Types of Garden Hoes All hoes have the same basic structure and purpose: a long handle with a paddle, blade, or stirrup at the end, typically at an angle to the handle. The uses for hoes are to cultivate garden soil and to remove weeds. Even with this basic design there are a few variations, and using hoes in the garden successfully means choosing the right one: Paddle, or Draw, hoe....

Dividing Lovage Plants Lovage is a perennial herb in zones 3 to 9. The plants can grow 3 to 6 feet (1-2 m.) tall and may form large colonies as they naturalize in a location. Due to this, many gardeners consider lovage be too large and invasive for the average herb garden. However, splitting lovage herbs every two or three years can help keep them and their size under control. With age, lovage can lose its flavor and potency....

How to Make a Toad House You can make a garden toad house from a plastic food container or a clay or plastic flowerpot. When deciding what to use as a toad house, keep in mind that plastic containers are free and easy to cut, but clay pots are cooler in the heat of summer. If you plan to decorate your toad house with children, make sure you use a washable paint....

Do Quince Trees Make Good Hedges? Flowering quince is spectacular for a few weeks in late winter to early spring, but a single specimen may seem little more than a tangle of thorny branches. A hedge of quince trees as a mass planting will be even more spectacular early in the season when still yearning for flowers and growing plants. A hedge of flowering or fruiting quince trees makes a perfect screening or security barrier with its spreading form and spiny branches (flowering type)....

How to Dry Flowers Drying flowers and foliage is most often done by a method called air drying. This is a simple process that involves using a rubber band to secure small bunches of flowers together and hanging them to dry. When learning how to dry flowers, you’ll find it’s best to hang these bunches upside down. Preserving plants by drying removes moisture so that dried flower arrangements last for longer periods of time....

Types of Eggplant For more than 1,500 years, eggplant has been cultivated in India and China. Once trade routes were established, eggplant was imported to Europe by the Arabs and transported to Africa by the Persians. The Spaniards introduced it to the New World and by the 1800’s both white and purple varieties of eggplant could be found in American gardens. Eggplant is grown as an annual and requires warm temperatures....

Roman vs. German Chamomile There are two plants that are cultivated and sold commercially as chamomile. The plant considered “true chamomile” is commonly called English or Roman chamomile. Its scientific name is Chamaemelum nobile, although it was once scientifically known as Anthemis nobilis. “False chamomile” usually refers to German chamomile, or Matricaria recutita. There are a few other plants that may be called chamomile, such as Moroccan chamomile (Anthemis mixta), Cape chamomile (Eriocephalus punctulatus), and Pineappleweed (Matricaria discoidea)....

About Euphorbia Plants Euphorbias occur naturally in many parts of the world, but most notably Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America. The variation of form and size provide a spectacle of plant life. Some are as large as trees and others range as small groundcovers. There are over 2,000 species, many of which you will find familiar from interior commercial plantings. Crown of thorns is recognizable by its spiky stems, and donkey spurge is aptly named with thick rope-like stems sprawling away from the plant....

Maybe you’ve thought of making a succulent wreath with autumn colors. If so, you’re in the right place, as we’ve been thinking of it as well and realized that now is a great time to create one for display. Making a Succulent Wreath for Fall Wreaths are simple to make, sometimes decisions are not. If this is your first wreath-making project, you must decide on what base you’ll use. Grapevines twisted into circles are favorites, simple to make, and something you can buy inexpensively from hobby stores or even your local dollar store....

Best Fall Vegetables for Containers Here are a few suggestions for potted fall vegetables and tips on successful fall container gardening. Arugula: Arugula is a salad green also known as “rocket.” Plant this member of the mustard family in late summer or early fall, then harvest in four to six weeks. Collards: Collards are hardy, leafy greens, perfect for container vegetable gardens. Plant seeds up to six to eight weeks before the first average frost in your region....

About Fernleaf Lavender Plants Fernleaf lavender (Lavendula multifida) is also commonly known as French lace lavender. The names refer to its fern-like leaves, which are grayish green, deeply lobed, and can be described as lacy. You can grow fernleaf lavender in your herb garden and harvest both the flowers and leaves. Use them in cooking or in soaps and other care products, potpourri, and scented sachets. This lavender need not be limited to herbal uses, though....

How to Freeze Garden Tomatoes I like to think of myself as an excellent, if sometimes lazy, cook. I cook pretty much every night of the week not only because I can but to save money and ensure that we are eating healthily – at least one meal each day. Same reason for planting a veggie garden. So, with this year’s bumper crops and preserving tomato harvest, I had every intention of canning the summer’s bounty....

Tips for Protecting Plants from Frost First of all, do not panic. Keep in mind that any time there is a threat of frost, you need to take precautionary measures to protect tender plants from exposure to cold temperatures and subsequent damage. Listed below are some of the most common: Covering plants – The most popular way to guard against frost is with the use of some type of covering. Most anything will work, but old blankets, sheets, and even burlap sacks are best....

Read on for information about your best options for desert garden fruit trees, as well as tips for growing fruit trees in arid conditions. Desert Garden Fruit Trees If you live in a region with a hot, desert-like climate, you can still have a backyard orchard. However, you’ll have a few extra challenges to get optimum fruit production from fruit trees that grow in desert landscapes. One immediate problem for fruit trees for desert climates is the chilling requirement....

Selecting Full Sun Flowering Plants With all the options available from online nurseries, specialty growers and local offerings, it can be difficult to choose which flowers are right for your garden. Full sun flowering plants for zone 9 are one of the easiest to find and the choices are rampant. Whether you want native plants for their superior adaptability or exotic flora, zone 9 gardeners are fortunate to have sunny climes and warm temperatures that encourage blooming....

About Garden Hose Maintenance A garden hose is essential in the backyard, providing you with a movable water source to irrigate plants or wash down the wheelbarrow and other materials. You’ll want to avoid cheap, low-quality products and buy a tough, well-made hose that will last. Once you invest the money, it just makes sense to care for the hose. Unlike metal tools, hoses don’t need to be oiled down, but there are other rules for hose upkeep....

Gardening with Exotics The exotic garden can be grown strictly indoors or outside on the patio, where plants can be easily lifted and brought indoors once cold temperatures and frost are imminent to wait out the winter. Nearly anything will thrive in a potted environment and containers also help to control invasive plantings that would otherwise take over the garden. Some good choices include: Bananas Palms Ferns Philodendrons Bamboos Bromeliads Hostas Elephant ears...

About Wild Mustard Weeds Wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis) is an aggressive weed native to Europe and Asia, but one which was brought to North America and has now taken root. It is an annual that grows about 3 to 5 feet (1-1.5 m.) and produces yellow flowers. You will often see these plants growing densely by the roadside and in abandoned areas. They are mostly problematic in cultivated fields, but wild mustard plants can take over your garden too....

Can I Give a Tree as a Wedding Present? It’s not a typical present, but that doesn’t mean that trees as wedding gifts can’t be done. A quick search online will turn up a number of nurseries that ship trees around the country and that will even gift wrap them and include a special message. If you’re worried that it might be rude to go off the registry for a gift, get something less expensive from the couple’s gift registry and also send them a smaller, less expensive tree....

Regardless of the growing region, these types of plants grow well when requirements for light and water are met indoors. Adding houseplants to your space not only adds color but enhances the overall décor of the home. A rather diminutive cactus, Golden Star plant (Parodia nivosa), is an especially good candidate for small pots and containers. What is Golden Star Parodia? Also known as Golden Star Parodia, this small cactus is native to the highlands of South America....