly take down the largest oak in the whole forest. Bark beetles on trees are not a small matter; once these insects establish colonies, tree death is nearly guaranteed....

Basket Willow Trees There are three willow tree species commonly grown as basket willow trees: Salix triandra, also known as almond willow or almond-leaved willow. Salix viminalis, often known as common willow. Salix purpurea, a popular willow known by a number of alternate names, including purple osier willow and blue arctic willow. Some weavers prefer to plant all three basket willow trees. The trees are perfect for baskets, but basket willow uses are also ornamental, as the trees create a variety of bright colors in the landscape....

How Cold Hardy are Fig Trees? So, just how cold hardy are fig trees? Well, you can cultivate cold hardy fig trees in areas where the minimum winter temperatures do not dip below 5 degrees F. (-15 C.). Keep in mind, though, that stem tissue can be damaged at temps well above 5 degrees F., especially if it is a prolonged cold snap. Established or mature winter hardy figs are more likely to survive an extended cold snap....

How to Make an Herbal Bouquet When making an herb bundle bouquet, the first step is the careful selection of fragrant plants. In the Victorian era, plants were chosen for the special meanings they conveyed. Nowadays, herbs for bouquets are often picked for the fragrances they impart or for their physical beauty. A bouquet of herbs can also be theme based. Adherence to the theme often influences the selection of herbs for bouquets....

If you are interested in learning more about growing fruit trees in New England, read on. We’ll give you advice about how to select fruit trees that will thrive in your region. Northeastern Fruit Trees The Northeast region of the country is known for its cold winters and relatively short growing season. Not every type of fruit tree will thrive in this climate. Anyone selecting fruit trees in New England needs to take the tree’s cold hardiness into account....

What are Biosolids? Biosolids is an organic material made from wastewater solids. Meaning, everything we flush down the toilet or wash down the drain turns into biosolid material. These waste materials are then broken down by micro-organisms. Excess water is drained and the solid material that remains is heat treated to remove pathogens. This is the proper treatment the FDA recommends. Biosolids created at wastewater treatment plants need to follow strict guidelines and are tested often to make sure they do not contain pathogens and other toxins....

Black-Eyed Susan Spots Black spots on Rudbeckia, also known as black-eyed Susan, are very common and occur in a large percentage of the population each year. There are many causes, but the most common by far is the fungal disease called Septoria leaf spot, a common disease of tomatoes. The symptoms of common Rudbeckia leaf spot diseases are so similar though, that it’s hard to distinguish between them without a microscope....

About Picking Boysenberries At one time, boysenberries were the crème de le crème of berries growing in California. Today, they are a rarity, located after searching high and low at the farmer’s market, if at all. This is because harvesting boysenberries is time-consuming and costly, and because the berries are so delicate that in order to ship them producers ended up picking boysenberries before they were fully ripe, thus, rather tart for eating fresh....

Neoregelia bromeliads are among the largest category of those that are sensitive to the cold. Size of the grouping may change as hybrids are developed and added. In fact, current categorization research says that hybrids encompass the majority of those available for use. Not all of them balk at cold temperatures, however, with some bromeliads having cold tolerance as low as 20 degrees F (-6.66 C). If you’re interested in moving your bromeliads outside to grow in the landscape, consider the plants discussed below....

Buddhist Garden Elements Choose Buddhist garden elements carefully; a simple, uncluttered garden promotes a feeling of calm. Statues Statues of Buddha should be raised above the ground to display proper respect. Often, statues are placed on a marble slab or altar table, but even a mound of stones or a woven mat is appropriate. The statues are often used in conjunction with a peaceful garden pond and floating lotus blooms. The statues should face your home....

About Burdock Plants Burdock occurs in undisturbed sites where the plant forms a rosette the first year and a flowering spike the second. The roots and young leaves and shoots are edible. The plant is easy to grow and can produce roots up to 2 feet (61 cm.) long in 100 days or less. Gardeners who want to know how to grow burdock should know that it’s easier to harvest roots if planted in sandy, loose soil....

