What are Maypops? “Maypops” is a short-cut term that is used to refer to maypop passion vines (Passiflora incarnata), rapid-growing, tendril-climbing vines, sometimes to the point of becoming weedy. Natives of the southeastern United States, these vines produce large, showy flowers followed by the maypop fruits. Maypop passion vines are attractive vines that can grow up to 25 feet (8 m.). They are best known for their unique, showy flowers that are followed by unusual fruit....

What is Ornamental Okra? Okra is a heat-loving, tropical plant that displays big, bold, maple-like leaves and tall, sturdy stems. The delicate, almost otherworldly flowers, which last only a single day, appear from early summer until the first frost. All okra plants are ornamental, but certain varieties are showier than others. For example, cultivars such as ‘Royal Burgundy’ or ‘Red Velvet’ display bright green foliage with deep red veins, stems, and pods....

Rhubarb Growing in Hot Climates Since I’m from one of the northern states, I just assumed that growing rhubarb in warm climates, such as most of the southern regions of the nation, was out of the question. Good news! I’m wrong! Before we dive into just how growing rhubarb in warm regions is possible, read on for some fascinating facts regarding this vegetable; yes, it’s a vegetable. It is also a cousin to buckwheat and garden sorrel and is native to China where it dates back to 2,700 B....

Nestled Pots for Succulents Planting succulents in nestled pots, a pot inside of another pot, provides space to add a variety of succulent types to expand interest. By allowing a couple of inches (5 cm.) in the bottom pot, we can plant cascading succulents like string of pearls or string of bananas and add color by using a semi-succulent type such as Tradescantia zebrina. Most often, nestled pots are the same, just in different sizes....

What are Terrestrial Orchids? The two main categories of orchids are epiphytic and terrestrial. Epiphytic orchids generally grow in trees, clinging to the branches with their tough roots. Terrestrial orchids grow on the ground. Some have roots that spread in the soil, but most grow from pseudobulbs. Some terrestrial orchids need a frost-free environment, while others tolerate frost. Some species actually need a hard freeze in winter in order to bloom the following year....

Planting Woad Seeds in the Garden Planting woad seeds is the most common method of propagating this biennial. As a biennial plant, woad simply grows as a leafy rosette with a thick, deep taproot in its first year. In the second year, the plant will produce 3 to 4 foot (around 1 m.) tall stems and then flower, set seed, and die. When woad produces seed, it will readily self-sow wherever possible....

Gryphon Begonia Information In mythology, a gryphon is a creature with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion. Don’t worry, Gryphon begonias don’t literally look like that – that would just be weird. So why is this begonia being named after a gryphon? It is because this begonia embodies the same underlying qualities that the mythical creature possesses, namely its majestic beauty, strength, and durability....

What are Harlequin Bugs? Harlequin bugs (Murgantia histrionica) are 3/8 inch (1 cm.) long, shiny stinkbugs and significant pests of crucifers like cabbage, broccoli, and mustard feeding greedily on the nutritious juices inside the leaves of these plants. When crucifers are unavailable, you may find harlequin bugs sucking the life out of your squash, beans, corn, asparagus, okra, or tomatoes. Harlequin bug damage appears on stems and leaves, depending on the species of plant attacked....

When to Harvest Woad Leaves The color in dyer’s woad can be found in its leaves, so harvesting woad for dye is a matter of letting the leaves reach a certain size and picking them. Woad is a biennial plant, which means it lives for two years. In the first year, it focuses only on growing leaves, while in the second year it puts up a flower stalk and produces seeds....

Heather Seed Propagation If your experimental gardener’s mind is wondering, “How do I propagate heather with seeds?”, you should take a look at the likely results before starting the project. Like many other woody plants, heather will not reproduce true to the parent plant with seeds. This means that your seeds will produce some sort of heather, but there’s no guarantee what it will look like. The height of the plant, its spread, and even the color of the flowers is completely random....

