Posts

Is Alpaca Manure Good Fertilizer? Using alpaca manure as fertilizer is beneficial. Even with its lower organic content, alpaca manure is considered a rich soil conditioner. Alpaca fertilizer improves the soil quality and its ability to retain water. It is also good for plants, providing a fair amount of nitrogen and potassium and about average levels of phosphorus. Since alpaca manure is mostly found in pellet form and doesn’t have the same components as other livestock feeders, like cows and horses, it does not need to be aged or composted before use....

Seriously, has it occurred to you to eat your succulent plants? Research indicates that there are several types of succulents you can eat. Let’s take a look at edible succulents. Eating Succulent Plants Not only are some succulent plants edible, but they provide some nutritional elements to your diet. Some are said to lower cholesterol and blood pressure and reduce coughing. Here are some of the types of succulents you can eat:...

How to Attract Ladybugs to the Garden The number one thing that will help attract ladybugs to your yard is food. Ladybugs eat two things: insect pests and pollen. They need both to survive and when these things are in abundance, ladybugs will happily relocate to your garden. There are several pollen plants that ladybugs like. The blooms on these plants normally have flat flowers (like landing pads) and tend to be white or yellow....

What is Bacillus Thuringiensis? Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is actually a naturally occurring bacterium, common in some soils, that causes disease in certain insects, most notably leaf and needle feeding caterpillars. It was first discovered in the early 1900’s. The French were the first to advocate using Bt in the garden and by the 1960’s, Bacillus thuringiensis products were available on the open market and were readily embraced by the organic gardening community....

Bacterial Canker of Cherry What causes bacterial canker on cherry trees? Bacterial canker is a disease caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae. If you see dark, sunken cankers on young fruit trees, your orchard may be infected. These are the first sign of bacterial canker on cherry trees. A careful inspection of the canker will help identify the disease. The inner tissue of the canker is orange. Brown streaks push up and down the branch into healthy tissue....

Barberry Plant Information Barberry bushes are hardy deciduous plants commonly used in gardens or as foundation bushes due to their low maintenance requirements and adaptability. Barberries are also frequently used as a hedge because of their uniform growth pattern. There are over 400 species of barberry plants. Many barberries have sharp thorns; however, some are without. Be sure to consider this when growing barberry bushes, especially if you have small children....

Reasons for Bay Tree Leaf Drop When it comes to culinary herbs, there are none so noble or tidy as the bay laurel. This stately Mediterranean native doesn’t need a lot to keep it happy. It’ll do well planted in a large pot or in the ground, so long as it’s protected from frost. In fact, many growers have no problems with their bay trees for years, then suddenly they discover their bay tree leaves falling off!...

Bright flowers and a minty fragrance make bergamot (Monarda) plants ideal for perennial borders. Bergamot is known by several other names, including bee balm, monarda, and Oswego tea. The shaggy-looking clusters of flowers begin blooming in midsummer and last for several weeks. These mop headed flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, making the plant ideal for a wildlife garden. Even better is the fact that bergamot is appropriate for nearly all climate zones....

What is Holly Berry Midge? Adult holly berry midge pests are small flies that resemble mosquitoes. These two-winged flies measure 1/14 to 1/8 inch (2-3 mm.) in length with long legs and antennae. Female holly berry midges lay their eggs inside holly berries, and when the maggots hatch, they feed on the flesh inside the berries. The berries may continue growing to nearly normal size, but the feeding activity of the larvae prevents them from turning to their bright, ripe colors....

Best Cover Crops for Chickens There are a number of garden cover crops suitable for chicken feed. Among these are: Alfalfa Clover Annual rye Kale Cowpeas Rabe New Zealand clover Turnips Mustard Buckwheat Grain grasses The height of the cover crop is important since chickens, due to their size, forage at a different height than other livestock. Chicken cover crops should be no taller than 3-5 inches (7.5 to 13 cm....

