Winter Gardening in Desert Climates The extra heat and light of desert zones sound great to a cold-season gardener like me. However, desert environments have a widely fluctuating temperature during the winter which can cause stress on plants. The movement of the sun during the winter solstice brings diminished sunlight and less angled rays that produce less light than spring and summer sun exposure. On the plus side, freezing temperatures are not the norm and average daily temperatures are still warm enough to allow plants to grow, albeit slower....

Benefits of Winter Wheat Cover Crops Winter wheat cover crops are designed to lessen erosion from runoff of water and wind and to retain the soil. They also contribute to the reduction of mineral leaching and compaction, suppress the amount of weed growth, reduce insect pests and diseases, and increase crop yield. Commonly used on commercial farms, cover crops can also be beneficial to the home garden where soil structure tends to become damaged due to weeding, tilling, harvesting, and general foot traffic....

About Kiwi Vines in Zone 9 Kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa) is a fast-growing deciduous vine that can grow 30 feet (9 m.) or more. The leaves of the vine are rounded with reddish hairs on the leaf veins and petiole. The vine blooms creamy white blossoms in midspring on one year old wood. Kiwi is dioecious, meaning plants are either male or female. This means that in order to set fruit, you need both a male and female kiwi in close proximity for most cultivars....

The best strategy is to determine where flowering trees could be used effectively and only then consider the proper variety. Experts recommend that someone picking among the types of flowering trees take many factors into account when picking a tree. Consider a tree’s mature size, season of bloom, and duration of blossoms. In addition, make sure the tree’s cultural requirements match up with your environment and preferences. Picking a Tree with White Flowers As you make your own shortlist, here are 10 of our favorite flowering trees that engage us with their white flowers....

About Crimson Crisp Apples You won’t find more attractive fruit than those from Crimson Crisp apple trees. Beautifully round and a perfect size for munching, these apples are sure to please apple lovers. Once you taste Crimson Crisp apples, your admiration may increase. Take a big bite to experience the extremely crisp, creamy-white flesh. You’ll find it tart with a rich flavor. The harvest is lovely and delicious, and those growing Crimson Crisp apples can enjoy them for a long time....

Amaryllis Planting Outdoors Amaryllis bulbs are easy enough to grow indoors, and just as easy to grow in the garden, provided you live in a suitable region. They make great specimens outdoors. They perform well in beds, borders, or containers outside. You can also scatter them throughout the landscape in naturalized areas. These plants look exceptionally attractive when planted in groups. Best of all, amaryllis bulbs are deemed resistant to both deer and many rodents....

About Fruit Tree Fertilizer Spikes Fertilizing nursery and landscape trees is often a necessity, and this includes fruit trees. Some gardeners note that trees in the wild don’t get fertilizer yet thrive. But this ignores the fact that wild trees profit from the nutrients that come from nature’s recycling process. Also, trees only grow wild where they are best adapted, while trees in the backyard have had a habitat foisted upon them....

Don’t give up on your Southwest garden in August, but always save energy-draining tasks for early morning before the heat of the day. Here is your garden to-do list for August. August Gardening Tasks in the Southwest Water cacti and other succulents carefully. You may be tempted to provide extra water when the temperature soars, but keep in mind that desert plants are accustomed to arid conditions and are prone to rot when conditions are too damp....

What is Boxleaf Azara? Imagine a slender tree with tiny, shiny evergreen leaves that look like round emeralds. The foliage is evergreen, with variegated types available, and stays on the plant year-round. But that’s not all you’ll get if you start growing azara boxleaf shrubs. Early every spring, the azara produces yellow, pom-pom-shaped flowers that exude a striking fragrance with a touch of vanilla. These become orange or crimson berries in summer....

Baby’s Breath Seed Propagation Easily recognizable from bridal displays to any occasion flower arrangements, baby’s breath is a hardy perennial. It is suitable for USDA zones 3 to 9. Plants can be easily started from seed. Baby’s breath seed propagation can be done early indoors in flats or planted outside after all danger of frost has passed. Transplants and seeds should go outdoors after the threat of any frost has passed....

