Compost not heating up to proper temperatures will result in a smelly mess or a pile that takes forever to break down. How to heat up compost is a common problem and easily addressed. Tips for How to Heat up Compost The answer to how to heat up compost is simple: nitrogen, moisture, bacteria, and bulk. Nitrogen is necessary for cell growth in organisms that aid in decomposition. A by-product of this cycle is heat....

Is Horse Manure Good Fertilizer? Readily available in many rural areas or through reputable suppliers, horse manure makes a suitable and inexpensive fertilizer for plants. Horse manure can give new plants a jump start while providing essential nutrients for continual growth. It contains adequate amounts of organic matter and can be applied in various ways. It’s also slightly higher in nutritional value than cow or steer manure. How Do I Use Horse Manure as Fertilizer?...

Can You Plant Ajuga in Pots? One of my go-to plants for containers or garden beds is ajuga. It is hardy, unfussy, brilliantly colored, and gives more and more plants each season. Container grown ajuga is just as useful and perks up a pot when other plants have yet to bloom or have died back. The lively color and jaunty little flowers can grow in either shade or sun, providing many options for containers in any situation....

Once it’s established, it can be hard to get rid of and will crowd out or strangle plants that get in its path. It is because of this, unless you specifically want it as groundcover in a spot where nothing else grows, you should work on controlling creeping jenny as soon as you spot it. Keep reading to learn more about how to get rid of creeping jenny in the garden....

What is a Crevice Garden? A crevice garden is a garden that takes inspiration from natural areas where plants grow in spaces between rocks. You can build an alpine crevice garden, with plants from mountain ecosystems or create a desert rock garden. Crevice gardens also do well with native plants designed for xeriscaping. With well-drained soil, a native crevice garden does not use much water and should thrive. How to Make a Crevice Garden Building a crevice garden requires rocks and an appropriate soil mix....

What is a Saint Garden? A garden of saints is an area for reflection and prayer that has inspirational items in it that are related to one or more saints. Religious garden statues are often centerpieces of a saint garden. Often, this statuary is of the Virgin Mary or of a particular saint, or even an entire garden of saints. Each saint is a patron of something, and many of them are patrons of things related to nature, which make excellent choices for inclusion in the saint garden....

What is Cucumber Anthracnose Disease? Anthracnose in cucumbers is a fungal disease caused by the fungus Colletotrichum orbiculare (C. lagenarium). It afflicts most cucurbits, other vine crops, and cucurbit weeds. Squash and pumpkins, however, are primarily immune to the disease. In cucumbers, this disease is fostered by seasons of warm temperatures combined with frequent rain. When anthracnose control in cucumbers is not implemented, losses of 30% or more may be realized....

About Cupid’s Dart Flowers Catananche caerulea, or cupid’s dart, is a flowering perennial native to Europe. It forms clumps up to 30 inches (76 cm.) tall with thin, wiry stems and blue or lavender, daisy-like flowers. The leaves are narrow, grass-like, and grayish-green. The flowers start blooming in midsummer and continue into the fall. There are a few cultivars with different bloom colors; ‘alba’ has white flowers and ‘major’ has the usual lavender blooms but with dark purple centers....

Orange Sunflowers Orange Sun – The fuzzy, double-petal flowers of this cultivar are an intriguing change from traditional sunflowers. Expect 6 inch (15 cm.) flowers on 6 to 8 feet (2 m.) tall plants.Soraya – An All American Selection winner, Soraya has golden orange petals and a chocolate brown center. This multi-branching variety reaches 4 to 6 feet (1-2 m.) tall.Velvet Queen – This variety produces a multitude of 6 to 8 inch (15-20 cm....

Preventing Houseplant Problems The first step in controlling most diseases is prevention. Always buy disease-free plants. Use clean soil when repotting, carefully scrubbing pots before reusing to kill any disease organisms that may be present. Providing your houseplants with the proper growing conditions, giving them plenty of TLC and checking them often for problems will significantly reduce the chances of disease, turning desperate houseplants into happy ones. Watering may be the most important aspect of healthy plants, however, most people tend to overwater, creating breeding grounds for fungi and other disease-causing agents....

