What are Conifers? Conifers are trees with sharp, needle-like foliage that remains on the branches year-round with only a few exceptions. Bald cypresses and larches are notable exceptions that drop their needles in winter. Conifers get their name from the cones which serve as reproductive structures. A few species have berry-like structures instead of cones. The female cones have ovaries on the individual scales which are pollinated by the windblown pollen from the male cone....

Barley Stem Rust Symptoms Stem rust is a fungal disease that has been afflicting grain production for more than a hundred years. The fungus keeps evolving to overcome any natural resistance in barley so that varieties of the grain that were once resistant to the disease now may not be. You’ll see the characteristic rust-colored lesions of barley with stem rust on the leaves, leaf sheaths, and stems. The lesions are reddish-orange to brown in color and are elongated as compared to leaf rust lesions, which are smaller spots....

About Cocklebur Control Cocklebur plants are native to North and South America. Spiny cocklebur (Xanthium spinosum) and common cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) are the two main varieties that can be found throughout the Americas, causing grief to nature lovers, farmers, home gardeners, pet owners, and livestock. Both types of cocklebur produce large burrs with small, sharp hook-shaped tips. Common cocklebur is a summer annual that grows about 4-5 feet (1 to 1....

Selecting Full Sun Groundcover Groundcovers perform a variety of functions. They fill in empty spaces which reduces weeds, cover soil to keep moisture in, pretty up blank spaces, and more. Groundcover plants for sunny locations can also help cool soil. Any full sun groundcover needs to be tolerant of periods of dryness and thrive in blistering summer heat. Prior to installing plants, determine which are hardy in your zone. You should also consider the type of soil, pH, drainage, irrigation, and other site conditions....

Symptoms of Cucurbit Fusarium Fungus Fungal diseases come in many forms. Fusarium fungus appears as both a wilt and a rot. It is almost a case of the chicken or the egg, as to which develops first. Fusarium rot of cucurbits primarily affects melons and cucumbers, and there are numerous species of fusarium which cause the disease. Cucurbits with fusarium rot often don’t show symptoms until they are harvested. The initial disease invades the fruit most often at the stem end....

About Lemon Tree Pruning While pruning lemon trees back will engender larger, healthier fruit, citrus wood is strong, and thus, less likely to break under the weight of a bumper crop than other fruiting trees. Citrus trees can also fruit throughout the tree, including shaded areas, so cutting back lemon trees to improve light availability is not necessary. That said, lemon trees should still be pruned on occasion. Young trees should have any sprouts removed and any weak limbs pruned out....

Backyard Possum Control The best way to combat opossum problems is to understand their habits. While they prefer wooded areas or open fields near streams, they will take up residence in abandoned burrows, tree crevices, brush piles, or areas beneath steps, decks, and outbuildings. These animals are also nocturnal, meaning they’re typically active only at night, sleeping throughout the day. This can make it somewhat difficult to “see” the intruder attacking your garden....

With some proven planting techniques; however, gardeners may be able to reduce the occurrence of damage caused by deer. Planting deer resistant evergreen plants, for example, can help to create a beautiful green space all year long. Choosing Evergreens Deer Won’t Eat When planning a garden filled with deer proof evergreens, it is important to remember that there will always be an exception. Despite choosing deer proof evergreens for planting, these animals are known to feed on a wide range of plants during times of need....

Looking for a fun and easy gardening project you can do indoors? Why not try a floating air plant frame? Air plants are extremely easy to care for. Most only require a quick soak in water every couple weeks and misting as needed between waterings, depending on the type you have. This is a project I did from MyGardenBox subscription, but you can do it too with little effort. Here’s how....

Planting a Pollinator Succulent Garden Pollinators include bees, wasps, flies, bats, and beetles along with the beloved butterfly. Not everyone is aware, but flowers commonly rise on stalks of echeveria, aloe, sedum, and many others. Keep a pollinator succulent garden going year-round, when possible, with something always in bloom. Succulents that attract bees and other pollinators should be a big part of the garden as well as water and nesting sites....

