Posts

Using Copper in the Garden or Home Copper has unique properties in its shiny surface. Not only does it have a warm glow when new, but it becomes a rich verdigris green with age. This changeling ability is perfect to accent the green spaces of our homes. The rich tone is a perfect complement to flower and foliage plants, softening the harsh edges of a patio and creating a reflective surface to display the garden’s lush beauty....

Germander herb plants are members of the Lamiaceae or Mint family, which includes lavender and salvia. This is a large genus of evergreens, from ground covers to shrubs to sub shrubs. Creeping germander (Teucrium canadense) is a woody, perennial ground cover varietal that spreads through underground rhizomes and reaches to only about 12 to 18 inches (30 to 46 cm.) tall and spreading 2 feet (61 cm.) across. Germander herb plants bloom lavender-hued flowers in the spring borne off of green serrated foliage....

Golden Transparent Gage Info Transparent or diaphanous gages are a subset of gages that have almost see through skin. If you hold the fruit to the light, the stone can be seen inside. They are considered to have a more refined “plum” flavor. Golden Transparent gage info indicates the variety was named for Sir William Gage, who popularized the gages in the 1800s. Some tips on growing a Golden Transparent gage can see you enjoying these delicious fruits in just a few years....

Myth of the Green Thumb Green thumb gardening is just that– a myth, at least as I see it. When it comes to growing plants, there are no inherent talents, no divine gift for gardening, and no green thumb. Anyone can stick a plant in the ground and get it to grow with the right conditions. In fact, all alleged green-thumb gardeners, myself included, possess little more than the ability to read and follow instructions, or in the very least, we know how to experiment....

Growing fruit trees in a greenhouse is entirely possible and enables you to bring in species that otherwise might not survive your climate. Read on for information on the best trees to grow in a greenhouse with tips on greenhouse tree care. Can You Grow Trees in a Greenhouse? Greenhouse fruit tree growing is a foreign concept to many gardeners who ask: Can you grow trees in a greenhouse – (legit regular sized trees)?...

Greenhouse Landscaping Considerations There are more things to consider than simply adding plants when it comes to gardening around a greenhouse. First of all, you don’t want to add plants that require lots of upkeep because after all, you want to have time to tinker inside the greenhouse, right? You don’t want to add plants that will grow rapidly either, which will shade the much sought-after light needed for the greenhouse....

Planting Between Pavers When using groundcovers around pavers, you want them to meet several criteria. Look for plants that are tough so you don’t have to tiptoe around them. Choose short plants that won’t obstruct your path, and plants that are suited to the current light exposure. Using plants that spread to fill the space around them make growing plants between pavers easier. Here are a few suggestions. Irish moss – Irish moss adds soft, spongy texture to paths in shady areas....

Let’s take a look at issues of using a white clover lawn substitute and how to replace your lawn with clover once you are aware of these issues. Issues with Using Clover as a Grass Substitute There are a few things you should be aware of before creating a white clover lawn. Clover attracts bees – Honeybees are a wonderful thing to have in any garden as they pollinate the vegetables and flowers....

How to Grow an Aloe Plant The first step in aloe vera plant care is to realize that this plant is a succulent. Like cacti, succulents do best in dry conditions. When growing aloe vera plants, plant them in a cactus potting soil mix or a regular potting soil that has been amended with additional perlite or building sand. Also, make sure that the pot has plenty of drainage holes. Aloe vera plants cannot tolerate standing water....

If you’re growing fall flowers in the Midwest region, it may require some planning, but you’ll be rewarded with a profusion of cool season blooms. Growing Autumn Flowers Growing autumn flowers will require some forethought. Among the best candidates for fall blooming flowers are ornamental shrubs and late blooming perennials. Since these plants may require several growing seasons to become established, the creation of beautiful fall ornamental gardens will require patience....

