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What is a Sheltered Area? Sheltered locations are areas of the garden or landscape that protect plants from the elements. Every location and hardiness zone has its own challenges from weather and the elements. Garden plants may need to be protected from high winds, intense heat or sunlight, extreme cold, salt spray, heavy rains, or other storm damage. Too much exposure to the elements can cause plants to grow stunted, distorted, and many other problems....

Why are My Sago Leaves Curling? Sago palms get their species name from the fact that the leaflets are revolute, or curled under, on the new fronds. After the main stem of the sago palm fronds mature enough to assume their natural shape, the leaflets gradually relax and uncurl. Unnatural leaf curl on sagos, particularly when it is accompanied by discoloration or spots, however, indicates a problem. Abnormal leaf curl may be the result of insufficient water, fungal disease, or a nutrient deficiency....

How to Grow and Care for Azaleas Growing and caring for these shrubs is easy. That being said, there are some things to consider when adding them to the landscape. Proper Azalea Care To keep azaleas looking healthy, it is essential that you choose an appropriate planting location and practice proper azalea care. Azaleas actually look the most attractive when they are planted alone, however, mass plantings work well in larger areas, such as wooded sites....

What are Old Garden Roses? According to the American Rose Societies definition, which came about in 1966, Old Garden Roses are a group of rose bush types that existed prior to 1867. The year 1867 was also the year of the first introduction of a hybrid tea, her name was La France. The bloom/flower forms on these wonderful roses can vary greatly. Some of the rose bushes in this group will not produce any further blooms after their initial spring blooming period....

Fungal Issues and Brown Edges on Roses Fungal attacks can cause the edges of rose leaves to turn brown but usually, the brown edges on roses are not the only sign of the attack. Most fungal attacks leave their mark on the overall leaf or leaves as well. Black Spot will leave black spots on the leaves usually followed by a yellowing of the leaf once it has a firm hold on the leaf or leaves....

Lemon Tree Diseases and Treatment Below are some of the most common diseases of lemon with tips for treating them. Citrus canker – A highly contagious bacterial infection, citrus canker causes yellow halo-like lesions on fruit, leaves and twigs of citrus trees. If allowed to progress unchecked, this lemon tree problem will eventually result in dieback, fruit drop, and leaf loss. This disease is spread through the air with the aid of air currents, birds, insects and even humans....

Leucospermum Growing Conditions Outdoors, Leucospermum hardiness is limited to growing in the warm climates of USDA plant zones 9 through 11. Leucospermum growing conditions include full sunlight and poor, well-drained, acidic soil. Drainage is so critical, in fact, that the plant is often placed on elevated mounds or slopes. Similarly, these plants may not survive in rich soil or in crowded conditions where air circulation is limited. For this reason, whether grown indoors or out, Leucospermum plants should not be fertilized....

If you’re interested in the making of chocolate, read on to learn how to process cacao pods. About Cacao Bean Preparation Proper processing of cacao beans is as important as that of coffee beans, and just as time consuming and complex. The first order of business is harvesting. Cocoa trees bear fruit when they are three to four years old. The pods grow straight out from the trunk of the tree and can yield 20 to 30 pods per year....

Are There Really Male or Female Asparagus? So, are there male and female asparagus plants? There isn’t an obvious asparagus sex determination is there? Yes, there are male and female asparagus plants and actually, there are some signs as to which sex the asparagus might be. Asparagus Sex Determination Asparagus is dioecious, which means there are both male and female plants. Female asparagus produces seeds that look like little red berries....

Understanding More About Hawaii Plant Growing Zones This is the map of the USDA planting zones for Hawaii. It can help you learn how the temperatures in your area will affect the plants you grow in your garden and what plants you should be choosing for your garden. This is one of the warmest areas on the USDA plant hardiness zone map. Finding your planting zone for Hawaii is easy. Match where you live on the Hawaii USDA map to the legend on the right....

