What are Chayotes? Chayote, as mentioned above, is a cucurbit, namely a squash vegetable. The fruit, stems, young leaves, and even the tubers are eaten either steamed or boiled in stews, baby food, juices, sauces, and pasta dishes. Popular in Central and South American countries, chayote squash was introduced into the Antilles and South America between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with the first botanical mention in 1756. Primarily used for human consumption, the stems of chayote squash are also used to make baskets and hats....

What are Itoh Peonies? In the early 1900’s, plant breeders scoffed at the idea of cross breeding herbaceous peonies with tree peonies; the species were considered too different and incompatible. In 1948, after thousands of failed attempts, Japanese horticulturist, Dr. Toichi Itoh, successfully created seven peony hybrids from a tree peony bred with an herbaceous peony. These were the first Itoh peonies. Sadly, Dr. Itoh passed away before ever seeing his creations bloom....

Becoming familiar with the common concerns of growing vinca will help growers keep their planting looking vibrant and beautiful throughout the summer season. One of the most frequent issues involving this plant is related to vinca leaves changing color. If your vinca is turning yellow, one or more issues may be the cause. While a yellowing vinca plant does not necessarily indicate disease, it is possible. Causes of Yellowing Vinca Plant Yellow vinca leaves can be caused by a large range of environmental factors....

What is a Column Cactus? This is a long-lived, thorny cactus that grows vertically in a single column. The column cactus may reach 30 feet (9 m.) in height. It is among the favorites of both indoor and outdoor growers. Columns are a bluish gray-green, growing upright in a single column with three to five blades. Large flowers produce edible fruit (Note: it is suggested in Peruvian apple cactus info that you consult with your health care provider before ingesting the fruit)....

What is a Farleigh Damson? Farleigh damson plums are palm-sized bites of goodness. Their slight acidity and extra hardiness set them apart from standard plums. The trees are small and sturdy, which makes them excellent for windbreaks or hedges and they can be trained to a trellis or espalier. The damson tree is a subspecies of plum. Farleigh damson plums are longer and more oval than regular plums and smaller overall in size....

What is a Ring Garden? Love them or hate them, ring gardens around trees and shrubs are a common sight in residential landscapes. What is a ring garden? You can find them in many different forms, but the basic concept is the same. A circular area around a tree is bordered at any diameter and filled with mulch, plants, rocks or other material. The idea may be for visual interest or simply to keep the tree from mechanical injury....

Uses for Blackhawks Ornamental Grass Blackhawks bluestem grass is appreciated for its stature and interesting blooms. The colorful foliage is gray or bluish green in spring, morphing to green with red tints in summer, and finally ending the season with deep purple or lavender-bronze leaves after the first frost in autumn. This versatile ornamental grass is natural for prairie or meadow gardens, at the back of beds, in mass plantings, or any spot where you can appreciate its year-round color and beauty....

What is Citrus Phymatotrichum? Fungal diseases in fruit trees are very common. The Phymatotrichum omnivorum fungus attacks many plants but really causes issues on citrus trees. What is citrus Phymatotrichum rot? It is a disease also known as Texas root rot or Ozonium root rot, which can kill citrus and other plants. Diagnosing cotton root rot on citrus can be difficult because initial symptoms seem to mimic many common plant ailments....

What is Dichorisandra Blue Ginger? Blue ginger gets its name from its resemblance to ginger plants. It isn’t a true ginger. Blue gingers belong to the same family as inch plants and spiderworts. All are very easy to grow indoors. Blue ginger (Dichorisandra thyrsiflora) is a huge plant with big spikes of blue flowers atop a tall tower of foliage. Fortunately, there is also a pretty little version of this plant, the weeping blue ginger (Dichorisandra pendula)....

What is Green Manure? Green manure is a term used to describe specific plant or crop varieties that are grown and turned into the soil to improve its overall quality. A green manure crop can be cut and then plowed into the soil or simply left in the ground for an extended period prior to tilling garden areas. Examples of green manure crops include grass mixtures and legume plants. Some of the most commonly used are:...

