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Fresh zucchini is an integral part of the summer vegetable garden. Unfortunately, pests like aphids and squash bugs can cause damage and reduce harvests. While there are various methods available for getting rid of bugs once you have an infestation on your hands, it’s best to be proactive. Using physical protections, like floating row covers, is particularly effective if you are trying to grow crops organically. Common zucchini diseases, like bacterial wilt, can also be spread by pests....

Would you like to add an extra decorative element to your garden? If so, wicker could be the perfect addition for you. Although once not appropriate for long-term outdoor use, wicker items can now be treated to stay outdoors for extended periods of time. Varnishing, painting, and waterproofing are techniques that can prevent this material from becoming damaged by weather exposure. There are plenty of items made of wicker that can be placed in and around the garden to provide a nice decorative element to your landscape....

If this happens, don’t panic! Once you identify the source of the problem it shouldn’t be too tricky to fix. Read on to learn about causes and solutions for thin asparagus spears. Asparagus is one of those crops that requires a decent dose of patience to grow. This perennial veggie takes a few years before you can begin harvesting, so it can be devastating when you finally make it to picking time and you notice the spears are thin and weak....

If you’ve noticed holes in your camellia leaves, it’s time to take action. The sooner you address the situation the better off you’ll be. It’s unlikely that one of the pests that eats camellia leaves will kill your plant, but never say never… Camellias are one of those fantastic plants that look beautiful whether they’re in bloom or not. The glossy, deep green, leathery leaves are as pretty as any ornamental grown for its foliage....

Luckily, there are a variety of options for safely and effectively ridding your houseplants of the little flies that are emerging from the soil medium. Bradysia spp., Orfelia spp. Once you notice them, flying slightly above your plants or in your face, you can’t ignore fungus gnats. Somehow, these quiet, tiny flies are as annoying as noisy house flies, and you’re on a mission to deal with them once and for all....

Whether your season is short or long, this method can help to guarantee an abundant harvest. Hand pollination is an easy process, too! Growing corn is one of the most satisfying things you can do. Few things compare to the feeling of harvesting your own ears from a stalk taller than you, and then eating them that very same day. You won’t be able to wait even a moment, much less all the way until dinnertime....

Brassica oleracea var. italica Also known as a cole crop, this cruciferous vegetable prefers cool weather. It is planted in spring, fall, or both, and may yield one or two main harvests, as well as multiple mini side-shoot harvests per growing season, depending upon the planting times and varieties you choose. Are you a broccoli lover? Then it might be time to try growing your own! This healthy green brassica is a member of the Brassicaceae, or cabbage family, a close relative of brussels sprouts, cauliflower, bok choy, head cabbage, and greens like collards and mustard....

Sometimes, the smallest things can be the reason for the death of your beloved indoor plants. If you want to keep them green and thriving, follow these Important Tips for Indoor Plant Killers. Here are the best tips on correctly potting indoor plants Important Tips for Indoor Plant Killers 1. Avoid Overwatering Overwatering is the main cause of killing the plants unintentionally. Generally, plant parents think all plants require water in the same way, and that’s completely wrong....

It’s all about learning the correct methods for each type and variety of plant. There are distinct differences and the answer lies in what all good gardeners already know: Understand each and every one of your plants and what they need to thrive. When to prune, how to prune, where to prune? There’s no other task that strikes fear into the heart of most amateur gardeners as does the subject of pruning plants....

We didn’t hold much hope for it, because after we lopped off the top, all that was left was a crazy array of lateral branches radiating out from what was left of the center trunk. I don’t know if we’re cursed or what, but we’ve had two trees exhibit a strange, disfiguring phenomenon wherein the top part of the trunk — the “leader” — has died, taking with it numerous scaffold branches and leaving an unsightly, shortened trunk surrounded by perfectly healthy branches....

All of the following cultivars will work well for naturalizing, and all of them have simple (rather than double) blooms, making them pollinator friendly. If your garden to-do list includes planting drifts of naturalized daffodils, carefully arranged to look like they popped up and spread of their own accord, it’s important to choose the right varieties. Cultivars that will work for this purpose might be described as “good multipliers,” “vigorous,” or “suitable for naturalization....

Most models designed for outdoor use have a shower nozzle that just won’t cut it for use in the living room, not to mention, most of these are too large for tending to small specimens such as succulents. When it comes to keeping your cherished houseplants hydrated, not just any old watering can will do! There’s no reason to settle for some unattractive plastic model that needs to be hidden out of sight....

They also reduce or eliminate the need for synthetic fertilizers, which has a significant, beneficial effect on our backyard flora and fauna, and the environment at large. Unlike the plants we sow for harvesting, cover crops are grown for the soil, not our tables. Widely used by organic and conventional farmers, they’re planted in rotation with cash crops to sweeten the soil, or for winter protection. But they’re equally beneficial and easy to use in the home garden as well....

There are three different types of peonies, all of which are long-lived perennials: The first summer I lived in Alaska, my neighbors brought over a bouquet of enormous, lush pink flowers that I had never seen before. Set in vases against the green walls in my home, I could’ve stared at them for hours. I soon learned that peonies (Paeonia spp.) are a big deal here in Alaska. Lots of Alaskan gardeners grow these cold-hardy blooms, which thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8....

This calathea makes an excellent foliage houseplant that will blend with many different styles of decor. Goeppertia ornata (aka Calathea ornata) While some prayer plants are known for their almost outlandishly patterned leaves, the pinstripe plant has a quieter beauty that’s subdued and elegant. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. It’s also easy to take care of once you have a good understanding of its needs – and that’s exactly what we’re going to cover in this article!...

It offers all-season interest with its lovely blades and small flowers on striking plumes. With many different types to choose from, this plant is adaptable and easy to grow. Pennisetum spp. Not ready to commit to hardscaping by adding a fountain to your garden? If so, fountain grass might be the perfect compromise. A mounding ornamental, Pennisetum is a garden favorite that offers all the beauty of a fountain without the water....

But there’s no need to sound the alarm. While it may take a bit of effort, it’s easy enough to control Asian jasmine plants. Asian or Asiatic jasmine, Trachelospermum asiaticum, is a somewhat aggressive ground cover that utterly disregards the well-considered edgings you carefully construct to contain it. Its greatest feature – the ability to quickly cover a patch of bare earth where nothing else will grow – is also its greatest liability, for it grows and grows and grows, and before you know it, it’s taken over half your lawn and is steadily marching toward the neighbor’s....

And one thing is for sure – if you’ve never bitten into a sweet, juicy ear of homegrown corn (best smothered in butter, in my humble opinion), then you’re missing out! Corn is one of the most popular vegetables, and for good reason. Cultivated from a native plant which has become an American tradition, this fun, easy to grow crop comes in a range of colors, shapes and sizes, and it makes a perfect addition to any garden....

The term “deadheading” is sometimes extended to include the removal of seed pods, which can provide many of the noted additional benefits, but comes too late to energize further bud setting. Are you familiar with deadheading? This is the practice of cutting flowers off a plant after they finish blooming, and before they set seed. Its main purpose is to extend the growing season by energizing plants capable of reblooming, so they will produce as many flowers as possible....

Every variety is flavorful and can be used for those classic dill recipes like pickling, as a topping for fish, or in potato salad. Some are more suitable for container growing, and others go to seed earlier, ideal for use in cut flower arrangements. Dill, Anethum graveolens, is a biennial herb, usually grown as an annual. It has delicate, aromatic foliage, and large umbels with bright yellow flowers. Suitable for gardeners in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9, there are a number of different varieties available that vary in size, time to maturity, and flavor....