Creative Edging Ideas Are you a collector of bottles, shells, or rocks? These can make attention-grabbing edgings for beds, borders, or walkways. Bottles can be turned downside and put into the ground as a border. They can also be lined up along the front border and filled with lights, sand, or even colored glass. If you have an excessive supply of glass canning jars, drop some tea light candles into them to line borders or walkways....
What is Dittany of Crete? Dittany of Crete (Origanum dictamnus) is also referred to as Eronda, Diktamo, Cretan dittany, hop marjoram, wintersweet, and wild marjoram. Growing dittany of Crete is an herbaceous perennial that grows wild on the rocky faces and gorges that make up the island of Crete – a multi-branched, 6 to 12 inch (15-30 cm.) herb with round, soft fuzzy grey leaves emanating from slender arching stems. The white, down-covered leaves highlight the 6- to 8-inch (15-46 cm....
Why Cucumber Companion Planting? Cucumber companion planting is beneficial for a number of reasons. Companion plants for cucumbers create diversity in the garden. Generally, we tend to plant tidy rows of just a few plant species, which isn’t how nature is designed. These groupings of similar plants are called monocultures. Monocultures are far more susceptible to insect pests and disease. By increasing the diversity of the garden, you are mimicking nature’s way of minimizing disease and pest attacks....
Dahlberg Daisy Information Also called golden fleece or golden dogwood, dahlberg daisies (Dyssodia tenuiloba syn. Thymophylla tenuiloba) are small but mighty. These annuals have a plethora of small, ½ inch (1 cm.) wide golden flowers. Plants have a bit of a trailing habit and are low growing, getting to around 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm.) in height, and their feathery foliage has a pleasant citrusy aroma when crushed or bruised....
Reasons for Petunia Not Blooming Here are the most common reasons for a petunia plant not blooming: Poor lighting When you find there are no blooms on petunias, the first thing is to check is the amount of light the non-blooming petunias are receiving. Check at various times of day to see if the petunia plants with no flowers are getting direct sunshine. Petunias need full sun for the most optimum show of blossoms....
Choosing Deer Resistant Flowers for Shade There are many strategies to employ in the war between deer and gardeners. For instance, you can fence in vulnerable plants or use a deterrent chemical. These are labor-intensive, expensive, potentially harmful to other species, and create eyesores in the garden. A more organic way to live harmoniously with the big herbivores in your garden is to simply put in plants that hold no interest for them....
Different Succulent Colors Many of the plants contain colorful, protective pigments that encourage color changes because of various environmental factors. For instance, I’ve noticed some of my outdoor jade plants taking on red hues and leaf rims as temperatures turn cooler. Leaves of ‘Hobbit’ and ‘Baby Jade’ become edged in red. The Kalanchoe ‘Paddle Plant’ is splotched so heavily that leaves are mostly red. Stems become more colorful too. Some succulent plants become more blue or purple as they’re exposed to additional sunlight....
The Tomato Cage A tomato cage is probably the most common way to stake tomatoes off the ground. Frequently, people purchase a tomato cage at their local super or hardware store. These tomato cages are convenient but are rarely adequate support for a full grown tomato plant. Instead, consider investing in a homemade tomato cage made from chicken wire or concrete reinforcement wire. The tomato cage method for staking tomatoes is the best way to stake tomatoes in a medium to large size garden with plenty of storage space....
Gutters are made to catch water, but they can be dual-purposed to catch soil and plants. Gutter garden ideas make eye catching planters that may be customized for every taste. To use them to best advantage, hang a rain gutter herb garden just outside your door, where the attractive set up is ready at hand for seasoning dishes. Getting Started with a Gutter Planter Whether you use aluminum, vinyl, or another type of gutter, the choice is up to you....
What is a Bug Light? You’ll find bulbs advertised as bug lights in hardware and garden stores. They claim to be able to prevent those annoying clusters of flying insects around your patio lights on summer nights. This isn’t the same as a bug zapper, which kills insects indiscriminately. A yellow bug light is simply a yellow bulb. Instead of giving off white light, it creates a warm yellow glow. White light is a mixture of all colors of light on the visible spectrum....
