Kalanchoe delagoensis, also known as Kalanchoe chandelier or mother of millions (and is often confused with mother of thousands, Kalanchoe daigremontiana), is an upright succulent with creeping tendrils bunching together on a single stem. This offers an unusual effect in the container or even in a portion of the sunny garden. Kalanchoe chandelier is hardy in drought-stricken, desert areas where thriving plant life may be limited. This Kalanchoe species can exist on limited seasonal rainfall, storing water for existence due to succulent capabilities....

Charleston Gray History According to Cambridge University Press, Charleston Gray watermelon plants were developed in 1954 by C.F. Andrus of the United States Department of Agriculture. Charleston Gray and several other cultivars were developed as part of a breeding program devised to create disease-resistant melons. Charleston Gray watermelon plants were widely grown by commercial growers for four decades and remain popular among home gardeners. How to Grow Charleston Gray Melons Here are some helpful tips on Charleston Gray watermelon care in the garden: Plant Charleston Gray watermelons directly in the garden in early summer, when the weather is consistently warm and soil temperatures have reached 70 to 90 degrees F....

Chilling Time for Fruit Trees Fruit plants, and nut trees as well, need a certain amount of time spend dormant in temperatures from about 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 4.5 Celsius) in order to develop flowers and fruit in the spring, summer, and fall. Chill time is measured in hours, and some fruits don’t need much. For instance, strawberries require just 200 hours, and this is why they can grow in warmer climates....

These papery pods enclose a fruit that is edible though not very tasty. While the leaves and unripened fruit are poisonous, many people like to make use of the pods in dried flower arrangements. Growing Chinese Lantern Plants Growing Chinese lantern plants is similar to growing other members of the nightshade family, such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Chinese lantern is winter-hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 9....

About Citrus Ganoderma Rot If you grow citrus trees, you should keep an eye out for different diseases that can attack your orchard. One fungal disease is called ganoderma rot of citrus or citrus heart rot. The first symptom you might observe indicating that your tree suffers from citrus ganoderma rot is a general decline. You might see some leaves and branches dying in the canopy. After a while, the fungi move up the tree from the roots to the crown and trunk via strands called rhizomorphs....

Peace Lilies and Pollution The NASA study focuses on common air pollutants that tend to be given off by manmade materials. These are chemicals that become trapped in the air in enclosed spaces and can be bad for your health if breathed in too much. One of these chemicals is Benzene, which can be naturally given off by gasoline, paint, rubber, tobacco smoke, detergent, and a variety of synthetic fibers. Another is Trichloroethylene, which can be found in paint, lacquer, glue, and varnish....

Evergreens for Zone 3 You’ll need cold climate evergreens if you are a gardener living in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 3. The USDA developed the zone system dividing the nation into 13 planting zones based on the lowest winter temperatures. Zone 3 is the third coldest designation. One state can contain multiple zones. For example, about half of Minnesota is in zone 3 and half is in zone 4....

Cold Hardy Maple Trees for Zone 4 There are plenty of cold hardy maple trees that will make it through a zone 4 winter or colder. This only makes sense, as the maple leaf is the central figure of the Canadian flag. Here are some popular maple trees for zone 4: Amur Maple– Hardy all the way to zone 3a, Amur maple grows to between 15 and 25 feet (4.5-8 m....

How to Keep Warm in the Garden For some, fall and winter gardening is still full of physical labor, the kind that takes moments to warm a body up. For other cold weather gardeners, some minor harvesting may be the extent of cold weather gardening. For the latter, learning how to keep warm in the garden is of paramount concern since it’s a little difficult to harvest cool weather veggies with frozen fingers....

How to Save Eggplant Seeds The most important thing to remember regarding saving seeds from eggplant is to start with open-pollinated plants. Open pollination is pollination by wind, insects, birds, or other natural causes. If you use seeds from a hybrid eggplant, it won’t work. Look at the plant label on the container or ask someone at the nursery if you have an open-pollinated plant. When you’re collecting eggplant seeds, grow only one type of eggplant in a given area....

