Why Distilled Water for Plants? Is distilled water good for plants? The jury is divided on this, but many plant experts claim it’s the best liquid, especially for potted plants. Apparently, it reduces chemicals and metals that are contained in tap water. This, in turn, provides a clean water source that will not harm plants. It also depends on your water source. Plants need minerals, many of which can be found in tap water....

Aromas Strawberry Facts What are Aromas strawberries? Aromas strawberry plants produce large, moderately firm, bright red strawberries that are delicious eaten fresh, frozen, or incorporated into jams, jellies, or desserts. Growing Aromas strawberries is easy if you live in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. This exceptional, heavy-producing plant tends to be resistant to spider mites, as well as mildew and other plant diseases. Tips on Growing Aromas Strawberries Place Aromas strawberries where the plants are exposed to sunlight for at least six hours per day....

How to Divide Banana Plants According to North Dakota State University Extension, dividing banana pups is the preferred methods of propagation. Before you begin, ensure the main banana plant is healthy and has at least three or four good sized offshoots to anchor it to the soil. The first and most important step is to select a pup that is large enough to survive when separated from the mother plant. Small pups, known as buttons, won’t have sufficient roots to make it on their own....

What are Black Tartarian Cherries? Black Tartarian is an old variety of sweet cherry. It originated in Russia and was introduced in England and the U.S. by the late 1700’s. The tree was once called the Large Black Heart, which is descriptive of the fruit: deep, dark red, and large. For a sweet and juicy cherry, Black Tartarian is hard to beat. It’s a popular variety for taste and texture. It’s also popular with home growers because it produces abundantly – pretty, sweet-smelling spring flowers and ripe fruit in early summer....

What are Coffeeberries? A member of the Buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, California coffeeberry plants (Frangula californica; formerly Rhamnus californica) are an adaptable evergreen shrub useful in the garden as an informal hedge or in the understory as a backdrop for showier plants. Cultivars of growing coffeeberries range in size from 2 to 3 feet (60 to 90 cm.) tall by 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 m.) wide to some around 4 to 10 feet (1....

What are Twig Girdler Beetles? What are twig girdler beetles? They are a type of insect that damage hardwood trees. Their scientific name is Oncideres cingulata. These beetles don’t sting you, nor do they carry infection to your plants. However, twig girdler damage can be significant, especially in pecan, hickory, and oak trees. Spotting Twig Girdler Damage If you have twig girdler beetles, you’ll know it. Their damage is very conspicuous in late summer....

What are Witch Finger Grapes? You probably won’t find these special grapes in your supermarket, yet, but they are worth waiting for. Grown as a table grape, both their sweet flavor and unusual shape make them appealing to kids as well as adults. Maroon in color when fully ripe, a cluster of witch finger grapes look like a tightly packed cluster of chili peppers. They have thin skin over light-colored, juicy, sweet flesh....

What Causes Citrus Sunscald? Citrus sunburn occurs when soft, vulnerable parts of the tree are exposed to too much intense sunlight. While it also affects fruit and leaves, the problem is the most serious when it reaches the bark, since it cannot be replaced and may never completely heal. Citrus sunburn usually appears as irregularly shaped, brown, raised lesions in spots that are hit by direct sun. As well as being unsightly, these lesions open up a direct pathway for diseases and pathogens to enter the tree....

What are Microbes? A microbe is usually defined as any living thing that is too small to be seen without a microscope. By this definition, “microbe” includes microscopic animals like nematodes along with single-celled organisms. By an alternate definition, “microbe” means only single-celled living things; this includes microscopic members of all three domains of life: bacteria, archaea (also called “archaebacteria”), and eukaryotes (“protists”). Fungi are usually considered microbes, even though they can take single-celled or multicellular forms and produce both visible and microscopic parts above and below the ground....

What is a Ficus Ginseng Tree? A quick scan of ficus ginseng tree info reveals that its botanical name is Ficus microcarpa. The tree is the result of a graft where the rootstock is developed into the characteristic “potbelly” trunk, and a scion of a variety of small-leaved ficus is grafted to the top. The tree is also known as a potbelly fig as well as Taiwan ficus, Indian laurel fig, or banyan fig....

