Light Requirements for Tomatoes to Grow The simple answer to questions on light requirements for tomatoes is that you need a minimum of six hours to produce fruit, but eight or more hours of sun will produce the best results in terms of how many tomatoes you get. The reason that light for a tomato plant is so important is that tomato plants convert sunlight into energy. Tomato plants need energy to make their fruit....
What are Worm Castings? Worm castings are an organic form of fertilizer produced from earthworms. Also known as vermicast, worm castings manure is essentially earthworm waste, otherwise known as worm poo. As these creatures eat through compost, their waste creates an optimal soil enricher. Worm castings resemble football-shaped particles that improve soil aeration and drainage, as well as increase water retention in the soil. Can You Use Worm Castings for Plants?...
What is a Grass Driveway and Why Would You Want One? A grass driveway is just as it sounds: a driveway made at least partially of turf grass rather than being constructed entirely of asphalt, concrete, gravel, or pavers. The main reason to have this kind of driveway is to make it permeable to rain and prevent or minimize stormwater runoff. When it rains on a traditional driveway, the water is not absorbed....
What is a Hazelfield Tomato? A Hazelfield Farm tomato is medium in size, weighing about a half a pound (227 gr.). It is red, slightly flattened and round with ribbing on the shoulders. These tomatoes are juicy, sweet (but not too sweet), and delicious. They are perfect for eating fresh and slicing, but they are also good canning tomatoes. Hazelfield Farm history isn’t long, but the history of its most famous tomato is certainly interesting....
Necklace Pod Plant Information Necklace pod shrub is a medium-size shrub that reaches heights and widths of 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3 m.). The beauty of the blooms is enhanced by the velvety, silvery-green foliage. Yellow necklace pod is a spectacular focal point, but is also well suited for borders, mass plantings or butterfly gardens. Yellow necklace pod is highly attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. How Can You Grow Necklace Pod Plants?...
Nubia Eggplant Information Nubia eggplants measure 7 to 8 inches (18-20.5 cm.) in length. They are attractive fruits with a mellow flavor that works well for frying or grilling. Growing Nubia Eggplants Nubia eggplants are warm-weather plants that need a long growing season. It’s possible to plant seeds directly in the garden, but if you have short summers, plant seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last expected frost date....
Prosperosa Plant Information Given the dozens of eggplant varieties available on the market, you may never have heard of Prosperosa eggplant (Solanum melongena ‘Prosperosa’). But it’s well worth a try if you are looking for a new type of eggplant for your garden. What is a Prosperosa eggplant? It’s an Italian heirloom variety that is both attractive and delicious. Prosperosa plants grow large, round, and often pleated fruits. They are a rich purple with creamy tones near the stem....
Planting a Victory Garden also boosted morale by providing a way for folks at home to do their part in the war effort. Victory Gardens Today Also known as war gardens or food gardens for defense, Victory Gardens were grown in nearly every spare patch of land in private gardens, public lands, parks, playgrounds, and churchyards. Even window boxes and front-step containers became useful Victory Gardens. Victory Gardens today are still important in countless ways....
What is Amherstia? Amherstia is a tree that appears to have come from India. This solitary family contains just one medium sized tree that produces unimaginable, scarlet flowers dotted with saffron yellow accents. The intense color of the blooms is only overshadowed by the reddish purple new leaves, large mature leaves with white undersides, and 4 to 8 inch (10-20 cm.) long pods. Although named after a prominent collector, Amherstia is more than just a specimen plant....
Good news, though, the grafted everblooming gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides “Veitchii”) is more reliable. While it benefits from proper care, this plant is more flexible on soil and nutrient needs. Those who haven’t been successful growing gardenias might want to give this one a try. About Everblooming Gardenias You are probably wondering, just what is an everblooming gardenia? This plant is grafted and blooms throughout spring and summer, sometimes even into autumn....
What is Durum Wheat? As you’re slurping down your spaghetti Bolognese, have you ever stopped to wonder exactly what the pasta is made of? Although pasta can be made from other types of wheat, durum wheat is considered to be of higher quality for the production of pasta. Durum wheat, Triticum turgidum, is used for most dried pastas and couscous as well as for raised and flat breads throughout the Middle East....
What is Jojoba Oil? Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) is a woody shrub native to desert regions of southern California, Arizona, and northwestern Mexico. The small, green fruits of jojoba are not edible, but the oil extracted from the seeds is useful in several areas of industry as well as in the garden. Jojoba oil has been used in traditional medicine, and today it is included in many cosmetics and hair products....
What is Rice Kernel Smut? Perhaps, you’re asking what is rice kernel smut? The short answer is it’s a fungus carried by Chlamydospores that may linger and overwinter, waiting for spring rains to move it to a new home. That new home often includes panicles of long-grain rice growing in the field where the fungus exists. Chlamydospores are the cause of rice with kernel smut. These settle into rice kernels as they reach maturity....
What is Witloof Chicory? Witloof chicory is an herbaceous biennial, which was grown centuries ago as a cheap substitute for coffee. Like the dandelion, witloof grows a large taproot. It was this taproot that European farmers grew, harvested, stored, and ground as their knock-off java. Then about two hundred years ago, a farmer in Belgium made a startling discovery. The witloof chicory roots he’d stored in his root cellar had sprouted....
Reasons for No Flowers on Crabapple Trees Age: When a young crabapple isn’t flowering, it may be because the tree still needs a few more years to grow and mature. On the other hand, an old tree may be past its best blooming years. Feeding: Although crabapple trees don’t need a lot of fertilizer, they benefit from one light feeding every spring during the first four or five years. Sprinkle a time-release fertilizer on the ground under the tree, out to about 18 inches (46 cm....
Why Won’t My Lilac Bush Bloom? There are several possible answers to this question, but pruning may be the key. Lilacs bloom on last year’s growth, so it’s important to prune them immediately after they’ve finished blooming in spring. If you wait until summer, fall, or winter to prune a lilac, you could be removing buds that would otherwise bloom the following spring. Try to do just a light pruning right after the spring bloom....
How to Fix Orchid Leaf Drop Before you can treat any problems, you’ll need an idea on the possible reasons for dropping orchid leaves. These are the most common causes: Improper watering: If orchid leaves are floppy and turning yellow, your plant may not be receiving enough water. Different types of orchids have different water requirements. For example, moth orchids need more water than Cattleyas. As a general rule of thumb, water when the growing medium feels dry to the touch....
How to Root Vegetables in Water Regrowing vegetables in water is generally as easy as taking a portion of the veggie and suspending it in a glass or other container of water. The portion needed to regrow vegetables in water is usually a stem or the bottom (root end) of it. For example, you can regrow cilantro and basil from a sprig. Just place the stem of either herb in water in a sunny, warm area and wait for a few weeks until you see roots....
Winter Care of Caladium Bulbs Caladiums are winter hardy to USDA zone 9, meaning that they should be able to survive the winter outdoors. Even in these areas, though, a heavy mulching of 3 inches (7.5 cm.) is the recommended winter care for caladiums to keep them from dying in the colder temperatures. In USDA zones 8 and lower, winter care for caladium bulbs involves digging them up and bringing them inside to go dormant....
The witch hazel bush, found in woody areas, is often called water-witch as its branches were once used to search and find underground sources of water and minerals. Witch hazel is commonly used to treat insect bites, sunburn, and as a refreshing lotion for after shaving. How to Grow Witch Hazel Shrubs Witch hazel shrubs can reach 30 feet (9 m.) high and 15 feet (4.5 m.) wide at maturity and are often referred to as a tree due to this....
