Using Mums to Control Pests Pyrethrin is the best of both worlds- it’s a neurotoxin that kills insects but does not harm mammals or birds. Insects prefer to stay away from it, so using mums to control pests can be achieved simply by planting them throughout your garden, especially close to plants that tend to be plagued by bugs. To use a chrysanthemum for pest control, plant it about 1 to 1½ feet (30....

The bad news is that fireflies are disappearing all over the world. Their diminishing numbers are due to use of toxic chemicals, destruction of wetlands, urban sprawl, clearing of forests, and light pollution. Are you interested in discovering ways to attract lightning bugs? Just keep reading to find out how to get lightning bugs in your yard. Lightning Bug Information Fireflies are nocturnal insects. Despite the name, they aren’t flies, but rather a type of winged beetle....

September gardening tasks in this area include completing the summer harvest, transplanting trees and shrubs, and preparing the entire landscape for winter’s worst. Read on for details. West North Central Gardens Montana, the Dakotas, Wyoming, and Nebraska comprise the northern Rockies region of the country. Fall weather is brisk and cool, perfect for finishing up the summer harvest and getting the garden ready for winter. West North Central gardens are wrapping up in September....

Bud Mite Pests of Avocado Although avocados may be afflicted with a number of pests, a common offender may be spider mites. There are a couple of different types of spider mites that commonly attack avocados. Treating avocado bud mite problems means identifying which mite is causing the damage. The first candidate is the Persea bud mite and the second is the avocado bud mite. Persea bud mite information Persea mites (Oligonychus perseae) are found feeding in colonies along midribs and veins on the undersides of avocado leaves....

What are Flowering Cherry Trees? Ornamental cherries are flowering cherry trees that are closely related to orchard cherry trees but are not grown for their fruit. Rather, ornamental cherries are grown for their ornamental properties, particularly their springtime floral displays. Ornamental or flowering cherry refers to several species of Prunus trees along with their cultivars. Most of these Prunus species hail from Japan. Although some types of flowering cherry produce fruit, it is usually too tart for human consumption....

What are Italian Frying Peppers? Italian frying peppers are a type of Capsicum annum variably referred to as Cubanelle, Italianelles, or Sweet Italian Long peppers. Unlike many unripe peppers which are bitter in flavor, Italian frying peppers are sweet at every stage from green to yellow to red. In color, they range from bright citron to deep forest green ripening to orange and then red when fully ripe. Italian peppers for frying are common features of Italian cuisine....

What are Mung Beans? Mung bean seeds are sprouted for use either fresh or canned. These high protein, 21-28% beans are also rich sources of calcium, phosphorus, and other vitamins. For people in regions where animal protein is scarce, mung beans are an important source of protein. Mung beans are members of the Legume family and related to adzuki and cowpea. These warm-season annuals may be either upright or vine types....

Murder Hornet Facts What are murder hornets? First of all, there’s no such thing as murder hornets. These invasive pests are actually Asian giant hornets (Vespa mandarinia). They are the largest hornet species in the world, and they’re easy to recognize not only by their size (up to 1.8 inches, or about 4.5 cm.) but by their bright orange or yellow heads. Asian giant hornets are definitely something you don’t want to see in your backyard, but so far, small numbers have been found (and eradicated) in Vancouver, British Columbia, and possibly northwestern Washington State....

While tasks such as weeding and irrigation often take precedent, many are starting to take a closer look into what it takes to create healthy and thriving garden soil. Learning more about the role of microbes in the soil is just one way to increase the overall health of the garden. Can plants benefit from soil microbes though? Let’s learn more about soil microbes and nutrients. What Do Soil Microbes Do?...

About Black Knight Echeveria Echeveria plants abound in variety, and their ease of care makes them popular succulent plants to grow. The new growth in the center of Black Knight rosettes provides a bright green contrast to the dark outer leaves. In late summer and fall, Black Knight succulents produce colorful, coral-red blooms atop slender, arching stalks. As an added benefit, deer and bunnies tend to steer clear of Black Knight plants....