Collecting Gunnera Seeds There are over 50 species of gunnera, but the most impactful is the huge Gunnera manicata, which is native to the mountains of southeastern Brazil. This monster of a plant can have leaves of 11 by 6 feet (3 x 2 m.) on petioles that are 8 feet (2 m.) in length. It is the most common in cultivation and harvesting seeds from the plant is relatively simple but they need special treatment to ensure germination....

Agapanthus Problems The first order of business when dealing with agapanthus diseases is self-protection. Agapanthus has a toxic sap that can irritate the skin. Always wear gloves, long sleeves, and goggles when cutting agapanthus stems. Diseases affecting agapanthus are often brought about by overwatering and too much moisture. Gray mold Gray mold is an unsightly fungus that spreads on dying blossoms. The mold needs standing water to grow, so prevent it by watering your agapanthus from below and spacing your plants to allow for good air circulation....

However, gardeners living in urban areas are likely to see more common animals native to southern regions such as squirrels, rabbits, bats, and raccoons. Let’s learn more about animals native to South Central U.S. Common Animals in Southern Gardens There are plenty of native backyard animals in Southern gardens. Here are a few: Rabbits – Gardeners often see cottontail rabbits in their yards. The eastern cottontail has long fur which is usually gray or brown....

Common Houseplant Pests Let’s look at some of the most common houseplant pests. Most of these pests can be controlled with sprays of insecticidal soap or neem oil. Products containing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) can help with worm or caterpillar problems. Aphids Commonly known as greenfly or blackfly, though they can be other colors such as pink and slate-blue, aphids are commonly found on indoor plants. Aphids are able to reproduce without fertilization and will start reproducing within a week of birth if the plant is kept in warm conditions, so you can see how easy it is for an aphid colony to build up....

Myth #1 – Xeriscaping is All About Cacti, Succulents, & Gravel The most common myth is the idea that cacti, succulents, and gravel mulch are considered xeriscaping. However, this is not true. In fact, the overuse of gravel can actually increase the temperature around plants, resulting in even more water use. Instead, organic mulches, like bark, can be used. These types of mulch will actually retain water. As for the use of cacti and succulents only in xeriscapes, there are numerous plants available, from annuals and perennials to grasses, shrubs, and trees that will thrive in a xeriscape setting....

Companion Planting with Potatoes While there are good beneficial companion plants for potatoes, there are also plants that can cause disease and growth problems. Before planting potatoes, keep the following in mind: Raspberry, tomato, cucumber, squash, and pumpkin are more susceptible to developing blight if planted with potatoes. Carrots, asparagus, fennel, turnip, onions, and sunflowers can stunt the growth and development of potato tubers. Potato plants also should not be planted in the same spot where eggplant, tomatoes, and anything in the nightshade family has previously been planted....

Companion Planting with Raspberries Raspberries grow best in well-drained, slightly acidic soil that contains lots of organic material. Before planting raspberries, you may need to amend the soil to add organic material and valuable nutrients. One way to do this is to plant and grow a cover crop for one season prior to planting raspberries in that location. Cover crops like this are grown for a season and then tilled in, adding organic material and nutrients as they decompose in the soil....

Benefits of a Salad Bowl Garden While supermarket selection is expanding all the time, there are still usually only a handful of greens available at the grocers. That’s only the tip of the iceberg. There are so many more greens to choose from and many of them are more colorful (i.e. not only more flavorful but higher in nutrition than store-bought greens). Plus, it’s easy to grow your own microgreens at a fraction of the cost....

Winter Grass Management The grass is distinctive in appearance, with a coarser texture and lighter green color than turfgrass. The seedheads are also noticeable, and not very pretty. Winter grass management generally requires careful planning and a number of approaches, including both cultural and chemical methods. Be vigilant because not all seeds germinate at the same time. Control usually requires careful attention for at least two or three years. Winter grass seeds germinate when temperatures are cool in fall, often out competing other, more well-behaved grasses....

Recipes from the Vegetable Garden Naturally, some of it is canned, some of it is frozen, and some is given to friends and family. Of course, the rest is usually included and devoured in succulent recipes. Vegetables can be served in numerous ways– in salads or casseroles, fried, creamed, buttered, steamed, etc. Some of my all-time favorites include recipes from my southern roots. Although they may not always be deemed healthy by today’s standards, since southerners enjoy fried foods, they are sure to be quite tasty....