Avocado Seed Growing What you will need for this avocado seed growing project: a few avocados some toothpicks a few glasses of water a sunny window Remove the avocado pits from the center of the avocados. Have the children wash the avocado pits so that none of the meat from the avocado fruit remains on the seed. Once the avocado pits are clean, take a look at the avocado seed. You will notice that it is almost tear shaped....

How to Avoid Transplant Shock Disturb the roots as little as possible – Unless the plant is root bound, you should do as little as possible to the rootball when moving the plant from one location to the next. Do not shake the dirt off, bump the rootball, or rough up the roots. Bring as much of the roots as possible – Along the same lines as the tip above for plant preparation, preventing shock means when digging up the plant, make sure as much of the root as possible is brought up with the plant....

What is Bacterial Leaf Scorch? Shade trees are prized for their regal dimensions and comely leaf displays. Bacterial leaf scorch disease seriously threatens not only these trees’ beauty but also their health. The symptoms may be slow to notice at first, but once the disease takes fire, the tree is often close to death. There is no treatment or bacterial leaf scorch control for this disease, but there are some cultural steps that can be made to ensure a beautiful tree for the last few years of its life....

Unfortunately, it has a rough, unattractive appearance that can invade green lawns. Control of bahiagrass is important in lawns to minimize competition. Bahiagrass control is achieved with a two-prong method of cultural and chemical means. Recognizing Bahia Grass The Y-shaped seed heads it produces easily identify bahiagrass. Unfortunately, the species is at its most invasive by the time you see the seeds. Control of bahiagrass rests on identification of the plant....

Do some research when growing a basement garden so you can solve these problems if they crop up and decrease your produce bill while providing healthy veggies for your family. Needs for Basement Gardening The majority of vegetables require warm temperatures, but basements are notoriously dank and cold. You need to ensure that the area is draft free and provide heaters to keep the area warm. If the basement is also damp, you will need fans to move air around and prevent rot....

Help, There are Beetles on My Green Bean Plants! First of all, don’t panic. You aren’t the first and you won’t be the last to find beetles on your green bean plants. If you try to identify the beetle, the better able you will be at finding a method of green bean beetle control. Japanese beetle – One ravager may be the Japanese beetle. These pests were inadvertently brought over from Japan and rapidly spread through most of the eastern United States....

Reasons for Companion Planting Spinach Companion planting in general benefits the garden in a multitude of ways. It not only can deter pests but attract beneficial pollinators. Companion plants may provide support for other crops, as in the classic “Three Sisters” planting comprised of squash, beans and corn. In this case, the corn provides support for the beans; the beans affix nitrogen into the soil and the large leaves of the squash shade and protect the roots of all three from the harsh rays of the sun....

Cucumbers are the go-to pickled garden vegetable, but many other fruits and veggies can be pickled as well. What are the best pickled garden vegetables? While the choice is subjective, the following contains suggestions on some of the best vegetables and fruits to pickle. Historical Notes on Pickling Pickling food dates back 4,000 years ago when the ancient Mesopotamians figured out that soaking cucumbers in brine would preserve them. Christopher Columbus brought pickles on his voyage to America and, by the 19th century, H....

What are Herbs? Herbs are generally defined as non-tropical plants whose leaves, stems, and flowers are grown for culinary, medicinal, or aromatic uses. Herbs can be herbaceous perennials, biennials, or annuals. Some are cool season plants, while others thrive in warm season conditions. They can add lovely blue or green foliage and varying textures to the garden. Flowers are often spikes of color such as red or purple salvia or flat heads of yellow on fennel and dill....

Potted Plant Gifts When it comes to indoor plant sharing, not all potted plant gifts are the same. Unless you’re buying for someone you know has a green thumb, it’s a good idea to keep things simple. The best plants to give as gifts are beautiful yet easy to take care of. So what are good plants to give as gifts? Here’s a list of some of the best houseplant gifts with a high aesthetic payoff for low maintenance requirements....

