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Sustainability is a buzzword in today’s world. We attempt the concept through recycling, repurposing, composting, and other types of activities. In sustainable homestead farming, the idea becomes holistic, including many other variables as they work towards a main goal. The end result is a farm that is maintained with minimal effort and materials, and returns back surplus energy. Combining the Homestead and Sustainability A peek into our ancestral past sees our forbearers utilizing what was at hand to feed, clothe, and house themselves....

Moving Magnolia Trees The answer is yes, it’s possible to successfully move young magnolia trees. However, it’s not an easy task as magnolias have an unusual root system. Unlike most trees, which have roots that grown down into the soil, magnolia roots grow horizontally along the ground and remain near the surface. Additionally, the roots of magnolia trees are soft and rope-like, with few fine feeder roots. These qualities lead to a higher risk of magnolia tree transplant shock than with other types of trees....

How to Grow Beans At Home Shell beans are one of the easiest crops to grow, harvest and dry. Beans require very little work and are loaded with nutrients. Many types of shell beans contain about 22% protein. Dried beans also provide plenty of fiber, zinc, iron and folic acid. To grow beans at home, choose a sunny spot with good drainage. Fertile soil works best, but beans are a nitrogen-fixing crop and actually help improve soil quality....

Lily of the valley toxicity makes it unsafe to have around children and pets. The plant is so dangerous that ingestion could result in a trip to the emergency room, or in rare cases, death. Is Lily of the Valley Safe for Gardens? Sometimes the smallest organisms pack the biggest wallop. This is the case with lily of the valley. Is lily of the valley poisonous? All parts of the plant are considered potentially toxic....

Can You Transplant Grape Hyacinths? Moving grape hyacinth bulbs from one area to another is a great use of the multiplied plant. It takes several years of growth before this plant stops blooming because of overcrowding in the bed. If your bulbs have been growing in the same spot without division for a long while, you can transplant grape hyacinths into other spots in the landscape. When to Transplant Grape Hyacinths Learning when to transplant grape hyacinths is not hard, because they are flexible and quite tough....

Recognizing Turnip White Spot Greens from all sorts of vegetables provide many nutrient benefits. Turnip greens may be considered a southern delicacy, but even northern gardeners can grow and harvest these delicious leaves. Whether you cook them in a broth from a ham hock, eat them raw in a mixed salad, or sauté them in a vegetarian oleo, turnip greens pack a powerful vitamin and mineral punch. A turnip with white spots on the leaves can signal a very infectious disease....

The bad news is that you probably won’t be able to completely eradicate the disease. The good news is that septoria leaf spot control is possible if you catch it early enough. Causes of Septoria Leaf Spot of Blueberries The fungus that causes septoria leaf spot in blueberries lives on weeds and plant debris, especially infected leaves that drop from the plant. It thrives in damp conditions, and the spores are splashed on stems and leaves by wind and water....

What is Sunscald? When tender plant parts are exposed to massive amounts of strong sunlight, the softer parts of the plant can become damaged. This will result in withered brown spots on the leaves, stems, and trunks of the plants and fruits that rot or get diseases. Fruit sunscald often happens in plants such as apples, berries, and grapes when disease or excess pruning takes away too many protective shade leaves, leaving the fruit open to damage....

What are Tree Lichens? Lichens on trees are a unique organism because they are actually a symbiotic relationship between two organisms — fungus and algae. The fungus grows on the tree and can collect moisture, which the algae needs. The algae, in return, can create food from the energy of the sun, which feeds the fungus. Lichen on tree bark is completely harmless to the tree itself. The rhizines (similar to roots) allow them to attach to the but do not go deep enough to harm the tree in any way....

When to Fertilize Tulips You should be fertilizing tulips once a year. The best time as to when to fertilize tulips is in the fall. At this time, the tulip bulbs are sending out roots to prepare for the winter and are in the best possible shape to take up the nutrients in the tulip bulb fertilizer. Do not fertilize tulips in spring. The roots of the bulb will be dying off shortly after that in order to be dormant for the summer and will not be able to take up the optimal amount of nutrients from the tulip bulb fertilizer....