What is a Butterwort? Butterwort plants (Pinguicula) are tiny plants that can go unrecognized until they bloom. The leaves are a soft greenish yellow color, which probably led to the name. It could also be from the slightly greasy or buttery feel of the leaves. The plant forms low rosettes and blooms in spring with yellow, pink, purple, or white flowers. Site conditions must be considered when learning how to grow butterworts....

What is a Cardinal Flower? The cardinal wildflower plant is an American wildflower native to Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. These Lobelia flowers are tall perennials that thrive in USDA plant hardiness zones 1 through 10. Tall spikes of brilliant red, trumpet-shaped flowers rise above the dark green foliage. Growing cardinal flowers bloom during summer and sometimes into fall. Most insects struggle to navigate the long necks of the trumpet-shaped flowers, so cardinal flowers depend on hummingbirds for fertilization....

What is a Gravel Garden? This type of garden concept is characterized by gravel mulch, but may also include trees, shrubs, groundcovers, flowers, larger rocks, and differently textured hardscape details. The best types of gravel garden plants are perennials, ornamental grasses, and herbs. The effect provides a Mediterranean style garden that is perfect for plants such as: Lavender Juniper Rosemary Thyme Cistus Some bulbs such as alliums and crocus will break through the gravel mulch and naturalize in clumps....

Guelder Rose Viburnums What is a guelder rose? Guelder rose viburnums (Viburnum opulus) are deciduous shrubs or trees that grow between 13 and 25 feet (4-7.5 m.) in height and 8 to 12 feet (2.5-4 m.) in spread, making them well-suited for smaller areas of the landscape. In late spring to early summer, they produce branching clusters of flowers that are usually white but sometimes shades of pink. The flowers give way in autumn to round berries that are red, blue, or black....

What is a Heatmaster Tomato? Heatmaster tomatoes are determinate hybrid plants. The plants grow 3 to 4 feet (.91 to 1.2 m.) tall. Tomatoes are oblong, medium to large, firmly fleshed with thin skins. You can start picking fruit within 75 days. The tomatoes produced are at their best when eaten fresh but also make good sauce. Heatmaster is resistant to many common tomato diseases, among these are: alternaria stem canker tomato mosaic virus fusarium wilt verticillium wilt gray leaf spot southern root knot nematodes...

What is a Horticultural Bean? French horticultural beans are not a specific variety, but rather a category or type of bean. (Other types of beans include snap, lima, and soybeans.) Horticultural bean plants produce long, flat pods with large, plump seeds. They have a mild, nutty flavor and a beautiful color. The attractive bean pods and plump seeds are one reason horticultural beans are popular with gardeners and home cooks, especially in France....

What is Ammonium Nitrate? Nitrogen comes in many forms. This major plant nutrient can be taken in by plants through the roots or from the stoma in the leaves and stems. Additional sources of nitrogen are often added to soil and plants in areas without sufficient natural sources of nitrogen. One of the first solid nitrogen sources produced in a large scale capacity is ammonium nitrate. Ammonium nitrate fertilizer is the most common use of the compound, but it also has a very volatile nature, which makes it useful in certain industries....

What is an Intrepid Peach? Merriam Webster defines the word intrepid as, “characterized by resolute fearlessness, fortitude, and endurance.” That surely describes Intrepid peach trees. The Intrepid peach tree variety not only has stoic blossoms in the face of cold temperatures but also has resistance to bacterial spot. It’s a really great patented variety of peach for most suitable regions. The Intrepid peach tree variety was introduced in 2002 out of North Carolina State University....

What is Corn Brown Spot? This is a fungal infection caused by Physoderma maydis. It is an interesting disease, although it can be destructive, because it is one of few that produce zoospores. These are fungal spores that have flagella, or tails, and can swim around in the water that pools in corn whorls. The conditions that favor the infection are warm and wet, especially when water collects in whorls. This is what allows the zoospores to spread to healthy tissue and cause infection and lesions....

What is Crepe Myrtle Blight? Crepe myrtle tip blight results from a fungus that causes leaves near the tips of the tree branches to turn brown in spring or summer. Look closely at the infected foliage to see the small black spore-bearing bodies. Crepe Myrtle Blight Treatment Treating blight on crepe myrtle begins with proper care and cultivation practices. Like many fungal diseases, crepe myrtle tip blight can be discouraged by following a few simple rules about caring for your trees....