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False Indigo Flowers Members of the Fabaceae or pea family, false indigo flowers’ distinctive pea-like blossoms also come in white (Baptisia alba) and yellow (Baptisia tinctoria) as well as the more widely known blue (Baptisia australis). There are also several hybrid cultivars on the market today. Native to the prairies of southern North America, Baptisia plants grow well in almost any well-drained soil in USDA planting zones 5-9. Leaves are trifoliate (three leaflets) and range in color from dark blue-green to light yellow-green and can become so dense as to give the plant a shrub-like appearance....

If you are thinking of doing the same, there are many pink blossom trees out there. Whether you want a small tree with pink flowers or a large one, read on for our recommendations. Pink Blossom Trees When you are looking for a small tree with pink flowers for the backyard, why not start with ornamental fruit trees? Though many gardeners bring in regular fruit trees for their orchards, it’s the ornamental fruit trees that have the best spring blossom displays....

Types of Diatomaceous Earth The two types of diatomaceous earth include food grade and garden grade, also called pool grade. Food grade is the only type that is safe to eat, and you have probably eaten small quantities of diatomaceous earth without realizing it. That’s because it is mixed in with stored grain to prevent the grain from becoming infested with mealworms and other insects. Some people use food grade diatomaceous earth as a natural remedy for a variety of human and pet ailments....

Succulent Cacti Flowers for Dry Gardens Hot, arid zones can be troublesome to landscape. Finding plants that thrive in such punishing conditions may be difficult unless one opts for native plants or those whose wild situation is similar. That’s where flowering cacti are particularly useful. Cacti that flower will thrive in such sites and add their amazing blooms to brighten the landscape. Plants need water but that is not always an easy resource to provide in plenty....

Bleeding Heart Information Clerodendrum bleeding heart is native to western Africa. It is not related to the Dicentra bleeding heart, a perennial with dainty pink or lavender and white blooms. Although some types of Clerodendrum are extremely invasive, Clerodendrum bleeding heart is a well-behaved, non-aggressive plant that reaches lengths of about 15 feet (4.5 m.) at maturity. You can train Clerodendrum bleeding heart vines to twine around a trellis or other support, or you can let the vines sprawl freely over the ground....

What Causes Loose Leafed, Poorly Formed Heads? Loose leafed, poorly formed heads is directly related to when the heads form. If the heads form in the appropriate weather, which is cool weather, the heads will be firm. If the heads form in weather that is too warm, the plant will produce loose leafed, poorly formed heads. Brussels Sprouts Care to Prevent Loose Leafed, Poorly Formed Heads Since this issue is related to warm weather, if possible try to plant your Brussels sprouts earlier....

Butterfly Garden Benefits Why butterflies matter? Besides being important pollinators, butterflies impact the whole environment. Their welfare is increasingly compromised by loss of habitat due to deforestation and widespread pesticide use, as well as changes in climate and weather. By planting butterfly gardens, people can help conserve butterflies as well as other native insects and help perpetuate native plant species. How are Butterflies Good for the Garden? Attracting butterflies to the garden by planting a variety of native and cultivated plant species help sustain plant diversity and attract other beneficial insects to the garden such as native bees and ladybugs....

Calendula and Insects While there are a few troublesome pests of calendula, it’s also important to realize that calendula blooms attract a number of beneficial insects. For example, the sweet nectar draws pollinators such as butterflies and bees. Calendula also attracts good guys such as ladybugs, lacewings, hoverflies and other insects that help control aphids, thrips, and other destructive pests. If you walk through your garden in spring and summer, you’re likely to see beneficial insects hanging around your calendula plants....

Can You Grow a Pawpaw Tree from Seed? If you are seeking instant gratification and hoping to immediately enjoy its fruits, then purchasing a growing rootstock cloned pawpaw tree may be the best option for you. When growing pawpaw trees from seed, the more pertinent question is when to sow pawpaw seeds, rather than how to plant pawpaw tree seeds. Most gardeners have heard the old Chinese proverb, “the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago....

