Learn More About The Map Of USDA Hardiness Zones For Plants & Trees In California Discovering what your planting zone for California is will help you to have a nicer garden. Because it is such a large state, California climate zones cover a wide range of temperatures. To find the planting zone for California that you live in, simply find the area on the map above that you live in and match the color of that area to the map legend to the right....
What is Wood Chip Mulch? Expert gardeners extol the virtues of mulching. There are many kinds of mulch, from organic to inorganic. Each has its special advantages and there is not one recommended over another in some cases. Using wood chips, however, has the added advantage of increasing nutrients in soil over time. This is because wood chip garden mulch is organic and will slowly break down, releasing nutrients to the soil....
Vertical Strawberry Tower Plans In looking through a dearth of information regarding the building of a vertical strawberry planter, it seems that although an engineering degree might come in handy, some versions of the structure are DIY friendly for the novice architect. The basic gist for planting in vertical strawberry towers is to acquire material that is already tall, such as PVC piping or a 6- to 8-foot (2 to 2....
Vine Borer Causing Zucchini to Suddenly Die If you have zucchini leaves wilting, it’s probably the vine borer. These are larvae of a moth. This particular moth has clear wings and is sometimes mistaken for wasps. The vine borer overwinters in cocoons in the soil and come out as adults in late spring. They deposit eggs on the underside of the leaves. When they hatch, the larva cause yellow leaves on zucchini and the zucchini to suddenly die....
History of Vinegar Pickling Vinegar has a lengthy history, traces of it have been found in Egyptian urns from about 3000 B.C. It was originally a sour liquid made from the fermentation of wine and, as such, referred to as “poor man’s wine.” The word vinegar is also derived from the Old French ‘vinaigre,’ meaning sour wine. Using vinegar for food preservation likely came about in northwest India around 2400 B....
What is Water Spinach? Utilized medicinally since A.D. 300 in southern Asia, water spinach information informs us that its usefulness as a medicinal plant was first discovered by Europeans in the late 1400’s and consequently brought into new areas of exploration. So what is water spinach anyway? Cultivated or harvested from the wild in such a broad arena of the world, water spinach has as many common names as places of habitation....
What Do Assassin Bugs Look Like? Assassin bugs occur in much of North America but also in Central and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. There are several species of the insect, all of which are natural ambush hunters that inject a toxin into prey that dissolves their soft tissues. These bites are fatal to their insect victims but may also cause allergic reactions in humans, resulting in painful itching and burning at the injection site....
Roses That are Hard to Kill Whenever the topic of hardy roses to grow comes up, there are a few that instantly come to mind. They include the Home Run roses, the Knockout rose bushes, and the Morden/Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) roses. All of these are bred to be hardy rose bushes and have proven themselves in some tough climatic conditions, not to mention pretty bad soil and care conditions, making them ideal roses for beginner gardeners....
What are Spined Soldier Bugs? What are spined soldier bugs, you may ask, and why is it good to have spined soldier bugs in gardens? If you read up on spined soldier bug information, you’ll find that these native North American insects are brown and about the size of a fingernail. They have prominent spines on each “shoulder” as well as on their legs. The life-cycle of these predator stink bugs starts when they are eggs....
What are Invasive Species in Zone 5? Major cities like Portland, Maine; Denver, Colorado; and Indianapolis, Indiana are all in USDA zone 5. These regions are heavily populated but also centers for important agriculture and conservation. Invasive species in zone 5 threaten the natural flora and intended crops. Invasive species management is incumbent upon all gardeners to support the native diversity of a region. Invasive species are either introduced to a region intentionally as ornamentals, fodder, or even for erosion control....
About Barley Heads and Tillers To raise a good crop of barley, you need to understand how the cereal crop grows and the stages of barley development. The agricultural chemicals on the market today for barley only work if applied during specific barley growth stages. Both barley heads and tillers are parts of the barley plant. Their appearance signals new stages of barley plant growth. What are Barley Tillers? It is correct to say that tillers signal a stage of growth of the barley plant....
What is a Buttercup Watermelon? As the name suggests, the flesh of the Yellow Buttercup watermelon is a lemony yellow while the rind is a medium green tone striped with thin green lines. This variety of watermelon produces round fruit that weighs between 14 and 16 pounds (6-7 kg.) each. The flesh is crisp and extremely sweet. Yellow Buttercup watermelon is a seedless melon hybridized by Dr. Warren Barham and introduced in 1999....
What is a Calico Vine? Calico flower (Aristolochia littoralis) is an ornamental vine. Native to Brazil, the calico vine grows well in warmer climates, and acts as an outdoor perennial in zones 9 through 12. Calico vine is grown to add decorative interest to outdoor spaces, to climb and cover vertical surfaces, for privacy screening, and just because the flowers are so unique. The flowers of the calico vine are very unusual, with a purple and white calico-like coloring pattern....
What is a Dwarf Yucca? Yucca nana is a dwarf variety of this popular desert plant. The full-size species is Yucca harrimaniae. The dwarf yucca is only native to a small area on the border of Utah and Colorado, but its cultivation in gardens is becoming more popular. It looks like the bigger variety, but grows much smaller, about one foot (30.5 cm.) tall and wide, and it produces the same impressive spike of creamy white flowers....
What is a grow tent? The shape and design may vary, but it is basically a portable frame covered in thick plastic sheeting, designed to capture and keep in heat to encourage plants to grow longer. Grow Tent Benefits Whether they’re temporary or semi-permanent, grow tent benefits are the same. Capturing heat and holding it in an enclosed area creates a mini climate, which allows plants to grow longer than your outside environment would naturally allow....
What is Hugelkulture Bed? Layered garden beds are nothing new. Lasagna or sheet gardening is an element of landscaping where you flip your sod and layer it with newspaper, cardboard, straw, or other carbon materials and then soil. The resulting layers compost quickly and add tilth and nutrients to the soil. Hugelkultur garden beds have much the same purpose. Instead of sod, however, these rely upon a basis of logs and branches....
Root Ball Information What is a root ball? All plants have a root ball. This includes trees, shrubs, and even annual flowers. Simply put, the root ball is the main mass of roots located directly beneath the plants’ stem. Though the root ball may consist of several different types of roots, including feeder roots, the root ball in gardening generally refers to the part of the plants’ root system which will be transplanted into the garden or landscape....
What is an Alpine Slide? What is an alpine slide? Imagine a rock garden but with artfully chosen plants that will cavort in and around the different sizes of stone. Once mature, the effect should be of a seamless union between the living and the inorganic. Learn some tips on how to make an alpine slide and develop this unique feature into your landscape. Envision yourself on a mountain hike in the Alps during spring....
Idared Apple Info The popular apple trees Jonathan and Wagener are the parent plants of Idared apples. Since their introduction in the late 1930’s, Idared apples also had offspring, the most notable being Arlet and Fiesta. Idared produces medium sized, round apples with green skin that is heavily streaked with red, especially on the sides facing the sun. The skin can sometimes be a little thick, requiring peeling before eating. The flesh is a white to cream color with a sweet, yet slightly tart flavor....
The autumn sage plant is a perennial that has gained popularity. Not only is this plant versatile, but it offers growers a season filled with flower blooms. What is Autumn Sage? Autumn sage plant, or Salvia greggii, is a native perennial plant to regions of Mexico, New Mexico, and southern Texas. Reaching roughly 3 feet (1 meter) in both height and width at maturity, these native plants are ideal candidates for wildflower gardens and for use in conventional flower gardens....
