Information about Kanna Plants According to some info, kanna is used medicinally in its native Cape Provinces of South Africa as a mood elevator and anti-depressant. South Africans chew the plant, which is also said to aid in weight loss and to quell the addictions of smoking and alcoholism. Some have called it the “happy plant.” This plant is also used in teas and tinctures and is sometimes even smoked along with other herbs....

My Pitcher Plant Has No Pitchers! How to get pitchers on pitcher plants? Be patient, as pitcher plants take time to develop the first pitcher. Oftentimes, if the plant looks healthy and the tendrils are developing, a little time is all it needs. You’ll probably notice pitchers before you know it! How to Get Pitchers on Pitcher Plants If your plant doesn’t seem to be thriving in addition to not developing pitchers, the following tips will help with fixing pitcher plant problems:...

A salad turnip is one grown not only for its root, but especially for the tasty leaves. Turnips are an introduced plant to North America. They originally hailed from eastern Asia and parts of Europe. They are in the Brassicaceae family, which includes broccoli and cabbage. Turnips were once used as little vegetable lanterns, prior to being replaced by pumpkins. Hakurei turnips are a little small to make into lanterns, but their sweet taste colored with classic brassica zing, makes them an excellent root vegetable to grow....

About Virginia Bluebells Flowers This pretty wildflower is, unfortunately, endangered throughout much of its native range due to habitat loss. If you’re planning a native garden, this is a great addition. When bluebells first emerge in early spring, they have striking, deep purple foliage. The leaves then quickly turn green and the entire plant will grow up to 24 inches (61 cm.) tall in clump formations. The flowers bloom early to mid-spring and continue into mid-summer, when the plants go dormant....

Why Pinch Cosmos? Pinching back and deadheading aren’t exactly the same thing, but your annual cosmos benefit from both. The main reason to pinch back any plant is to promote new growth. Doing so stimulates new growth and a bushier, denser shape. Pinching is a simple type of pruning. It refers to picking off new growth on plants. You can use your fingers, hence the term pinching, or sharp shears. For thin, delicate stems, finger pinching is adequate....

When to Cut Back Fountain Grass The best time for when to trim fountain grass back is in the late winter or early spring. The exact timing is not as important as just making sure that you prune fountain grass back before it starts actively growing. You want to avoid doing fountain grass pruning in the fall, as the plant has not yet died back all the way. If you try to cut back fountain grass in the fall, you may cause it to go into a growth spurt, which will make it more vulnerable to the coming cold weather and will reduce its chances of surviving the winter....

When New Soil in Containers is Necessary When is it time to completely replace potting soil? Sometimes simply refreshing potting mix isn’t enough and you need to replace old potting mix with fresh mix. Consider the following: Are your plants healthy? If your plants haven’t been thriving or if the potting soil is compacted and no longer retains moisture, the mix is probably depleted and should be replaced. Healthy potting mix should be loose and fluffy....

The Difference Between Hay and Straw Although these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, hay and straw are different agricultural commodities. Straw is a byproduct of grain crops, namely wheat, oats and rye. Straw is essentially the stem of the plant after the grain head has been removed. Straw is uniform in color and the bales are composed of one type of plant. Hay is grown and baled specifically as feed for horses, cattle, sheep and goats....

Humilis Buckeye Info Aesculus pavia ‘Humilis’ is a dwarf form of the red buckeye tree. The red buckeye is a true tree, but a small one that grows to about 15 to 20 feet (5-6 m.) tall when cultivated, a little taller in the wild. This tree is most desirable for the showy spikes of deep red flowers it produces in the spring. Not only do they add color to the garden, but they also attract hummingbirds....

Identifying Ringspot Virus on Hydrangea Symptoms of hydrangea ringspot disease include pale yellow or yellowish white spotting on the leaves. Leaf distortions, such as rolling or crinkling, may be apparent in some varieties of hydrangea. Ringspot symptoms may also present as fewer florets on the flower head and stunting of normal plant growth. Testing of infected plant material is the only way to conclusively identify hydrangea ringspot virus. In all, fourteen viruses have been found to infect hydrangeas, several of which have symptoms similar to hydrangea ringspot disease....

