What is a Pot in Pot Garden? A pot in pot garden is a simple idea and one that is easy to construct. Essentially, you bury containers in the ground and insert other containers with plants in them. To construct a bed like this, start by choosing the container sizes you’ll use. Dig holes in the bed in the desired arrangements and put the containers into the holes. They should be in the ground all the way up to the lip....

Doris Taylor Succulent Info Doris Taylor is an attractive pale green succulent plant. The leaf tips of this echeveria are sometimes dark and leaves are always quite fuzzy. It has a charming rosette shape reaching 7 to 8 inches (18-20 cm.) around and just 3 to 5 inches (7.6-13 cm.) tall. Try growing a woolly rose in a white container to best display its attractive, diminutive persona. As with most fuzzy leafed plants, little water is needed and leaves propagate more slowly than smooth leaved varieties....

What is an Eyelash Sage? The genus Salvia is comprised of more than 700 species amongst which are eyelash sage plants. They belong to the Lamiaceae or mint family and are notoriously pest resistant and highly attractive to hummingbirds. A Mexican native, eyelash leaved sage (Salvia blepharophylla) is also aptly named ‘Diablo,’ which means devil in Spanish and is in reference to the bright yellow stamens that stand up out of the crimson flowers like horns....

What is Atomic Gardening? Atomic gardening, or gamma gardening, is the process by which plants or seeds were exposed to varying degrees of radiation in fields or specially designed laboratories. Most often, a radiation source was placed at the top of a tower. The radiation would spread outward in a circle. Wedge-shaped plantings were made around the circle in order to ensure that each crop received differing amounts of treatment throughout the planting....

What is Black Smut Fungus? Fungal diseases can be the most frustrating to deal with and they seem to spring up out of nowhere and disappear with the same level of mystery. Although black smut is a minor disease in most parts of the country, it’s important to know how to handle it when your lawn or garden suddenly develops a load of black spores. Black smut is a fungal disease that appears on small grains, grasses, onions and even herbaceous ornamentals under the right conditions....

Dark Opal Basil Info There are scores of basil varieties, many are a traditional green color, but some are an eye-catching purple. Purple basils are unusual and attractive growing in containers in both indoor and outdoor herb gardens. Some purple basil plants, such as Dark Opal purple basil, are intensely aromatic. Plant Dark Opal basil where you can enjoy the fragrance as you enter your yard or along walkways as you stroll through the garden....

What is Hand Pollination? Hand pollination is the manual transfer of pollen from the stamen or male part of the flower to the pistil or female part. The purpose of hand pollination is to assist in the reproductive process of the plant. Hand pollination techniques depend upon the plant’s sexuality as well as the reason for the process. The simplest of the hand pollination techniques is simply to shake the plant....

Purple Vine Lilac Info What is hardenbergia? Purple vine lilac (Hardenbergia violacea) goes by many names, including false sarsaparilla, Australian sarsaparilla, purple coral pea, and just plain Hardenbergia. It is native to southeast Australia, where it thrives in rocky soils. It is not particularly cold hardy and can only live outdoors in USDA zones 9 to 11 (in zone 9 it may require protection from frost). In warm environments, it grows as an evergreen and can reach 50 feet (15 m....

Poison Sumac Information Poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix) is a large shrub or small tree that reaches mature heights of up to 20 feet (6 m.), but usually tops out at 5 or 6 feet (1.5-2 m.). The stems are red and the leaves are arranged in 7 to 13 pairs of glossy green leaflets, often with pale green undersides. Poison sumac trees grow in wet, swampy, or boggy areas or along shorelines....

What is Potato Early Blight? Early blight of potato is a common disease found in most potato growing regions. The disease is caused by the fungus Alternaria solani, which can also afflict tomatoes and other members of the potato family. Potatoes become infected with early blight when foliage has become excessively wet due to rain, fog, dew, or irrigation. Although not a terminal disease, severe infections can be fairly detrimental. In contrast to its name, early blight rarely develops early; it actually usually affects mature foliage rather than young, tender leaves....

