Posts

Bulb Lasagna Gardening Bulb lasagna gardening, also called double decker bulb planting, refers to the placement of bulbs within the container. Different bulbs bloom at different points in the spring, and by planting them all in the same container, you’re guaranteed a whole spring’s worth of successive blossoming. You want your flowers to fill out the container, though – you don’t want a big hole in your hyacinths where your daffodils will be in two months’ time....

Perennial Flowers for Michigan Summers The best heat tolerant summer flowers to plant in Michigan are native. These perennials evolved to grow in the state’s summer weather and require less care and watering than non-native species. Wild lupine – Growing up to 3 feet (1 m.) tall with striking blue spikes of flowers, lupine plants thrive in dry, sandy soil. It is also the only plant to host the caterpillar of the Karner blue butterfly, a threatened native species....

Why are Forsythia Leaves Turning Yellow? Periods of rain during the warmer seasons create a humid, moist atmosphere which is perfect for the formation of fungus. Fungal spores can often live in soil for a long time and even overwinter there, bursting into infectious displays at the first sign of favorable weather. There are several fungal diseases that may be plaguing yellowing forsythia bushes. A fungicide can be helpful but it is best to try to identify the disease for more effective treatment....

Fountain Grass Plants This ornamental has astounding inflorescences that look like purple squirrel tales. The foliage is a wide grassy blade with a swath of deep purplish red along the edges. Fountain grass plants may get 2 to 5 feet (61 cm. to 1.5 m.) tall, in a clumping habit. The arching leaves that radiate from the center of the plant give it its name. Mature fountain grass plants may get up to 4 feet (1 m....

Fusarium Symptoms in Cucurbits Symptoms of fusarium wilt of cucurbits affected by F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum show early in development. Immature seedlings often damp off at the soil line. More mature plants may show early wilting only during the heat of the day, leading the gardener to believe the plant is suffering from drought stress, but will then die within a few days. During periods of rainfall, a white to pink fungal growth may appear on the surface of dead stems....

Benefits of Gardening Both gardening and yard work contributes to healthy living. Approximately 300 calories an hour can be burned just by gardening. Not only can you burn calories, but in the end, you’ll have a beautiful landscape to show for it. Gardening can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol or prevent diabetes, heart disease, depression, and osteoporosis when practiced on a regular basis. Exercise in the garden gives all major muscle groups a good workout including your legs, arms, buttocks, stomach, neck, and back....

April in the Southeast The Southeast region of the United States ranges down much of the East Coast, including Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. Although the climate in these states can vary dramatically, they are all similar in that April is an exciting time with relatively mild temperatures and bursts of new growth everywhere. That means it’s the perfect time to get out into the garden. Gardening To-Do List So what April garden chores should you be thinking about this month?...

Managing Flowers in October in Midwest Gardens Flowers are close to being done blooming in the upper Midwest in October, but there is still a lot to do for annuals, perennials, and bulbs: Keep deadheading any annuals that are still in bloom. Water as neededRemove spent annuals for composting Bring in any tender potted plants, such as tropical plants Plant bulbs for spring flowers Divide perennials that are getting crowded Cutback browning perennialsRemove and store tender bulbs like gladiolas, dahlias, and cannas...

About Zone 7 Garlic Planting Garlic comes in two basic types: softneck and hardneck. Softneck garlic does not produce a flower stalk, but forms layers of cloves around a soft central core and has the longest shelf life. Softneck garlic is the most common type found in the supermarket and is also the type to grow if you want to make garlic braids. Most softneck garlic varieties are suited to areas of mild winters, but Inchelium Red, Red Toch, New York White Neck, and Idaho Silverskin are suitable for garlic varieties for zone 7 and, in fact, will thrive in zone 4 or even 3 if protected over the winter months....

What is Geranium Edema? Edema of geraniums is a physiological disorder rather than a disease. It is not so much a disease because it is the result of adverse environmental issues. It also doesn’t spread from plant to plant. It can afflict other plant varieties though, such as cabbage plants and their relatives, dracaena, camellia, eucalyptus, and hibiscus to name a few. This disorder seems to be most prevalent in ivy geraniums with large root systems compared to shoot size....

