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Korean Sun Information The Korean Sun pear tree has beautiful foliage with a burst of fall color. This is an ornamental pear, and while it does produce fruit, it is not edible. The small fruits are favorites of many wild animals and the producing bloom brings a refreshing, crisp white display of dense flowers. Korean Sun information reveals that the scientific name, Pyrus fauriei, comes from the French botanist L’Abbe Urbain Jean Faurie, a 19th century missionary and collector....

About Podocarpus Plants Podocarpus is an especially easy-to-grow plant in temperate to mildly warm regions. It is quite unfussy about its lighting situation, although brighter light brings faster growth. Originally from Asia, the plant is a darling of landscapers, both for its adaptability but also the way in which it can be grown. Pruning the plant to any desired shape does not offend it and even espaliering is an option. It is also tolerant of air pollution, poor drainage, compact soil, and even drought once established....

Apple Uses With so many apple varieties there’s bound to be one for your use. For instance the best apples for cooking into pies and other baked goodies are Ambrosia, Braeburn, Cameo, Cortland, Empire, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Honeycrisp, Jazz, Jonagold, Jonathan, and Pink Lady. Other apple varieties are more suited to drying or making into leather, juice or cider, applesauce or butter, or to can or freeze. Good Apples for Applesauce The best apples for applesauce will be those that are crisp yet sweet and juicy such as Ambrosia, Gala, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp and Pink Lady....

Why Look for Left-Handed Garden Tools? If you are a leftie gardener living in a right-handed world, you have probably adapted well. Not just gardening, but all kinds of everyday items are generally designed from the perspective of someone who is right-handed. You may not even notice that there is a greater challenge for you when using certain garden tools. When you get a good left-handed tool though, you’ll feel and see the difference....

What is Devil’s Tongue Red Lettuce? Originally bred by Frank and Karen Morton at Wild Garden Seed, the lettuce variety known as “Devil’s Tongue” is actually made up of multiple lines of visually similar but genetically diverse lettuces, resulting in a variety that’s strong against disease and other problems. Mature varieties are all but identical, the only distinguishing factor is seed color, with some coming in white and some in black....

About Moss and Lichen on Fruit Trees Lichen and mosses on trees conjure up romantic images of oaks in Louisiana covered in lacy nets of the stuff. While they both give trees a bit of character, do they actually harm them? Fruit tree lichen is most common in rural areas where the air is clear. Moss on a fruit tree can occur anywhere, provided temperatures are mild and there is plentiful moisture....

About Olive Tree Topiaries Olive tree topiaries are essentially shaped trees created by pruning. When you are making an olive tree topiary, you prune and shape the tree in a way that pleases you. How to make olive topiaries? Select one of the smaller species of olive trees. A few to consider include Picholine, Manzanillo, Frantoio and Arbequina. Be sure the cultivar you select tolerates severe pruning and doesn’t mind being kept smaller than the usual mature size....

Marjoram Plant Companions Marjoram is a great herb in that it doesn’t really have any bad neighbors. It grows well next to all plants, and it is actually believed to stimulate growth in the plants around it. You can plant your marjoram virtually anywhere in your garden and rest assured it will be doing some good. Its flowers are very attractive to bees and other pollinators, which will improve the pollination rate of all marjoram companion plants....

What are Marsh Marigolds? Not related to traditional garden marigolds, the answer is Caltha cowslip, or in botanical terms, Caltha palustris, a member of the Ranunculaceae family. More detail to what are marsh marigolds include the fact that they are herbaceous perennial wildflowers or herbs. Not a traditional herb, however, as leaves and buds of growing marsh marigold plants are poisonous unless they are cooked with several coverings of water. Old-wives tales say they add the yellow color to butter, as they are a favorite of grazing cows....

Memorial Day Rose Bushes The Remember Me series of rose selections all started as a project of the heart by Sue Casey of Portland, Oregon. This series of rose bushes are fine memorials to the many people that lost their lives in the terrible 911 attacks upon our country. Not only do these roses make grand memorials to all of those people, but they also bring the beauty and hope for a better tomorrow....

