How to Thin Nectarines Thinning nectarine trees allows the energy of the tree to go toward selected fruit, engendering larger, healthier fruit. Nectarine fruit thinning also reduces the possibility of breaking a limb due to overly burdened branches. There is another reason for thinning out nectarines: nectarine fruit thinning increases the plant’s ability to produce flower buds for the successive year. To accomplish the second goal when thinning nectarine trees, the thinning must be done early....

By thinning the crop, you simply should pick some of the fruit as it is producing, because otherwise, you can end up with more apricots than you know what to do with. You would think, because of how many apricots grow on one tree, you would never have a problem with no apricots on the tree. However, it can and does happen. Reasons for Apricot Tree Not Fruiting Since apricot trees are so easily grown and apricot fruits so easily harvested, if you have no apricots on the tree, it signals a problem....

Orange Tree Not Fruiting There are several reasons why an orange tree may have no oranges. On trees that flower but don’t produce fruit, the problem may be that the flowers aren’t pollinated, especially when they are grown in a protected area such as a sunroom or greenhouse. If the tree doesn’t flower, look at the location of the tree and the care it receives. Orange trees need sun, plenty of water, and regular fertilization....

Choosing Shade Loving Ornamental Grass Those dark, shady areas of the garden are often difficult to populate with exciting plant specimens. It is a common problem and one that horticulturalists and growers have worked hard to solve. Enter shade loving ornamental grass. Today’s garden centers have a wide variety of low growing or tall, statuesque specimens that thrive in low light. Selecting a variety that suits your shade garden specifications has never been easier....

Ornamental Grasses with Plumes There is a wide range of ornamental grasses with plumes. These might include pampas grass, Miscanthus, and fescues. The plume is the plant’s version of a flower and produces seed. They are airy, sometimes colored inflorescences that grow up above the slender foliage on sturdy stems. Female plumes are larger and more feathery, while male plumes are thinner and narrow. Most pluming grasses need full sun locations and well-drained soil....

How to Prepare Roses for Winter Plant cold-hardy roses — the shop where you purchase bushes can help advise you on which roses to buy — or plant own-root roses. These roses grow back from the roots fairly quickly, even if the plant dies. In the fall, cut down on nitrogen fertilizers and switch to a non-nitrogen brand or cut it all out. Doing so helps your roses to harden and gives them a better chance of surviving the winter....

Pawpaw as Cancer Treatment Before going any further, it’s important to state that Gardening Know How cannot offer any medical advice. This is not an endorsement of a certain medical treatment, but rather a laying out of the facts of one side of the story. If you’re looking for practicable advice on treatment, you should always speak with a doctor. Fighting Cancer Cells with Pawpaws How does pawpaw fight cancer? In order to understand how pawpaws can be used to fight cancer cells, it’s necessary to understand how cancer cells work....

What is a Pix Zee Peach? As the name implies, ‘Pix Zee’ is a variety of small, dwarf peach tree. Due to its compact size, often reaching no larger than 6 feet (2 m.) tall, Pix Zee peaches are the perfect candidates for home gardeners who wish to begin growing fruit but lack access to the larger spaces required to establish larger fruit trees. Not only does this factor make the trees ideal candidates for growth in urban backyards, but it also makes them a good choice for growers wishing to grow peach trees in containers....

Symptoms of Leucostoma Canker of Peach Trees Also known as cytospora peach canker, this tree disease may affect many other stone-type fruits. In addition to peaches, trees that may all develop signs of this fungal disease include: Apricot Plum Nectarine Cherry Like many fungal diseases, peach canker is often the result of damage or injury to the tree. Damage caused by routine pruning, inclement weather, or other orchard maintenance may cause stressed fruit trees to become more susceptible to canker....

What is Peach Scab? Fruit growers in the southeastern United States continuously battle with a fungus known as scab. Scab also occurs on apricots and nectarines. Peach scab disease affects the fruit, leaves, and young twigs. Damp conditions during the spring and early summer encourage leaf scab development. Low-lying, moist, and shady areas with poor air circulation are hit the hardest. The fungus that causes scab (Cladosporium carpophilum) overwinters in twigs that were infected in the previous season....