Can You Grow Impatiens Indoors? Though most commonly grown as a tender annual bedding plant due to their inability to tolerate frost, impatiens plants that have to be brought indoors can easily and reliably be grown throughout the winter months. This relatively simple process will offer gardeners lush growth and blooms during the coldest times of the year. How to Grow Impatiens as a Houseplant The first step in the process of growing these plants indoors is bringing impatiens inside....

Brown spots on butterfly bush leaves are a common symptom in Buddleia when issues do occur. Buddleia leaf spot isn’t anything to worry about, though, as long as you figure out what’s causing it and manage it promptly. Butterfly Bush Has Brown Leaf Spots Growers are often alarmed when leaf spots appear suddenly and spread across leaf surfaces. Buddleia leaves with spots can be caused by a few different problems, including fungal disease and sap-sucking pests....

Burning Nettle Plants Burning nettle (Urtica urens) grows in various areas across the Eastern, Central, and Western United States. It is a small to mid-size, upright, broadleaf weed with bristly, deeply serrated leaves. Small, greenish-white flowers appear from late spring until late autumn. Burning nettle is found primarily in disturbed areas such as ditches, roadsides, fences, rows, and, unfortunately, in gardens. The plant earns its name, and if you accidentally brush up against the leaves, you’re unlikely to forget the experience....

Eight Butterfly Plants for the Garden Here are eight gorgeous flowers that are sure to attract more butterflies to your garden. Butterfly Weed – Also known as milkweed (Asclepias), this hardy perennial will be appreciated by more than just butterflies, as it shows off brilliant orange or rose flowers on 2-foot (0.5 m.) stems. It has been shown to attract a wide variety of butterflies, including Red Admiral, Monarch, Painted Lady, Cabbage White, and Western Swallowtail....

Planting a variety of butterfly-friendly plants is only the beginning. A successful butterfly garden requires an understanding of butterfly garden feeding, including beneficial food and water sources for butterflies. How to Feed and Water Butterflies Butterflies are picky about their diets and different types of butterflies have different preferences, but in general, they require a liquid or semi-liquid diet. Most are happy with the sweet nectar in flowers, but others like foods that humans find unpalatable, such as rotten fruit, animal manure or tree sap....

California Lilac Information California lilac comes in several forms for use in the landscape. Some are upright bushes reaching 8 or 9 feet (2 to 2.5 m.) in height while others are compact, low growing groundcovers that seldom reach more than 6 inches (15 cm.) in height. Plants are evergreen and have small to medium glossy green leaves which accent the bright to light blue flowers. You can see California lilac growing wild in Oregon, California and Washington, and some species are found as far as Guatemala....

Butterfly Bush Container Growing If you’re serious about growing a butterfly bush in a pot, a whiskey barrel may be your best bet. The pot must be deep enough to contain the roots and heavy enough to keep the plant from toppling over. Whatever you decide to use, be sure the pot has at least a couple of good drainage holes. Consider a rolling platform. Once the pot is planted, it will be very difficult to move....

Basic Wheelbarrow Care The Handle. You never really think about the handle of your wheelbarrow until it breaks or gets so rough that it gives you a splinter. Caring for wheelbarrows starts with the often-overlooked handles. Many wheelbarrows have wooden handles and to maintain them, first keep them clean. Wipe them down with a cloth after every use. If your wooden wheelbarrow handles get a little rough around the edges, use sandpaper to clean them up every once in a while....

Natal Plum Bush Info Natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa or C. grandifolia) blooms mainly in summer, and sporadically all year long so that throughout most of the year you’ll have both flowers and pretty little red fruit present on the shrub. The star-like flowers are about 2 inches (5 cm.) in diameter and have thick, waxy petals. The edible, bright red, plum-shaped fruit tastes like cranberries, and you can use it to make jam or jelly....

Recognizing Septoria on Carnations Septoria on carnations is easy to spot by the development of pale brown patches with purple or violet edges. These show up first on the lower part of the plant. Most likely, you’ll also notice tiny black spores in the center of the rings. As the spots enlarge and grow together, the leaves may die. Carnation septoria symptoms may include leaves that bend downward or sideways....