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How to Propagate a Mountain Laurel by Seed Mountain laurel propagation by seed is not too difficult, but it does require time and patience. You will want to collect seeds in the fall to early winter to start them germinating in the winter and spring. After a few months, you’ll have seedlings, but these won’t be ready to go outside until the following spring. The seeds of mountain laurel are small and can be found inside five-chambered capsules that open naturally in the winter....

About Calendula Propagation Pot marigolds (Calendula officinalis) are bright, cheerful, daisy-like flowers that, depending upon region, can stay in bloom practically year-round. In fact, their name is derived from the Latin calends, meaning the first day of the month, a nod to their practically perpetual blooming period. For many areas, calendula propagation is a singular event, meaning that once you start growing calendula seeds, there is likely no need for future propagation of calendula since the plants easily and readily re-sow themselves year after year....

However, this does not have to happen to you. You can take steps to protect flower bulbs from hungry critters. With just a little extra effort, you will not have to worry any longer about whether your spring bulbs will make it through the winter. What Animals Are You Protecting Bulbs From? A wide variety of animals will snack on flower bulbs. Most commonly, mice are the issue, but squirrels, chipmunks, voles, and gophers can also be to blame....

Boxwoods have fallen out of favor with some gardeners in recent years. They are the gardeners that remember trimming boxwood bushes into severe and often geometric shapes that have no place in the more casual gardens of today. They also remember how much time and effort it took to keep them in formal rigidity. And that, my friends, is a shame. Trimming Boxwood Bushes Boxwood bushes have an undeserved reputation and should be a welcome addition to the modern landscape....

When to Plant Pumpkin Seeds Before you can grow pumpkin seeds, you need to know when to plant pumpkin seeds. When you plant your pumpkins depends on what you plan on using them for. If you plan on making jack-o-lanterns with your pumpkins, plant your pumpkins outside after all chance of frost has passed and the soil temperature has reached 65 F. (18 C.). Take into account that pumpkin plants grow faster in hot climates than cold climates....

Antennaria Pussytoes Attributes Cat lovers will swoon with delight over pussytoes flowers. Pussytoes ground cover is remarkably resistant to disease and pests, including deer and rabbits. It is also an attractor for pollinating insects and a host for the American Lady butterflies. Learn how to grow pussytoes plant for season after season of fool proof texture and greenery. Native plants are always a good choice for the landscape. This is because they are already adapted and hardy to the region and offer no fuss beauty and vigorous growth....

About the Queen Anne’s Lace Plant Queen Anne’s lace herb (Daucus carota) can reach heights of about 1 to 4 feet (31-120 cm.) high. This plant has attractive, fern-like foliage and tall, hairy stems that hold a flattened cluster of tiny white flowers, with a single dark-colored floret just off its center. You can find these biennials in bloom during their second year from spring on into fall. Queen Anne’s lace is said to have been named after Queen Anne of England, who was an expert lace maker....

What are Quinault Strawberries? The Quinault strawberry is a cultivar that was selected for its ability to produce two harvests per year: in the late spring or early summer and again in the fall. They produce abundantly during these two seasons, but may also produce a little bit of fruit throughout the summer. The Quinault strawberry is named for an area of Washington, and it was developed by researchers at Washington State University....

Should You Replace Mulch? Mulch is laid down to retain moisture, repel weeds, and regulate soil temps. As time goes by, organic mulch naturally decays and becomes part of the soil. Some mulch breaks down more rapidly than others. Materials such as shredded leaves and compost break down quite rapidly while larger bark mulches take longer. Weather will also cause mulch to decompose more or less rapidly. So, the question of refreshing garden mulch depends on what type of mulch you are using as well as how weather conditions have been....

Why You Should Not Be Removing Squash Leaves The very short answer is no, do not cut off your squash leaves. There are many reasons why removing squash leaves on a plant is a bad idea. The first reason is that it opens the plant’s vascular system up to bacteria and viruses. The open wound where you cut the squash leaf off is like an open doorway to destructive viruses and bacteria....

