Nigella Plant Info If you’re not familiar with the love in a mist plant, you may wonder exactly what it is. Flowers of growing Nigella are surrounded by a series of bracts. These are supported by a thread-like leaf structure, known as a ruff, on the cultivar love in a mist plant. This gives the appearance of the flowers being surrounded by a mist, hence the romantic name. Double flowers appear to peek through the mist in colors of blue, pink, and white....

What are Nut Tree Pests? It may seem like nut trees are impervious to pest insects, but the truth is that they can succumb just like any other plant. Their relatively large size in comparison to many other plants only means that it takes a larger insect load before you notice significant nut tree pest symptoms. Regular inspection of your nut trees can keep them pest free, which is why we’ve compiled a list of the most common nut tree pests and how to treat pests on nut trees below: Aphids....

What is Onion Soft Rot? Soft rot in onions is a common disease caused by several types of bacteria. It most commonly affects onions while they are being stored, but contamination or the damage that leads to contamination often occurs during or around harvest. The disease can cause a lot of destruction and significantly diminish yields. Bacterial soft rot infections strike already mature onions. The signs of onion soft rot start with softness at the neck of the bulb....

Saving geraniums for the winter can be done in three ways. Let’s look at these different ways. How to Save Geraniums Over the Winter in Pots When saving geraniums for the winter in pots, dig up your geraniums and place them in a pot that can comfortably fit their rootball. Prune the geranium back by one-third. Water the pot thoroughly and place it in a cool but well-lit part of your house....

Pagoda Dogwood Information Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) is a large shrub or small tree for a garden or backyard. The pagoda dogwood is hardy in the U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 7. It is also an attractive plant. When you are growing pagoda dogwood trees, you’ll see that the branches are tiered and horizontal, turning up slightly at the tips. Pagoda dogwood information suggests that the blossoms are also a nice addition to a landscape....

Black Walnut and Pecan Tree Juglone The relationship between plants wherein one produces a substance such as juglone, which affects the growth of another is called allelopathy. Black walnut trees are fairly notorious for their toxic effects to surrounding juglone sensitive vegetation. Juglone doesn’t tend to leach out of the soil and may poison nearby foliage at the circumference of twice the radius of the tree’s canopy. Some plants are more susceptible to the toxin than others and include:...

Pellonia is usually utilized in hanging baskets but also works well in terrariums. This herbaceous perennial hails from the family Urticaceae and has a low growing habit, 3 to 6 inches (8-15 cm.), with spreading or creeping tendencies of 1 to 2 feet (31-61 cm.), making Pellonia useful as a groundcover in appropriate climates. How to Grow Pellonias Hardy in USDA zones 10 through 12, Pellonia is an easy to grow houseplant that requires minimum maintenance....

About Pergola Climbing Plants Plants and vines for pergola structures vary in size, growing habit, and appearance. Many pergola plants are flowering vines that add color and interest to the landscape. Some gardener’s combine several climbing plants that bloom during different times of the season for year-round color. Be sure that your pergola structure is strong enough to support the weight of several climbers before you plant. Starting Pergola Climbing Plants Although some climbing plants are self-clinging, meaning they will hang on to something and begin to climb, others require some assistance....

Bugs That Eat Sesame Aphids, leafhoppers, and thrips: Aphids, leafhoppers, and thrips are common pests of sesame. All three are sucking pests that tend to cause stunted growth and may injure buds, thus preventing development of seedpods. When it comes to managing these small insects, sesame seed pest control is fairly easy to attain with insecticidal soap spray. However, you may need to spray several times if the infestation is severe....

How to Create a Children’s Snack Garden When I was little, you couldn’t get me to eat a tomato – never, no way, yuck! That is until my grandfather, an avid gardener as well as a frequent babysitter, got me out into his garden. Suddenly, cherry tomatoes were a revelation. Many kids completely change their minds about veggies when they are the ones participating in the gardening and harvesting. To get them interested, choose an area of the garden just for them....