What is Queenette Thai Basil? The basil ‘Queenette’ is a true Thai basil that hails from Thailand. It is a strikingly ornamental herb with small, densely clustered, green leaves surrounding the brilliant purple stems. Newly emerged leaves are also purple but green up as they mature. Its spires of purple flowers make it a beautiful edition not only to the herb garden but interspersed amongst other annuals and perennials. Thai basil is a common ingredient in Thai and other Asian cuisines in everything from chutney to stir fry to soup....

Sunset Hyssop Information The fragrant aroma of sunset hyssop plants is reminiscent of root beer, thus giving it the moniker “root beer hyssop plant.” The plant may also be known as licorice mint hyssop. Sunset hyssop is a hardy, versatile, fast-growing plant suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 10. At maturity, clumps of sunset hyssop reach heights of 12 to 35 inches (30-89 cm.), with a similar spread....

Yellow Dock Herbal Uses There are said to be many benefits of yellow dock herbs, and yellow dock herbs have been used since ancient times, and their use is still implemented by herbal medicine practitioners today. Yellow dock leaves and roots are used to improve digestion, remove toxins from the body, and are often taken as a gentle laxative. It is also used to treat various skin conditions (including burning from stinging nettle) and may be useful as a mild sedative....

When talking white rose varieties, the old ‘albas’ are really the only true types of white rose. All other white rose cultivars are actually variations of cream, but that doesn’t make them any less appealing when growing white roses. About White Rose Varieties Roses have been around for millions of years, with rose fossils having been found in 35-million-year-old rocks. During this lengthy period, roses have taken on a variety of meanings and symbolism....

Due to their preference for full sun and drier soils, celosia is excellent for use in containers and xeriscaping. When grown in the right conditions, celosia can be a long-blooming, low maintenance plant, but it can also be susceptible to certain pests and diseases. If you’ve found yourself wondering: “why is my celosia dying,” continue reading to learn about common celosia problems. Celosia Plant Death from Pests One of the most common causes for celosia plant death is an infestation of mites....

Why Do Roses Change Color? While it may seem uncommon, color changing in roses actually happens more often than one would think…and for many different reasons. Determining the cause of your changing rose color is the first step to getting the plant back to its original hue. Graft reversion Many rosebushes are what are known as grafted roses. This means that the upper part of the bush, the part the blooms are on and color we want it to be, is perhaps not hardy enough on its own root system to survive and thrive in many climatic conditions....

Growing black cherries are conical to ovoid in shape. These rapidly growing deciduous trees turn beautiful shades of yellow-gold to red in the fall. Wild black cherry trees also bear 5-inch long white flowers in early spring which turn to tiny but juicy, reddish black edible berries during the summer months. Additional Information on Wild Black Cherry Trees The leaves and twigs of growing black cherries contain hydrocyanic acid, which has the potential to poison livestock or other animals when consumed in large quantities....

Zone 5 Fruit Trees Zone 5 gets pretty cold in the winter, but some fruit trees grow happily in even colder zones like this. The key to growing fruit trees in zone 5 is to pick the right fruit and the right cultivars. Some fruit trees survive zone 3 winters, where temperatures dip down to -40 degrees F. (-40 C.). These include favorites like apples, pears, and plums. Those same fruit trees grow in zone 4, as well as persimmons, cherries, and apricots....

About Zone 9 Blueberries Native to eastern North America, blueberries fit perfectly into zone 9 landscapes. The rabbiteye blueberry, Vaccinium ashei, can be found in river valleys in northern Florida and southeastern Georgia. In fact, there are at least eight native Vaccinium species found growing in the woods and swamps of Florida. Rabbiteye blueberries can be grown in zones 7 to 9 and can grow to over 10 feet (3 m....

Whether you prefer culinary, medicinal, or ornamental plants, below are the 10 best kitchen houseplants to try. 10 Best Kitchen Houseplants: Houseplants for Kitchen Counter and More