Rodents in Houseplants Any time you’ve got mice digging up houseplants, you’ve got a problem that reaches far beyond just your indoor greenery. Your first and foremost goals should be to eliminate the mouse doing the digging and preventing more mice from doing the same. A house cat allowed to roam freely at night is one of the best control methods for mice, but if you don’t have a cat or Fluffy is laying down on the job, snap traps are almost as effective....

Making Seed Tape You like elbow room, don’t you? Well, plants also like to have plenty of space to grow. If you sow them too close, it can be hard to space them out later. And if they grow in tight, none of them will thrive. Proper spacing is not a big deal with big seeds, like sunflower seeds. That doesn’t mean that everyone takes the time to get it right, but if you want to, you can....

Seedless Vs. Seeded Breadfruit Does breadfruit have seeds? The answer to that question is a resounding “yes and no.” There are many different varieties and species of naturally occurring breadfruit, and these include several seeded and seedless types. When they do exist, seeds in breadfruit measure about 0.75 inches (2 cm.) long. They are oval shaped, brown with dark stripes, and pointed at one end and round at the other. Breadfruit seeds are edible and are usually eaten roasted....

What to Do in September? Harvesting veggies, collecting flower seeds, and preparing the yard and garden for the upcoming dormant season are just a few of the September gardening tasks which need addressed this month. Here’s a few more chores to add to your September regional to-do list: Lawn Care Cooler weather and fall rains can rejuvenate the lawn turning it a healthy green. This makes lawn care an excellent September gardening task to add to the regional to-do list for the Ohio Valley....

What is Shinrin-Yoku? Shinrin-Yoku first started in Japan in the 1980s as a form of nature therapy. Though the term “forest bathing” may sound somewhat peculiar, the process encourages participants to immerse themselves into their woodland surroundings by using their five senses. Key Aspects of Shinrin-Yoku Anyone can take a brisk hike through the forest, but Shinrin-Yoku is not about physical exertion. Though forest bathing experiences often last several hours, the actual distance traveled is usually less than a mile....

What is a Skirret Plant? According to the 1677 Systema Horticulurae, or the Art of Gardening, gardener John Worlidge referred to skirret as “the sweetest, whitest, and most pleasant of roots.” Native to China, skirret cultivation was introduced to Europe in classical times, brought to the British Isles by the Romans. Skirret cultivation was common in monastic gardens, gradually spreading in popularity and eventually making its way onto the tables of the medieval aristocracy....

Where to Plant Snowberry Bushes Plant snowberries in full sun or partial shade. The shrubs are found naturally along stream banks and in swampy thickets, but they thrive in dry areas as well. They tolerate a wide range of soil types, and while they prefer clay, they also grow well in sandy and rocky soils. Snowberries are rated for USDA plant hardiness zones 2 through 7. Snowberries are an asset in wildlife gardens where they provide food and shelter for birds and small mammals....

Checking Plant Moisture When it comes to testing moisture in plants, the feel of the soil is the best guide. As a general rule, a potted plant in a container measuring 6 inches (15 cm.) in diameter needs water when the top 2 inches (5 cm.) of soil feels dry to the touch. A larger container measuring 8 to 10 inches (20-25 cm.) in diameter is ready for water when the top ½ to 1 inch (1....

What is Soursop? The fruit of the soursop tree has a spiny outer skin with a soft, heavily seed-laden pulped interior. Each of these cauliflorous fruit may attain over a foot (30 cm.) in length and, when ripe, the soft pulp is used in ice creams and sherbets. In fact, this small evergreen tree produces the largest fruit in the Annonaceae family. Reportedly, the fruit may weigh up to 15 pounds (7 k....

Symptoms of Tar Spot on Japanese Maple Known for their beautiful, color-changing foliage, growers may be understandably alarmed by the sudden change in appearance of the leaves of their maple trees. The sudden appearance of spots or other lesions may leave gardeners wondering what could possibly be wrong with their plants. Luckily, many foliar issues such as Japanese maple tar spots, can be easily identified and managed. Tar spot of maples is fairly common and, like many other foliar issues in trees, spots on Japanese maple leaves are most often caused by various types of fungus....