How is Anise Propagated? Anise (Pimpinella anisum) is an herbaceous annual grown for the licorice-flavored oil pressed from its seeds. An annual plant, anise has a grooved stem and alternate leaf growth. Upper leaves are feathery, punctuated with umbels of white flowers and an oval-shaped, haired fruit that encases a single seed. Anise propagation is accomplished by sowing the seed. Seedlings are sensitive to transplanting, so they’re best planted directly into the garden....

Black Swallowtail Butterflies and Carrots Carrots are generally unbothered by above the ground insects but, in some regions, their foliage can be entirely decimated by the presence of black swallowtail larvae. Adult butterflies prefer nectar from various plants, but they love to lay their eggs on carrot family members and the caterpillars chow down on their leaves. If you love to attract wildlife, growing carrots for black swallowtail butterflies is a sure way to entice them....

Ariel Plum Tree Information Ariel plum trees were developed in Alnarp, Sweden from Autumn Compote and Count Althan’s Gage and were introduced into the market in 1960. The ariel plum is a vigorous upright tree that reliably produces crops, year after year. These attractive plum trees have an upright, yet open, growth habit. The trees produce medium to large, oblong fruit with a dusky pink exterior and a bright golden pulp with a semi-clinging stone....

Astilbe Bare Roots If you go out to buy astilbe in early spring, you may find nurseries selling it bare root. This means that it comes to you without the root ball, and that all the soil it was growing in has been cleaned off the plant. It is ready for astilbe bare root planting. A bare root plant may be sold with its roots wrapped in moist peat moss or shredded newspaper....

Indoor Plant Watering Devices There are a few indoor plant watering systems that you can purchase and put together, including smart irrigation systems. There are also self-watering stakes and self-watering containers. These are ready to use straight from the box. We’ve likely all seen the bulbs that are used to water our plants. Some are plastic and some are glass. These are attractive, inexpensive, and easy to use but the capabilities are limited....

Pests That Cause Azalea Branch Dieback If your azalea bushes are dying, look for pests. Two boring insects that cause dying branches on azaleas include the rhododendron borer and the rhododendron stem borer. Although the names are similar, these are two distinctly different insects. Fortunately, the treatment for these two insects is the same, so you don’t have to differentiate them. Rhododendron borers and rhododendron stem borers prefer rhododendrons, but rhododendron borers sometimes attack deciduous azaleas (those that lose their leaves in winter)....

What is Barley Loose Smut? Barley plants that have begun flowering and develop dark, diseased heads likely have loose smut of barley. The plants will look completely normal until they start to flower, which makes it difficult to get an early diagnosis. Barley with loose smut releases teliospores that infect other plants in the field. Crop losses are massive. Barley with loose smut will become apparent at heading. Plants with the disease normally head earlier than healthy plants....

Succulent Growing Info Succulent plants are also perfectly suited to life indoors in containers, which means you don’t even need a garden to get the full succulent growing experience. In other words, if you’re looking to dip your toe into plants, succulents are the way to go. Interested in growing cactus plants? We’ve got that covered too. In this Beginner’s Guide to Succulents, you’ll find information on basic succulent plant care and tips for keeping these plants healthy and happy....

To keep up with consumer demand, commercial growers have dedicated thousands of acres each year to growing romaine lettuce. Unfortunately, it’s estimated green leafy vegetables account for 20% of food-borne illness. This has resulted in numerous recalls of romaine lettuce in the past decade and, for many families, eliminated salad from the Thanksgiving menu in 2018. Many gardeners find growing romaine lettuce at home to be a safer alternative....

Wood Betony Information Wood betony (Stachys officinalis) is native to Europe and is hardy to USDA zone 4. It can tolerate anything from full sun to partial shade, making it a popular choice for shady areas where few flowering things will thrive. Depending upon variety, it can reach heights of anywhere between 9 inches (23 cm.) and 3 feet (91 cm.). The plants produce a rosette of slightly scalloped leaves that then reach upward in a long stalk that blooms in clumps along the stalk, making for a distinctive look....

