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Can You Grow Mesquite Trees from Cuttings? Mesquite trees can be propagated through seeds, grafts, or cuttings. Germination of seed is variable and requires special treatments. Grafts are the industry’s choice for speedy, true to parent plants. However, growing mesquite trees from cuttings may be easier and quicker. Young wood is easiest to root, while roots and suckers are also excellent choices for mesquite cutting propagation. Growing mesquite trees from cuttings also guarantees a clone of the parent plant, where seed grown trees exhibit genetic variation....

When a rose is not blooming, this can be frustrating for a gardener. There are actually several reasons why a rose bush may not bloom. Keep reading to learn more about why a rose may not bloom. Possible Causes for Why a Rose Does Not Bloom Fertilizer – One of the most common reasons for them not blooming well is the use of high nitrogen foods or fertilizers or the overuse of them....

What is Rough Bluegrass? Rough bluegrass is a spreading, aggressive, grass-like weed. It begins to grow and spread in autumn. Once it gets into your lawn, it takes over the grass already there, then dies back in summer heat, leaving bare spots where your grass once grew. Don’t confuse it with Kentucky bluegrass, although it is in the same family. Invasive rough bluegrass looks like bentgrass and is related to annual bluegrass, which can also be troublesome....

Killing rush skeletonweed isn’t easy. It is extremely resilient and resistant to mechanical and cultural methods of control. Since it is so persistent, the question is how to control skeletonweed? About Skeletonweed Control Rush skeletonweed is thought to have been introduced to eastern North America via contaminated seed or animal bedding around 1872. Today, this nearly 3 foot (91 cm.) herbaceous perennial has spread across the country. It reproduces by seed as well as lateral roots that, even when broken, determinately produce a new plant....

Scaevola Fan Flower Info Known botanically as Scaevola aemula, fan flower is in the Goodeniaceae family. These are mostly herb and shrub plants native to Australia and New Guinea. The plant’s Latin name means ‘left-handed,’ referring to the one-sided nature of the blooms. They are hardy, tolerant plants that are suitable for containers, hanging baskets, rockeries, or just dotted around the flower garden. Gardeners who seek a relatively unfussy, non-stop bloomer for many areas of the landscape should try fairy fan flowers....

Seed Propagating Houseplants If you plan on starting plants from seed, you have to have a place to put the seed trays where they can be kept warm and at a fairly constant temperature. Good light is important too. So is keeping them away from drafts. The pots you plant the seedlings in are going to take up a lot of room, so make sure you have the space to do this as well....

Sempervivum Information Plants that take a lot to grow, such as orchids, are a collector’s dream but their fussiness and specific needs take a lot of time and energy to sustain. For us lazy gardeners, sempervivum offers unique form and beauty without any of the effort. Try growing these succulent plants on a rockery, vertical wall, or even on driftwood. Sempervivum growing conditions are only limited by good drainage and sunlight....

When to Divide Sedum Whether you have tiny spreading rosettes or towering Autumn Joy stonecrop, you should know how to divide sedum so you can spread more of these popular plants. Sedums grow in hot, dry areas of the landscape and add cheery color and whimsical form to hard-to-plant zones. Separating sedum is an easy project that will increase the number of the easy to grow plants quickly. New divisions establish rapidly and need little extra care....

Benne Seeds vs. Sesame Seeds Is there a difference between benne seeds and sesame seeds? Not a bit. Benne is simply the African name for sesame (Sesamum indicum). In fact, many plant historians believe benne was brought to the New World in slave ships. The name is largely a regional preference and sesame seeds are still known as benne in certain areas of the deep south. Benne Health Benefits Sesame seeds are a great source of minerals including copper, magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, and selenium....

What is a Shropshire Prune? The Shropshire prune is one of several Damson types of plum. These are small plums with a bitter flavor when eaten fresh. Most people don’t enjoy the taste of a fresh Damson, but everything is transformed by both drying and cooking. When these plums are allowed to turn into prunes, or are baked, stewed, or cooked, their taste is transformed and they become sweet, rich, and flavorful....