What is Peacock Ginger? Peacock ginger belongs to the Kaempferia genus and there are several species, all native to Asia. They are largely grown for the decorative foliage, although they also produce pretty little flowers, usually pale purple to pink. These are perennial, groundcover-type plants, most varieties growing no more than a foot (31 cm.) tall. The elaborately striped leaves of the peacock ginger give this plant its common name. The leaves are showy and attractive, growing between 4 and 10 inches (10-25 cm....

Soil Porosity Information Soil porosity, or soil pore space, are the small voids between particles of soil. In heathy soil, these pores are large and plentiful enough to retain the water, oxygen, and nutrients that plants need to absorb through their roots. Soil porosity usually falls into one of three categories: micro-pores, macro-pores, or bio-pores. These three categories describe the size of the pores and help us understand the soil’s permeability and water holding capacity....

How to Preserve Apricots When you’re sick of fresh apricots and the neighbors want nothing more to do with them but you still have plenty of fruit, you will need to preserve them. (You could always compost them, but that would be a shame). There are three basic ways to preserve fresh apricots: freeze them, make apricot preserves, or dry them. You could also juice, can or make syrup out of them, but for the moment we will focus on the previous three methods....

What to Grow Near Chives Companion planting isn’t anything new. Our ancestors knew what plants seemed to benefit from being close to each other, whether as a repellent, disease indicator, support, soil enhancer, or any other reason. Chives have a sulfur-based oil that is the heart of the flavors we enjoy but can also be a deterrent to many pests. They also have large, tufted, purple flower heads that are a bee magnet and draw pollinators to your garden....

Should I Deadhead Marigolds? Deadheading is the practice of removing a plant’s spent flowers. This procedure is said to promote new flower growth. Gardeners debate its utility since plants in nature deal with their own faded blossoms without any assistance. So it’s no surprise you ask, “Should I deadhead marigolds?”. Experts say that deadheading is largely a matter of personal preference for most plants, but with highly modified annuals such as marigolds, it is an essential step to keep the plants blooming....

How Often to Water Anthuriums Anthuriums are slow-growing plants that produce flat, spade-shaped leaves and strange, colorful flowers. The most noticeable part of the flower is the spathe, which is actually a single leaf that ranges in color from milk white to deep burgundy. Rising above the spathe is the spadix, a tall, narrow spike in varying colors that is the actual flower. Watering anthuriums is easy, though a little counterintuitive....

What is a Bulb? A bulb is typically a sphere-shaped bud. All around the bud is a fleshy membrane called scales. These scales contain all the food the bulb and flower will need to grow. There is a protective coating around the bulb called a tunic. There are different types of bulbs with a few differences, but the one thing they all have in common is they produce a plant from an underground food storage supply....

Although shrubs with vivid flowers add drama to a garden, many gardeners opt for white flowering shrubs to bring in a sense of elegance and serenity. Whether you are looking to plant one bush with white flowers or several, it helps to have a shortlist of candidates. White Flowering Shrubs If you are looking to install white flowering shrubs in your landscape, you will find more than a few to choose from....

Knopper Gall Information If you, too, have ever asked, “what’s wrong with my acorns,” then this is the most likely culprit. Knopper galls are caused by a Cynipid gall wasp, which is actually rarely seen. The wasp (Andricus quercuscalicis) lays eggs within the tree buds. Found on the pedunculate or common oak tree, these galls may be found on the foliage, twigs, and acorns. The name ‘knopper galls’ is thought to come from the old English word ‘knop,’ meaning a small, rounded protuberance, stud, button, tassel, or the like, and the German word ‘knoppe,’ which refers to a kind of felt cap worn during the 17th century....

Why are My Irises Not Blooming? Bearded or Asian, classic or designer, irises are a pleasure to have in the garden. They provide a long term display of tall, glorious sword-like leaves and boldly featured blooms. Most irises have a wide hardiness range from USDA zone 4 to 9. When iris does not bloom, you still have beautiful foliage but the long waited for flowers refuse to appear. Frustrating as this is, it is generally something that can be fixed and flowers will appear the following year....