Reasons for Non Flowering Tulips The overwhelmingly most common reason why tulips leaf out but don’t bloom is simply that the environment needed for tulips to bloom every year is very specific. Tulips evolved in the mountains where it is often dry and there are hot summers and cold winters. Tulips planted in our gardens may not get this exact environment and they have a hard time forming a flower bud without it....
What is Goosegrass? If you have identified the splayed tufts of grass with numerous finger-like blades in your lawn, you will need to investigate how to kill goosegrass. The plant can become established even in hard, compacted soils and is very resilient. The thick leaf blades are difficult to cut with a mower and even after a close trim, lawn grass will look ragged and unkempt if goosegrass is present. The plant is most obvious in warm summer periods, but may persist into winter in temperate zones....
Can You Eat Gourds? Gourd edibility is negotiable, but history indicates that some were eaten, at least in part. First, we have to determine what is a gourd before going into ways to eat gourds. You can probably find a gourd shaped like anything you can imagine. Whether warty, smooth, or bearing strange protuberances, gourds exceed the imagination and give wings to creativity. Are gourds edible though? That is a subject for debate, considering the interior flesh is minimal and hardly worth the effort....
When to Harvest Grapes The precise time for picking grapes is dependent on the location, length of growing season, variety of grape, crop load and the intended use of the grape. Heavy crop loads take longer to mature. The optimum time for harvesting grapes will vary year to year as do environmental conditions — sometime after the berries turn color (veraison). Commercial grape growers rely on more scientific methods to determine when to harvest the grapes such as precise pH levels and sugar contents (Brix) that are established with testing....
If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s mint. The herb is about as vigorous as a plant can get, with a hardy nature and fast growth pattern. Experts estimate that there are over 600 different types of mint. Most of us are familiar with the two most popular types– spearmint and peppermint— but you’re missing out if you don’t try some of the more unusual mint varieties. The grapefruit mint plant is just one of many varieties of this pungent herb....
Can You Grow Beans Inside? Growing beans indoors is an excellent option for many gardeners. Not only are indoor bean plants able to thrive, but they offer growers the benefit of attractive foliage throughout the process. Their compact size and quick growth habit make them ideal for container culture as well. Indoor Bean Care To begin growing beans indoors, gardeners will first need to select a container. Beans do well in most larger containers, but grow best in those which are narrow and at least 8 inches (20 cm....
How to Grow Cleome Growing cleomes is most easily done by planting seeds in the chosen location. Most any location is appropriate as cleomes will grow and produce the cleome “spider” flower in full sun to part shade locations and do not need any particular type of soil, other than well draining. Seeds may be started inside; however, a complicated schedule of lighting, temperature fluctuation and bottom heat is required for indoor germination and is usually not worth the effort of the regular gardener....
Forcing Dutch iris bulbs is easy if you know the steps to take. Read on for information on Dutch iris forcing and tips on how to force Dutch iris bulbs to bloom in winter. About Forced Dutch Iris Bulbs While most irises grow from thick roots called rhizomes, Dutch irises grow from bulbs. This means that you can easily grow Dutch iris indoors by forcing them. Dutch iris forcing doesn’t hurt the plants at all....
About Zone 9 Grapes There are basically two types of grapes, table grapes, which are grown for eating fresh, and wine grapes that are cultivated primarily for wine making. While some types of grapes do, indeed, require a more temperate climate, there are still plenty of grapes that will thrive in the hot climate of zone 9. Of course, you want to check and be sure that the grapes you select to grow are adapted to zone 9, but there are a few other considerations as well....
This plant thrives outside in areas like southern California and requires plenty of bright light and warmth. In cooler climates, container-grown Grevilleas may be brought inside in fall and returned to the patio or yard when temperatures warm in late spring. Discover how to grow a Grevillea houseplant so you can enjoy the graceful form and colorful flowers as an attractive accent plant to your home. Grevillea Plant Facts There are over 250 species of Grevillea and new cultivars are introduced to nurseries and specialty plant markets every year....
