Ideas for Potted Plant Gifts When you’re looking to give flowering plants as gifts, you want to choose something that’s easy to care for. Unless you know your recipient to be an avid gardener who likes a challenge, you should opt for something that’s very low maintenance. Remember, you want to give a decoration, not a responsibility. There are a few especially popular potted plant gifts that are known for their ease of care....

Can You Reuse a Christmas Tree? Not in the sense that it will be viable as a Christmas tree option next year, but there are many things that the tree can be used or repurposed for. Before you do anything, however, make sure all the lights, ornaments and tinsel have been taken off the tree. This can be hard to do, but these objects will not work well with any of the following recycling ideas....

Keeping Caraway in Winter If you use caraway seeds in cooking, you may know that caraway (Carum carvi) is a biennial herb. Caraway “seeds” are the dried fruit of this plant that have small seeds on the outside like strawberries do. Caraway winter planting is possible since some seeds can germinate at 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 C.). However, they germinate best at temperatures closer to 70 degrees F. (21 C.) and are more frequently planted in spring or fall....

Tips for Growing Rain Lilies Also known as Zephyr lily and fairy lily, growing rain lilies are petite, reaching no more than a foot (30 cm.) in height and rarely getting that tall. Pink, yellow and white crocus-like flowers bloom from late spring through late summer, sometimes earlier during rainy seasons. Multiple flowers bloom on each stem. This plant is hardy is USDA Zones 7-11. A member of the Amaryllidaceae family, tips are the same for growing rain lilies as for growing the crinum lily, the Lycoris lily and even the common indoor-grown amaryllis of the same family....

One of these popular forms is the cascade bonsai. Keep reading to learn about creating a cascade bonsai. Cascading Bonsais Creating a cascade bonsai is intended to reflect the shape of a tree that has had a difficult time, yet perseveres. It is best to imagine a shape that was formed due to the crushing weight of heavy winter snows, land slides, or mud slides. These natural catastrophes will twist the tree downward in nature and so it is with a bonsai in the cascade form....

How to Grow Cashews You can start growing cashew nuts if you live in the tropics, whether the climate is wet or dry. Ideally, your temperature should not drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 C.) or rise above 105 degrees F. (40 C.). It is also possible to grow the trees in any frost-free area. In this temperature range, growing cashew nut trees is easy. In fact, with a little irrigation, they grow like weeds....

Read on to find out why yuca, or cassava, is a global food source and important economic crop. Are Yucca and Cassava the Same? Yuccas are flowering, perennial plants which have remarkable tolerance to dry, arid regions. They are in the lily or agave family and generally grow as rosettes of spiky leaves that spring from a central stubby trunk. Ancient civilizations and more modern native populations eat the roots of the yucca....

Cedar Apple Rust on Apple Trees Cedar apple rust is a fungal infection caused by the species Gymnosporangium juniper-virginianae. It is often confused with other rust infections but is completely different. What makes cedar apple rust really unique is its life cycle. The fungus requires two completely different host plants to complete a cycle. It infects apples and crabapples in the spring and then juniper plants in the late summer. The fungus is much more damaging to its apple hosts than its juniper hosts....

When to Pick Chamomile Chamomile is a relative of the daisy and a member of the family Asteraceae; you only need to look upon the merry little yellow and white flowers to see the resemblance. There are two basic types of chamomiles, Roman and German chamomile. Roman chamomile is a low growing perennial that is tolerant of foot traffic. German chamomile grows a bit taller than Roman, and the flowers are a bit smaller....

Types of Cherry Trees The two basic cherry tree types are those that yield sweet cherries that can be eaten immediately picked off the tree and sour cherry or baking cherries. Both cherry tree types ripen early and are ready for harvest in the late spring. Most sweet cherries need a pollinizer while sour cherries are predominantly self-fruitful. Common Cherry Tree Types Chelan has an upright, vigorous habit with fruit that matures two weeks ahead of Bing cherries and are resistant to cracking....

