Galax Plant Information Also known as beetleweed or wandflower, Galax (Galax urceolata) is a low-growing evergreen native to the eastern United States – primarily in the deep or moderate shade of the Appalachian Mountain forests. When Galax grows under deciduous trees, the shiny, heart-shaped leaves turn greenish red or deep maroon in winter sunlight, then back to bright green with the arrival of spring. Racemes of dainty white blooms appear in late spring and early summer....

How to Root Ginkgo Cuttings Propagating ginkgo cuttings is the easiest way to make more of these beautiful trees. The cultivar ‘Autumn Gold’ is the easiest to root from cuttings. When it comes to propagating cuttings, your first question may be, “can you root ginkgo in water?” The short answer is no. Ginkgo trees are sensitive to poor drainage; they prefer well-drained soil and do well in urban areas surrounded by concrete....

About Ginkgo Cultivars A ginkgo tree can grow up to 80 feet (24 m.) high and 40 feet (12 m.) wide, but there are also smaller varieties. All have the special, fan-shaped leaves. Ginkgo leaves turn vibrant yellow early in the fall, and they do well in urban environments. They require minimal care once mature. One important consideration when choosing a ginkgo tree of any variety is the fact that mature female trees produce fruit....

Gladiolus Plants with Mosaic Virus Gladioli mosaic virus infects gladiolus as well as other bulb plants, vegetables, field legumes, and common weeds. Both bean yellow mosaic virus and cucumber mosaic virus are transmitted by aphids moving from plant to plant or through tools used to gather flowers and corms. Mosaic virus produces mild symptoms unless a combination of BYMV and CMV are transmitted, then symptoms are more severe. Symptoms of gladiolus mosaic include a dark to light green or yellow mottling of leaves that are sometimes hard to see....

In order to enjoy the beauty of gladiolus flowers year after year, most gardeners must store their gladiolus corms (sometimes also referred to as gladiolas bulbs) in the winter. Gladiolus bulbs, or corms, aren’t hardy through frozen winter months, so you must dig them up and store them until spring if you want to grow them again the next year. Read on to learn more about how to store gladiolas for the winter....

About Graptoveria Porcelain Plant Succulents Graptoveria titubans porcelain plants are hybrid crosses between Graptopetalum paraguayense and Echeveria derenbergii. They have thick, fleshy, grey-blue leaves that form into compact rosettes. In cooler climates, the tips of the leaves develop a tinge of apricot. These little beauties only grow to about 8 inches (20 cm.) in height with rosettes that are up to 3 inches (7.5 cm.) across. Their diminutive size makes them ideal in combination succulent garden containers indoors or in a rockery outside....

As you are planning a conifer garden, you’ll want to consider bringing in trees and shrubs of different sizes, shapes, textures, and colors as well as mixing them to best effect. Read on for tips about designing with conifers. Conifers in the Garden It is rewarding to start landscaping with conifers since your vision is only limited by your imagination and the size of your backyard. In a small area, conifers in the garden can mean a few compact specimens of various textures that accent a corner of a garden bed....

Aster Container Growing Use a container with plenty of space for the roots to grow. However, avoid overly large containers, as a large amount of potting mix holds excess water that may result in root rot. It’s always better to repot when the plant outgrows its container. Be sure the container has at least one drainage hole in the bottom. Cover the hole with mesh or a paper coffee filter to prevent loss of potting mix through the hole....

Tips for Growing Begonia as Houseplants The first thing to do when learning how to care for begonias indoors is to determine what kind of begonia you have. Begonias belong to one of three types — tuberous, fibrous, and rhizomatous. Generally, fibrous and rhizomatous begonias make excellent houseplants while tuberous begonias can be grown as houseplants but have a harder time surviving due to the need for higher humidity and light than the other two kinds....

What are Greens? Cool season crops suitable for spring or fall, greens are the foliage and leaves of edible plants. Greens are an important part of your salad, but some of the more rustic varieties make excellent cooked vegetables too. Greens have an important place in the history of the American diet. They have often been discarded or considered less valuable where a root crop was involved, so farm laborers developed innovative methods of cooking these cast off leaves and created delicious and nutritious dishes....