What is Guava Thinning? Guava thinning is the strategic removal of some fruits before they reach maturity. This practice allows the tree to expend the same amount of energy on developing fewer fruits, which results in them growing much larger. It also gives them more space to grow, improving air circulation and cutting down on disease and pests. Do Guavas Need to be Thinned? Should I thin my guavas? Guava thinning isn’t strictly necessary....

To ensure that they’ll stick together through shipping and stocking, pebbles or sand are glued into place around the plants. They are basically made to look nice, just long enough for them to be sold. By the time you purchase them, they could have been severely neglected, watered improperly, and sitting on death’s doorstep because of Dreschlera fungus or other rot diseases. Continue reading to learn if you can save a rotting cactus....

Many people are wary of drought-tolerant gardening, or xeriscaping, because they’re concerned about the cost. With proper planning, you can incorporate a drought-tolerant landscape for very little money. In fact, it may even turn out to be a cheaper alternative than traditional landscaping. Drought Tolerant Lawns Where should you start? Reducing the size of your lawn can benefit your landscape, saving you time, energy, and expense. Why not take a long look at your lawn and start considering cheaper alternatives to traditional turf....

Types Of Peony Let’s talk about the different types of peonies: The most common type is the herbaceous garden peony. These are the pretty spring bloomers you see in most people’s gardens. But there are also fernleaf peonies, woodland peonies, tree peonies, and Itoh peonies which are a cross between tree and garden peonies. In this article, we’re going to focus on the common garden peony. There are thousands of cultivars of garden peonies that grow in zones 3 through 9....

Echeveria Pallida Plant Info Commonly called Argentine echeveria (Echeveria pallida), this favorite succulent is native to Mexico. It’s described as having pale lime green, spoon-shaped leaves in a single rosette form. These leaves sometimes appear translucent, with edges that turn red with proper lighting. Growing Argentine echeveria is similar to growing others in this family. It cannot take winter cold, so if you live in a cool climate, you’ll want to grow this plant in a container....

Euryops Bush Daisy The Euryops daisy is a large perennial bush that grows well in warm climates in USDA zones 8 to 11. The plant will bloom all season long or until cold temperatures appear with yellow, daisy-like flowers. The deeply cut, lacy leaves cover a bush that may get 5 feet (1.5 m.) tall and up to 5 feet (1.5 m.) wide. Choose a well-drained, but moist, bed in full sun for growing bush daisies....

Reasons for Exposed Tree Roots There are several reasons for surface tree roots. Some species, like maples, are simply more prone to this than others. Older trees showing roots is common too. However, this most often happens when there’s little topsoil in the area. This can occur over some time or as a result of poor planting practices. A tree’s feeder roots are normally found within the uppermost portion of the ground, about 8 to 12 inches (20-31 cm....

What are F1 Hybrid Seeds? What are F1 hybrid seeds? F1 hybrid seeds refers to the selective breeding of a plant by cross pollinating two different parent plants. In genetics, the term is an abbreviation for Filial 1- literally “first children.” It is sometimes written as F1, but the terms mean the same. Hybridization has been around for a while now. Gregor Mendel, an Augustinian monk, first recorded his results in cross breeding peas in the 19th century....

What is a Fairy Tale Eggplant? Eggplant has many fans, but it’s not considered an especially gorgeous vegetable plant. Your opinion on this topic might change when you read some Fairy Tale eggplant information. What is a Fairy Tale eggplant? It’s a variety of the classic vegetable that produces tender-sweet fruits attractive enough to deserve a place in your annual flower bed. The eggplant “Fairy Tale” is a lovely mini eggplant, only 4 inches (10 cm....

Feverfew Plant Harvesting A member of the Asteraceae family along with its cousins, sunflowers and dandelions, feverfew has dense clusters of daisy-like flowers. These blooms perch atop stalks over the bushy, dense foliage of the plant. Feverfew, native to southeastern Europe, has alternate yellowish green, haired leaves that, when crushed, emit a bitter aroma. Established plants attain a height of between 9 and 24 inches (23-61 cm.). Its Latin name Tanacetum parthenium is partially derived from the Greek “parthenium,” meaning “girl” and alluding to another of its uses – to soothe menstrual complaints....