About Marjorie’s Seedling Plum Trees Marjorie’s seedling plum trees will produce copious amounts of sweet-tart fruits for canning, baking, or fresh eating. This variety is known for its intense flavor when allowed to fully ripen on the tree. The fruits are beautiful with deep color that turns almost purple black when mature. It is a perfect tree for a small garden because you don’t need another plum variety for it to set fruit....

Meadow Grass Uses The good part about native grasses is their resilience. Wild grasses have adapted to local growing conditions and are aggressive regarding competitors and hardy in extreme conditions. For this reason, many gardeners choose to remove turf grass and use the more water-friendly, rough native grasses. Controlling meadow grass lawns requires less work than the usual mowing, weeding, thatching, etc. that is required in traditional turf lawns. Meadow grass also makes a perfect companion in a wild plant vacant lot or field....

What is a Mini Greenhouse? A mini greenhouse is a generic term that encompasses a wide variety of professional and homemade designs. Mini greenhouses can be tall or short, but generally take up less than about 10 square feet (1 sq. m.) of ground or floor space. Many gardeners use them in place of cold frames to start seedlings earlier than normal for their area, or indoors to propagate plants that need high humidity....

Morning Glory Pest Problems There are two common types of insect pests affecting morning glories; both are sucking pests. One is the cotton aphid and the other sucking pest is a spider mite. Cotton aphids come in many colors. They like to attack the morning glory in the morning. They are difficult to see, but if you look closely, you will observe a mass of aphids on a leaf that is yellowed and crinkling....

Morning Light Maiden Ornamental Grass Native to regions of Japan, China, and Korea, Morning Light maiden grass may be commonly known as Chinese Silvergrass, Japanese Silvergrass, or Eulaliagrass. This maiden grass is noted as a new, improved cultivar of Miscanthus sinensis. Hardy in U.S. zones 4-9, Morning Light maiden grass blooms later than other Miscanthus varieties, and produces feathery pink-silver plumes in late summer into fall. In autumn, these plumes turn from gray to tan as they set seed and they persist throughout winter, providing seed for birds and other wildlife....

Pussy Willow Not Flowering Pussy willow trees are native to many areas, including Canada and the eastern U.S. Like all willows, they are in the genus Salix. The willow species getting pussy willow catkins are American willow (Salix discolor) and goat willow (Salix caprea). Pussy willow catkins grow on both male and female willow trees. Male catkins produce strands of tiny staminate flowers, while female catkins bear pistillate flowers. The pussy willow catkins you see in late winter are likely from the male trees, since they start getting pussy willow catkins earlier than female trees....

Shade Trees for North Central States Some trees that make good shade in the North Central regions are those native to the area. Others are not native but aren’t considered invasive and can thrive in this climate. Choices for northern shade trees in the North Central U.S. include: Buckeye: This smaller shade tree, buckeye grows to about 35 feet (11 m.) in height, is a good choice for cold icy winters as it tolerates road salt....

Choosing Nut Trees for Zone 5 Many nuts would be perfect for the cold winters and warm growing seasons in zone 5 if it weren’t for the possibility of an early warm spell followed by another freeze. During a warm spell, the buds on a tree begin to swell, and refreezing damages or kills the nut buds. Nuts such as almonds and pecans may not die, but they won’t fill out completely....

Organic Gardening with Kids When organic gardening with kids, simplicity is the name of the game. Keep your garden space small – a 6 x 6 foot (2 x 2 m.) patch should be plenty. If you don’t have the space for an in-ground garden, containers are a great alternative. Make sure to leave room to walk between your rows, as this will make for easier movement and teach kids to stay on paths....

Do Ornamental Peach Trees Bear Fruit? Ornamentals, in general, are included in the landscape for their flowers or colorful foliage. Although their purpose is ornamental, many of these trees will produce fruit. Some fruit from ornamentals is edible and quite tasty; crabapples and purple-leaved plums are such examples. So, more than likely an ornamental peach tree will bear fruit but is an ornamental peach edible? Because the tree is developed for its ornamental characteristics and not the quality of its fruit, the fruit will likely be edible, in theory, meaning it won’t kill you, but inedible in practice since it probably won’t taste all that great....