How Art Fits into Gardens Art has the ability to draw the eye. It can be cleverly designed to blend in with its surroundings and bring out the background. This versatility means garden art is the perfect way to jazz up your landscape. Placing works of art in gardens highlights the beauty of surrounding plants and flowers. The definition of “art” is up to you. Whether painting, sculpture, funky furniture, mirrors, or even repurposed household items, art is meant to lead the eye....

How do you know if the ground is frozen solid? Keep reading to find out how to tell if ground is frozen or not. How to Avoid Digging in Frozen Soil Although it may seem as if spring has arrived, it’s important to test the soil for readiness before working your soil or planting your garden. Several very warm days in a row may lead you to believe that the ground is ready to be worked....

What is Apple Chlorosis? Vitamin and nutrient deficiencies in fruits and vegetables can severely affect crop yield. Apples with chlorosis will develop yellow leaves and a diminished capacity to photosynthesize. That means less plant sugars to fuel growth and production of fruit. Many types of plants, including ornamentals, are affected by chlorosis. Apple chlorosis occurs as a result of a lack of iron in soil. It causes yellowing and possible die off of leaves....

What is a Gutter Garden? If you’ve not seen them, in person or online, you may be asking what is a gutter garden? It’s a rain gutter designed to hold your choice of plants and decorate a wall, fence, porch railing, or another area. Use your creativity to put a gutter garden in some of your free space. If you need inspiration, take a look here. Consider these uses for gutter gardens:...

Rose Water Benefits Obviously roses have a pleasant scent which has been used for millennia to soothe anxiety, counter depression and to lull insomniacs, but roses have other beneficial qualities as well. Rose water can be used to flavor foods and drinks but, surprisingly, it also has antibacterial properties and can be used to treat infections. It has been used to soothe irritated throats, aid in digestion and digestive related ailments, relieve inflammation and reduce fluid retention....

Do Pecan Trees Need Pruning? Do pecan trees need pruning? The short answer is: yes. Cutting back pecan trees in the first five years of their lives can be a huge benefit when they reach maturity. Pruning a pecan tree when it is grown as well can help prevent the spread of disease and promote better nut production. When you first transplant your pecan tree, prune back the top third of the branches....

Dracaena Water Requirements Although dracaena plants are native to subtropical regions, these houseplants do not tolerate wet soils. When potting up dracaena, make certain that the plants are situated in a well-draining container. This step will help to prevent root rot and other stress-related diseases. How much water does dracaena need and when to water dracaenas? A general rule of thumb is to only water dracaena when the soil feels dry to the touch....

Why is Cyclamen Drooping? Drooping leaves on cyclamen may be the result of a natural process. Plants begin re-growth in fall and are actively growing in winter. By the time the heat of summer appears, the plants are slowly dying back and eventually there will be no sign that they were there. This process is natural and may result in drooping leaves on cyclamen. Wait until fall and see if you don’t find it coming back for its spring performance....

Growers who experience extended periods of high temperatures and drought throughout the growing season may find the task of choosing vines even more difficult. However, one type of vine – the yellow morning glory yuca – is able to thrive under adverse garden conditions with relative ease. Yuca Vine Information While commonly referred to as yellow morning glory yuca (Merremia aurea), it is actually not a type of morning glory at all, though it is in the same family....

What are Dudleya Plants? Dudleya succulents are a small genus; some look similar to the echeveria. The group includes 40 to 50 different types, with most native to Western U.S. states and Mexico. Some grow on the islands in those areas and possibly into S. America. Attractive, robust and long-lived, the Dudleya succulents often have a small, charming rosette. These occur on branches as they mature. This plant grows in a variety of shapes and has a range of habits....