What is Molasses? Molasses is the by-product of beating sugarcane, grapes, or sugar beets into sugar. The dark, rich, and somewhat sweet liquid is commonly used as a sweetener in baked goods, as a natural remedy for many ailments, and added to animal feed. Even though it is a by-product, molasses is full of vitamins and minerals. As a result, molasses as fertilizer is possible too. Feeding Plants with Molasses Using molasses in organic gardening practices is nothing new....

Nitrogen Deficiency in Plants Good crops depend on an adequate supply of nitrogen. Most nitrogen is naturally present in the soil as organic content. Nitrogen deficiency in plants is more likely to occur in soils that are low in organic content. However, nitrogen loss due to erosion, runoff, and leaching of nitrate can also cause nitrogen deficiency in plants. Some of the most common symptoms of nitrogen deficiency in plants include the yellowing and dropping of leaves and poor growth....

Caihua Plant Info Late-season cucurbits tend to be coated in mildew, besieged by insects, and, in general, a garden nightmare by the end of the season. This is when you are busy harvesting, canning, and eating your way through your biggest crops. Knowing how to grow Caihua will eliminate much of the drama associated with cucumber crops. These reliable fruits are generally trouble-free and tenacious. The Caihua stuffing cucumber (Cyclanthera pedata) is also known as Achocha, lady’s Slipper, wild cucumber, slipper gourd, caigua, and many other colorful names....

What is the Best Natural Mulch? There are a number of natural mulches out there, with hardwood bark mulch, pine straw, and old hay most popular. Which is the best choice for your garden? Using pine straw mulch Pine straw is good for suppressing weeds. It has a tendency to form a thick mat, and woe to the weed that tries to come up through that! However, pine straw is not for every garden....

Different Kinds of Rakes for Gardening There are two very basic types of rakes: Lawn Rake/Leaf Rake – This is the rake that most readily comes to mind when you hear the word rake and think about falling leaves. The tines are long and fan out from the handle, with a cross piece of material (usually metal) holding them in place. The edges of the tines are bent over at about 90 degrees....

Vegetable Gardening in Ireland Microclimates on the Emerald Island can vary from region to region, but generally the weather is moderate. Temperature extremes aren’t an issue for vegetable gardening in Ireland, but abundant rainfall and soggy conditions are problems Irish gardeners must overcome. Not surprisingly, the most common vegetables found in Ireland gardens are cool season crops. These include broccoli, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, parsnips, and scallions. Cucumbers and tomatoes are popular summer crops....

Controlling Weeds in a Vegetable Garden Weeds not only compete for water, nutrients, and growing space but also provide a haven and hiding place for disease and pests. Vegetable weeds controlled early in the season can help prevent these issues and slow the spread of the nuisance plants. Cultural controls are safe and effective methods of weed control. These may include synthetic or organic mulches, weeding, or hoeing and cover crops....

About Veggies High in Calcium Calcium is important because it helps build and maintain strong healthy bones and teeth, helps with blood clotting, supports nervous system functions, and regulates the heartbeat. It also can help prevent osteoporosis, a disease which causes weak and porous bones. Osteoporosis accounts for over 1.5 million broken or fractured bones each year. Women over 50 are specifically at high risk for osteoporosis. The recommended daily requirement of calcium is 1,000 mg....

About Weeping Ornamental Trees Most weeping trees are grafted trees. On weeping ornamental trees, the graft union is usually at the top of the trunk, just below the tree canopy. A benefit of having this graft union where it is on weeping trees is that the weeping branches generally hide it. A drawback is that in the winter the graft union doesn’t have the protection and insulation of snow or mulch at the ground level....

Urban Fruit Tree Information So exactly what are columnar fruit trees? Although growers are working to create a variety of columnar fruit trees, apple trees are currently the only type on the market. You can buy peach, cherry, and plum trees that have an upright, narrow growth habit, but they aren’t true columnar trees. Columnar fruit trees are usually 8 to 10 feet (2-3 m.) tall at maturity, compared to standard trees that reach heights of about 20 feet (6 m....

