Native to southern Europe, the fennel herb is now naturalized throughout Europe, North America, and Australia and grown in gardens all over the world. Planting Fennel You’ll find two methods of propagation when researching how to grow fennel. Plants may be divided, but this isn’t as easy as it is with other garden plants and often proves unsatisfactory. This is because fennel has a long tap root that doesn’t like to be divided or moved....

About Edging with Herbs When gardeners plan a new garden space, they usually map out the shape of the bed, prepare the soil for planting and sketch out the location of trees, shrubs, and other plants. What is often an afterthought, if a thought at all, is edging. Edging or creating borders often between the garden bed and lawn is the finishing touch. Although it is a finishing touch, it’s actually the first thing the eye is drawn to....

Choosing Shade-Tolerant Water Plants Fortunately, there is no shortage of plants for growing in low-light ponds. Many water lilies, for instance, make suitable shade plants for ponds. Here is a sampling of some other popular shade-tolerant water plants that work well too: Black Magic Taro (Colocasia esculenta): This lovely elephant ear plant produces dark foliage with a mature height up to 6 feet (2 m.). Zones 9-11 Umbrella Palm (Cyperus alternifolius): Also known as umbrella palm or umbrella sedge, this grassy plant reaches heights of up to 5 feet (1....

Growing Raspberries in Zone 9 In general, raspberries are hardy in zones 3 to 9. However, different types and cultivars are better suited for different areas. Red and yellow raspberries tend to be more cold tolerant, while black and purple raspberries can die out in areas with extremely cold winters. Red raspberries fall into two categories: Summer bearing or Everbearing. In zone 9, the canes of everbearing raspberries can be left on the plant to overwinter and produce a second set of fruit in early spring....

Reichenbachii bearded iris plants are often overlooked, perhaps because of their diminutive size and subtle coloration, thus growing Reichenbachii iris is more often the province of the collector. Don’t discount these little gems; however. Iris reichenbachii info tells us that these iris plants have something special to offer. Let’s learn more about these species irises. About Reichenbachii Iris Plants Reichenbachii bearded iris is a member of the species irises and, along with the more popular hybrid dwarf and median irises, grows via rhizomes....

Growing with Aeroponics Growing with aeroponics is not difficult and the benefits far outweigh any drawbacks. Nearly any plant can be successfully grown using aeroponics, especially vegetables. The plants grow faster, yield more, and are generally healthier than those grown in soil. Feeding for aeroponics is also easy, as aeroponic-grown plants typically require less nutrients and water. Regardless of the system used indoors, aeroponics requires little space, making this method of growing plants especially suited to urban dwellers and the like....

Celery Seed Harvesting Celery seed has a long history of use as a medicament and spice. As an herb, it was thought to help with digestion and appetite, cure colds and flu, enhance liver and spleen health, treat arthritis, and even help reduce water retention. Today, it is primarily used as a seasoning. When you know how to save celery seeds properly, fresh seed can last for up to five years....

Best Plants for Bees Bees need flowers but not just any flowers. Bees are attracted to some blooms more than others. They tend to be attracted to plants that flower in full sun conditions. When planting a garden to entice these tiny pollinators, the best plants for bees are those that prefer full sun and that, obviously, bloom. Honeybees, for some reason, are also attracted to tiny flowers of which many herbs have in abundance....

How to Get Rid of Aphids Naturally Killing aphids naturally is not only better for the environment, but also more effective. You can get them under control by taking advantage of their weaknesses and making a few changes in the way you manage your garden. Aphids have a number of natural enemies, and these insects are much better at controlling aphids than any other method available to gardeners. Pampering and nurturing their natural enemies is an excellent method of organic aphid control....

What’s Wrong with My Horse Chestnut? Like many types of trees, diseases of horse chestnut trees may arise due to insect pressure, stress, or less than ideal growing conditions. The severity of horse chestnut diseases may vary greatly depending upon the cause. By familiarizing themselves with signs and symptoms of decline in tree health, growers are better able to treat and prevent disease of horse chestnut trees. Horse Chestnut Leaf Blight One of the most common diseases of horse chestnut trees is leaf blight....