What is Smartweed? Smartweed (Polygonum pensylvanicum) is an annual broadleaf. As an annual, it reproduces through seeds that drop near the parent plant to produce new plants. The most effective control methods focus on preventing the plants from producing seeds. Before we discuss how to control smartweed, let’s take a look at a few key physical features that can help with smartweed identification. One of the first things you might notice is that the stems are divided into segments....

Growing and Harvesting Quinoa Bolivia and Peru supply the majority of quinoa used around the globe, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try your hand at growing and harvesting it yourself. Quinoa thrives when temps do not exceed 90 F (32 C), which means knowing when to sow can be crucial. For most southern Canadian and U.S. regions, plant quinoa in late April to early May when soil temps are above 60 F (15 C)....

How to Grow Blueberry Bushes in Containers Growing blueberries in containers is a relatively easy process, but there are some things to keep in mind beforehand to ensure your success. When selecting the variety of blueberry you’re going to grow, it’s important to pick a dwarf or half-high variety. Standard blueberry bushes can reach heights of 6 feet (1.8 meters), which is awfully tall for a container plant. Top Hat and Northsky are two common varieties that grow to only 18 inches (....

Growing and Propagating Leeks Leeks are a cool-weather, long-season crop. They grow best when the ambient temperature is from 55 to 75 degrees F. (13-24 C.), but many varieties can withstand below freezing temperatures. Depending upon variety, leeks can take up to 180 days to reach maturity. Growing leeks from seed is the most common method of propagation. In warm climates, leeks can be direct-seeded outdoors during the summer and harvested as a winter crop....

What to Plant with Lettuce Lettuce benefits from having most vegetables near it. Chives and garlic, in particular, are good neighbors because they naturally repel aphids, a common problem for lettuce. Similarly, marigolds, one of the big powerhouses of pest repellers, can be planted near lettuce to help keep the bugs away. There are plenty of other plants that, while they don’t actively repel lettuce-eating bugs, are very happy growing next to it....

Planting Liatris in Pots Liatris belongs to the aster family that is made up of around 40 different species and is also known as gayfeather and blazing star. Hardy in USDA zone 3, the three most commonly cultivated in gardens are L. aspera, L. pycnostachya, and L. spicata. You may very well be familiar with liatris due to its prominence in the cut flower industry. The purple spike of liatris can be found in pricey high-end bouquets, less costly supermarket floral arrangements, and even in dried flower arrangements....

Covering Plants with Plastic Bags Plants under plastic bags retain moisture and even capture what the plants produce by transpiration. Don’t use plastic bags as a greenhouse for succulents, though, as they can definitely tolerate neglect, but won’t tolerate this kind of moisture. Perhaps an unexpected freeze is forecast and you hope to save the buds on potted flowering and/or fruit producing shrubs outside. If the bush is small enough to cover, you can fit a clean plastic garbage bag over or around it and possibly save the buds....

Tatarian Dogwood Shrub Info The Tatarian dogwood bush has a rounded canopy. It produces multiple upright stems that never grow above 8 feet (2.5 meters) tall. The plant offers something of interest for every season. In early spring, the dogwood leaves emerge a soft, yellow-green. In late spring, the shrubs are covered with tiny, creamy, yellow flowers arranged in flat-topped clusters. These are followed by berries in summer that provides food for wild birds....

How to Grow Valerian Plants What is valerian? It’s a hardy perennial native to Eurasia. It’s very cold tolerant and thrives in USDA zones 4 through 9. A valerian herb plant will die back to the ground in the winter, but the roots should be fine and will put up new growth in the spring. It will grow in a wide variety of conditions, from full to sun to partial shade and in any well-draining soil....

Growing Wintergreen Plants Any area of the garden that is shady to partially sunny make ideal wintergreen growing conditions. These low growing plants form creeping mats of glossy green foliage that turns red to bronze in winter. The decorative red berries are an added bonus that were used in candies, gum, perfume, cosmetics, teas, and other uses prior to synthetic flavorings. Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) is a forest plant in its native habitat....