Spinach as dye? You better believe it, but not just spinach. You can also make dye from orange peels, lemon ends, even the outer leaves of a cabbage. These dyes are easy, eco-friendly, and really cheap to produce. Read on to learn how to make spinach dye. Making Dye with Spinach The first step in making natural spinach dye (or dye from any other veggies or fruits) is to gather a sufficient amount....

What Trees Make Good Hedges? Farmers have been using trees as hedge plants for hundreds of years. Often, they would use a local tree species that grows well in the area and simply plant them close together to form hedgerows. Today, homeowners tend to make hedges by planting one type of evergreen tree in a straight line. Popular choices for trees to prune into hedges include slender, upright evergreens like Spartan juniper or Emerald arborvitae....

What is Willow Water? Willow water is made from the twigs or branches of the willow tree. These twigs are immersed in water for a certain amount of time and then either used for watering newly planted shrubs and trees, as well as seedlings, or by soaking the cuttings in the willow water prior to planting. Some plants can even be successfully rooted directly in the willow water. Making Willow Water Making willow water is easy....

Mimosa Tree Transplanting Many times, mimosa trees are planted as specimen plants in landscape beds near a home or patio. Their sweet-smelling flowers bloom in midsummer and then form into long seed pods that disperse seeds everywhere. As we get busy with other things in the garden in late summer and fall, it’s easy to overlook the seeding habits of mimosa until the following year when seedlings pop up all over....

Terrariums, dish and fairy gardens, and other small plant displays are wonderful additions to the home. Gardening with miniature plants is a popular hobby and lets a gardeners release some creativity. It all starts with the right container, something that will reflect the theme of the tiny garden. Displays with Miniature Plants Dwarf plants have been popular choices for small spaces for generations. Bringing plants into the landscape or home can be challenging for those with tiny spaces....

Montgomery Spruce Information Colorado blue spruce can shoot up to 100 feet (30.5 m.) in the wild, and that’s way too tall for small gardens. However, you can get the same effect in a miniature size with Montgomery spruce trees. According to Montgomery spruce information, these dwarf cultivars have the same blue-hued needles as the taller varieties. Yet, the cultivar only grows to 3 feet (1 m.) tall and wide over its first eight years....

Unlike many common garden vegetables, kale plants are actually biennials. Simply, biennial plants are those that produce leafy, green growth in the first growing season. After the growing season, plants will overwinter in the garden. In the following spring, these biennials will resume growth and begin the process of setting seed. In this article, we will discuss how to harvest kale seeds so you can plant another crop. How to Harvest Kale Seed Beginner growers may be quite surprised by the presence of bolted kale plants in the garden....

You’re going to be using natural ingredients and nature itself to keep your garden pest-free. So, the question is: what works and what doesn’t? Keep reading to learn more about natural pest control in an organic garden. Tips for Natural Pest Control The best defense against garden pests is good soil and healthy plants. Following that, simple garden protection includes items you can safely use to deter pests as well as the addition of certain plants that repel insect pests or attract the predators which feed on them....

What is Ugly Produce? Consumers expect to find unblemished fruit, arrow straight carrots and perfectly round, red tomatoes, but if you’ve ever grown your own produce, you know this idea is laughable. In fact, the whole idea of what produce is deemed ugly is laughable, literally. Many of these so-called “ugly” fruit and veggies are hilarious looking. Is Ugly Fruit Edible? Every gardener knows that there is no such thing as perfection in the garden, and I’d venture to say that all of us have grown naturally imperfect produce....

A nematode by any other name is just as nasty of a garden problem. Nematode eelworm control can help safeguard your potato crop. Learn about eelworms in potatoes and what you can do to stop them in this insightful article. What are Potato Eelworms? Eelworms in potatoes are not an uncommon problem. When these plant parasites are living in the soil, they quickly seek out their favorite hosts, such as potatoes and tomatoes....

Making a Garden To-Do List It’s always sad to see the gardening season end, but who has time to mope? There are numerous tasks to be done to get the garden ready for winter and spring. October gardening tasks wrap up the season and help prevent bugs and fungal issues later. The month may have warm or freezing temperatures, or even snow. You just never know in the Northwest, so it’s best to be prepared!...

Garden Tools from the Past Over time, the growing list of garden chores may begin to feel burdensome. Though some find themselves in search of the next great thing to help with these tasks, others choose to examine ancient garden tools more closely to solve their garden related problems. Dating back at least 10,000 years, the use of tools that make light of chores such as tilling, planting, and weeding is nothing new....

Oleander Watering Requirements Oleanders grow anywhere from 6-12 feet (2 to 3.5 m.) tall and wide and some up to 20 feet (6 m.) tall. They are suited to the west coast, southern states, Florida and Texas. As mentioned, they tolerate dry conditions as well as wind and salty or marshy soils. They bloom from summer through to fall, punctuating the landscape with their colorful blossoms and heavenly scent. They are cold hardy down to 15-20 degrees F....

What is a Wall Fountain? If you have ever been to a formal garden, you may have seen a garden wall fountain. What is a wall fountain? These may be built into the wall or just a fixture applied to the wall. Water is circulated through a pump and tubing from a basin or pond below, back up into the top of the vertical surface and down and around over and over....

Times for Planting in Washington State Garden enthusiasts often have to rein themselves in from planting too early. In Washington state you may have already experienced daytime temperatures in the 60’s (16 C.) and the urge to get gardening is almost overwhelming. You need to pay attention to your zone and date of last frost and select plants that will thrive in cooler temps. A March planting guide can help get you started....

About Pampas Grass Plants Pampas grass plants, native to Chile, Argentina, and Brazil, are perennial grasses that grow immensely large with saw-toothed leaves and large pink or white, showy plumes. Although many home gardeners plant pampas grass for its elegant appearance and hardy nature, it can become a problem in some areas. The grass is not picky about soil or sunlight but does best in some sun and loamy soil. Pampas grass seeds freely and can eventually crowd out native plants....

Patio Water Garden Containers Since you won’t be digging a pond, the size of your garden is going to be determined by the size of your container. Patio water garden containers can be just about anything that holds water. Plastic kiddie pools and old bathtubs are made for the job, but less watertight things like barrels and planters can be lined with plastic sheeting or molded plastic. Drainage holes in planters can also be plugged with corks or sealant....

How much fertilizer does a persimmon tree need? The rules for fertilizing persimmon trees are a little different than those for other fruit trees and experts differ on the need for persimmon fertilizer. Read on for more information on persimmon tree feeding. Fertilizing Persimmon Trees Many cultivars of persimmon trees are grown on rootstocks that are native plants, so they don’t need a lot of assistance to thrive. That native is the common American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) that grows in the wild in abandoned pastures in the South....

No matter your specific location, the following applies to you. March is a great time to add annual flowers, some bedding plants, and summer blooming bulbs. Remember to plant appropriate shrubs, fruits, and vegetables. When choosing the best time to plant various varieties this year, consider the weather forecast and the protection you’ll need to provide for seedlings and young plants. This aspect varies from year to year. Check the best planting dates as indicated by your favorite almanac....

Gardening Ideas for Patio Surroundings Natural beauty: Surround your patio with a few small beds, fill them with shrubs and flowers, then sit back and watch the birds and butterflies as you relax. Raised beds and planters also work well. Year-round green: An evergreen screen will provide privacy, and will remain green and lovely year-round. For instance, consider Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), arborvitae, or cedar. Japanese garden juniper (Juniperus procumbens) is another beautiful, low-growing shrub....