Torch Ginger Plant Information Torch ginger flowers may reach 17 to 20 feet (5-6 m.) in height. Plant it where it is somewhat protected from the wind, which can snap the shoots of this tropical plant. Due to the large height, growing torch ginger in containers may not be feasible. Learning how to grow torch ginger lilies will add unusual flowers to your outdoor display, available in a range of colors....

What is Rhizoctonia Rot of Strawberries? Also known as black root rot, this disease is actually a disease complex. This means there may be multiple pathogens causing the disease. Several fungal species have been implicated, including rhizoctonia, pythium, and fusarium, as well as some types of nematode. Rhizoctonia is a major culprit and often dominates the disease complex. The most visible aboveground signs of strawberries with rhizoctonia fungi and black root rot are general lack of vigor, limited growth of runners, and smaller berries....

Kapok Tree Pruning Are you wondering how to prune a kapok tree? Trimming a kapok tree can be hard for a homeowner if the tree already scrapes the sky. However, if you start early and act regularly, you should be able to keep a young tree in check. The first rule of trimming a kapok tree is to establish one main trunk. To do this, you must start by cutting back kapok trees’ competing leaders....

What is a Stenocereus Cactus? The world of cacti is a wondrous place filled with tiny to skyscraping plants in all shapes and colors. The many types of Stenocereus mostly fit the taller category, with vertical limbs that provide the main characteristic of the genera. Stenocereus cacti are native to the southwestern United States and northern parts of Mexico. One of the more impressive and commonly known plants in this family is the organ pipe cactus, which can grow up to 16 feet (4 m....

Uncarina Information The color of Uncarina blooms, which vary depending on the species, ranges from various shades of orange-yellow or golden-yellow, or even purple or rose. One popular species, Uncarina grandidieri, produces bright yellow blooms that resemble petunias with contrasting dark throats. Similarly, the shape of the leaves depends on the species. Uncarina is also known as claw plant or mousetrap tree for a very good reason – the seed pods are armed with stout, hooked barbs that frequently grab unsuspecting animals unlucky enough to pass by....

Urban Soil Contamination So why might urban gardening occur in bad soil? Urban gardens are often located in areas that were formerly industrial or heavily trafficked roads. There may have been a gas station, factory, or past chemical spill in your little Eden – with any number of chemicals left lingering in your garden plot. A lack of knowledge about how the property was used in the past makes the potential for a contaminated garden more of a reality....

Hot Water and Plant Growth You’ve probably heard a lot of really unusual home remedies for pests and plant diseases (I know I have!), but using hot water on plants is actually something that works quite effectively on certain pests and pathogens. Unlike various pesticides or home remedies, hot water baths for plants can be quite safe for the plant, environment, and gardener alike, provided you’re careful how you apply the water....

Shovels and Their Uses The sheer variety of shovels available in gardening and hardware stores can be confusing. Fortunately, most garden shovels fall into a few common categories, each intended to be used for specific garden tasks. If you’ve ever wondered “What shovel do you need for gardening?”, this article will help answer your question. Before learning about the common types of garden shovels, it is helpful to know the parts of a shovel....

Eating Vegetables for Vitamin D Intake Vitamin D is often referred to as the sunshine vitamin because the human body produces it naturally when it is exposed to the sun. Because of this, the simple act of gardening can do a lot to help your body produce the Vitamin D it needs. It doesn’t matter what you grow – as long as you’re out in the sunshine regularly, you’re doing your body good....

See your Garden as a Work of Art The fundamentals or building blocks of art easily pertain to landscaping. These are color, composition, form and perspective. Design elements of color, line, shape and texture are easily translated to the fundamentals of art. In the case of a window garden view, again using the window as a frame, the goal is to integrate a focal point and then frame it using ornamental trees, arbors or trellises....

All Sweet Watermelon Plant Info What is an All Sweet watermelon? All Sweet is a direct descendant of the Crimson Sweet watermelon, and it may very well be what you picture when you’re asked to imagine a watermelon. All Sweet watermelon plants produce big fruits, usually measuring 17 to 19 inches (43-48 cm.) long and 7 inches (18 cm.) across and weighing in at between 25 and 35 pounds (11-16 kg....