Chinese Perfume Tree Facts Chinese perfume trees, also called Aglaia odorata plants, are native to low regions of China. They also grow in Taiwan, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. The plant’s genus name comes from Greek mythology. Aglaia was the name of one of the three Graces. In the wild, Aglaia ordorata plants can grow to 20 feet (6 m.) high. They grow in thickets or sparse forests. In the United States, they grow only in cultivation and are often planted for their fragrant blossoms....

Chionodoxa Glory of the Snow Glory of the snow bulbs are native to Turkey. They produce a mass of lovely star-shaped flowers with deep green strappy leaves. Each bulb bears five to ten blooms on thick short brown stems. The blooms are up to ¾ inch (2 cm.) across and face upward, showing creamy white throats. The most common glory of the snow bulbs produce blue flowers, but they also come in white and pink cultivars....

Why is Protective Garden Clothing Important? Gardening is a relaxing activity. It’s good exercise but also peaceful and meditative. It allows you to socialize or spend time alone, reflecting. It’s good for the body, mind, and spirit. Nothing ruins a Zen moment in the garden like a painful scratch from a rose thorn or an itchy bug bite. Protective clothing for gardeners is important because it prevents discomfort and keeps you safer outside....

What is Cocona? Cocona (Solanum sessiliflorum) is sometimes also referred to as Peach Tomato, Orinoko Apple, or Turkey Berry. The fruit is orange-yellow to red, about ¼ inches (0.5 cm.) across filled with a yellow pulp. As mentioned, the flavor is similar to that of a tomato and is often used similarly. There are several varieties of cocona. Those found in the wild (S. georgicum) are spiny, while those in cultivation are generally spineless....

Growing Yuccas in Zone 4 Southwestern plants are appealing due to their diversity and adaptability. Yuccas are primarily found in the tropical to subtropical Americas and tend to prefer warm, dry regions. However, there are some cold-hardy yucca varieties that are suitable for extremely cold temperatures. In fact, even though we associate these relatives of Agave with desert heat and dryness, some forms have been found growing in the crisp region of the Rocky Mountains in winter....

Different Calendula Plants Below are some of the more popular varieties of calendula that make great additions to the garden. Radio Extra: Tall plant with unique, cactus-like blooms of bright orange; one of the most unusual types of calendulas. Pink Surprise: Ruffled gold and yellow flowers, some with pink edges and dark apricot centers. A few blooms in the bunch may be true pink with gold highlights. Touch of Red: A mixture in shades of orange and red, all with red-tipped petals and mahogany red undersides....

Problems with Caladium Like other plants, caladiums can have problems. Caladium plant problems range from those caused by improper cultural practices to diseases and pests. Cultural Practices In order to start preventing caladium problems caused by improper cultural practices, learn how to take care of your plant. Caladiums grow from tubers that look like bulbs, and if the tubers are injured in storage, the plants can be stunted. Carefully stock tubers in a garage or porch at temperatures between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 32 C....

Companion Planting with Horseradish Companion planting is a method of planting two or more plants that have a symbiotic relationship; that is, they mutually benefit one another is some way. Most plants benefit from this practice and planting companions for horseradish is no exception. As mentioned, horseradish contains oil that helps to curb fungal and microbial movement. While it doesn’t prevent infection, it can curtail it which makes horseradish a boon to many other plants, but what are companions for horseradish?...

Concolor White Fir Facts Concolor white fir is native to the western United States, but it grows well across the country, in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 8. In other words, it tolerates very cold temperatures but doesn’t do well in hot southern climates. It isn’t a city tree and doesn’t tolerate pollution and other urban conditions. Concolor fir is beautiful in open areas where the graceful, drooping lower branches have space to touch the ground....

Cosmos plants may be featured at the back of a descending garden or in the middle of an island garden. Taller varieties may need staking if not planted in an area protected from the wind. Planting cosmos flowers results in many uses of the specimen, such as cut flowers for the indoor display and backgrounds for other plants. Cosmos can even be used as screens to hide unsightly elements in the landscape....