What is Bull Thistle? Bull thistle plants are native to Western Asia, North America and parts of Europe. What is bull thistle? It’s a free-seeding weed with a prickly demeanor and rapid spread. The plant has the ability to produce around 5,000 seeds in a season. These bur-like seeds cling to animals, pant legs, machinery, etc. and get spread around with abandon. For this reason, bull thistle removal is a priority among farmers and meticulous gardeners....

Causes for Leaf Galls on Plants Leaf galls on plants are usually the result of mites and other sucking insects that make their homes under the plant tissue. Their feeding activities cause some galls, while chemicals secreted during egg growth in saliva or even excretions, may cause the changes to plant tissue. These changes may not be limited to bumps on leaves. Flowers, fruits, and even roots can develop these changes in tissue....

Bay Laurel in a Container Bay leaf (Laurus nobilis), also called bay laurel or bay tree, is an evergreen tree native to the Mediterranean region. It is known to American cooks as a seasoning, but to gardeners, it is also a charming garden ornamental. Bay leaf has been grown for centuries. The famous celebratory “crown of laurels” was made from bay leaf. In addition, the leaves are used medicinally in Europe....

Can You Grow Mango in a Pot? Yes, growing mango trees in containers is possible. In fact, they will often thrive container grown, especially the dwarf varieties. Mangos are native to India, hence their love of warm temperatures. The large varieties make excellent shade trees and can grow up to 65 feet (20 m.) in height and live as long as 300 years still fruitful! Whether you live in a cool climate or just plain don’t have space for a 65-foot (20 m....

Can You Grow Nut Trees in Pots? Well, growing nut trees in containers is generally a little problematic. You see, typically nut trees run about 25 to 30 feet (8-9 m.) in height, making container grown nut trees size prohibitive. That said, there are some nut varieties that have better potential for use as container grown nut trees than others. Read on to find out how to grow a nut tree in a pot....

Can You Overwinter Cuttings? Cuttings from many annual plants will keep over winter, sprout roots, and be ready for planting in spring. You may place them in pots or cups without drainage filled with moist perlite or vermiculite. Locate them at first in bright light, away from the sun. Move later to an area where they receive morning sun. Alternatively, you may allow the cuttings to callous by letting them lay for a couple of hours to a few days, depending on the type of plant....

Tips for Preserving Mushrooms There are many varieties of mushrooms used for culinary purposes. Some are grown domestically, while others are harvested from the wild. Domestic grown button mushrooms are the only ones recommended for home canning. Other types of mushrooms can be preserved by freezing or dehydrating. When canning fresh mushrooms, choose ones with unopened caps and no discoloration. Fresh mushrooms have an earthy smell and should feel dry to the touch....

Firespike Plant Information These jewels of the landscape bed can grow 4 feet (1 m.) tall, and are covered in spikes of blazing, red blooms through the fall and winter. If you’ve already got a successful planting bed in your yard, then you know how to grow firespikes, as they need no special care in the right environment. Growing firespike plants is a great way to fill in a large bed quickly as well as a good way to add bright color that will last until spring....

Mexican heather plants, which actually aren’t members of the heather family, are suitable for growing in the warm climates of USDA plant hardiness zones 9 to 11. You can grow Mexican heather as an annual if you live in a chillier climate. How to Plant Mexican Heather Planting Mexican heather is uninvolved, although the plant benefits from a little added compost or manure if soil is poor. Allow at least 18 inches (46 cm....

Amaryllis Care Instructions for the First Flowering Because the amaryllis produces such brilliantly-colored flowers, many people put them in their homes in the winter. Growing amaryllis indoors requires little of you during the first winter. The bulb will be ready to bloom in early winter, around November, and most stalks will produce two to four flowers. All you need to do is keep the amaryllis watered and out of harm....

Planting American Chestnut Trees in Landscapes Before you go about planting American chestnut trees (Castanea dentata), you should have a little American chestnut tree information. American chestnut trees used to be found all over the eastern United States. In 1904, however, a fungus all but wiped them out. The fungus is difficult to manage. It can take ten years to appear, at which time, it kills the aboveground part of the tree....

Can I Grow Dogwood In a Container? Can I grow dogwood in a container? Technically, yes. It’s possible, but there are certain requirements to be met, and it’s not for the casual gardener. Dogwood trees have very dense, fast-growing root systems that are less than ideal for container growing. They also need extremely well-draining soil, but at the same time, the plants need lots of water, particularly in the first few years of life....

Cercospora Spot on Beets Cercospora spot on beets can be pretty frightening to see in your crop, especially if you didn’t realize what it was at first and let the small spots spread before making a move. Fortunately, your crop should be able to weather this storm, but you must start by making a positive identification today. You’ll know beet Cercospora spot by the small, pale, circular to oval spots with purple or brown borders....

Christmas bushes of either variety are warm to temperate region plants. The Christmas bush Australia will thrive in United States Department of Agriculture zones 8-11, while the Chile version is a bit hardier, to zone 7. Both have excellent attributes and medium water needs. Christmas bush care is minimal, making them outstanding plants for the garden. Chile Christmas Bush Plant Baccharis magellanica is the variety from Chile. It can be relatively hard to find, but specialty nurseries may have some....

How to Grow a Christmas Cactus Outside If you live in a cool climate, plant Christmas cactus in a container or hanging basket so you can bring it indoors when temperatures fall below 50 F. (10 C.) Use a well-drained potting medium such as a mixture of potting soil, perlite and orchid bark. A location in light shade or early morning sun is best for growing Christmas cactus outdoors in warmer climates, although a sunnier location is suitable in fall and winter....

What is Citrus Canker? Citrus canker goes way back to its discovery in Texas in 1910 and into Florida in 1914. It was introduced on seedlings imported from Japan. It is caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas citri and likely originated in southern Asia. The disease can now be found in Japan, the Middle East, central and southern Africa, and Central and South America. This bacterium is extremely contagious and is fostered when there is steady rain combined with high temperatures....

Citrus Rust Mite Info What are citrus rust mites? The citrus rust mite (Phyllocoptruta oleivora) is a pest that feeds on citrus fruit, leaves, and stems. On oranges, it is commonly known as rust mite, while on lemons, it is called silver mite. Another species, called the pink rust mite (Aculops pelekassi) is also known to cause problems. The mites are too small to see with the naked eye, but with a magnifying glass, they can be seen as pink or yellow in color and wedge shaped....

About Gloriosa Climbing Lilies Gloriosa climbing lilies, also known as flame lilies and glory lilies, thrive in fertile, well-drained soil in full to partial sun. Hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 10 and 11, they can be overwintered successfully in zone 9 with winter mulch. In cooler areas, climbing lilies can be grown successfully during the summer and lifted and stored for the winter. These exotic-looking lilies produce an abundance of yellow and red flowers with petals that curl backward to resemble a flash of brilliant flames....

Types of Breadfruit for the Home Garden Breadfruit is a tree native to the Pacific islands but can be cultivated and grown naturally in very warm climates, like south Florida or the Caribbean. In addition to growing it as a large landscape element, breadfruit can be grown for food. It produces more food than most other plants. The fruit is used in ways similar to potatoes: fried, boiled, or baked. There are hundreds of different breadfruit trees, so if you are looking to grow this tree, you have a lot of options for variety....

How Do You Get Pests in Containers? Container plant pests can come in many different ways. They may come in the nursery pot where the plant originated. They may show up in reused potting soil or soil used from the garden. Interestingly, they can also occur from infected fruits and vegetables. In the outdoors, insects are plentiful and looking for food and habitation. Often your plants provide ideal accommodations and forage....