How to Water a Boston Fern Although Boston fern prefers slightly moist soil, it is likely to develop rot and other fungal diseases in soggy, waterlogged soil. The first sign that a fern is overwatered is usually yellowing or wilted leaves. One surefire way to determine if it’s time to water a Boston fern is to touch the soil with your fingertip. If the surface of the soil feels slightly dry, it’s time to give the plant a drink....

What is a Bur Oak? Bur oaks, also called mossycup oak, are decidedly impressive oak trees native to North America. They grow in the wild in central and eastern sections of the continent. The common names come from a mossy scale, or bur, on the acorn cup rim. Bur Oak Information Bur oak trees are medium to large sized trees. They are deciduous members of the white oak group and grow to heights between 60 and 150 feet tall (18-46 m....

Butterfly Vine Information Butterfly vines add interest to the landscape, even when it isn’t blooming. How? Well, because the orchid-like blooms are soon followed by lime green seed pods that eventually turn a soft shade of tan or brown. The papery pods resemble green and brown butterflies, which are responsible for the vine’s descriptive name. The foliage remains green and glossy year-round, although the plant may be deciduous in cooler climates....

Reasons for Dying Grass So can a brown lawn be saved? Depending on your particular circumstances, generally, yes. That being said, you should try to pinpoint what is causing the browning in the first place. Drought: This a big problem across much of the country these days, and drought is one of the primary reasons for dying grass. Many people opt not to water their lawns during the summer, but this may be a mistake when there isn’t enough rain to keep the roots alive....

Recognizing Apricot Waterlogging Problems It can often be difficult to figure out what ails your fruit tree. Fungal issues, cultural, environmental, pests, other diseases, the list goes on. Stone fruits are often susceptible to waterlogging. Can apricots become waterlogged? They are not as likely to suffer from the condition as peaches and nectarines but may be affected. It is important to recognize the first symptoms if any attempt to aid the tree in time can be effective....

Can You Force Freesia Bulbs? Many varieties of bulbs can be forced to bloom inside the home. Most of them come from regions where chilling is necessary to break the bulb’s dormancy and encourage it to sprout. Bulbs from tropical regions don’t require a cold period. Freesia plants are from South Africa where they experience high heat and no freezing, which makes them perfect to grow indoors. Provided you have a good, southern-facing window, you can enjoy forced freesia at any time of the year....

Indoor Rose Care If you have been wondering if you can grow roses indoors, the answer is yes, but you’ll need to know a few important things. The most important aspect in indoor rose care is being able to provide enough light. Miniature roses require quite a bit of direct sun indoors in order to thrive. Provide at least six hours of direct sun. Southern or western exposure windows are ideal....

Can you Grow Grocery Store Bought Ginger? The answer to “can I plant grocery store ginger?” is a resounding yes. In fact, you can grow store bought ginger quite easily by adhering to a few simple tips. Interested in learning how to grow grocery store ginger? Read on to learn how to plant and grow store bought ginger. Info on How to Grow Store Bought Ginger If you’re wondering how to plant store bought ginger, you must first select the best-looking rhizome....

Can you Kill Weeds with Plastic? You may have heard of or even have in your landscape, plastic sheeting laid under bark mulch or gravel; one way to prevent garden weeds with plastic, but can you kill existing weeds with plastic sheeting? Yes, you can kill weeds with plastic. The technique is called sheet mulching or soil solarization and is a terrific organic (yes, the plastic is environmentally unfriendly but it can be saved for reuse over and over) and no fuss way to rid a potential garden space of weeds....

Canadian Hemlock Tree Facts Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), also called eastern hemlock, is a member of the pine family and native to North America. You’ll see the trees in the wild growing on woody slopes, rocky ridges, and river valleys from eastern Canada south to Georgia and Alabama. They have a slow to medium growth rate of up to 24 inches (61 cm.) a year, maturing to 50 to 70 feet (15-21....