How to Force Rhubarb There are several ways to force rhubarb, but they all rely on three key factors: Chill hours – Rhubarb requires exposure to chill hours, or cold temperatures below 37 degrees F. (3 C.) for a period of 7 to 9 weeks, or 500 hours below 49 degrees F. (9.4 C.). Warmth – The return of warmer temperatures triggers the rhubarb to break winter dormancy and begin growing....

Acacia cutting propagation isn’t very difficult. But if you want to start growing acacia plants from cuttings, there are a few important points to keep in mind. Read on for information on how to root acacia cuttings as well as tips on how to plant acacia cuttings. About Acacia Cutting Propagation When you are starting on acacia cutting propagation, remember that it is not the method of choice for all plants....

What are Mayhaw Trees? Mayhaw trees are most commonly found growing in moist soils in the southeastern United States. Each spring, trees produce red fruits called “haws.” Though the tart fruits are not commonly eaten raw, they are a wonderful choice for homemade jellies and syrups. While mayhaw trees are able to be grown from seed, there are quite a few obstacles which one may encounter. Mayhaw trees often grow “true to type....

Creating Ice Cream Gardens In order to be successful with growing ice cream in the garden, you’ll want to begin with cool weather – after all, if it gets too hot, everything will melt. This will be something to consider when harvesting your yummy treats too. Late fall is a good time for planting an ice cream tree in the garden. The plant will have plenty of time to establish strong roots for the blustery winter months to come....

Worms on Geranium The tobacco budworm (Helicoverpa virescens) can do serious damage to many popular garden flowers including geraniums. Other common garden hosts include petunia and nicotiana. These budworms are the larvae of a small harmless moth. The moth’s wingspan tops out at about 1 ½ inches (around 4 cm.), which is also the mature length of the budworm. These worms are usually brown but can also be green or red....

What is a Bee Bee Tree? The bee bee tree, also known as Korean evodia (Evodia daniellii syn. Tetradium daniellii), is not a well-known ornamental, but it should be. The tree is small, generally not much taller than 25 feet (7.5 m.), and its dark green leaves provide light shade beneath. The bark is smooth, like beech tree bark. The species is dioecious, so there are male trees and female trees....

Should I Plant Lily of the Valley? The plant has escaped cultivation and has been placed on invasive plant lists in some states, primarily for its tendency to form large colonies that threaten native plants. It is especially happy in shady, wooded areas and doesn’t always do well in poor, dry soil or intense sunlight. In less suitable areas, it may not be invasive in the strictest sense of the word, but lily of the valley certainly has aggressive tendencies that may prompt you to think twice before planting this lovely, innocent-looking little plant....

Jacaranda Tree Not Blooming If your jacaranda tree fails to bloom, check these factors and adjust accordingly: Age: Depending on how they are grown, jacarandas may bloom for the first time between two and fourteen years after planting. Grafted trees tend to produce their first blooms on the earlier side of this range, while trees grown from seed can take much longer. If your tree is younger than this, patience may be all that is necessary....

How to Get Rid of Johnson Grass As with most invasive weeds and grasses, using multiple strategies usually works best for Johnson grass control. This means that you may use a Johnson grass herbicide program along with other kinds of Johnson grass control methods. This is fitting, as Johnson grass reproduces and invades crop areas in two ways, spreading both by seed and rhizomes to overtake farmland and other areas of your property....

Jostaberry Cultivation Gardeners in Europe have always planted more gooseberry and black currant bushes than gardeners in North America. American gardeners may be put off by the tart flavor of the berries and the susceptibility of currant bushes to diseases. Jostaberries (Ribes nidigrolaria), on the other hand, don’t share these issues. The berries are sweet and luscious when ripe, tasting like sweet gooseberries with a slight flavor of black currant. And caring for jostaberries is easy since those who developed the shrub included a built-in resistance or immunity to most berry diseases....

