Common Pests on Viburnum Here are some of the most common viburnum pests and methods for viburnum pest control. Aphids – While they don’t cause much damage, aphids can cause curling in new growth. They can be gotten rid of with a steady stream of water from the hose, insecticidal soap, or horticultural oil. Thrips – Thrips can cause purple spots on leaves, curled and dropped leaves, and dropped, unopened flower buds....

Reasons for Companion Planting an Herb Garden Companion planting with herbs offers numerous benefits. For example, companion planting with herbs can discourage pests, which often occurs when you plant companion herbs that exude an aroma that pests find unpleasant. On the other hand, some herbs that grow well together can actually attract beneficial insects or draw unwanted pests away from more susceptible herbs. Some herbs can even increase the essential oils in companion herbs....

Note: This article pertains primarily to Roman chamomile (Matricaria recutita), a perennial that works beautifully as container-grown chamomile. German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is a hardy annual that needs plenty of open space and, thus, isn’t recommended for containers. If you want to give it a try, use a very large container. How to Grow Chamomile in a Container Chamomile will grow happily in any type of container, as long as it has a drainage hole....

How to Control Wisteria Unless you know how to control wisteria, this vine can quickly and easily choke out surrounding plants and other structures within its path. Learning how to cut back wisteria isn’t difficult but may be a time-consuming chore. Nonetheless, vigorous pruning is about the only way to keep wisteria under control. You should lightly prune wisteria on a regular basis throughout summer to remove any unruly shoots as well as any new ones that may pop up....

With spring on the way, you might consider growing all you need to make your cooking sing in your own garden or backyard. Herbs don’t need much space and you don’t need to be a green-fingered wizard either. You don’t even need a garden! In fact, you can start with a few pots on a windowsill or in a small sunny corner. Which Herbs to Grow Most herbs can be grown in containers or outdoors and don’t need too much looking after....

Homemade Planters Many gardeners use terracotta flowerpots, nude or glazed, because these are the easiest low-cost alternative out there, other than simple plastic. However, if you expand your definition of what “container” means when it comes to plants, you’ll find hundreds of options for creative containers. Mother Nature sites most plants outdoors under the blue sky with their roots deep in the dirt, from which they extract moisture and nutrients. Plants can also look terrific on a patio or inside a home where there is no garden bed....

Hardy Crepe Myrtles If you ask about hardiness zones for growing crepe myrtle trees, you’ll probably learn that these plants thrive in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 and above. They can even suffer cold damage in zone 7. What’s a zone 6 gardener to do? You’ll be happy to learn that some new, hardy crepe myrtles have been developed. So will crepe myrtle grow in zone 6 now? The answer is: sometimes....

Crocus Cold Hardiness Spring blooming plants need chilling to force the bulb to sprout. This necessity makes them naturally tolerant of freezes and snow and minimizes the chance of crocus cold damage. The United States Department of Agriculture has organized the U.S. into hardiness zones. These indicate the average annual minimum temperature per region, divided by 10 degrees Fahrenheit. These bulb plants are hardy in United States Department of Agriculture zones 9 to 5....

Cubanelle Pepper Facts What is a cubanelle pepper? A variety of sweet pepper, the cubanelle is similar in a lot of ways to the ubiquitous bell pepper. Unlike its cousin, however, it has a long, tapered shape that usually reaches 5 to 7 inches (13-18 cm.) in length. It tends to twist and bend as it grows, giving it a unique, rustic appearance. The walls of the fruit are thinner than those of a bell pepper, which means it cooks much more quickly....

Dahlia Companion Plants Dahlias grow from tubers and produce flowers that range in size from dinner plate giants to diminutive discs. Dahlias are perennials and work well in a mixed perennial bed. Consider the huge water needs of these plants when selecting companions for dahlia. Plants can also grow several feet (0.5 to 1 m.) tall and nearly as wide. Lower plants should be able to tolerate some shade and taller plants can be used at the rear of the bed as an accent....