What Do You Need for Hydroponics? Plants require four things to survive and flourish – light, a substrate in which to grow, water, and nutrients. Let’s take a look at the basic hydroponic equipment you’ll need to supply all four key elements: Light Sunlight provides the full spectrum of visible and non-visible light. It’s not only the cheapest, but also the best way to provide light for hydroponics. Many vegetable plants require a minimum of six hours of direct light per day....

There are numerous types of cool office plants to choose from, depending on your space and specific needs. With so many choices, nearly any setting can be incorporated with your own ideas for office plants. Let’s look at some good plants for the office. Cool Office Plants for Beginners Some of the best plants for an office are those requiring little care. After all, not everyone has a green thumb....

What is Root Rot? Root rot is a disease that attacks the roots of plants growing in wet soil. Since the disease spreads through the soil, the only root rot remedy for garden plants is often to remove and destroy the plant. However, you can try these corrective measures if you want to attempt to save a particularly valuable plant: Keep the soil as dry as possible. Don’t irrigate the plant unless the soil is almost completely dry....

About Indian Almond Trees Indian almond trees are very attractive, heat-loving trees that only thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11. That may be traced back to their origins in tropical Asia. Indian almond cultivation generally occurs in tropical and subtropical regions in North and South America. They naturalize easily and are considered invasive in some regions. If you are considering growing an Indian almond, you’ll need to know the size and shape of the tree usually reaches some 50 feet (15 m....

Choosing Plants for a Windowless Room Plants need sunlight to photosynthesize, produce flowers and fruit and for overall health. That being said, plants are also uniquely adaptable, and many vigorous specimens are perfect windowless houseplants. Choose a tried and true indoor specimen that will green up your space, clean your air and lend an aura of nature to any sterile indoor setting. You don’t have to work in a warehouse or deep inside a skyscraper to experience low light indoor conditions....

Epsom salt is composed of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) and many of us may be familiar with it already from soaking in an Epsom salt bath to alleviate sore muscles. It turns out that this can also be good for your houseplants! Houseplant Epsom Salt Tips Epsom salts would be used if your plants exhibit a magnesium deficiency. Although both magnesium and sulfur are very important, it is usually not a problem in most soil blends unless your potting mix is highly leached out over time through continued watering....

Can You Eat Sheep’s Sorrel? Full of vitamins and nutrients, sheep’s sorrel is used to treat bacterial infections such as Salmonella, E-coli, and Staph. According to info about sheep’s sorrel as food, it tastes great as well. Native to Asia and much of Europe, this plant has naturalized in the U.S. and is widely available in many forests and even lawns. Sources say the plant contains oxalic acid, giving it a tart or tangy taste, similar to rhubarb....

Japanese Plum Information Plums, Prunoideae, are a sub-member of the family Rosaceae, of which all stone fruits such as peach, cherry, and apricot are members. As mentioned, Satsuma Japanese plum tree produces fruit that is most commonly eaten fresh. The fruit is larger, rounder, and firmer than its European counterpart. Japanese plum trees are more delicate as well and require temperate conditions. Japanese plums originated in China, not Japan, but were brought to the U....

What is Leaching? There are two types of leaching in the garden: Leaching of soil The soil in your garden is like a sponge. When rain falls, the soil near the top absorbs as much as possible, keeping the moisture available to the plants growing there. Once the soil is filled with all the water it can hold, the water begins to leak down through the layers of rock and subsoil beneath your garden....

Why is My Croton Dropping Leaves? Change can be difficult for a croton plant. A croton plant dropping leaves is often a new plant’s response to being transplanted or transported from the greenhouse to your home. It’s natural for a croton to drop leaves as it adjusts to environmental changes. Once settled, in three or four weeks, your plant will begin to produce new growth. If you haven’t changed the plant’s location recently and your croton leaves fall off, then it’s time to look at other possibilities....