Silybum Milk Thistle Info Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) contains silymarin, a chemical component known to improve liver health, earning the plant its status as a “liver tonic.” If you want to produce your own silymarin, milk thistle growing conditions are very forgiving. Here are some tips for planting milk thistle in gardens: You can grow milk thistle in gardens with most types of soil, even soil that is very poor. As milk thistle is often considered a weed itself, virtually no weed control is needed....

What is Mittleider Gardening? It’s a race to the finish among green thumbed vegetable gardeners. The horticulturist with the most tomatoes, biggest squash and bushels of beans will be crowned as the king/queen of the season. Most avid gardeners have tricks and tips to increase their garden bounty and grow the biggest, juiciest fruits. One such trick is the Mittleider garden method. His mode of gardening focused on vertical growth, low but focused watering, and high nutrient infusions....

Frugal gardeners have known for years that saving flower seeds is the best way to create a garden for free, year after year. Learn how to save seeds of the morning glory to continue your garden in next spring’s planting without buying more seed packets. Collecting Morning Glory Seeds Harvesting seeds from morning glory is an easy task that can even be used as a family project on a summer day....

Grass paths in gardens are pleasant to walk on and wonderful for separating areas of “wild space.” If you are wondering how to make a grass path, you’ll find there is lots of room for creativity. Read on for some cool garden pathway ideas. Grass Paths in Gardens The main problem with a classic lawn is that you have to eliminate all plant species but one to keep the area uniform....

Drying Out Overwatered Soil Why is wet soil such an issue? If your indoor soil is too wet, this can be very problematic because it can cause root rot. Plants use their roots to take up moisture and also oxygen. If your soil is constantly wet, there won’t be enough air pockets for your plants and the roots will not be able to breathe properly. This can cause your roots to rot and, therefore, your plant will suffer....

Can I Save My Overly Dry Container Plant? Leaf wilt is a sign of stress and the first indication that a potted plant is too dry. At this point, regular watering may restore the plant. Indications that a potted plant is badly dehydrated include slow growth, yellowing and curling of lower leaves, and browning or brittleness of leaf edges. Dry plants often pull away from the sides of the pot. The leaves may take on a translucent appearance and the plant may drop its leaves prematurely....

About Staghorn Fern Leaf Drop Staghorn ferns have evolved to thrive in their natural habitat as epiphytes that live in the nooks and crannies in tropical forests. Instead of rooting in soil, they secure themselves to tree bark where they can take advantage of small dribblings of water and the decay of leaves and other organic matter. Living among the branches is quite the life for them, which makes their transplantation into a home environment a challenging one....

The garden design should include a variety of plants for dimension and a broad palette. Included in these are native plants. For instance, Utah native plants such as Pinyon pine, Utah holly, and serviceberries. These plants are water wise, attract wildlife, and are easy to grow. Choosing native plants for specific regions is made simple by local Extension services who publish lists of plants suitable for the garden. These lists will generally give lighting, moisture, and other site selection guidelines for fool proof garden planning....

Reasons for No Blooms on Bleeding Heart Plants Bleeding heart was introduced as an ornamental to the West in the mid 1800’s. It became a very popular landscape plant and is still considered a wonderful addition to the woodland perennial garden. These attractive plants enter dormancy when hot temperatures arrive. This is a natural part of the plant’s life cycle, but you can learn how to get a bleeding heart to bloom in the warm season with a little trickery (as explained further on)....

Cultural Reasons for No Blooms on Crocus Crocus corms produce best in a sunny location with organic rich, well-draining soil. The soil pH should be between 6 and 7, and fertilizer should go into the planting hole at the root zone. Even the best planting area may suffer from non-flowering crocus. What went wrong? If you live in a very arid region, you will need to water the corms after planting....