Reasons for Blueberry Chlorosis What causes blueberry chlorosis? Most often, chlorosis in blueberry plants isn’t caused by a lack of iron in the soil, but because the iron isn’t available to the plant because the pH level is too high. In other words, the soil is too alkaline for healthy growth of blueberries. Alkaline soil is often present in areas where rainfall is low. Blueberries require a low soil pH, and chlorosis occurs when a high pH level binds up the iron in the soil....

What is Pecan Twig Dieback Disease? Twig dieback of pecan trees is caused by a fungus called Botryosphaeria berengeriana. This disease most often occurs in plants that are already stressed or under attack of other pathogens. Environmental factors may also come into play, as trees affected by low moisture and shaded limbs are often more likely to show signs of damage. Pecan Twig Dieback Symptoms The most common symptoms of pecans with twig dieback is the presence of black pustules on the extremities of branches....

Dracaena Fragrans Info Dracaena is a large genus with at least 110 species of shrubby plants and trees, including Dracaena fragrans, a slow-growing plant with glossy green, lance-shaped leaves. The leaves may be solid green or variegated, depending on the variety. The size of the plant also varies, ranging from mature heights of 15 to 50 feet (4.5 to 15 m.), with leaves measuring 7 to 59 inches (18 cm. to 1....

Forest Fever Tree Information Forest fever tree is a tall, straight tree with a rounded crown. It produces big, leathery, paddle-shaped leaves and clusters of creamy-white flowers followed by fleshy, egg-shaped fruit. In the right conditions, forest fever trees can grow up to 6.5 feet (2 m.) per year. Traditionally, the tree has been used for a number of medicinal purposes. The bark is used as a treatment for diabetes and high blood pressure, the leaves to treat superficial wounds, and tea from the leaves and bark for malaria (hence the name fever tree)....

What is a Newport Plum? While Newport plum does produce some fruits, they are considered of minimal palatability to humans. However, birds, squirrels, and other animals utilize them as an important food source. It is a medium-sized tree useful in containers, as bonsai, or standalone specimens. The tree has a slow to moderate growth rate making it perfect as an urban shade plant. Newport plum trees are often used as ornamental shade plants....

What is a Peanut Cactus? Peanut cactus is a plant native to Argentina with the Latin name Echinopsis chamaecereus. It is sometimes called chamaecereus cactus. It is a clustering, or mat-forming, cactus with shallow roots. The stems are plentiful and shaped like fingers, or long peanuts. They can grow up to about six inches (15 cm.) tall and 12 inches (30 cm.) wide. In the late spring and early summer, peanut cactus produces gorgeous, large, reddish-orange blooms that cover much of the cactus clump....

What is a Plant Swap? A plant swap is exactly what is sounds like—a forum for swapping out plants with fellow gardeners. Seed and plant exchanges allow gardeners in the community to come together and share seeds, cuttings, and transplants from their own gardens to swap with others. Organizers state that plant swap rules are easy to follow, and the only real concern is that plants are healthy and have been well cared for....

What is a Wampi Plant? Wampi fruit have a high amount of Vitamin C, just like their citrus cousins. The plant was used traditionally as a medicinal but new Indian wampi plant info indicates it has modern applications to help sufferers of Parkinson’s, bronchitis, diabetes, hepatitis, and trichomoniasis. There are even studies related to its effectiveness in assisting in the treatment of some cancers. The jury is still out, but wampi plants are shaping up to be interesting and useful foods....

What is Bokashi Composting? Bokashi is a Japanese word that means “fermented organic matter.” Bokashi composting is a method of fermenting organic waste to create a quick, nutrient rich compost for use in the garden. This practice has been used for centuries in Japan; however, it was Japanese Agronomist, Dr. Teruo Higa who perfected the process in 1968 by recognizing the best combination of microorganisms to quickly complete the fermented compost....

Coral Honeysuckle Info What is coral honeysuckle? Depending upon whom you ask, coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) is hardy in everything from USDA zone 4 through 11. This means it can survive virtually anywhere in the continental United States. Coral honeysuckle is a twining vine that can reach 15 to 25 feet (4.5-7.5 m.) in length. It produces attractive and fragrant trumpet-shaped flowers that grow in clusters. These flowers are 1 to 2 inches (2....