Why Grow a Houseplant from Seed? Can you grow houseplants from seed? Yes, and propagating houseplants from seeds will often result in stronger, healthier growth because they are adapted to your home’s unique conditions, such as light and humidity, from the beginning. This early houseplant seed care ensures their chances of survival are much greater than their purchased counterparts. Another consideration is cost. Houseplant seeds are relatively inexpensive when compared to the cost of fully grown plants....

When to Take Cuttings from Kiwis As mentioned, while kiwi may be propagated by seed, the resulting plants are not guaranteed to have the desirable traits of the parent such as cane growth, fruit shape, or flavor. Root cuttings are, thus, the propagation method of choice unless breeders are trying to produce new cultivars or rootstocks. Also, seedlings started from seed take up to seven years of growth before their sexual orientation can be determined....

How Do I Harvest Moonflower Seeds? Moonflower is a photo-responsive plant, which opens its flowers in the evening only, while its cousin, morning glory, only opens its blooms early in the day. Both produce rampant, twining vines, and lovely old-fashioned flowers. While not winter hardy in most zones, moonflower grows so easily from seed that it will reestablish itself quickly when temperatures rise, and seedlings take off. The persistent seed pods make harvesting moonflower seeds simple, and the seed can remain viable for two years if stored properly....

Pruning a Mock Orange Mock orange is an old-fashioned favorite with its large, white, fragrant flowers that bloom in late spring. Hardy in zones 4-9, most varieties mature to a height of 6-8 feet (2-2.5 m.) and have a natural vase shape. With a just little maintenance, a mock orange shrub can be a beautiful addition to your landscape for many years. Before pruning any plants, you should always sanitize your pruners or loppers to prevent the spread of pests and diseases....

Creative Succulent Displays Here are some unusual planting options for succulents: Frames: One of the quirky ways to use succulents is to fit them inside a picture frame without glass. A traditional frame offers an interesting spot for your echeverias, or other rosette topped plants. Attach a shallow planting container underneath. Cover with wire to help hold the soil. You can use a color-wheel design when planting your frame or alternate between different colors or shades....

Regional Gardening To-Do List Knowing what to do in the garden in April can be confusing. Use this basic guide based on location to jump-start the growing season. Western Region This region covers California and Nevada, so there is a range of appropriate chores. For northern, cooler areas: Start planting warm-season plants Fertilize your perennials Maintain or add mulch In sunny, warm southern California: Add mulch if needed Move or plant tropical plants outside...

October Gardening Tasks Before you head outdoors, organize your chore chart with this regional to-do list for October in the Ohio valley. Lawn October in the Ohio valley beckons the onset of a spectacular display of fall foliage. Once those leaves come down though, the work begins. Use your grass catcher to get double duty from your mowing efforts and pick up fallen leaves as you cut the grass. Chopped leaves compost faster and make great winter mulch....

What is Rhizoctonia Carnation Rot? If you have rotting carnation plants, you may have the fungus, rhizoctonia. This stem rot on carnations can be prevented by using sterilized soil, but the fungus often reinvades. It is most prevalent in warm, moist conditions, just when your plants are blooming. It can kill the plant in severe infestations and the right conditions. Once rhizoctonia carnation rot is present, treatment may be ineffective. The fungus responsible overwinters in soil....

While root lesion nematode management is difficult, there are things that may help keep the pests in check. Read on to learn how to prevent lesion nematodes. Root Lesion Nematode Information Root lesion nematodes spread rapidly in contaminated soil. The pests, which damage plants by puncturing the cells, are active when the soil is wet, becoming dormant when conditions are dry. Affected plants aren’t always killed, but their ability to absorb moisture and nutrients from the soil is significantly reduced....

What is a Daylily Scape? If you don’t know about scapes on daylilies, you aren’t alone. Many refer to the scapes on daylilies as stems or stalks. So exactly what is a daylily scape? Daylily scape identification is not difficult. Every year the plant grows long stems, called scapes. They produce the flowers then die back. These daylily flower scapes do not have any true leaves, only bracts. Scapes on daylilies include the entire flower stalk above the crown....