Common Hellebore Problems Hellebore diseases are not a common occurrence. However, in recent years a new hellebore viral disease known as Hellebore Black Death has been on the rise. Though scientists are still studying this new disease, it has been determined to be caused by a virus known as Helleborus net necrosis virus, or HeNNV for short. Symptoms of Hellebore Black Death are stunted or deformed growth, black lesions or rings on plants tissues, and black streaking on the foliage....

Why Grow Herbs in Containers? There are many reasons for growing herbs in containers. You may be short on space, have poor soil conditions, want to prolong the growing season, keep the herbs close at hand for use in the kitchen, keep invasive herbs at bay, or maybe you are an apartment dweller with a taste for fresh herbs but no yard to grow them. Whatever your reasons, most herbs are well-suited for growing in containers and can exist anywhere provided they are given the proper amount of sunlight, water, and good soil....

Growing an Indian Herb Garden Some herbs used in Indian food, such as cilantro (coriander) and mint, are fairly commonplace in the herb garden. Others tend towards the exotic and, as such, require tropical climes, being more suited to USDA zone 10 gardeners or those with a greenhouse. Don’t let that stop you though, almost anyone can grow a rhizome of ginger inside in a pot on a windowsill. That said, do some research when you decide which herb plants used for Indian cooking you want to grow....

How to Plant Hollyhocks The first thing to understand is how to plant hollyhocks. Hollyhocks need full sun and moist, rich, well drained soil. The mistake many novice hollyhock growers make is to plant this flower in soil that’s too dry. If you are planting seeds, sow them outside about a week before last frost. If you are planting seedlings out, wait about two to three weeks after last frost. Hollyhock seeds only need to be planted right below the soil, no more than 1/4-inch (....

Either of these options can seem challenging initially, but over time the fresh vegetable dishes are likely to become beloved holiday traditions. And it’s a great idea for gardeners to grow some of these in your own backyard. Typical American Thanksgiving… Plus Unless all family members and Thanksgiving guests are vegetarian or vegan, the easiest way to increase the plant-based portion of a holiday meal is to add fresh vegetables ideas to a traditional Thanksgiving meal....

What is Fish Emulsion? Using fish for fertilizer isn’t a new concept. Native Americans taught the settlers at Jamestown how to catch and bury fish to use as fertilizer. Organic farmers across the globe use fish emulsion in place of toxic chemical fertilizers. Fish emulsion is an organic garden fertilizer that is made from whole fish or parts of fish. It provides an NPK ratio of 4-1-1 and is most often used as foliar feed to provide a quick nitrogen boost....

Hostas are popular shade-loving perennials cultivated by gardeners for their easy care and sustainability in a variety of garden soils. Hostas are easily recognized by their multitude of attractive foliage and upright flower stems, which bear lavender blooms during the summer months. Should you use fertilizer for hosta plants? These beautiful, low-maintenance plants don’t need much fertilizer, but feeding hostas may be a good idea if your soil is poor or if your hosta isn’t growing and thriving as it should....

Plants that like dry air are few and far between, but many plants will tolerate low humidity. From cacti to general houseplants, here is a sampling of plants to try. Houseplants For Low Humidity Low-humidity houseplants thrive in 25 to 30 percent humidity, which is typical for the average home. Compare this to the relative humidity of 70 to 80 percent that most plants need, and you can see why including some low humidity plants in your home can save some effort....

One of the fabulous features of petunias is that they blossom all season long. Whether you place them in a hanging basket or position them as a focal point in your annual flower beds, these prolific bloomers just keep producing. There is a caveat, however. Many gardeners find themselves back at the nursery complaining that “my petunias are getting leggy.” All the flowers end up at the end of the lanky bare stems....

What are Cabbage Maggots? Cabbage root maggots are the larval stage of the cabbage root fly. The cabbage root fly is a small gray fly that looks like a house fly, but more slender. The cabbage root fly will lay its eggs at the base of a plant and when the eggs hatch they become small, white, legless worms. Cabbage root fly eggs can only hatch in cool weather, which is why these pests attack mostly cool weather crops....