Does a Jade Plant Bloom? Jade plants are primarily known for their thick, glossy, succulent leaf pads. There are many types of jade but the most familiar houseplants are Crassula ovata and Crassula argentea. These succulents reproduce by vegetative means but can also flower and produce seed. We often hear, “my jade plant won’t bloom,” and strive to provide information on what may cause a jade plant not flowering and how to promote blooms in reluctant plants....
Are There Houseplants Safe for Dogs? The best-case scenario would be to place all plants, whether they are considered toxic or not, out of reach of your pets. Just because a plant is considered non-toxic doesn’t mean that it is necessarily good for your dog. Before we get into plants that are non-toxic, you’ll definitely want to avoid the following, and if you do have them, keep them well out of reach of your pets and children: Amaryllis...
Dropwort Meadowsweet Info For centuries, people learned how to grow dropworts for medicinal purposes. An infusion of dropwort tea was used to treat minor pain and headache and in 1839, scientists discovered what herbalists had known all along. It worked. Salicylic acid, aspirin to we layfolk, was first extracted from the flowers of Filipendula ulmaria, queen-of-the-meadow, way back then. Maybe it’s the name, but you rarely read about dropworts in the garden anymore and yet they make such a beautiful and easy care addition....
Drought Tolerant Plants for Zone 9 There are a number of plants that can tolerate drought in zone 9. Below are some of the more common annuals and perennials suitable to growing in these gardens (note in zone 9 many “annuals” may be considered perennial, coming back each year). Annuals Dusty miller is appreciated for its silvery gray foliage. This hardy annual prefers rich, well-drained soil and full sunlight. Cosmos produces feathery foliage and daisy-like blooms of pink, white, and maroon with yellow or reddish brown eyes....
Duranta Flowering Plant Info The Duranta flowering plant (Duranta erecta) may reach up to 10 feet (3 m.) in height, and flowers profusely from summer until the first heavy frost. The shrub-like plant is multi-stemmed and the branches are somewhat droopy. The stems may have sharp spines. Orchid-like flowers may be light blue to light purple in color. Some plants develop loads of yellow, ball-shaped drupes. Chemicals in the fruit may make them poisonous to humans, but harmless to birds that enjoy them immensely....
What is an Earligold Apple? Earligold apple trees, as their name suggests, are early season apples that ripen in July. They bear medium-sized fruit that is light yellow in color with a sweet-tart flavor perfect for applesauce and dried apples. Earligold apples are a chance seedling discovered in Selah, Washington that is suited to USDA zones 5-8. It is classified as an Orange-Pippin. They prefer a sunny location in sandy loam to clay loam with a pH of 5....
DIY Garden Ideas for Hanging Gardens To make a hanging garden, attach old rain gutters to a fence or wall, then plant the gutters with herbs, succulents, or small annuals. Be sure to drill drainage holes in the gutters before planting. Use a drill or nail to make holes in clean paint cans or coffee cans, then decorate the cans with bright spray paint. Attach the cans to a fence with screws....
Growing Fruit Trees Inside Although it’s nice to have a lemon tree in the backyard when you need lemons, it doesn’t work in cold winter states. You’ll also have a hard time with that plan if you live in an apartment and don’t have access to a yard. However, there are fruit trees you can grow indoors as long as you give them the right indoor fruit tree care. Growing fruit trees inside eliminates the issue of climate and, as long as you select the best indoor fruit tree varieties, you should be able to pick your own lemons – or other fruit....
Info on Edible Parts of Vegetable Plants Most vegetable plants are cultivated for one, sometimes two major purposes, but they actually have a multitude of useful, edible parts. An example of secondary edible parts of a vegetable is celery. We’ve all probably bought the trimmed, smooth sheath of celery at the local grocers, but if you are a home gardener and grow your own, you know celery doesn’t look quite like that....
Is Japanese Yew Poisonous? The fact that Japanese yew doesn’t mix with dogs or children is an important limiting factor in the tree’s use. Consider the toxicity of the plant along with the way you and your family will use your garden before deciding to plant Japanese yew. Japanese yew contains toxins called taxine A and B, which can be fatal if ingested by dogs, cats, horses or people. The primary symptoms are tremors, difficulty breathing and vomiting as well as seizures in dogs....
