Growing Flowering Vines With all the types of vines available in commerce, one of the most daunting tasks facing a gardener is choosing the vine to plant. Whether you are choosing exotic vines for the garden or something more basic, you need to think through the purpose the vine will serve in your backyard. Vines can play many roles in the garden. They can add height, maximizing the vertical space within a garden....

Troubleshooting Lupine Disease Problems There are quite a few possible diseases of lupines, some more common than others. Each should be handled accordingly: Brown spot – Leaves, stems, and seed pods can all develop brown spots and cankers and suffer premature dropping. The disease is spread through spores that live in the soil under plants. After an outbreak of brown spot, don’t plant lupines in the same location again for several years to give the spores time to die out....

Common Varieties of Trumpet Vine Plant Probably the most common of the trumpet vine types is Campsis radicans, also known as trumpet creeper. It grows to 40 feet (12 m.) in length and produces 3 inch (7.5 cm) blossoms that bloom in the summer. It is native to the southeastern United States, but it can survive down to USDA zone 4 and has been naturalized pretty much everywhere in North America....

Types of Cacti Cacti vary in size, color, shape, and growing habits. They may grow in upright columns, spreading clumps, or spiny balls. They might even be found cascading over large rocks or in hanging baskets. Cacti are available in numerous varieties too, many of which produce stunning flowers. While many types of cactus are native to desert climates, most will tolerate a number of growing conditions. This versatility makes cactus landscaping possible nearly anywhere....

Varieties of Tulip Below are the most common types of tulip flowers grown in gardens: Standard – Traditional, old-fashioned tulips available in many forms and shades, either single or bi-colors. Standard tulips are easy to find and relatively inexpensive. Parrot – Impressive, long-stemmed parrot tulips distinctive for fringed, feathery, ruffled, twisted, or curled petals in a variety of vibrant colors. Fringed – As the name suggests, fringed tulips display a fine fringe that gives the blooms a soft, frilly appearance....

In this article we will take a look at the fullness of blooms when it comes to rose bushes. One attribute of roses that is often not thought about is how big or full a rose blossom will be. Roses of varying fullness each have their own appeal but knowing how full the rose you choose to grow will be means that you will have a better idea of what the rose blossoms on that rose bush will look like....

What is a Stumpery? Stumperies take advantage of the ease with which downed trees shelter animals and provide nutrition for new plants. The appeal is also visual, with a finished stumpery garden appearing to blend into surrounding woodlands. Making this type of garden area takes a little time and patience for everything to settle and take root, but it’s well worth the effort and what doesn’t take a little time? A stumpery is a planned area which incorporates logs, stumps, root wads, bark, and other common sights of a forest floor....

Basic Care of a Variegated Ivy Plant Variegated ivy leaves will typically have green and white or yellow markings. The white and yellow areas on the variegated ivy leaves lack chlorophyll. Chlorophyll serves many purposes, the main ones being producing food for the variegated ivy plant and protecting the plant from the rays of the sun. This means that because of the variegation, variegated ivy care is slightly different than normal green ivy care....

What is Volutella Blight of Pachysandra? Pachysandra Volutella blight is a type of leaf blight that can be detrimental to pachysandra plants. The first symptoms of this disease are tan spots on the leaves. Although they start small, they grow fast and can cover entire leaves. The pachysandra leaves yellow and die, while the infected twigs darken and die. When Volutella blight of pachysandra attacks plants during moist weather, you can sometimes spot salmon-colored spores on the blackened twigs....

How to Grow a Walnut Tree Most growing walnut trees attain heights of 50 feet (15 m.) with an equivalent width and can be found throughout the United States. The English or Persian and black walnuts are the most common, used for nut production as well as shade trees. A mature tree will produce 50 to 80 pounds (23-36 kg.) of nuts yearly. The Persian walnut is grown in California and is prized for its large nuts....