Soil Amendment Info Soil amendment can be as simple as mixing in leaf litter or it can be as complicated as running drainage pipes. The condition of your soil needs to be adequate for sustaining plant needs. Compact or hard soils are actually great for starting a lawn, as long as you add a little sandy topsoil if starting from seed. Plants like fruits and vegetables, however, need loose, nutrient-rich soil with plenty of organic amendments added every year....

Sourwood Tree Facts It’s interesting to read up on sourwood tree facts. Sourwood tree growth is fairly rapid. The trees typically grow 25 feet (8 m.) tall in your backyard but can shoot up to 60 feet (18 m.) tall in the wild. The trunk of a sourwood tree is straight and slender, the bark fissured and gray, and the crown narrow. Sourwood tree facts tell you that the scientific name is Oxydendrum arboretum....

What Causes Wilt in Southern Peas? Southern pea wilt is caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum. Symptoms of wilt of southern peas include stunted and wilted plants. Lower leaves turn yellow and prematurely drop from the plant. As the infection progresses, dark brown, woody tissue in the lower stem is observed. Death of southern peas with wilt may be rapid once the infection sets in. Nematodes increase the plant’s susceptibility to wilt of southern pea....

Spanish Lavender Information Spanish lavender, or Lavendula stoechas, is just one of about 40 varieties of this fragrant herb. It is native to the hot, dry climate of the Mediterranean region, so it thrives in warmer climates and is hardy to zone 8. Growing Spanish lavender is a good alternative to the more common English lavender if you live in a warmer climate. In appearance, Spanish lavender is similar to other varieties, growing in small shrubs that make great low hedges or bed borders....

Spider Plant Fertilizer Spider plants are hardy plants that thrive in less than optimal conditions. Plants form tight rosettes of leaves with dangling plantlets hanging from long stems of up to 3 feet (1 m.). While they prefer bright light, they tend to scorch in direct sunlight and are perfect for lower-lit abodes and offices. They do not like temperatures below 50 degrees F. (10 C.) or cold drafts. To care for your spider plant, be sure it is planted in a well-draining, well-aerating potting medium....

When to Split Anthuriums Anthurium is truly a tropical flower, so most of us have to be content with growing them indoors in containers. As a tropical jungle plant, anthurium thrives best in moist, warm conditions with indirect sunlight. Even without ideal conditions, this plant is tough and a survivor. It’s a great choice for someone who lacks a green thumb. On the other hand, some maintenance is required, including splitting anthurium plants, to keep them happy and healthy....

How to Prevent Moss Getting rid of moss is simply a matter of prevention. One of the best ways to do this is to make your landscape unattractive to moss. There are several ways to accomplish this feat. First, decrease the amount of moisture content in the area. One way to do this is by increasing drainage patterns to direct moisture elsewhere. You should also try increasing the pH level in the soil....

String of Bananas Info Native to Africa, string of bananas is a fast-growing plant with vines that ultimately reach lengths of at least 36 inches (90 cm.). The leaves are somewhat transparent, which allows light to shine through. The small flowers have a pleasant, cinnamon-like scent. String of bananas is suitable for growing outdoors in the warm climates of USDA plant hardiness zones 10 through 12. If you live in a cooler climate, however, you can grow string of bananas indoors....

Succulent Plants for Zone 6 Northern gardeners have no shortage of beautiful succulent plants for zone 6. Here are a few examples of zone 6 hardy succulents: Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ – Grayish-green leaves and large, pink flowers that turn bronze in fall. Sedum acre – A groundcover sedum plant with bright yellow-green blooms. Delosperma cooperi ‘Trailing Ice Plant’ – A spreading groundcover with reddish-purple flowers. Sedum reflexum ‘Angelina’ (Angelina stonecrop) – Groundcover with lime green foliage....

What is Sweet Corn Seed Rot? Sweet corn seed rot is a fungal disease that can result from various species of fungi including but not limited to Pythium, Fusarium, Diplodia, and Penicillium. All of these fungal pathogens affect the way the seed germinates, thus seedling development or lack thereof. Infected tissue color reflects which type of pathogen has infected the seed. For example, white to pink tissue indicates the presence of Fusarium, bluish color indicates Penicillium, while water-soaked striations indicate Pythium....