Why Use Homemade Calcium Rich Foliar Spray? Calcium foliar spray lends necessary calcium to the plant, preventing leaf necrosis, short brown roots, fungal issues, weak stems and stunted growth (damping off). Making calcium spray for plants will increase cell division, an important component, especially in those rapid growers such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn. While it is true that acidic soils have a reduced amount of calcium compared to more alkaline soils, pH is not a true reflection of the necessity for foliar feeding with calcium but may be used as a general guideline....

Calla Lilies with Green Blooms Unless you are growing the ‘Green Goddess’ variety of calla, you might be surprised by green calla lily flowers. Calla lilies are not true lilies. They are in the same family as the Jack-in-the-pulpit. The flowers are not what they seem either. The flower’s petals are called the spathe. The spathes are modified leaf structures, which fold around the spadix. The spadix bears the tiny true flowers....

How to Care for Hydrangea in Pots Store bought potted hydrangeas usually languish because a small container on the kitchen table is less than ideal. Hydrangeas like lots of sun and water. Indoors, the sun can be gotten from placing it in a south-facing window, but the water is best achieved by transplanting it to a larger container that doesn’t dry out as quickly. Hydrangeas in the garden like full sun, but this dries out the soil in containers much too quickly....

Wildfire Smoke in Gardens Any gardener whose life was disrupted by wildfires knows that there was wildfire smoke in gardens too. Humans can wear an N-95 mask to go out or, if they are lucky, stay in the house with a HEPA air filter cleaning that smoke out of the air. Garden plants have neither of these options and may be exposed to smoke garden damage. That raises the very real question: how does smoke affect gardens?...

Is Wintercress Edible? Yes, you can eat wintercress greens. In fact, it was a popular potherb generations ago, and with the advent of modern foraging, it is regaining that popularity once again. Back in the day, wintercress greens were called “creasies” and were a valuable source of nutrition during cool months when other greens had died back. About Wintercress Greens There are actually a couple of different types of wintercress. Most of the plants you come across are common wintercress (Barbarea vulgaris)....

Can You Grow Parsnips in Pots? Generally speaking, almost anything can be container-grown. I say almost anything. In the case of container-grown parsnips, a few criteria need to be met. After all, since the plant is grown for its long roots, it would seem you would need an awfully deep pot. Parsnip roots can grow from 8-12 inches (20.5-30.5 cm.) in length and 1 ½-2 inches (4-5 cm.) across. Therefore, containers for parsnips should be about 2-3 times the length of the mature parsnip....

Will Supermarket Garlic Grow? Yes, store bought garlic bulbs can be used to grow garlic. In fact, growing garlic from the grocery store is a pretty handy way to go about growing your own fresh bulbs, especially if you have one in the pantry that has already begun to grow. What else would you do with it but plunk it in the dirt and see what happens? About Planting Grocery Store Garlic While it may seem a bit cavalier to say “plunk the clove in dirt,” the actual planting of grocery store garlic is pretty much that simple....

How and When to Plant Peas First, make sure you have the best spot for growing peas. These plants need full sun and soil that drains well. They need less fertilizing than many other vegetables, so adding a little compost to the soil before planting is usually adequate. For vining peas, choose a location where they can grow up a trellis or other structure. Peas are cool weather plants. If you sow them too late in the spring, they may struggle in the hotter months....

What is Parsley Root? Though its root sets it apart, parsley root is indeed a variety of parsley. Parsley is a member of the carrot family, which goes a long way to explain its appearance. Although its root could be mistaken for a parsnip or a white carrot, its flavor is most similar to celery. Its texture is dry like a parsnip, however, and it can be cooked like one. The leaves are broader and tougher than those of herb parsley varieties, and their flavor is stronger and a bit more bitter....