Shaker Herb Garden Info The early Shakers relied primarily on faith healing and the laying on of hands to treat medical ailments. A doctor was called upon only for the most severe injuries or illnesses. Instead, Shakers focused on prevention by living a life of regular routine comprised of work, exercise and rest, three meals per day and little to any use of alcohol or tobacco. When all else failed, the Shakers looked to the gardens they planted and indigenous plants....

Why Shoots on Asparagus are Thin Thin asparagus spears appear for a number of reasons, but the root cause is ultimately the same: the asparagus crown lacks the rigor to create bigger shoots. Depending on how old your asparagus is, it’s probably due to one of these reasons: Inappropriate Age – Very young and very old asparagus plants do not yield optimally; this is why it’s recommended to leave young plants unharvested for the first three years and to divide or replace any crowns over ten years of age....

Selecting Fruit Trees for Southwestern States The southwestern states encompass plateaus, mountains, and canyons with vast variations in USDA growing zones ranging from chilly zone 4 to warm, arid deserts with summer highs well above 100 F. (38 C.). In the warm areas of the Southwest, cherries and many other types of fruit trees have a difficult time because they require a winter chilling period of 400 hours or more, with temperatures between 32-45 F....

What Causes Split Cabbage Heads? Split cabbage heads usually follows a heavy rain, especially after a period of dry weather. When the roots absorb excess moisture after the cabbage head is firm, the pressure from internal growth causes the head to split. The same thing may happen when the heads are fertilized late in the season. Early varieties are more susceptible to splitting cabbages than late varieties, but all varieties can split under the right conditions....

Can You Divide Dahlias? I love our state fair where there is an entire pavilion filled with every size, color, shape, and style of dahlia you could imagine. This is a magical place overflowing with promise and unique beauty. Dahlias are easy to grow in well-drained soil, full sun, and deeply tilled earth. Dahlias will die if hit by a long frost, so it is wise to dig them up at the end of the summer and overwinter the tubers indoors....

What are Staghorn Fern Pups? Staghorn fern pups are little plantlets that grow off of the parent plant. In nature these pups will eventually grow into new, whole plants. The pups will be attached underneath the brown, dry shield fronds of the plant. Gardeners have two choices: removing the pups and propagating new plants to give away or allowing them to remain in place to form the appearance of a much larger, more imposing single fern....

History of Neighborhood Gardens Community gardens have been around for ages. In earlier vacant lot gardens, home beautification and school gardening were encouraged. Neighborhood societies, garden clubs, and women’s clubs encouraged gardening via contests, free seeds, classes, and organizing community gardens. The first school garden opened in 1891 at the Putnam School, Boston. In 1914, the U.S. Bureau of Education sought to promote gardens nationally and encourage schools to include gardening in their curriculum by establishing the Division of Home and School Gardening....

Don’t despair, these are tough plants and can usually bounce back to good health quickly. First Signs of Overly Dry Succulents One of the easiest groups of plants to grow are succulents. Wilting succulents are an expression of extreme dehydration. Droopy leaves on succulent specimens mean the soil has been dry as a bone for quite some time. These plants can tolerate long periods of drought, but they do need moisture to thrive....

How to Plant Tendercrop Beans When you begin growing Tendercrop beans, plant them in the right soil, in an appropriate location for an easy and productive growing season. Get bean seeds in the ground as early as possible. Plant them when all danger of frost is passed. Temperatures will have warmed by then. This includes soil temperatures. Wait about 14 days past your last frost date. These beans grow in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 11....

Tendergold Melon Information Tendergold watermelon plants, also known as “Willhites Tendergold,” produce medium-sized melons with sweet, golden yellow flesh that deepens in both color and flavor as the melon ripens. The firm, deep green rind is mottled with pale green stripes. How to Grow Tendergold Watermelons Growing Tendergold watermelon plants is much like growing any other watermelon. Here are some tips on Tendergold melon care: Plant Tendergold watermelons in spring, at least two to three weeks after your last average frost date....