About Bay Tree Winter Care Bay trees are also called bay laurel, sweet bay, or true laurel and most people associate them with the culinary herb used so often in soups and stews. Bay trees can grow quite large, but they can also be kept trimmed and shaped, making them good choices for yards and gardens or containers. If you do choose a bay for your yard, know that it grows very slowly....

Brugmansia Cold Tolerance One of the most dramatic plants is Brugmansia. Also known as Angel Trumpets, Brugmansia is a shrub-like tropical perennial in warm zones but is grown as an annual in cold climates. This is because there are not hardy, and the plants cannot withstand cold temperatures. The plants can be overwintered indoors with reasonable success, so you can save them and have another chance at viewing the tremendously large hanging blooms in your landscape....

Pagoda Dogwood Information Cornus alternifolia trees have a graceful, horizontal branching habit that resulted in the common name “pagoda dogwood.” The pagoda cultivar Golden Shadows (Cornus alternifolia ‘Golden Shadows’) is a light and lively little dogwood. Like the species tree, Golden Shadows is deciduous, losing its leaves in winter. It is also small, rarely growing over 12 feet (4 m.) tall. The branches spread wide, making the mature tree almost as wide as it is tall....

When to Harvest Paper Birch Bark? Paper birch trees can be identified by their bright, white bark. Each spring, much of this bark begins to peel back and pull away from the tree. Bark may be collected at other times throughout the year too, but may require additional treatment before its use in crafting. Is It Bad to Peel Birch Bark? Understanding the best way to peel birch bark is vital to ensuring the continued health of the tree....

What is a Patio Knife? You’ve doubtless noticed the grass and weeds that grow between the stones or pavers making up your back patio. But you may not have been aware that there is a tool especially for weeding this area. It’s called a patio knife. This tough knife, often one with a blade shaped like an “L,” can be used to clean out the space between patio pavers. Patio pavers are wedged quite close together, but somehow grass and weed seeds always find their way into the spaces between them....

About Patio Tiles with Wood Grain Porcelain outdoor patio wood tiles don’t need the multiple applications of sealers or protective coatings that other coverings require, which makes them low maintenance. Digital printing techniques and modern manufacturing allow the tile to be produced in a myriad of colors and styles. The tiles are lighter than concrete or paving stone with the added look of real wood. They can support up to 2,000 lbs....

What are Peach Stone Types? Peaches are categorized based on the relationship between the pit and the peach flesh. In other words, how well the flesh attaches to the pit. So, we have clingstone peaches, freestone peaches, and even semi-freestone peaches. All three can be found as white or yellow peaches. So, what is the difference between clingstone and freestone? What are semi-freestone peaches? Clingstone vs Freestone The difference between clingstone and freestone peaches is very simple....

Pecan Planting Guide: Location and Preparation Plant the tree in a location with soil that drains freely to a depth of 5 feet (1.5 m.). Growing pecan trees have a long taproot that is susceptible to disease if the soil is soggy. Hilltops are ideal. Space the trees 60 to 80 feet (18.5-24.5 m.) apart and well away from structures and power lines. Pruning the tree and the roots before planting will encourage strong growth and make pecan tree care much easier....

Perlite Soil Info Appearing as tiny, roundish white specks amid the other components, perlite in potting soil is a non-organic additive used to aerate the media. Vermiculite is also a soil additive utilized for aeration (though less so than perlite), but the two are not always interchangeable, although as rooting mediums, both provide the same benefit. What is Perlite? Perlite is a volcanic glass that is heated to 1,600 degrees F....

Pilea Friendship Plants The friendship plant bears its name due to the rapid rooting of cuttings that can be established for new plants to give to friends and family. This cute little Pilea will get about 6 inches (15 cm.) high and rarely up to 12 inches (30.5 cm.). It is useful in low-light situations, although it does need several hours a day of sunlight. With proper care, this little gem might even favor you with its pale pink flowers....

