The Best Upper Midwest Hostas Varieties Just about any type of hosta will grow in this region, but some varieties are especially well suited to the northern and eastern states of the Midwest: ‘Sun and Substance.’ This is a striking plant that can grow up to six feet (1.8 m) across. The leaves are large and a bright chartreuse color. It will do well with more sun than other hostas. “June....

What is Eastern Filbert Blight? Caused by the fungus Anisogramma anomala, Eastern filbert blight is a disease that makes growing European filberts outside of Oregon very trying. The small, spindle-shaped cankers become larger every year, eventually growing all the way around a branch to prevent the flow of sap. Once this happens, the stem dies. Tiny, black fruiting bodies grow inside the cankers. These fruiting bodies contain spores that spread the disease from one part of the tree to another, or from tree to tree....

What are Easy Elegance Roses? Bailey Nurseries, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, developed the series of roses known as Easy Elegance. They developed the plants to be easy to care for while still producing beautiful flowers. They are disease-resistant, cold-hardy, and durable, and are the offspring of shrub roses that were crossed with a range of varieties to produce different colors, fragrances, and sizes of blooms. There are several to choose from, including:...

Esperanza Growing Conditions Esperanza plants need to be grown in warm conditions that closely mimic that of their native environments. In other areas they are usually grown in container where they can be overwintered indoors. While esperanza plants can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, it’s preferable that they be given fertile, well-draining soil. Therefore, any poor soil should be amended with organic matter (i.e. compost) to improve its overall health and drainage....

Ornamental grasses offer ease of care and versatility to the landscape. Pennisetum, or fountain grasses, come in many species and are a hardy variety, suited to USDA zone 5. The fountain grass ‘Little Honey’ is a warm season grass and not as hardy, only suited to USDA zone 6. About Pennisetum Little Honey Little honey ornamental grass is a dwarf fountain grass that only gets 12 inches (30 cm.) tall and about a foot (30 m....

What to Do with Grape Leaves If you or someone you know has a grapevine that is grown organically, you can make one of the classic Greek staples, dolmas. Also known as dolmades, dolmas are stuffed grape leaves. The classic is only one of many grape leaf uses. Keep reading to find more things to do with grape leaves for a culinary journey around the world. Original grape leaf uses were as wrappers for a variety of mixed fillings....

Fruits to Grow in the Shade There are actually quite a number of fruit bearing shade plants. Most of these are in the berry category, but if you have a partially shaded area, even pears and plums may be grown. Pears do need some sun, but they will produce in partial shade. Try a variety such as ‘Beth’ planted in a westerly facing area that will get a few hours of sun in the afternoon....

What is Iron and its Function? The role of iron in plants is as basic as it can get: without iron a plant can’t produce chlorophyll, can’t get oxygen and won’t be green. So what is iron? The function of iron is to act much like it does in the human bloodstream — helping to carry important elements through a plant’s circulatory system. Where to Find Iron for Plants Iron for plants can come from a number of sources....

Gardening To-Do List There are several ‘big item’ tasks for the western region in autumn. Your gardening to-do list should probably start with completing the harvest of all remaining summer veggies. After all the work you invested in the summer garden, it would be a shame not to make the most of it. Take a look at your vegetable crops at the end of summer. You likely have a few tomato plants still producing fruit, as well as pumpkins, squash, and melons ripening on vines....

Potential Ginseng Plant Issues Growing ginseng is not easy for beginners. There are a number of problems you’ll face, and those experienced with cultivating this plant suggest you throw out all your conventional knowledge about gardening; most of it won’t work with ginseng. Here are some of the issues you may face: Ginseng plants need shade. Depending on the conditions, ginseng can be very susceptible to damage from pests and diseases....

What is Bushy Beardgrass? Also known as bushy beardgreass, this is an attractive ornamental grass for areas that have damp to wet ground. Adding fall and winter color and interest, Glomeratus beardgrass, brightens areas that have gone drab with colder seasons. Showy copper-orange stems and plumes are long lasting, persisting through cold temperatures when adequate water is supplied. Bushy bluestem grass grows in most areas of the U.S. (zones 3-9), supplying beautiful color in a range of beds and borders and around streams and ponds....

Using Gourd Maracas Maracas, also referred to as rumba shakers, are musical instruments native to Puerto Rico, Cuba, Colombia Guatemala, and regions of the Caribbean and other Latin American countries. Sometimes they are made of leather, wood, or plastic, but the traditional material is a gourd, dried calabash, or coconut filled with seeds or dried beans. When using gourds for maracas, select one that will easily fit in the palm of the hand....

What is a Graft Collar? The union in a graft is a lumpy, raised scar that should be just above the surface of the soil or just under the canopy. It is caused when the scion and rootstock are united. The scion is the variety of the species that produces and performs the best. The rootstock is a consistent propagator chosen by nurseries and breeders. The purpose of grafting is to ensure that varieties that do not come true from seed will retain the properties of the parent plant....

Preventing Disease Problems in Greenhouses Controlling disease in a greenhouse requires a combination of good sanitation and a keen eye. Your plants may all be perfectly healthy until one rogue from the neighbor’s garden is introduced, then suddenly you can’t kill fungus and bacteria fast enough. Without preparation, a tiny disease outbreak can make you want to throw in the towel. There are many things you can do to minimize the risk of diseases in the greenhouse, which includes:...

What are Bush Beans? Beans come in one of two types: bush beans and pole beans. Bush beans differ from pole beans in the fact that bush beans don’t need any kind of support to stay upright. Pole beans, on the other hand, need a pole or some other support to stay upright. Bush beans can be further broken down into three types: snap beans (where the pods are eaten), green shelling beans (where the beans are eaten green) and dry beans, (where the beans are dried and then rehydrated before eating....

What is a Fruit Salad Tree? So, you love fruit and want to grow your own, but your gardening space is limited. Not enough room for multiple fruit trees? No problem. Fruit salad trees are the answer. They come in four different types and bear up to eight different fruits of the same family on the one tree. Sorry, it doesn’t work to have oranges and pears on the same tree....

The impact of high heat and drought may be one of the greatest factors in choosing which grape cultivars to grow. Let’s learn more about grapes that can tolerate heat and drought-like conditions. How to Grow Grapes in High Heat and Drought Before adding grapevines to the garden, it will be important to decide which type is most suitable to your climate. American hybrid grapes are a very popular choice throughout the eastern United States....

How to Plant Mustard Seed Mustard seed plants are normally grown from seed but can be grown from purchased seedlings as well. When selecting mustard seeds for planting, any mustard plant grown for greens can also be grown for mustard seed. Plant the mustard seed about three weeks before your last frost date. Since you’ll be harvesting the mustard seed, there’s no need to use succession planting like you do with mustard greens....

Nectarine Growing Zones The USDA Hardiness Zone map is divided into 13 zones of 10 degrees F. each, ranging from -60 degrees F. (-51 C.) to 70 degrees F. (21 C.). Its purpose is to aid in identifying how well plants will survive winter temperatures in each zone. For example, zone 4 is described as having a minimum average temperature of -30 to -20 degrees F. (-34 to -29 C.). If you’re in that zone, then it gets pretty chilly in the winter, not arctic, but chilly....

Most fruit trees are propagated from compatible rootstock or the mother plant onto which the desired variety is grafted to obtain a “true” copy of the fruit. Planting plums from a pit may result in a very different variety of the original; the fruit may be inedible, or you may produce an even better variety. Either way, it is fairly easy and super fun growing plums from pits. How to Plant Plum Pits First when considering planting plums from a pit, look at your geographic region....