How to Grow Date Trees Most date palm production in the U.S. is in southern California and Arizona. Florida has many palm trees too, but the dates grow during the rainy season and generally get moldy and rot before they can mature. Date palm growing requires temperatures above 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-6 C.) to survive. Pollination takes place at 95 degrees (35 C.) and fruits need dry, hot temperatures with warm nights....

Growing David Viburnum Plants David viburnum is a small rounded shrub that reaches heights of 24 to 48 inches (0.6-1.2 m.) with widths about 12 inches (31 cm.) more than the height. The shrub is evergreen in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 through 9, but it may be deciduous in the northern edges of that range. Growing David viburnum plants isn’t difficult, as this is a hardy, low-maintenance plant with no serious threat from pests or disease....

Varieties of Catnip The most common of the catnip plant varieties is Nepeta cataria, also known as true catnip. There are many other species of Nepeta, many of which have several colors of flowers and even specialized scents. These different catnip plants are native to Europe and Asia but have naturalized easily in parts of North America. Catnip and its cousin catmint have hybridized to create several offshoots of the original variety....

Containers for Plants in a Dish Garden When designing a dish garden, you need to choose an appropriate container. Select a shallow container that is at least 2 inches (5 cm.) deep. Ceramic containers work exceptionally well for most types of dish gardens. Once you have selected a container for your garden, it is imperative that you make sure your garden will have excellent drainage. One way to ensure this is to select a container with drainage holes or create drainage holes in the bottom of the container....

Making a Grapevine Wreath If you need to cut back your grapevines, why not use the discarded cuttings for a natural grapevine wreath. Grapevine wreath ideas are sweeping the internet. They aren’t just for the holidays anymore. For instance, some crafters add living succulents while others cover the vine frame in burlap or other material and affix decorating touches. Learn how to make grapevine wreaths from your leftover vines and grab onto this trendy craft....

What is a Potato Tower? Potatoes are easy to grow, nutritious, and have the added benefit of a lengthy shelf life. Unfortunately, the traditional method for growing potatoes requires quite a bit of space, which may be a challenge for some folks. Homemade potato towers are the perfect solution. Usually, from 2 to 4 feet (61 cm. to 1 m.) in height, these simple constructions are cylinders of metal fencing that have been lined with straw and then filled with soil....

DIY Privacy Wall Ideas: How to Make a Privacy Wall A privacy wall can be a living wall, i.e., created using live plants, or a stationary wall, one made with new or repurposed elements, or a combination of both. Living Walls Planting evergreen shrubs and hedges around the perimeter of the space is the traditional way to create a secluded backyard. Some good choices for plants are: Arborvitae (Thuja)Bamboo (Various)Burning bush (Euonymus alatus) Cypress (Cupressus spp....

Environmental Dragon Fruit Problems Although dragon fruit is heat loving, it can be damaged by long periods of intense sun and heat, resulting in sunscald. To eliminate this pitaya problem, be sure to situate pitaya in an area where you can provide some shade during the hottest periods of the day, especially to young plants. That said, in general, dragon fruit is tolerant of drought, heat, and poor soil. It is also fairly tolerant of cold; however, damage to the plant will be apparent if temperatures dip below freezing for a long period of time, but pitaya will recover quickly from shorter durations of freezing temperatures....

Dwarf Hydrangea Bushes Who doesn’t love bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla)? These are plants with tricks, as the flowers will turn from blue to pink if the acidity of the soil changes. These are shrubs with round clusters of flowers bigger than your fist. The leaves are not the only thing big about them. The plants themselves grow 6 feet (2 m.) tall and wide. For smaller spaces, you can get the same frilly elegance with ‘Paraplu’ (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Paraplu’), a smaller version of bigleaf with the same strikingly lovely pink flowers that won’t get above 3 feet (1 m....

Difference Between Wax Myrtle and Dwarf Myrtle Depending on who you talk to, dwarf myrtle is thought to be simply a smaller variety of its common sister species, Morella cerifera, or the common wax myrtle. Apparently, the genus Myrica was split into Morella and Myrica, so wax myrtle is sometimes called Morella cerifera and sometimes called Myrica cerifera. Wax myrtle will generally have larger leaves than the dwarf variety and will attain a height a couple of feet taller (5 to 6) than the dwarf....