What is Warm Grass? Warm-season grass includes those grass types that will grow best in warm months of spring, summer, and fall. Warm weather turf grass varieties include: Bermuda Centipede Zoysia Buffalo Bahamas St. Augustine Carpet grass It is best to do some research on which warm grass variety will do best for your growing region, as some warm-season grasses are better suited to some areas over others. You can also consult your local Cooperative Extension Office for the best warm season grass for your area as well as instructions for planting warm-season grasses and care....

Spring triggers a bell, calling all those gardeners to start choosing annual flowers for West-North-Central garden beds. Those annuals must be tough, adaptable, and open to surprise. Why Annuals for West North Central? Northern prairie annuals are perfect plants for the western half of the Midwest. This area includes North and South Dakotas, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Minnesota, and Iowa. Not only can these areas have severe winters, but their summers bring brutal heat and powerful thunderstorms....

About Common Beggartick Plants What are beggarticks? Common beggartick plants are members of the aster family, and the bright yellow flowers resemble daisies. The slender, leafy stems can reach heights of 1 to 5 feet (31 cm. to 1.5 m.). The dull green leaves are sharply toothed along the edges. If you have common beggartick plants in your lawn or garden, you already know how troublesome they can be. You know how the stickery, fishhook-like seeds grab hold of whatever they touch, and you’ve probably spent hours picking the pesky things out of your socks or your dog’s coat....

How Cold Can Oleanders Tolerate? In their perennial range across oleander hardiness zones 8-10, most oleanders can only handle temperatures that dip no lower than 15 to 20 degrees F. (10 to -6 C.). Sustained exposure to these temperatures can damage plants and inhibit or reduce flowering. They perform best when planted in full sun, which also helps melt the frost formation more quickly than when planted in shady areas....

Curiously, the three days are sequential, and it’s only safe to plant in spring after the three days of celebration. Although all three saints died hundreds of years ago, it is probably good wisdom to wait until these May dates are passed to plant if you live in an area where spring frosts occur. Meet the Frost Saints If you’ve never heard of the three frost saints, the names St....

What are Tree Cankers? Cankers on trees appear as isolated dead areas on the bark, stems, branches or twigs. Cankers may appear as discolored areas or depressed places on the bark. A fungus that enters the tree and grows between the bark and the wood killing the bark generally causes cankers. However, cankers can also be caused by damage from weed eaters, lawnmowers, chemicals, insects or environmental conditions. The canker itself makes the tree highly vulnerable to bacteria, fungus and insects....

Japanese anemone plants are a cinch to grow and adaptable to most growing conditions. Read on to learn more about growing a Japanese anemone (or several!) in your garden. How to Grow Japanese Anemone Plants Ready to start growing a Japanese anemone? This plant may be available at your local greenhouse or nursery. Otherwise, it’s easy to divide mature plants or take root cuttings in early spring. Although it’s possible to plant Japanese anemone seeds, germination is erratic and slow....

What is a Leaf Rake Used for? A leaf rake is a lightweight rake that is shaped like a fan with flat, springy tines radiating outward. This type of rake is designed to be light enough to glide over grass without damaging it and digging into the turf. Leaf rakes are also sometimes referred to as lawn rakes. There are steel, polypropylene or bamboo types of leaf rakes available. The beauty of bamboo or polypropylene leaf rakes over steel rakes is that they are predominantly rust free; the wire holding the tines together may rust if not stored properly or oiled, however....

What Do Micro Prairies Do? Micro prairie plants– such as grasses, coneflowers, and milkweeds, attract native insects like bees, butterflies, birds, and other wildlife to seek their natural food sources and overwintering sites. Planting a micro prairie in your own backyard can help sustain wildlife displaced by lack of habitat, as well as increase your knowledge and appreciation of nature. Micro prairies provide natural forms of food for wildlife such as nectar, pollen, seeds, and berries....

About Moroccan Mound Euphorbias The Moroccan mound plant grows 1-2 feet (30.5 to 61 cm.) in height by about 4-6 feet (1 to 2 m.) across. It is a succulent that has an upright habit of pale blue-green, four-sided stems with brown spines along the margins and near the rounded tip. The plant bears small yellow blooms in late winter to early spring. A hardy plant, Moroccan mound euphorbia can be grown in USDA zones 9-11....