What is Ball Moss? Ball moss is an epiphytic plant that commonly grows in the interior limbs of trees where conditions are moist and shady. You may also notice ball moss on fence posts, rocks, power lines, and other non-living hosts. Is ball moss bad for pecans? Opinions in the horticultural community are mixed. Many experts think ball moss in pecan trees is harmless because the plant isn’t a parasite – it takes nutrients from the air, not the tree....

Peony Foliar Nematode Symptoms If you have peonies with leaf discoloration, you could have a peony leaf nematode eating them. Foliar nematodes, those that feed on leaves rather than roots, are species of Aphelenchoides. They are tiny and you won’t identify them without a microscope, but there are clear signs of their infestation on peonies: Discolored sections of leaves that are bound by the veins, forming wedge shapes Discoloration that begins yellow and turns reddish purple or brown...

Facts About Pinyon Pines If you read pinyon pine information, you find that the pinyon pine – a small pine tree that rarely grows above 20 feet (6 m.) tall – is extremely water efficient. It thrives in its native range in the American southwest on 15 inches (38 cm.) or less of annual precipitation. Pinyon pine grows yellow-green needles, about 2 inches (5 cm.) long, that remain on the tree for some eight or nine years....

Plant Crafting Ideas Some plant crafting ideas are more obvious, such as making brooms from broomcorn and planting self-drying strawflowers for wreaths. Gourds have been used for making everything from ladles to birdhouses. Using carrots for garden plant crafts though? How about sunflowers? Many plants lend themselves well for dyeing fabric and making paints. Carrots, beets, skins from your onions, and blueberries are just a few edibles that can be used for painting and other garden plant crafts....

Why Plants Won’t Establish Do your plants fail to establish? It’s always discouraging when a new plant you’ve installed in the garden doesn’t grow well. If you see leaves yellowing and falling or branch dieback, it is probably a case of establishment failure. Plants fail to establish for many reasons, including diseases and pests. Generally, plants don’t grow after transplant because of missteps in planting or cultural care after planting. Too small a planting hole and improper irrigation are the leading issues....

Plant propagation containers can be as simple as recycled kitchen containers or as elaborate as commercial self-watering systems. If you’re just beginning to grow your own seedlings instead of buying them, start collecting containers used to propagate plants and fill in your collection with homemade versions to avoid a huge expense at the beginning of the season. Types of Pots for Plant Seeds and Cuttings The type of containers for propagating plants depends on what you want to grow and how many plants you plan to plant....

Garden Face Mask Plants to Grow First, make sure you have the right plants for creating face masks. Different herbs and plants can do different things for your skin. For oily skin, use: Basil Oregano Mint Sage Rose petals Bee balm Lavender Lemon balm Yarrow For dry skin, try: Violet leaves Aloe Chamomile flowers Calendula flowers If you struggle with red, sensitive skin, you’ll benefit from: Lavender flowers Rose petals...

Your Tree and Water Drainage The reason some trees die or grow poorly in wet areas is simply because they cannot breathe. Most tree roots need air as much as they need water. If they do not get air, they will die. Some water loving trees have developed the ability to grow roots without needing air though. This allows them to live in marshy areas where other trees would die. As a homeowner, you can take advantage of this trait to beautify your own wet and poorly drained areas....

Are Red Onions Easy to Grow? Growing red onions is as easy as any other type of onion. All onions are biennials, meaning they take two years to complete their life cycle. In the first year the seed grows, forming modified leaves and tiny underground bulbs. In the succeeding year, red onion bulbs mature until they’re ready to harvest. Most gardeners plant onion sets the second year that small red onion bulbs to hasten the maturation and harvest of the onions....

Growing Horse Chestnut from Seed Conkers emerge from a prickly fruit covering that starts out green and turns shades of yellow as it ages. Growing a horse chestnut tree from seed begins with chilling the conker. If seeds remain outside during cold winter days, this is sufficient chilling, but they’re unlikely to still be there in spring. If you wish to attempt propagation, gather the horse chestnuts when they fall from the tree in early autumn....