About Late Flat Dutch Cabbage Plants Cabbage is such a versatile vegetable. It is equally good in salads, stews, or sautéed. Late Flat Dutch cabbage seeds germinate easily and the resulting heads store for weeks. This open pollinated heirloom variety requires 100 days from seed to head and can be planted for an early summer or late fall harvest. This large cabbage variety has bluish green leaves and flattened heads with a creamy light green interior....
Growing Parsnips in Winter Gardens Parsnip is a cool season root vegetable that is technically a biennial but is usually grown as a winter annual. They grow well in full sun to part shade in any rich, fertile, loose, well-draining soil. However, parsnips do have a hard time growing in the hot, arid conditions like those found in southern regions of the U.S. They can also be heavy feeders and distorted or stunted roots may form if there are not enough available nutrients in the soil....
When using a K cup seed starter, keep the paper liner in place. All parts of the pod except the tear off lid are useful in the seed starting process. Coffee Grounds in the Soil Mix the used coffee grounds into part of your seed starting soil if you wish to try using them for this purpose. Used coffee grounds contain nitrogen that’s good for plants, as well as acid, which is good for certain plants like tomatoes, roses and blueberries....
Can Poinsettias Grow Outdoors? Can poinsettias grow outdoors? How? Yes. In the right climate and with the right planting location and care, these bright Christmas favorites can shoot up to 10 foot (3 m.) shrubs in rapid order. If it’s your potted holiday plant that makes you ask about planting poinsettia outdoors, you have to start treating the plant well from the moment it arrives. Water your potted poinsettia when the soil starts getting dry and place it in a sunny location in your home, protected from air currents....
Prickly Pear Plant Characteristics Prickly pears are vigorously growing cactus with detachable spines which means they may not be suitable for every garden. The plants are perfect for the hot as a griddle areas of your garden. The plant is comprised of wide, flat, thick pads that are covered in spines and segmented stems. There are 181 species of prickly pear plant that range from low growing plants just over a foot (31 cm....
What is Red Veined Sorrel? Bloody dock plant, aka red veined sorrel (Rumex sanguineus), is a rosette forming perennial from the buckwheat family. It generally grows in a clumping mound that reaches around 18 inches (46 cm.) in height and is just as wide. Bloody dock plant is native to Europe and Asia but has naturalized in some areas of the United States and Canada. Wild growing red veined sorrel can be found in ditches, clearings, and forests....
When is Cauliflower Ready to Pick? As the head (curd) begins to grow, it will eventually become discolored and bitter tasting from sunlight. To avoid this, cauliflower is often blanched to keep the sun off the head and whiten the cauliflower. Generally, this is done when the head reaches about the size of a tennis ball, or 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm.) in diameter. Simply pull up about three or four large leaves and tie or fasten them loosely around the cauliflower head....
Developing Healthy Gardening Habits As a leisure interest, gardening of some sort appeals to almost everyone. It is a stress reducer, gets you out into fresh air, creates beauty and food, and is an activity that those of any age can enjoy. There are also soil microbes that actually enhance your mood. Gardening for health is a pastime rich with possibilities and joys. Just be sure you do it with some safety practices in mind....
Steps for Heeling in Plants The first step to heel in a plant is to prepare your plant for heeling in. If you are heeling in a bare root plant or tree, remove any of the packaging and soak the roots of the plant in water for four to seven hours. If you are heeling in plants in containers, you can either leave the plants in the container or take it out....
Fertilizing Holly Bushes Gardeners have lots of options when choosing a holly plant fertilizer. Compost or well-rotted livestock manure makes excellent (and often free) slow-release fertilizers that continue to feed the plant throughout the season. A complete fertilizer that contains eight to ten percent nitrogen is another good choice. The first number of the three-number ratio on the fertilizer bag tells you the percentage of nitrogen. For example, a fertilizer ratio of 10-20-20 contains 10 percent nitrogen....