Growing pitcher plants as indoor plants is common, but raising them outdoors requires a little know-how. Learn how to grow a pitcher plant for an interesting conversation piece in the home interior or exterior garden. Types of Pitcher Plants There are around 80 types of pitcher plants found in the genus names Sarracenia, Nepenthes and Darlingtonia. Not all of these are suitable for outdoor growing, as Nepenthes are tropical pitcher plants, but purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea) has a zonal tolerance of 2 to 9 and is exceptionally adaptable to a wide range of areas....

Garden Zone Info Many novice gardeners make the same mistakes, either attempting to grow plants the wrong time of year or choosing plants that are not suited for the region in which they live. Essential to the healthy growth and development of all plants is the length of the growing season, timing, amount of rainfall, winter temperature lows, summer highs, and humidity. Differences in any one of these factors can spell disaster for your garden....

Broadleaf and Narrow Leaf Plantains The two types of plantains that are commonly found in lawns are broadleaf plantain (Plantago major) and narrow-leaf, or buckhorn plant (P. lanceolata). These two perennial weeds are easily differentiated by their leaves. Broadleaf plantains have smooth, oval leaves while buckhorn plantain has ribbed, lance-shaped leaves. Both types are found throughout the U.S. where they thrive in compacted soil. Preventing Plantain Lawn Weeds The best way to prevent plantains in the lawn is to keep the soil aerated and healthy....

Types of Beans Warm season bean plants are cultivated for their highly nutritious immature pods (snap beans), immature seeds (shell beans) or mature seeds (dry beans). Beans may fall into two categories: determinant-type growth, those that grow as a low bush, or indeterminant, those with a vining habit requiring support, also known as pole beans. Green snap beans may be the most familiar to people. These green beans with an edible pod used to be called ‘string’ beans, but today’s varieties have been bred to lack the tough, stringy fiber along the pod’s seam....

Steps for Planting Roses Start by digging a hole for planting the rose in. See if the depth is right for your area. By this I mean that in my area I need to plant the actual graft of the rose bush at least 2 inches (5 cm.) below what will be my finished grade line to help with winter protection. In your area, you may not need to do that....

How Plants Survive Extreme Environments One of the most common arguments for the use of native plant species in the garden is their adaptability to local growing conditions. Depending upon your growing region, some plants will simply be more suited than others. Just like the native plants in your own backyard, plant species throughout the world are able to withstand the hottest and the coldest of extreme weather. Plants from harsh climates are naturally suited to withstand those conditions....

What is Plasticulture? Plasticulture is the use of lightweight plastic or mulch to cover the seed bed in order to control the soil temperature, retain moisture, and retard weeds and insect invaders. Plasticulture also refers to row covers and greenhouses. Basically, plasticulture practices double or triple the efficiency of the garden while allowing the gardener to harvest weeks earlier than usual. The initial costs of using plasticulture in the garden are definitely an investment, and management of the system may take some time to get down, but it is well worth the effort....

About Plum Leaf Sand Cherry Purple leaf sand cherry (Prunus x cistena) is a member of the Rose family. Prunus is Latin for ‘plum’ while cistena is the Sioux word for ‘baby’ in reference to its smallish size. The “x” is indicative of the shrub’s hybridism. This Prunus hybrid is useful as an ornamental specimen due to its beautiful red, maroon, or purple foliage. The shrub grows at a moderate rate and is suitable in USDA zones 2-8....

When is the Correct Time for Picking Plum Fruit? Plum trees are a fertile fruit that can yield from two to three bushels per year, so it is important to know when to harvest plum trees. The hands-down surest way to ensure the time is right for picking plum fruit is by its firmness and flavor. The plums will be becoming soft to the touch and the taste will be sweet and juicy....

What is Pollen? Pollen is a small grain made up of just a few cells and is produced by both flowering plants and cone-bearing plants, known as angiosperms and gymnosperms. If you are allergic, you feel the presence of pollen in the spring. If not, you likely notice it dusting surfaces, often giving things, like your car, a greenish tinge. Pollen grains are unique to the plants they come from and can be identified under a microscope by shape, size, and the presence of surface textures....