My Pear Tree is Not Blooming If your pear tree did not bloom at all this year, first determine whether it’s a mature tree. If a very young pear tree did not bloom, it may simply be too young. If your tree is fewer than five years old, your best bet is to simply wait. If your pear tree did not bloom even though it is mature, check the cultivar’s hardiness zone against the zone of your region....

One is the European pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium), which is a member of the mint family. The other is the American pennyroyal from an unrelated genus, Hedeoma pulegoides. American Pennyroyal Plant Either variety of pennyroyal has a fresh, minty scent but American pennyroyal is not in the mint family. They are both low growing plants with slightly hairy stems but the American has a square stem. It has many branches and creeps along at only 6 inches (15 cm....

Causes of Peppers Falling Off the Plant There are a couple of answers to why do peppers fall off the plant. When immature peppers fall off, the first things to check are the stems they fell from. If it’s jagged or gnawed, the culprit is an insect, and an all-purpose garden insecticide is in order. Check the label to be sure it is effective for pepper critters. Baby peppers falling off plants with no sign of insect damage could be a case of improper pollination....

USDA guidelines for plant hardiness are just that, guidelines. The actual hardiness of a plant will fluctuate according to the microclimate, exposure, water, and nutrient intake, and the overall health of a plant. The reasons cold affects plants abound, but we will try to narrow down the most obvious culprits. Why Does Cold Affect Plants? All conditions experienced by a plant affect its health and hardiness. A lack of water may cause wilting and sometimes death in plants....

Planting Spring Flowers in Bulb Gardens Most spring bulbs require a period of chilling to enforce blooms, which means planting in fall. Such cold weather flower bulbs should go into the ground before it freezes with enough time to produce some roots. In most zones, September is ideal, but in cooler areas like zone 3, cool climate bulbs need to be planted in early spring as soon as the ground is workable....

One important aspect of this relates directly to maintaining healthy living environments for your chickens – ensuring that the flock is always safe. And this includes knowing what plants are bad for chickens, especially when they’re free to roam your property. Garden Plants Toxic to Chickens While predators are obviously a threat, many people overlook other more common issues that may already be present. By nature, chickens are grazing animals....

Growing Yucca Plant Indoors More than 20 species of yucca exist. The coloration on yucca plants ranges from green to bluish with variegations of cream, yellow, and white, depending on the cultivar. Yucca plants grow on canes, or large, woody stems. Once placed in a sunny to partly shaded location indoors, yucca houseplant care is easy. When growing the yucca plant indoors, try to locate it in a partially shaded area of bright, but indirect light for better leaf color....

Summer brings all nature’s tasty fruits, peaches being chief among them. Since peaches don’t last very long, it is often best to preserve them in some way for later use. Peaches may be dried, frozen, or canned as preserves, whole fruit, or slices. Selecting the right varieties will ensure firm fruit that holds its shape after canning. White fleshed peaches simply don’t hold up due to their lack of acidity, but many others are perfect preserve peaches....

Pink Succulent Plants Pink succulents may display the color on leaf edges or with streaks or blotches mingled throughout the foliage. Others may be a solid color. Some need the stress of sunshine to get the desired color, while other plants have it without manipulation. If you wish for a particular color, research the plant to learn what creates the color and causes it to get brighter. Sometimes it has to do with the chlorophyll that normally makes leaves green....

How to Propagate Lantana Lantanas grown in the garden are often hybrids, so propagating lantana plants from seeds may not result in offspring that are similar to the parent plant. To collect the seeds, harvest the small black berries when they are fully ripe and remove the seeds from the berries. Clean the seeds and allow them to dry for a couple of days before storing them in a sealed container in the refrigerator....

There are many brands and several models including a handheld lawn vacuum, walk-behind leaf vacuum, and tow behind, with increasing costs. Power options range from corded electric and gas to battery. Let’s look at the portable leaf vacuum, also called a leaf vacuum shredder, and explore whether it can lighten lawn chores. Pros And Cons of Leaf Vacuums The main purpose of the leaf vacuum is to suck up the debris left behind after blowing....

What are Defensive Bushes? Home security via plants? Sounds like a funny idea but it has both economical and aesthetically sound logic. Defensive barriers have been used for centuries. The commonly known defenses might be moats or even stone walls, but the humble plant can provide resistance and security as well. Defensive shrubs for landscaping blend in and still guard the home against invasion. Natural barriers are a wonderful way to keep unwanted guests off the property and away from the home....

Old wood must be cut away to make room for new growth, as it is new growth that produces fruit. Vines with too much old wood will not bloom and bear fruit. Those with too much growth will not produce well either. Therefore, pruning muscadine grapes not only controls growth, but also increases the productivity of the plant. Trimming Muscadine Vines Before you can discuss how to prune muscadine grapevines, it’s important to understand the vine’s natural growth and the framework that should be imposed upon it....

What are Purple Hull Peas? Purple hull peas are a member of the southern pea, or cow pea, family. They are believed to be native to Africa, specifically the country of Niger, and most likely came over during the era of American slave trading. As their name suggests, the pod of purple hull peas is of course, purple. This makes it very easy to spot for harvest among the green foliage....

Gazebos in the Garden So what is a gazebo? A gazebo is a roofed open structure in the garden, often octagonal in shape, with ?posts in each of the eight corners. The typical classic gazebo is topped by a shingled roof with a small cupola on top and features built-in seating inside the sheltered area. These structures were enjoyed by folks in ancient civilizations as outdoor, ornamental destination spots and serve much the same role today....

What is the Alexandre Girault Climbing Rose? Those growing Alexandre Girault climbing roses are often lured to it by the large, bright pink flower blooms which feature a somewhat fruity scent. Reaching heights of nearly 20 feet (6 m.), rambling roses of this magnitude have the true ability to make a dramatic visual impact in the garden once established. This, along with its habit of repeat bloom, makes it an ideal candidate for growers who wish to add vertical appeal to the growing space....

What is a Reading Garden? So, “what is a reading garden?” you ask. Reading garden ideas can be as simple as a single bench situated amidst, say the rose garden, to more grandiose plans involving water features, statuary, rockery, etc. Really, your imagination, and maybe your wallet, are the only limitations to creating a reading garden. The idea is simply to create an extension of your indoor living space, making it a comforting area in which to relax and read....

When Does Chamomile Bloom? Chamomile seeds can be scattered over almost any bare soil and within a week or two the seeds will germinate and new plants will sprout up. In fact, chamomile grows so quickly and easily from seed that one chamomile plant can quickly turn into hundreds of chamomile plants. Chamomile plants have such a tendency to self-sow that they may even pop up in the cracks of sidewalks....

Reasons for Beans with Blossoms and No Pods Normal early season drop – Most bean plants will naturally drop some blossoms early in the season. This will pass rather quickly and soon the bean plant will produce pods. Lack of pollinators – While many bean varieties are self fertile, some are not. And even the plants that are self fertile will produce better if they have some help from pollinators. Too much fertilizer – While piling on the fertilizer may seem like a great idea, oftentimes this can cause problems, especially with beans....

About Red Star Dracaena Plants The dark red, almost burgundy, sword-like leaves of Red Star dracaena (Cordyline australis ‘Red Star’) add an unusual flair when growing in a display. Surround it with blooms that peak from spring to fall in an outdoor bed or grow it as a focal point in the garden. Likewise, this plant makes a great addition to the home. Cordyline australis is a dracaena-like species. While this interesting plant goes by the name of dracaena or palm, it is neither – technically, the Red Star dracaena palm is a type of cordyline plant....