Importance of Healthy Roots The importance of healthy roots can’t be stressed enough. Roots hold plants in place. They also carry water and essential minerals to the rest of the plant. It’s how the plant eats and drinks. It’s important to keep healthy roots in plants that are already established, of course, but it’s even more important to check for healthy roots in plants you buy in the store. If you buy a plant with a bad root system, at best, it will take it a long time to adjust to transplanting....

How to Grow Chili Peppers Growing chili pepper plants is similar to growing bell peppers. All peppers grow best in warm soil when the ambient temperature remains above 50 degrees F. (10 C.). Exposure to cooler temperatures inhibit flower production and impedes proper fruit symmetry. As many climates don’t afford a sufficient growing season to direct-seed peppers into the garden, starting chili peppers indoors or purchasing seedlings is often recommended. Start chili pepper plants 6 to 8 weeks prior to the last frost date....

About Late Season Bok Choy Bok choy, also known as pak choy and various spellings of the two, is a member of the Brassicaceae family, or cool season cabbage family. Growing bok choy in the fall is ideal because it thrives in cooler temperatures. Consider companion planting your autumn grown bok choy with other cool season veggies such as other greens like: Lettuce Spinach Arugula Swiss chard Asian greens The plants also do well with the following:...

About Planting Peanut Seeds If you’re interested in trying your hand at growing peanuts in the garden, there are a few things you should know. For instance, did you know that what we refer to as peanuts are actually not nuts but legumes, relatives of peas and beans? The self-pollinating plants bloom above ground while the pods develop beneath the soil. Inside each pod are the seeds. Once the blossoms are fertilized, the petals fall away, and the stalks, or pegs, located just under the ovaries, elongate and bend towards the earth, growing into the soil....

Weeping Hemlock Growing There are a number of weeping hemlock varieties available to gardeners, all known collectively as ‘Pendula.’ Sargent’s hemlock (‘Sargentii’) is one of the most popular. Others include ‘Bennett’ and ‘White Gentsch.’ A moderate grower, weeping hemlock reaches mature heights of about 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.5 m.), with a width of up to 30 feet (9 m.), depending on how the tree is pruned. Weeping hemlock displays spreading branches and dense foliage with a delicate, lacy texture, but there’s nothing fragile about weeping hemlock trees, which grow in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 8....

Growing Shade Flowers in Hanging Baskets Before selecting hanging shade flowers, you’ll first need to ensure that proper growing conditions for each plant will be met. This means that baskets should be filled with well-draining potting soil or a soil blend specific to the particular flower type. Additionally, all plant hooks and hanging equipment should be strong and properly secured. When choosing shade tolerant flowers for hanging baskets, you will also need to determine how much shade the planting area actually receives....

Growing Hardy Ground Covers Ground covers can be used as an alternative to a lawn as well as a mulching substitute. Persistent, evergreen ground covers can also hide a multitude of eyesores, and no one is the wiser. The options for hardy ground covers actually range from evergreen, perennial, flowering, fruiting, tall, short, fast- or slow-growing, and many more in between. This gives the zone 6 gardener many more choices than traditional ground covers, which may not survive in cold winters....

Does Angelica Plant Need Trimming? Angelica (Angelica archangelica) is also known as garden angelica, Holy Ghost, wild celery, and Norwegian angelica. It is an ancient herb used for its medicinal and magical properties; it was said to ward off evil. The essential oil contained in all parts of the plant lends itself to a multitude of uses. The seeds are pressed, and the resulting oil is used for flavoring foods. The Lapps not only eat angelica but use it medicinally and even as a substitute for chewing tobacco....

Picking Blackberries When to harvest blackberries depends very drastically upon what kind of climate they’re growing in. Blackberries are very heat and frost tolerant, and as a result, they can be grown virtually all over. Their ripening time varies based on their location. In the southern United States, prime blackberry harvesting time is usually in spring or early summer. In the Pacific Northwest, it’s late in the summer through the first frost of autumn....

About Harvesting Cloves The clove tree is a tropical evergreen of the family Myrtaceae that reaches heights of between 25 and 33 feet (8-10 m.). Native to Indonesia, the tree produces clusters of flower buds, which when dried become brown, hard, and nail shaped. In fact, their English name is derived from the Latin word “clavus,” meaning nail. When to Pick Cloves The cloves you use to flavor your dishes are the result of at least six years of growth on the part of the tree....