What is a Frost Hardy Peach? Close your eyes and conjure up the scent of a fully ripe summer peach. There are few things like the abundant fruits of summer, and peaches are one of the best. A Frost peach produces medium to large fruits on a self-fruitful tree. Fruits are so abundant that tip pruning may have to occur to allow fruit space to develop. Frost peach grows in USDA zones 5 to 9, making it one of the hardiest peaches available....

What is a Hybrid Hicks Yew? Homeowners looking for evergreen shrubs might want to consider growing a Hicks yew. This tall, evergreen shrub with flattened needles and scale-like foliage is perfect for privacy hedges. The Hicksii yew, commonly called the Hicks yew, can play many different roles in your backyard, however. It is tall and narrow, and its columnar shape works well in any type of foundation planting. According to Hicksii yew information, the shrubs have dense needles, dark green and glossy....

What is a Kimberly Queen Fern? Native to Australia, the Kimberly queen (Nephrolepis obliterate) was trademarked there by Westland Laboratories Ply Ltd. In the United States, the name has been misspelled so many times that the fern goes by the spelling ‘Kimberly’ when in fact the trademark spelling is ‘Kimberely.’ Kimberly fern is a sword fern so called due to the long sword like fronds that are held high and erect and attain a height of 24 to 36 inches (61-91 cm....

Quandong Facts What is a quandong tree? Quandong fruit trees are native to Australia and vary in size from 7 to 25 feet (2.1 to 7.6 m.) in height. Growing quandong fruit is found in the semi-arid regions of Southern Australia and are tolerant of both drought and salinity. Trees have drooping, leathery, light grey-green foliage. Insignificant greenish blossoms appear in clusters from October to March. Quandong is actually the name of three wild bush fruits....

White Oak Tree Facts White oak trees get their name from the whitish color of the undersides of their leaves, distinguishing them from other oaks. They are hardy from USDA zone 3 through 9. They grow at a moderate rate, from 1 to 2 feet (30.5 to 61 cm.) per year, reaching between 50 and 100 feet (15 and 30.5 m.) tall and 50 to 80 feet (15 to 24.5 m....

Indian Clock Vine Plant Info Indian clock vine, Thunbergia mysorensis, is a flowering evergreen vine found in India. If you have the right conditions to grow it, this vine is a stunner. It can grow up to 20 feet (6 m.) long and produces flower clusters up to 3 feet (1 m.) long. The flowers are red and yellow and attract hummingbirds as well as other pollinators. The Indian clock vine needs something sturdy to climb and looks especially nice growing on a pergola or arbor....

What is an Ophelia Eggplant? Ophelia is an eggplant variety that grows into small plants and diminutive fruits, only about two ounces (57 grams) each. The eggplants grow in clusters like tomatoes and are deep purple and egg shaped. The flowers are lavender and white stunners, and they add to the ornamental look of this plant. The taste and texture of Ophelia eggplants are of good quality. They are tender and not bitter....

What is Frost Heave? What is frost heave? Frost heave occurs after the soil has been exposed to freezing temperatures and plenty of moisture. The pressure that is created from alternating freezing and thawing conditions lifts the soil and plants up and out of the ground. As cold air sinks into the ground, it freezes water in the soil, turning it into small ice particles. These particles eventually come together to form a layer of ice....

With glossy evergreen foliage and bright red berries that persist through winter, holly has long been associated with Christmas. Holly plants of all types are often the first go-to plant to add winter interest in the landscape. Due to this, plant breeders are continually creating newer varieties of hollies for the winter garden. One such new variety of holly is the Robin Red holly (Ilex x Robin™ ‘Conal’). Continue reading this article for more Robin Red holly info....

What is Wasabi? The hot, delicious green paste is derived from the wasabi vegetable root. Wasabi vegetable root is a member of the Brassicaceae family, which includes cabbage, mustard, and horseradish. In fact, wasabi is often referred to as Japanese horseradish. Wasabi plants are native perennials found along stream beds in mountain river valleys in Japan. There are several varieties of wasabi and amongst them are: Wasabia japonica Cochlearia wasabi Wasabi koreana Wasabi tetsuigi Eutrema japonica...