When to Pick a Pineapple Pineapple is a most amazing, seedless fruit called a syncarp. This basically means that the fruit is produced from the fusion of several flowers into one large fruit. These herbaceous perennials are easy to grow and only get to between 2 ½ and 5 feet (0.5-1.5 m.) tall, making them a perfect size for most gardens or as a potted plant. When the plant produces flowers, it is considered to be mature and you can expect (barring unseen complications) fruit in about six months....

Plant Ideas for Containers The following container garden themes may pique your creativity. Grow a Pizza Container Garden If your family loves pizza, they’re bound to enjoy a pizza container garden. A large container works well for this theme, but you can still have fun with a smaller container too. Plants for a pizza garden can include herbs and veggies such as: Miniature roma tomatoesSmall onions or chivesSweet bell peppersOreganoParsleyBasil...

Planning a Forever Growing Garden Naturally, the first step in creating a forever-growing garden is developing a garden design. As you look around your available space, consider the placement of paths, seating and other hardscaping elements. Once these features are in the design, it’s time to designate space for the forever-growing garden beds. When creating flowerbeds for forever-garden plants, consider which types of flowers and foliage plants you wish to include....

Harvesting Seeds from Boston Ivy Pick Boston ivy berries when they are ripe, squishy, and ready to drop naturally from the plant. Some people have good luck planting the fresh seeds directly in cultivated soil in autumn. If you would rather save the seeds and plant them in spring, the following steps will tell you how: Place the berries in a sieve and push the pulp through the sieve. Take your time and press gently so you don’t crush the seeds....

Where to Plant Grape Hyacinth Bulbs Grape hyacinths start from small fleshy little bulbs. Keep in mind that the small bulbs can dry out easier than the bigger ones, so plan on planting them early in the fall so they get enough moisture. Grape hyacinths grow in sun or light shade, so they’re not too picky. They just don’t like extremes, so don’t plant them where it’s too wet or too dry....

What is a Red Hot Poker Torch Lily? The striking, red hot poker plant (Kniphofia uvaria) is in the Liliaceae family and is also known as poker plant and torch lily. This plant thrives in USDA zones 5 through 9 and is an upright evergreen perennial with a clumping habit. Over 70 known species exist of this South African native plant. Torch lilies grow to be up to 5 feet (1....

Seed Planting Times for Zone 5 Zone 5 has a shorter growing season than warmer climes. That doesn’t mean you can’t get loads of produce, but it does mean you need to check your seed packets and pay attention to the “days to maturity” portion of the instructions. This will tell you how long your seeds will take from planting to harvest. Some vegetables are cool season crops and can be started even when outdoor temperatures are still cool while others such as melons, tomatoes, and eggplant require warm soil to germinate and bright, sunny, warm conditions....

How to Grow Grocery Store Basil Potted grocery store basil plants are appealing for many reasons. With their lush foliage, one can’t help but begin to daydream about their use in his/her favorite recipes. However, though plants within these pots might look healthy and vibrant, all may not be what it seems. Upon closer inspection, gardeners will quickly notice that the pot actually contains several densely packed plants. Under these cramped conditions, it’s highly unlikely that the basil will continue to thrive once it has arrived home....

Effects and Use of Boron on Plants Boron is a micronutrient necessary for plant growth. Without adequate boron in the soil, plants may appear healthy but will not flower or fruit. Water, organic matter and soil texture are all factors that affect boron in soil. The balance of too little or too much between plants and boron is a delicate one. Heavy boron soil concentration can be toxic to plants. Boron helps control the transport of sugars in plants....

Using Medicinal Herbs in Gardens For centuries, in almost every culture, the herb garden has held a special place in the garden. Long before walk-in clinics and huge medical complexes, people had to grow and prepare their own medicines. Healing herb plants were often grown in sacred gardens that not only provided healing from the plants themselves but also to be aesthetically pleasing to the senses. Herbs were arranged by size and texture, often in geometric patterns, along with fruit and vegetable espaliers....