Can You Grow Ginger Indoors? Ginger as a houseplant is not typical, but it is very much possible. Outdoors, the ginger plant is not terribly hardy. If you live north of zone 9, frost and freezes could compromise any ginger plants in your garden. If you want to grow and enjoy your own ginger root though, you can grow it indoors in a container with very little effort. How to Grow Ginger Indoors To start ginger houseplant growing, all you need is a root, and you can find those at your local grocery store....

Cape marigold propagation is easy if you can provide plenty of sunlight and well-drained soil. Let’s learn how to propagate African daisy! Propagating Cape Marigold Plants Cape marigold grows in most well-drained soils, but it prefers loose, dry, gritty, poor to average soil. Cape marigold propagation isn’t as effective in rich, damp soil. If the plants germinate at all, they may be floppy and leggy with minimal blooms. Full sunlight is also critical for healthy blooms....

About Growing Broccoletto in Pots Can you grow potted broccoletto? The short answer is– yes, as long as you treat it right. Broccoli rabe is fast growing and relatively compact. Unlike broccoli, it is eaten very young, usually ready for harvest about 45 days after planting. This means container grown broccoli rabe doesn’t need a lot of space to spread out. It can be harvested even younger and grown as a cut-and-come-again salad green....

Bartlett Pear Information Bartlett pears aren’t just popular in this country, they are also a favorite pear in Britain. But not by the same name. In England, Bartlett pear trees are called Williams pear trees and the fruit are called Williams pears. And according to Bartlett pear information, that name was given to the pears much earlier than Bartlett. After the pears were developed in England, the variety came into the control of a nurseryman named Williams....

Red Pagoda Crassula Succulents offer a wide range of form to suit any discernible gardener. The Crassula genus has over 150 different species, each more surprising than the last. The fairly common jade plant is in the genus. Crassula pagoda plants have an even more diverse “wow” factor. The stacked triangular foliage edged with red and fine prickly spines is eye candy for the succulent enthusiast. Growing Crassula Red Pagoda is a must for the gardener crazy about succulents and collecting....

Golden Euonymous Information Golden euonymous information tells you that this is a very dense shrub with an oval shape if grown in full sun. The thick foliage makes it ideal for a privacy or even a sound hedge. The shrubs are really striking in the garden. The eyonymous leaves are leathery to the touch and grow up to three inches (7.5 cm.) long. The boldly variegated foliage is the star here....

Growing Palms Indoors The most demanding and biggest palms were grown in glass houses back in the Victorian and Edwardian times. The glass houses provided the warmth and lush humidity that they needed. The most resilient of the palms swayed over the comings and goings of the people through the hotel foyers and restaurants in all sorts of public places. Parlor palms graced the entrance halls and drawing rooms of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century homes....

Help, My Cauliflower Turned Purple! It happened to me the first time I grew cauliflower in my home garden; my cauliflower turned purple. It was my first foray into vegetable growing, about 20 years or more ago. Everything was an experiment. The Internet was more or less non-existent, so I often relied on my mother or aunt to clue me in on gardening problems and possible solutions. Thankfully, they told me this purple tint on cauliflower was not a disease, fungus or pest....

What is Chilling? So exactly what is chilling? Flower bulbs and many seeds require a dormancy period before they are ready for growth. It is a chilling period of a certain number of days. This keeps the embryo from emerging during cold weather, which would potentially kill the new growth. Bulbs have dormancy periods which vary by type and some, such as tropical flowers, do not require a chilling period at all....

Chocolate Garden Plants The best part of designing chocolate gardens is choosing the plants. Here is a selection plants that smell like chocolate or have a rich, chocolaty color or taste: Chocolate cosmos – Chocolate cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus) combines the color and fragrance of chocolate in one plant. The flowers bloom all summer on tall stems and make excellent cut flowers. It is considered a perennial in USDA zones 8 through 10a, but it is usually grown as an annual....

Types of White Aster If you want white aster flowers to accent other specimens in the garden or simply like asters that are white, then there are plenty to choose from. Callistephus chinensis ‘Dwarf Milady White’ is a white aster variety that, although it is a dwarf variety, doesn’t skimp on bloom size. This variety of aster is heat resistant and disease and pest free. It will bloom profusely from summer until the first hard frost....