Castor Bean Information Castor bean plants (Ricinus ommunis) are native to the Ethiopian region of Africa but have been naturalized in warm climates all over the world. Commonly found in the wild along stream banks and riverbeds on low lying areas, this aggressive vine is the source of one of nature’s best natural oils, castor oil. As far back as 4,000 B.C., castor beans have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs....

What to Do with Catnip Catnip herb plants are grey-green perennials from the mint or Lamiaceae family. They grow 2-3 feet (61-91.5 cm.) in height with fuzzy, heart-shaped, serrated leaves and are native to areas of the Mediterranean in Europe, Asia, and into Africa. Introduced by European settlers, the plants are now naturalized and grown throughout North America. Catnip is most often cultivated for our pampered feline companions, or rather to entertain us while they play with it....

Why have a national honeybee day, you might ask. The simple answer is that these bees play a large part in making our world the beautiful planet it is. Honeybee Facts If you take the time to learn about honeybees and the pollination they are responsible for, you will better understand why there should be a National Honeybee Day. Honeybees make honey, as their name indicates, but did you know that they are the sole insect to actually produce food that people eat?...

Chir Pine Information Chir pine, also known as Indian Longleaf pine, is common to the most southern U.S. forests, although it is native to the Himalayas, where it is widely used for lumber. Needles of Pinus roxburghii are long and deciduous during dry seasons, but they usually remain on the tree for the better part of the year. Evergreen and coniferous, the trunk can grow to 6 feet (2 m.) around....

Centaury Plant Description Also known as mountain pink, common centaury flower is a low-growing annual that reaches heights of 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30.5 cm.). Centaury plant (Centaurium erythraea) consists of lance-shaped leaves on erect stems growing from small, basal rosettes. Clusters of petite, five-petaled, summer-blooming flowers are pinkish-lavender with prominent, salmon-yellow stamens. Flowers close at midday on sunny days. This hardy mountain wildflower is suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 1 through 9....

Can You Grow Bachelor’s Buttons in a Pot? Bachelor’s buttons, also known as cornflowers, have an unruly appeal which makes them natural for the wildflower garden. However, they can show a little restraint and cornflower plants in containers will enhance any container display. Sowing the seeds indoors 6 weeks before you want to plant them out will provide you with large enough plants to work into your container color displays. Seeds sown indoors will need to be thinned as soon as the plants get their first true leaves....

Keep reading to learn how to plant a container garden. Container Garden Arrangements Container gardening ideas abound. Nothing says each container has to contain only one plant and, in fact, placing a few kinds of plants in the same container can make for a really attractive arrangement. A good mix involves three heights of plants: a single tall attention-grabbing variety surrounded by few shorter varieties to fill out the low space and add color and texture, with a hanging variety planted around the edges to drape over the side of the container – oftentimes referred to as the thriller, filler, spiller....

Container Grown Passion Flowers Passion fruit vines need very large containers. If you’re transplanting, choose a container that’s two to three times the size of your current one. Fill your container with well-draining, nutrient-rich potting material. Passion fruit vines are fantastic growers and climbers, often gaining 15 to 20 feet (4.5-6 m.) of length in a single year. This means it’s essential to give the vine some kind of growing structure, like a trellis or a chain-link fence....

Container Gardening Vegetables Almost any vegetable that can be grown in a garden will work well as a container-grown plant. Vegetables normally suited for growing in containers include: tomatoes peppers eggplant potatoes beans lettuce carrots radishes Most vine crops, such as squash and cucumbers, also do well in containers. Generally, compact varieties are the better choices for growing in containers. Bush beans, for example, thrive well in this type of environment and look quite attractive when arranged with other container crops....

Citrus Sooty Mold Info Citrus with sooty mold is the result of an infestation of aphids or other types of sap-sucking insects. As the pests dine on the sweet juices, they excrete sticky “honeydew” that attracts the growth of ugly black mold. Sooty mold fungus can grow wherever the honeydew drips- on sidewalks, lawn furniture, or anything else under the tree. Citrus Sooty Mold Treatment If you want to get rid of sooty mold on citrus, the first step is to eliminate the honeydew producing insects....

