When is Guava Fruit Ripe? Guava will begin to fruit in its second to fourth year. When conditions are right, a single tree can produce from 50-80 pounds (22.5-36 kg.) of fruit per year. In Florida, guava trees may even produce twice a year; and with proper pruning, you can even get a guava to produce year-round. That’s a lot of guavas, so knowing when to harvest guava is imperative lest you lose the delicious fruit....
Choosing Evergreen Vines for Zone 6 Semi-evergreen or semi-deciduous, by definition, is a plant that loses its leaves for only a short time as new leaves form. Evergreen naturally means a plant that retains its foliage throughout the year. Generally, these are two different categories of plants. However, some vines and other plants can be evergreen in warmer climates but semi-evergreen in cooler climates. When vines are used as ground covers and spend some months beneath mounds of snow, it may be irrelevant whether it is semi-evergreen or a true evergreen....
Types of Lime Trees Limes are closely related to lemons. They even look similar to them, especially once they have fully ripened. Until reaching maturity, limes are quite sour tasting. Unlike the lemon, though, the best lime tree harvest time is just before it turns yellow. Lime tree harvest is easier when you are familiar with the different types of lime trees and what they look like. One of the most popular lime trees is the Key lime, or Mexican lime, (Citrus aurantifolia)....
Caution: Before Collecting Hellebore Seeds Safety first! Hellebore is a poisonous plant, so it is strongly advised that you wear gloves when handling this plant for the harvesting of hellebore seeds, as it will cause skin irritation and burning in varying degrees of severity depending on the level and duration of exposure. How to Collect Hellebore Seeds Collecting hellebore seeds is easy. Hellebore seed harvest typically occurs during the late spring to early summer timeframe....
When to Pick Watermelon Are you wondering how long it takes to harvest a watermelon? This part is simple. The watermelon you planted will be ready about 80 or so days after you plant it from seed. This means around day 75 or so, depending on how the season was, you can start watching for ripe watermelon. How to pick a ripe watermelon will come to you, you just have to be patient....
Healthy Plant Selection Learning the signs of a healthy plant is the first step in ensuring its overall success. Choosing healthy plants involves looking closely at all parts of the plant, beginning with the most obvious part– the leaves. Foliage growth – A healthy plant should have plenty of healthy new growth. With the exception of plants with bi-colored or variegated leaves, most plants should display green leaves with bright, even color....
Horse Chestnut vs. Buckeye Buckeye trees, so named for the shiny seed that resembles the eye of a deer, is native to North America. Horse chestnut (which isn’t related to the common chestnut tree), hales from the Balkan region of Eastern Europe. Today, horse chestnut trees are widely grown across the northern hemisphere. Here’s how these Aesculus trees are different. Growth Habit Horse chestnut is a large, stately tree that reaches heights of 100 feet (30 m....
The Plantain Lily, or Hosta, is one of those foliage plants that brightens dark corners and enlivens the landscape with its flower displays. Pacific Northwest Hostas are game changers for gardeners with heavy shade. They are reliable perennials that grow well in Washington; Oregon Hostas are scene stealers, as well. Hostas, Pacific Northwest Winners If you are looking for a no-nonsense shade loving plant, consider Hostas in the northwest. The plants spring from tubers that are reliably hardy in the northwest part of the United States....
About Plants in the Kitchen As mentioned, the kitchen is not necessarily the most ideal place for plants. Of course, everyone’s kitchen is different, so what my kitchen lacks, perhaps yours has in spades. The common denominators, though, generally remain the same. Kitchens tend to have dramatic temperature fluxes from extreme heat when baking to chilly nighttime conditions when the heat is low, and appliances are off. If you don’t have a hood over your range, steam and greasy deposits can affect the health of kitchen houseplants....
Growing Azaleas in Containers: Getting Started Azaleas are ericaceous plants, which means they thrive in acidic soil with a pH between 5.0 and 6.0. This is one advantage of growing azalea in planters, as you can easily control the quality of the growing medium. Look for a potting soil mixed specifically for acid-loving plants, or create your own by mixing half potting soil and half fine pine bark. Plant your azalea in a container that provides ample growing space for the roots and keep in mind that a small container will limit growth....