It’s possible to grow tulip bulbs in warm climates, but you have to implement a little strategy to “trick” the bulbs. However, growing tulips in warm weather is a one-shot deal. The bulbs won’t generally rebloom the following year. Read on to learn about growing tulips in warm weather. Growing Tulip Bulbs in Warm Climates If your climate doesn’t provide a long, chilly period, you can chill the bulbs in the refrigerator for several weeks, beginning in mid-September or later, but not after December 1st....

The key to having happy, healthy trees in a hot, dry region is to select appropriate trees for a desert climate. If you are wondering about trees you can grow in the desert, read on. We’ll help you find desert garden trees perfectly suited to grow in your area. Types of Desert Trees Trees you can grow in the desert will be tough and drought-tolerant. This doesn’t mean that they can’t be beautiful as well though....

Cyperus Umbrella Plants The umbrella plant is a sedge and a member of the ancient Papyrus family. Cyperus umbrella plants are in a family of over 600 grass-like plants, most of which are native to the east coast of Africa and tropical zones. As such, the plant is not hardy and can only tolerate outdoor living in the tropical to sub-tropical zones of the United States. Umbrella houseplants will need moist, warm conditions such as those around an indoor pond....

Indoor Hydroponic Garden So what is an indoor hydroponic garden anyway? In simple terms, hydroponics is a method of plant cultivation in which the roots attain their nutrients from water instead of soil. The roots are supported in a medium such as gravel, pebbles or clay. The water, which contains plant nutrients and is properly pH balanced, is circulated around the roots by an electric pump system, or by a wicking system....

Knowing Your Virginia Zone – Understanding the USDA Planting Map If you live in Virginia, you will be in one of the four Virginia USDA plant hardiness zones that range from 5a in the western mountains to 8a on the eastern shore. These zones should serve as a guideline when selecting flowers, shrubs or trees for your garden. Much of Virginia experiences a relatively mild winter with extreme low temperatures above zero; however, those that live in the northwest could see chilly winter lows down as far as -20 F....

Benefits of Sheep Manure as Fertilizer Sheep manure, like other animal manures, is a natural slow-release fertilizer. Nutrients in sheep manure fertilizer provide adequate nourishment for a garden. It is high in both phosphorus and potassium, essential elements for optimal plant growth. These nutrients help plants to establish strong roots, defend against pests and grow into vibrant and productive plants. Sheep manure can also be used as organic mulch. Because of its low odor, sheep manure can easily be used to top dress garden beds....

What is a Waggie Palm? Trachycarpus wagnerianus is the scientific designation for the waggie palm. It is one of the windmill palms, so called because its large fronds are reminiscent of old windmill vanes or blades. There are several windmill palms, known as Trachys, such as: T. fortunei T. latisectus T. martianus T. wagnerianus, the waggie Gardeners in cool regions can rejoice because waggie palms have great tolerance to wind and snow loads....

Wallflower Garden Plant Most wallflower plants are of the genus Erysimum, with some types being from Cheiranthus, sometimes called Gillyflower. Wallflower plants have perky spring blooms, often in shades of yellow and orange. Newer cultivars of the wallflower garden plant come in shades of pinks, purples and blue; some varieties have chocolate or crimson blooms. Most wallflowers are drought tolerant. Some are short-lived perennials, others are annuals or biennials. Perennial wallflower plants are grown as annuals in colder zones....

Types of Water Features If you lack space to dedicate to a large water feature, you may opt for small features such as a container water garden, tabletop fountain, or a bubbling water container or urn. Small water features are attractive on a patio or deck, and most are large enough to provide the pleasant sound of bubbling or running water. Small fountains and waterfalls are portable and ready to plug in straight out of the box....

When to Water a Succulent When learning how often to water succulents, remember that many of them originate in dry, arid climates where rainfall is rare. Succulent plants store water in their roots, leaves, and stems. Wrinkling leaves after an extended dry period are sometimes an indicator of when to water a succulent. Check the soil first to make sure it is completely dry before watering. Water these plants infrequently, and water them at night, as succulents take in water during nighttime hours and their respiration happens at this time....