With the arrival of summer conditions, the regional gardening list is filled with chores that will help ensure the garden is kept healthy and productive from summer into the fall. July Garden Tasks Ohio Valley gardening in July can be challenging. First and foremost, growers will need to take precautions to ensure that they are able to keep themselves safe. Make certain to avoid working on the hottest of days....

Choosing houseplants for kids to grow, versus jumping into gardening outdoors, introduces them to the basics of caring for plants and how they grow on a smaller, more manageable scale. Also, kids, as we all know, often have a short or wandering attention span. Starting kids growing plants indoors will focus their attention. Additionally, kid-friendly houseplants can be grown year-round and do not require much space, so they can be grown in an apartment, flat, or loft and most are suitable for all ages....

How to Kill English Ivy There are two ways for how to kill English ivy. The first is with herbicides and the second is through manual labor. Killing English Ivy with Herbicides One of the reasons that killing English ivy is difficult is because the leaves of the plant are covered with a waxy substance that helps prevent herbicides from penetrating into the plant. So, in order to be effective at killing English ivy, you have to get through that barrier....

Kwanzan Cherry Tree Info If you’ve been to Washington D.C. in the spring, you’ve no doubt been in awe of the numerous flowering cherry trees lining the avenues. Many of these beauties are Kwanzan cherry trees. Not only are they stunning in the spring, but they lend beautiful fall color and the trees are sterile, so they do not produce fruit, making them the perfect specimens along roadways and sidewalks. Native to China, Japan, and Korea, the tree’s original name is ‘Sekiyama,’ but it is rarely found under this name....

About Side Yards Side yards come with plenty of challenges. They are often the area where exterior utilities are placed, maybe the site of basement egress, are often very narrow and may have too much or too little sun exposure. None of these challenges are insurmountable. The side yard is often an overlooked area, but side yard landscaping can change it from utilitarian and rarely visited to a cozy space replete with shade plants and paths, or a sun infused raised garden area....

Lapageria Plant Care Lapageria rosea plants are long, spreading vines that can grow to 15 feet (4.6 m.) in length and spread just as wide. The leaves have a thick, leathery feeling that is shared by the flowers, which are 3-to 4-inch (7.6 -10 cm.) long pendulous bells that appear as red in nature but come in a range of colors in cultivation. The Chilean bellflower vine is evergreen, but hardy only in USDA zones 9a through 11....

What is a Litchi Tomato? The litchi tomato shrub (Solanum sisymbriifolium) was discovered and named by a French botanist. Morelle is the French word for nightshade and Balbis refers to the region of its discovery. This South American species is a member of the nightshade family of plants just as tomatoes, eggplants, and potatoes. The umbrella genus is Solanum and there are varieties that are poisonous if ingested. Litchi tomato and thorny tomato plants are other names for the shrub....

Controlling Mint Plants Even with the less aggressive varieties, controlling mint in the garden is important. Other than placing barriers deep in the ground to prevent their runners from spreading, growing mint in containers is probably the best way to keep these plants under control. Plant mint plants in bottomless containers that are sunk deep into the ground, or grow them in large containers above ground. When sinking them into the ground, try to keep the container’s rim at least an inch (2....

Planting Dill Seed The best way how to grow dill is directly from seeds rather than from a transplant. Planting dill seed is easy. Dill planting is simply done by scattering the seeds in the desired location after the last frost, then lightly cover the seeds with soil. Water the area thoroughly. Care of Dill Weed Plants Growing dill plants and caring for dill plants is also very easy. Dill weed plants grow best in full sun....

Choosing Edible Types of Sage Plant There are many types of sage plant and not all of them are edible. When choosing a sage plant for your herb garden, choose one such as: Garden Sage Purple Sage Tri-color Sage Golden Sage How to Grow Sage The best place for planting sage is in full sun. Your sage plant should be put in a well draining soil, as sage does not like its roots to remain wet....