Shade Trees in the Northeast The northeast is known for its outrageously beautiful autumn color, and the best northeast shade trees take full advantage of that. One of the finest and most common of these trees is the red maple. This tree can reach 70 feet (21 m.) in height, with a spread of up to 50 feet (15 m.). A North American native, it can thrive across the region and is one of the main trees responsible for that classic autumn foliage look....

Container Grown Vine Plants One of the most important things to consider when growing vines in containers is support. Vine support in pots can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be– you can use one or two sticks of bamboo or set a decorative obelisk in the center of the container. You can set your container next to a fence or support column and let nature take its course....

How to Start Flower Seeds Indoors Planting flower seeds is very similar to planting vegetables. Starting flower seeds indoors will first require that growers consider the growth requirements of plants. This includes whether each flower type is cold hardy or tender to frost. This information will help growers to better determine the best time to start seeds. Depending upon how quickly the plant grows, those planting flower seeds indoors generally do so about four to eight weeks before the projected outdoor transplant date....

Fortunately, managing black cherry aphids is possible, and damage is usually minimal if the pests are properly controlled in early spring. However, damage is sometimes severe on young trees, where even a few of the pests can create havoc. Read on for more black cherry aphid information and tips on black cherry aphid treatment. Signs of Black Cherry Aphids Black cherry aphids are easy to spot. They are shiny, metallic black, and at 1/8 inch (3 mm....

How to Grow Bleeding Heart from Cuttings The most effective way to root a bleeding heart cutting is to take softwood cuttings – new growth that is still somewhat pliable and doesn’t snap when you bend the stems. Immediately after blooming is a perfect opportunity for taking cuttings from a bleeding heart. The best time for taking cuttings from a bleeding heart is early morning, when the plant is well-hydrated. Here are simple steps on growing bleeding heart from cuttings:...

Bountiful Bean Facts Dating back to the late 1800’s, Bountiful heirloom beans have been grown for their uniformity and ability to produce a profusion of pods. Maturing in as little as 45 days from planting, Bountiful bush beans are an excellent choice for both early and late season plantings in the vegetable garden. Though somewhat lighter in color, Bountiful bush bean pods often reach 7 inches (17 cm.) in length over the course of an extended harvest period....

What is Boxwood Blight? Boxwood blight is a fungal disease caused by the organism Cylindrocladium buxicola. The organism also goes by the pseudonyms Cylindrocladium pseudonaviculatum or Calonectria pseudonaviculata. The disease is called box blight in the U.K., and you may also hear it referred to as boxwood leaf drop in the U.S. Discovered in the U.K. in the mid 1990’s, the disease didn’t make its way to the U.S. until October 2011, where it was detected in a nursery in North Carolina....

Budworm Caterpillar Damage and Symptoms Budworms have the audacity to leave behind a lot of black sticky goo that looks somewhat like mouse poo. The budworms are actually caterpillars that seem to have a bit of a “champagne” taste, as they like to attack the blooms on roses, snapdragons, geraniums, petunias, and some other flowering plants. Once the blooms are all gone, budworms will lower their standards a bit and start munching on the leaves or foliage of the plant under attack....

But what about shady areas – another common issue? You can actually fix both problems simply by adding shade plants bugs don’t like to alleviate the stress of insects in the yard and regain the enjoyment of outdoor spaces, even in those darkest corners. Are There Shade Plants Bugs Don’t Like? The concept of planting bug-resistant shade plants is not new. In fact, vegetable gardeners have been using companion planting techniques for decades as a means to help deter pests....

What are Bunch Peanuts? Peanuts can be split into two main growth pattern types: bunch and runner. Runner peanuts have long branches with nuts growing or ‘running’ all along their length. Bunch peanut plants, on the other hand, produce all their nuts at the end of these branches, in a bunch. It’s an easy distinction to remember. Bunch type peanuts do not yield as highly as runners, and because of this they are not grown as frequently, especially agriculturally....