Curly Dock Control Curly dock (Rumex crispus) is a perennial native to Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. In its native range, different parts of curly dock are used as food and/or medicine. However, outside of this range it can be a problematic, aggressive weed. Also known as sour dock, yellow dock, and narrowleaf dock, one reason controlling curly dock weeds is so hard is because plants may bloom and produce seeds twice a year....

What are Sorrel Herb Plants? Sorrel herb plants are small edible green-leafed plants related to rhubarb and buckwheat. There are three main varieties: broadleaf, French (buckler leaf), and red-veined sorrel. Broadleaf sorrel has slender, arrow-shaped leaves while French sorrel herb plants have small, bell-like leaves. Red-veined sorrel looks exactly as it sounds and is streaked with bright red veins across green leaves. Sorrel Plant Uses Common sorrel has been cultivated for hundreds of years....

Unfortunately, there are currently no known treatments for cotton root rot, which can kill apparently healthy trees very quickly. However, cotton root rot peach control may be possible. Peach Cotton Root Rot Info What causes peach cotton root rot? Cotton root rot of peaches is caused by a soil-borne fungal pathogen. The disease spreads when a healthy root from a susceptible plant comes in contact with a diseased root. The disease doesn’t spread above ground, as the spores are sterile....

What are Cranberry Beans? The cranberry bean, also known as the Borlotti bean in Italy, is fairly difficult to find unless your community has a large Italian population or farmer’s market. Cranberry beans are usually found in the mass market as packaged and dried unless one encounters them in the independent local farmer’s market where they can be seen fresh with their beautiful coloration. More widely known as shell beans, the cranberry bean is unrelated to a cranberry plant, and in fact, most closely resembles the pinto bean, although the flavor is dissimilar....

Crayfish Mounds in Lawns Burrowing crayfish problems are primarily a nuisance and an eyesore. These crustaceans feed on detritus and whatever they can scavenge. They don’t do any harm to landscape plants and their burrows don’t permanently damage turfgrass roots. About the biggest complaint are crayfish mounds in the lawn. These don’t get as numerous as say, mole hills, but they can be unsightly, a tripping, and a mowing hazard....

What to Do in the Upper Midwest in December – Maintenance It’s cold outside and winter has begun, but you can still get in some garden maintenance work. Take advantage of days that are unseasonably warm to do tasks like fence repair or work on your shed and tools. Take care of perennial beds by adding mulch if you haven’t yet. This will help protect against frost heaving. Keep evergreens healthy and whole by knocking down heavy snow that threatens to break branches....

Choosing the right plants will ensure that your landscape is healthy, easy to maintain, and conserves resources. All this can add up to big money savings and spare you from the headaches associated with incorrect plants and placement. How to Make a Desert Garden Desert soils are one of the biggest obstacles when planning a desert garden theme. They are generally highly alkaline with a pH of around eight or higher....

What are Seed Stratifying Methods? Simply, seed stratification refers to the process needed by seeds to begin to germinate. These processes allow for moisture to move through the seed coat and initiate growth. The method gardeners can use to stratify seeds depends on the type of seed and the conditions under which the seed will begin to grow. Wet vs. Dry Stratification When it comes to stratifying seeds, there are generally two ways this can be accomplished: wet cold vs....

When to Split Horseradish Roots Horseradish is suited for growing in USDA zones 4 through 8. The plant grows best in full sun to partial sun in warmer regions, in almost all soil types, provided they are well-draining and highly fertile with a pH of 6.0-7.5 and thrive in cooler temperatures. Horseradish root division should occur when the leaves have been killed off by frost or late in the fall in warmer regions....

Read on to learn about easy flower pot crafts to try. Fun Crafts for Families: Making Creative Planters with Kids Here are a few ideas to pique your creativity: Keeping things neat: Making DIY flowerpots can be messy, so begin by covering the table with a plastic tablecloth or large trash bag. Save a few of Dad’s old shirts to protect clothing from paint or glue. Toy truck planters: If your kids no longer play with toy trucks, just fill the truck with potting soil to create an instant flowerpot....