Identifying Squash Vine Borer These squash pests are, unfortunately, tricky to discover before they do damage to your squash plants. The squash vine borer is both a winter and summer squash pest and will affect both types in a similar way. A squash vine borer is a small, cream-colored caterpillar that inserts itself into the inside of a squash stem. They are difficult to see, as they are normally found inside the plant....

How to Fertilize Blackberries Berries, in general, are nutritious, and blackberries have been shown to help fight cancer and cardiovascular disease as well as slow down the aging of the brain. Today’s new cultivars can even be found thornless, erasing those memories of torn clothing and scratched skin while harvesting their wild brethren. Easier to harvest, they may be, but to get that bumper crop, you need fertilizer for blackberries. First things first, though....

Reasons for Lime Blossoms Falling Off Trees or Lime Tree Dropping Fruit There are a few reasons for lime blossoms falling off tree or lime tree dropping fruit. Listed below are some of the most common: Natural thinning – Lime tree fruit drop or blossom drop can be completely normal. Many times, a tree may produce more blossoms and fruit than it can support. The lime tree will abort some of the blossoms or fruit so that it is left with only the amount that it can support and be a healthy tree....

Red Fall Foliage Trees with red leaves have a powerful impact on the autumn landscape. It is striking how they glow in the autumn sunlight. But sometimes our plans go awry. That “Red Sunset” maple or the “Palo Alto” liquidambar tree turns brown and drops its leaves without a whisper of rosy glow. Why foliage doesn’t turn red is a frustration for gardeners. What went wrong? When you buy a tree at a nursery described as having red fall foliage, you want red fall foliage....

What is a Minnie Belle Aloe? While you might be tempted to think that the Minnie Belle aloe (also spelled Minibelle) is small, its name has nothing to do with its size. It’s actually named for the wife of Ed Hummel, who himself is named for another aloe plant from which this one is derived. In terms of height, it usually tops out at around 6 inches (15 cm.). Its leaves are relatively short and spiky....

About Northern Bayberry Trees Some gardeners growing northern bayberry refer to the plants as trees. However, the plant matures to only 10 feet tall by 10 feet wide (3 m. by 3 m.) and definitely falls firmly within the “shrub” category. Northern bayberry, or simply bayberry, plants are loved by gardeners for their ornamental value in the garden. They light up the backyard in winter with lovely silver berries. As these shrubs mature, they tend to spread by suckers....

If you are wondering how to grow a coral bark willow, then you’ve come to the right place. About Coral Bark Willow Shrubs Coral bark is a subspecies of golden willow and thrives in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. Coral bark willow shrubs produce new growth that is a brilliant red-orange color, making them valuable additions to the winter garden. These are deciduous plants that lose their long, lance-shaped leaves in fall....

What is Hood’s Phlox? Phlox hoodii, or hood’s phlox, is a shrub that grows low to the ground in mat-like formations. This is a native wildflower in parts of western North America: southern Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, California, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. You’ll find hood’s phlox growing naturally in rocky and sandy soils, sagebrush areas, open, dry forests, and at both high and low elevations in its native range....

What is a Flower Frog? Flower frog use in arranging flowers is not a new concept, though it has seen resurgence in popularity in recent years. With such an odd name, it’s only natural some may wonder, “What is a flower frog?” Generally, the term refers to a type of plant support which is secured to the bottom of a flower vessel, and is used to keep stems upright while being arranged....

Care for Newly-Planted Trees What is a landscape without landscape trees? Shade and ornamental trees made a backyard more beautiful and more functional. And installing young trees isn’t cheap, so it’s best for the pocketbook not to have to replant. That’s why it’s important to provide the best possible care for the first few years after planting to give them the best chance to thrive. Some plants, including mature trees, thrive on benign neglect....