We’re not talking a ton of care. Depending on where you live, it could be as simple as tossing down some mulch and pruning off any broken branches. But in other areas, the process can be a bit more involved. Like humans, there are some plants that come alive in the dead of winter and then there are some that need a little something extra to get through the cold months....
Want to savor the beauty of fresh bouquets or cut flowers for a long time to come? One of the most common gifts is beautiful roses and our guide on How to Take Care of Roses in a Vase will help you enjoy them for a long time. Check out the list of flowers that look like roses here How to Take Care of Roses in a Vase 1. Cut at an Angle Before putting roses in a vase, make a 45-degree angle cut at the bottom of the stem....
Let’s see why! Ficus carica The occasional pejorative use of the term “fig leaf” is wholly undeserved. The leaves of the fig tree (Ficus carica) are quite lovely – large, beautifully shaped, and generous in their provision of shade. It is entirely unjust that the leaves of this lovely tree have been so maligned throughout history, likely due to their part in the biblical story of Adam and Eve. Any plant that gives us food, beauty, and shelter surely deserves our respect and admiration, rather than our scorn....
Are you ready to welcome an areca palm into your home? Here’s what I’ll cover: Dypsis lutescens Living in a northern climate with long cold winters, I am always looking for dramatic indoor plants to liven up my home. With its elegant, arching fronds, the areca palm adds a tropical flair to the living room all year long. Relatively low maintenance, these popular houseplants are nontoxic to dogs and cats, and with the right care will grace your home for many years....
With prolific growth patterns, plants can have a dramatic spread of up to six feet, and they bloom all summer long in cascades of vibrant color. Pelargonium peltatum Fast growing and brightly colored, ivy leaf geraniums take center stage in any hanging basket arrangement. In the family Geraniaceae, Pelargonium peltatum is commonly known as ivy leaf, trailing, or cascading geranium. An herbaceous perennial native to South Africa, P. peltatum was introduced to the cool climates of Holland and England by 1704....
If long vines covered with big green hearts weren’t already a sweet enough deal, this houseplant also comes with the bonus of lovely, fragrant blossoms, even when grown indoors – and it’s also supremely easy to propagate to make new plants. Hoya kerrii Are you in the market for a long term relationship? If so, let me introduce you to sweetheart hoya. Sweetheart hoya, please meet our dear reader. (Yes, I may be playing matchmaker here....
Other species in the family are at home in the backyard garden, ornamentals that display lovely flowers for us to admire. Linum spp. Enjoying that breezy new linen shirt you picked up on sale last weekend? Linen, a textile crafted from a member of the Linum genus, is renowned for its use in summer wear. The particular weave used to craft linen fabric, combined with the fiber’s inherent qualities including high absorption rate and heat conduction, render the textile well-suited for use in summer clothing....
In this article, we’ll take a look at the top five pests that can damage this fragrant member of the Allium genus. Garlic is a stinky, pungent bulb. For this reason, it’s logical to assume that most pests will leave it alone. It’s even used as a pest deterrent in the garden, planted as a companion for roses, peppers, and tomatoes to keep pesky insects away. But we think it’s delicious, so why shouldn’t the bugs?...
It’s awful to have viable plants suffer frost damage or even die while they’re still producing and before you’re ready for the season to be over. Having a stash of homegrown zucchini you’ve blanched to keep in the freezer or canned and pickled to store in the cellar is wonderful. But when the plants themselves are frozen in your garden, that’s the – ahem – polar opposite. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....
Gardening with children is great fun and you can begin in any month of the year. From planning and craft-making to planting and harvesting, you can treat your kids to fun activities any time! When my daughter was small, we had a raised vegetable bed with a few tomato plants, peppers, and beans. When our first green pepper was ready to pick, a crow swooped down and snatched it – pepper, plant, roots – and flew off, leaving my little gardener open-mouthed and wide-eyed....
Before the problem progresses that far, knowing how to spot indications of trouble in the bulbs themselves – and provide excellent care for Hippeastrum plants from the start – can help yours to avoid this fate. If you think amaryllis flowers bring a special sparkle to the holidays, you are not alone! The word amaryllis actually derives from the Greek amarysso or “to sparkle,” and this common name is certainly fitting....
What are the best watering options for your landscape, your budget, and the way you like to work? Here’s what we’ll cover in this article: Getting water to your plants can be one of the most labor-intensive aspects of gardening. But it doesn’t have to be. While I do sometimes enjoy standing in the garden with a hose and communing with the flora and fauna, other times I’m glad if something more automatic takes over the job – like when it’s 98 degrees outside....
How They Got Their Name ‘Mortgage Lifter’ may have once relieved financial stress, but only for the cultivar’s originator, a guy called M. C. Byles of Logan, West Virginia. Solanum lycopersicum ‘Mortgage Lifter’ ‘Mortgage Lifter’ tomatoes were so popular in the 1930s and ‘40s, people would drive 200 miles to buy plants. At that time, you could only get them from the breeder, an amateur who preferred to be called “Radiator Charlie....
If that sounds like a good idea but you don’t know where to start, we’ll discuss exactly how to do it in this guide. Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are colorful, fragrant, popular additions to the garden and vase. Snapdragon seeds are readily available for purchase from any nursery or retailer that sells seeds. But if you – or a friend – are growing these flowers in your garden, you can also collect seeds from your own plants and save them for planting the next season if you wish....
And did you know that with several species available for the garden, they come in numerous sizes and shapes that are suitable for a range of locations and uses? Hydrangea When you need a big, bold specimen plant, look no further than hydrangea. With fantastic, large flowerheads in colors of blue, lime green, mauve, pink, red, and white, they showcase an old-fashioned beauty that begs to be seen and admired....
If you are a laid-back gardener who’s not interested to spend a lot of time caring for plants, then we have some Easy-Peasy Houseplants for you, and Growing Them is a Cinch! Here are the easiest to grow philodendron varieties Best Easy-Peasy Houseplants 1. Chinese Money Plant Botanical Name: Pilea peperomioides Also popular as a good luck plant, the coin-shaped round green leaves are the main attraction of this easy to maintain houseplant....
It took some hunting and some research, but I found an impressive roster of plants that could thrive in my dimly lit apartment. There’s something about bringing the green from the outdoors to the indoors that brightens up our homes and workplaces. As I write these very words, I am taking a look around to count the houseplants I have on my writing desk and all around the room. Right now, I am fortunate to have a sunroom in my apartment, a safe place for houseplants to perk up and do their thing....
We will describe the many facets of this virus and how to control it. Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) can be a severe disease on cabbages and other types of brassicas. Many weeds are hosts to this virus. This makes the situation worse for growers of cole crops, since aphids are a key source for this virus. The weeds can harbor both the aphids and the virus. Since there is no cure for turnip mosaic virus, control is of paramount importance....
The large number of plants in this genus also means the options are wide open, in terms of selecting the right salvia for your garden. Salvia spp. Salvia, a genus of plants in the mint (Lamiaceae) family with nearly a thousand members, is known for its toughness. Heat tolerant, chill tolerant, drought tolerant, impervious to pests and disease, deer resistant — salvia takes a lickin’ and keeps on blooming beautifully....
Read on for everything you need to know to grow small globe thistle, E. ritro, in your gardens. Echinops ritro Small globe thistle, Echinops ritro, is a perennial member of the Asteraceae family that includes sunflowers, daisies, globe artichokes, and asters. It is suited to cultivation in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8. Also called Southern globe thistle, this flower is native to Europe and Asia. Its most noteworthy features are its blue to blue-purple color, tall stature, and prickly foliage....