But, as spring becomes summer and the temperatures begin to rise, the flowers fade, and all you are left with are clumps of unattractive leaves. While the foliage of some plants can remain upright and green for the next few weeks to months, some bulb plants decline quickly. This includes daffodils. The foliage usually flops to the ground in an unsightly fashion quickly after the blooms have faded. It is very tempting to chop the leaves at the ground, but, if you want the bulbs to bloom again next year, you have to resist this urge....
There are lots of ways to organize your garden tools from purchased storage to DIY garden tool organization projects. The following article contains some ideas about how to organize garden tools. Why Organize your Garden Tools? Certainly, you have never used a garden tool and then left it behind after a project, but I have. Unfortunately, sometimes the errant tool is not found until the next season of gardening, by which time having lain out in the snow and rain, the poor tool is looking pretty beat up....
Dogwood Seed Propagation Propagating dogwoods from seed couldn’t be easier. That’s why dogwoods grow so readily in the wild. The seeds fall to the ground and go about dogwood seed germination on their own. Your first step toward dogwood seed propagation is to collect seeds from native trees. In the south, collect seeds in early autumn, but make it November in the northernmost regions of the U.S. To start growing a dogwood tree from seed, you’ll need to locate the seeds....
Can You Grow Salvia from Cuttings? The great thing about salvia cutting propagation is that you are certain to get plants exactly like the parent plant. With seed propagation, this isn’t always the case. Anyone with sage plants can start propagating salvia from cuttings. It’s easy and virtually foolproof. When you are propagating salvia from cuttings, you’ll want to cut segments of the plant from stem tips. Some experts recommend that the cutting include one bud at the top of the stem and two leaf nodes....
How to Tell Ginkgo Sex Between Trees The gingko is a beautiful tree, growing in a diversity of climates. It is the only surviving specimen of the division Ginkgophyta that has not become extinct. There are many instances of prehistoric fossils of this tree being found, some dating as far back as 270 million years. Fossils were found on all continents with the exception of Antarctica and Australia. Needless to say, it’s been around awhile....
Compost pH Range When compost is done and ready for use, it has a pH of between 6 and 8. As it decays, the compost pH changes, meaning that at any point in the process the range will vary. The majority of plants thrive in a neutral pH of around 7, but some like it more acidic or alkaline. This is where checking the compost pH comes in handy. You have the opportunity to fine tune the compost and make it more alkaline or acidic....
What is True Indigo? Indigofera is a genus of over 750 species of plants, many of which go by the common name “indigo.” It’s Indigofera tinctoria, however, that gives indigo color, so named for the deep blue dye it produces, which has been used for thousands of years. The plant is thought to be native to Asia or northern Africa, but it’s difficult to be sure, since it’s been in cultivation since at least 4,000 BCE, long before good gardening records were being kept....
An understanding of how Pulmonaria grows outdoors is key to understanding lungwort plant care indoors. Indoor Lungwort Plants Pulmonaria naturally grow in cooler areas, likes to be in partial shade to full shade, and prefers rich, moist soil. It grows 1-2 feet (30.4-61 cm.) wide and only grows about 6-12 inches (15-30 cm.) tall. Keeping these things in mind gives us important clues on how to grow indoor lungwort plants....
While most gardeners and herbalists have probably heard of the excellent medicinal and culinary uses of dandelion, plantain, and purslane, cat’s ear is an oftentimes overlooked and underappreciated herb that is loaded with antioxidants. Continue reading for tips on using cat’s ear plants and learn how to reap the many cat’s ear benefits by keeping this plant around. Is Cat’s Ear Edible? Cat’s ear plant is a perennial native to Europe, which has naturalized in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and other regions....
Is Ginkgo Fruit Edible? Ginkgo is a deciduous tree, hardy in USDA zones 3-9, that is most closely related to ancient cycads. It is a relic from prehistoric times, dating back as far as the Permian period (270 million years ago). Once thought to be extinct, it was rediscovered by a German scientist in the late 1600s in Japan. A group of Chinese Buddhist monks made it their mission to save and cultivate the species....