Container Size for Growing Beans The depth of the container size for growing beans varies dependent upon the type of vegetable. Pole beans need 8 to 9 inches (20-23 cm.) of soil, whereas bush beans can do with only 6 to 7 inches (15-18 cm.). Ensure that the pot has several unobstructed drainage holes when growing beans in containers. While the appearance of the pot isn’t important, using unglazed pots will help the containers to “breathe” and allow for the evaporation of excess water so the plants don’t drown....

Growing Clove Trees in Containers Can you grow cloves in containers? The jury is somewhat out. Depending upon who you ask, it’s either impossible or completely doable. This is due, in part, to the size clove trees can reach. In the wild, a clove tree can grow to 40 feet (12 m.) in height. Of course, a clove tree in a pot is never going to get close to as tall as that, but it is going to try....

Desert Marigold Information Botanically called Baileya multiradiata, desert marigold flower is also called paper daisy, as mature blooms have a papery texture. They are also sometimes known as desert Baileya. Desert marigold plants may reach a foot in height with big, yellow flowers that produce lots of seeds. Some of the clumping, daisy-like mounds of flowers are shorter. The plant is an herbaceous, short-lived perennial, returning again next year. Blooms begin in spring and may continue through summer....

How to Create an Italian Herb Theme Garden If you are desirous of the makings for a stellar pesto or the local Italian restaurant’s puttanesca, you’ll want to delve into the ingredients of those recipes to learn what to plant in your Italian herb garden. Certainly, notable Italian herbs should be included, but you may also wish to incorporate plants such as: Broccoli or broccolini Romano pole bean Fava or cannellini beans Chioggia or candy-stripe beets Cipollini onions Peppers Artichokes Garlic...

Growing Schefflera Plants Outdoors When the sun is shining, it is tempting to mimic some of our favorite tropical vacation spots in our landscapes. Adding tropical flair to the garden evokes the sights and sounds of a sultry, humid rainforest in an exotic locale. If you live in an appropriate zone, you can grow Schefflera outdoors year-round. Outdoor Schefflera care differs somewhat from indoor plant maintenance. Plants can get bigger in the ground and may need supplemental support and nutrition as well as a regular watering schedule, but Schefflera plant care outside is low maintenance compared to many landscape plants....

What is a Topaz Apple? Developed at the Czech Republic’s Institute of Experimental Botany, Topaz apples are crispy, medium to large apples with a distinctive, sweet-tart flavor often compared to Honeycrisp. Topaz apples are usually eaten fresh or in fruit salads, but they can also be used for cooking or baking. Growing Topaz apples isn’t difficult, and the trees tend to be resistant to most apple diseases. Topaz apple harvest occurs late in the season, usually from mid-October to November....

Trumpet Vine Plant The trumpet vine flower is great for attracting hummingbirds to the landscape. The beautiful, tubular flowers range in color from yellow to orange or red. Blooming on the trumpet vine plant takes place throughout summer and into fall, though blooming may be limited for those planted in shady locations. Following its flowering, trumpet vines produce attractive bean-like seedpods. Trumpet vine plant is hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 4-9....

Harvesting Banana Trees Banana plants are not actually trees but large herbs with succulent, juicy stems that arise from a fleshy corm. Suckers continually spring up around the main plant with the oldest sucker replacing the main plant as it fruits and dies. Smooth, oblong, elliptical, fleshy stalked leaves unfurl in a spiral around the stem. A terminal spike, the inflorescence, shoots out from the heart in the tip of the stem....

It takes only about four days from the time of flowering to the time to pick okra. Harvest okra every other day to keep them producing as long as possible. Harvesting okra is something you can do when you are out harvesting your green and wax beans, then it becomes habit to go out and harvest okra as it ripens. When is Okra Ready? Picking okra should be done when the pods are 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm....

How to Save Zinnia Seeds Before gardeners are able to begin collecting zinnia seeds, they will first need to make certain the selected plants are open-pollinated. While hybrid varieties of zinnia can be quite beautiful, there is no guarantee that they will grow true-to-type from saved seed. Each bloom will also need to be allowed to fully open and remain on the plant. This means allowing for the flower head to dry completely on the plant, until it has turned brown....