Growing Malted Barley for Beer Malting barley comes in two varieties, two-row and six-row, which refer to the number of rows of grain on the head of the barley. Six-row barley is much smaller, less starchy, and more enzymatic than two-row and is used for making many American style microbrews. Two-row barley is plumper and starchier and is used for all-malt beers. It used to be that six-row was most commonly grown on the East Coast and in the Midwest while two-row was grown in the milder Pacific Northwest and the Great Plains....

What is Net Blotch on Barley? Barley with net blotch is caused by a fungus called Helminthosporium teres syn. Pyrenophora teres. Found mostly in wild barley and other related domestic cultivars, barley net blotch damages the leaves and, in severe cases, seeds of the plants, causing spread of the disease, and possible reduction of yields. Early signs of barley with net blotch manifest in the form of green or brown spots on the foliage of the barley plants....

Small Lawn Trees Here are some good trees for a small yard: Star Magnolia – Hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, this tree tops out at 20 feet (6 m.) in height and reaches a spread of 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.5 m.). It produces fragrant, white, star-shaped flowers in early spring. It is deciduous, and its dark green leaves turn yellow in the fall. Loquat – Hardy in USDA zones 7 through 10, this tree reaches 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 m....

What is Scorzonera Root? Also commonly referred to as black salsify (Scorzonera hispanica), scorzonera root vegetables may also be called black vegetable oyster plant, serpent root, Spanish salsify, and viper’s grass. It has a long, fleshy taproot much akin to that of salsify, but black on the exterior with white interior flesh. Although similar to salsify, scorzonera is not related taxonomically. Leaves of scorzonera root are spiny but finer in texture than salsify....

Using Plant with Life-Like Qualities You may not know it, but plants are not lifeless. They can see, hear, taste, smell, feel, walk, creep, tumble, set traps, kill and more. In fact, plants are actually rather smart (as in the brain cactus) and more in tune with their surroundings than we are, making them wonderful in keeping pests and intruders away. That said, you want to take good care of your garden plants; otherwise, they may put a target on your back....

Plant Dormancy in Winter Fall is the time most gardeners plant spring bulbs. Bulbs produce some roots until the real cold sets in. The flower bulb life cycle includes the bloom period, foliar energy gathering, root and offset formation, and finally, they get a much needed cold exposure. Bulbs in winter need the cold exposure to eventually break dormancy bonds and force spring growth. That is why spring bulbs that are “forced” are refrigerated to provide chilling hours necessary for flower development....

California Poppy Info If you’ve ever been through California and seen a hillside of bright orange blooms, you are familiar with the California poppy plant. Knowing how to grow California poppies will provide the gardener with a foolproof plant and a wild native that is perennial and easy to maintain. The cheery, eye-popping flowers will enliven any scenario, but be cautious. The plant has a deep taproot and ferociously reseeds, making it a possible pest plant in some locations....

Can Goji Berries Grow in Containers? If you like the idea of growing this flavorful little berry but you’re lacking garden space, growing goji berries in containers is a viable alternative. In fact, potted goji berries are surprisingly easy to grow and maintain. Although goji berries are suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 3-10, growing goji berries in containers allows you to bring the plant inside when the temperatures drop in autumn....

Can You Grow Beans in Autumn? Yes, fall bean crops are a great idea! Beans in general are easy to grow and yield bountiful harvests. Many people agree that the taste of a fall crop of green beans far surpasses that of spring planted beans. Most beans, with the exception of fava beans, are cold sensitive and thrive when temps are between 70-80 F. (21-27 C.) and soil temps at least 60 F....

Best of all, grape hyacinths are easy to dig up after flowering. Can you replant grape hyacinths? Yes, you can. Read on for all the info you need about how to store hyacinth bulbs after flowering. Digging Grape Hyacinths Why should you buy more grape hyacinth bulbs when–by digging up grape hyacinths–you can get lots of new starts from the bulbs you’ve planted? Wait until the blossoms wilt, leaving only the leaves and stems....