Grow Your Own Wellness Garden Anyone with a little outdoor space can create their own therapeutic garden. The first step is designing your garden to suit your health needs. Here are few ideas to get you started: Aromatherapy Garden– Feeling tense? Can’t sleep? Fill your peaceful backyard garden with scented plants to help relieve anxiety, manage pain and improve sleep. Choose wellness garden plants like chamomile, lavender, and rosemary. Surround a lounge chair with these aromatic herbs all summer and harvest the leaves and flowers for indoor aromatherapy sessions during the winter....

What is Southern Pea Pod Blight? Wet rot of southern peas is a disease caused by the fungus Choanephora cucurbitarum. This pathogen causes fruit and blossom rot in not only southern peas, but also okra, snap bean, and various cucurbits. Symptoms of Southern Peas with Pod Blight The disease appears first as water-soaked, necrotic lesions on pods and stalks. As the disease progresses and the fungus produces spores, a dark gray, fuzzy, fungal growth develops on the affected areas....

What are Dolphin Plants? A quick search on dolphin plant info reveals that it is a cross between hot dog cactus and string of pearls. Dolphin plants are hybrids that bring extra charm to a sea-themed planter. Their unusual leaf form has typical succulent plumpness with low maintenance and few growing issues. The main thing to remember is that the plant is a succulent and requires well-draining soil to thrive. One of the worst offenses is overly wet soil, but don’t be fooled – dolphin plants do like regular moisture....

What are Holoparasitic Plants? Spending time in the garden means getting better acquainted with some of the more lowly denizens contained therein. You learn which plants are weeds, which ones are useful groundcover and, if you’re lucky, which ones are holoparasitic plants. With anything in life, the plant kingdom contains a small segment (about 4,400 species) of flowering plants that don’t produce any or all of their own food. This holoparasitic information will help you better recognize them when wandering the garden path....

What are Lily Flowered Tulips? There are over 3,000 registered varieties of tulips that are divided into 15 categories based on bloom time, flower type and size. Lily flowered tulips fall into division 6. Of the lily flowered tulip varieties, most bloom in the late spring, although a few blossom in mid-spring. They have long, slender stems atop which perch lily-like flowers. The goblet shaped blooms have pointed outward arching petals that come in a variety of hues from white to pink, red, yellow and even purple....

What are Mint Borers? Mint borers are the larval form of a light brown moth that hold their wings over themselves like a partially flattened tent. Adults reach up to 3/4 inch (2 cm.), emerging from mid-June through mid-August. During the week they’re alive, adults lay eggs aggressively on peppermint and spearmint leaves. Larvae emerge in about 10 days and begin feeding on leaves. After a few days, these hungry larvae drop into the soil to chew on root hairs and burrow into the rhizomes of their host plants....

What’s in a Name – Pink Lady vs. Cripps The apples that we know as Pink Lady were first developed in Australia in 1973 by John Cripps, who crossed a Golden Delicious tree with a Lady Williams. The result was a shockingly pink apple with a distinctly tart but sweet flavor, and it began being sold in Australia in 1989 under the trademarked name Cripps Pink. In fact, it was the very first trademarked apple....

What is a Darwinia Plant? Darwinia plants are evergreen, somewhat scrubby bushes that are only found in the wild in western Australia. Two types exist, distinguishable by the Darwinia flowers. One group offers spectacular, bell-shaped flowers while the other grows smaller flowers and is known as the rose-type Darwinia. Popular Darwinia hookeriana shrubs grow to about 3 feet (1 m.) tall with small, terminal flowers surrounded by brilliant, red bracts that make the plant attractive....

What is a Dutch Hoe? Those who haven’t heard of this tool may ask: what is a Dutch hoe? It’s a new take on an old tool that takes the pain out of weeding. A Dutch hoe, also called a push hoe, doesn’t have the typical hoe blade with its 90-degree-angle. Instead, the blade of the Dutch hoe faces forward. If you are wondering how to use a Dutch hoe, it’s not at all difficult....