When to Trim a Dogwood Tree Part of proper dogwood pruning involves knowing when to trim a dogwood tree. In areas where boring insects are a problem, never prune a dogwood tree in spring. The wounds created by pruning cuts provide an entry point for these devastating insects. In addition, if pruned while the tree is actively growing in spring and summer, the wounds bleed copious amounts of messy sap. Therefore, the best time to prune a dogwood tree is in late fall and winter while the tree is dormant....

Tips on the Drought Tolerant Garden Installing a pollinator garden helps feed and house important insects. Pollinator friendly plants have color or scent that is attractive to beneficial animals and insects. Several of our most important pollinating species are disappearing due to habitat loss, disease, pesticides, and other issues. Providing flowers for these organisms is part of the equation but they also need water, too. In a drought tolerant garden, plan for dish-like rocks, a water feature, or other ways to supply water....

Eldorado Feather Reed Grass Info Eldorado feather reed grass is a straight, upright plant that reaches heights of 4 to 6 feet (1-2 m.) at maturity. This is a well-behaved ornamental grass with no threat of aggression or invasiveness. Plant Eldorado feather reed grass as a focal point or in prairie gardens, mass plantings, rock gardens, or in the back of flower beds. It is often planted for erosion control....

Engelmann Prickly Pear Cactus Facts Prickly pears belong to the cactus genus Opuntia, and there are several species in the genus, including O. engelmannii. Other names for this species are tulip prickly pear, nopal prickly pear, Texas prickly pear, and cactus apple. There are several varieties of Engelmann prickly pear as well. Like other prickly pears, this species is segmented and grows and spreads with multiple flat, oblong pads. Depending on the variety, the pads may or may not have spines that can grow up to three inches (7....

Eugenia Hedge Maintenance Eugenia is a shrub that can be trained as a small, decorative tree, though few gardeners choose to grow it this way. It is much more popular as a hedge, with shrubs planted in rows 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 m.) apart. With this spacing, the branches have the right amount of distance to grow together and create a dense wall of foliage. In order to maintain a neat line, Eugenia hedge pruning is recommended at least two and as many as six times per year....

Evergreen Magnolia Trees There are about 125 species of magnolia which may be evergreen, deciduous, or even semi-evergreen. The lustrous green leaves are a standout feature with light green, silver, or reddish fuzzy undersides. Evergreen magnolias afford the pleasure of enjoying a leafy tree year-round. Not all species are suited for all zones, but most magnolias are fairly adaptable and will thrive in warm to temperate regions. Few things are more saddening than watching the leaves fall from the trees....

Sycamores also go by the names buttonwood or buttonball trees. This comes from the 1 inch (2.5 cm.) balls that hang from the tree all winter and fall to the ground in spring. Each ball hangs on its own stringy 3 to 6 inch (8-15 cm.) twig. Facts about the Sycamore Tree The largest deciduous tree in the eastern United States, sycamore trees can grow 75 to 100 feet (23-30 m....

Why Plant Wildflowers for Fall? There are many good reasons to choose wildflowers for the garden. As long as you stick with species native to your area, you’ll be providing a space beneficial to wildlife, including pollinators. A wildflower garden or bed typically requires less maintenance than other types of gardens. After all, wildflowers by definition grow readily and without human intervention. As for fall wildflowers, these are important for maintaining continuous blooms in the garden....

How to Feed a Guava Tree Guavas are classified as a heavy feeder, which means they require more nutrients than an average plant. Regular applications of guava tree fertilizer are needed to keep pace with this fast-growing plant in order to ensure the production of bountiful high-quality flowers and fruit. The use of a guava tree fertilizer with a 6-6-6-2 (nitrogen–phosphorus–potassium–magnesium) ratio is recommended. For each feeding, scatter the fertilizer evenly on the ground, starting a foot (31 cm....

Can You Grow Fleabane in Gardens? Daisy fleabane (Erigeron speciosus) is an easy-care perennial wildflower with many hybrid offspring to fit almost any informal garden. Common specimens range in height from about 10 inches to 2 ½ feet (25.5 cm to 0.5 m.), and spread up to two feet (0.5 cm.) across in USDA plant hardiness zones 2 through 8, though in zones 7 and 8, daisy fleabane may struggle in the heat of the summer....

Ornamental Kale Plants Ornamental kale plants (Brassica oleracea) and their cousin, the ornamental cabbage, were developed for their spectacular colors and are not edible. Although they are sometimes called flowering kale, the plants rarely put out real flowers. The color is all in their extravagantly ruffled and feathered leaves. Ornamental kale plants are best used as an annual in spring and fall gardens and in container gardens. How to Grow Ornamental Kale Growing flowering kale can be done by starting seeds or with started plants purchased from the store....

OrchidsChrysanthemumsEaster liliesChristmas cactusLucky bamboo Should you remove foil on plants? Read on to find out. Reasons for Foil on Plants Nurseries wrap foil around plants because it makes them more attractive and festive, and it hides the inexpensive green, black, or brown plastic pot that most plants come in. Often, those foil-wrapped plants die in the first couple of weeks and the recipient of the gift plant is discouraged and wondering how they managed to kill that beautiful, healthy poinsettia or Christmas cactus....

Freesia Plant Problems Graceful and elegant, freesias bring some understated class to the garden border or can create a massively impressive planting all by themselves. Although these iris relatives are generally hardy, there are some diseases and pests that can cause them serious issues. When you have problems with freesias, it’s important to know what you’re dealing with so you can choose an appropriate course of action. Freesia plants are pretty tough and hardly complain, but once in a while you’ll have trouble with freesia plants, so we put together a list of common freesia diseases and freesia pests to help make identification a little easier....

Porches are classic bastions of neighborhood chat and quiet evening retreats. This common feature is often part of the home, but you can develop other types of seating in front of the house. These can be simple sites, or involve a landscape architect. Front yard seating locations are easy to tailor to even the smallest budget. Think comfy and let your imagination wander. Easy Front Yard Seating If you need a living space in front of the house that is simple, inexpensive, and yet hospitable, consider adding a fire feature....

A swarm of bugs after rain is not what dreams are made of, but here is a rundown of some of the garden enemies that thrive on moist soil and wet weather. Garden Pests That Like Wet Weather Here are a few of the creepy crawlers that benefit from wet weather: Rain beetles are particularly harmful to fruit bearing trees in Western North America. The larval stage of the beetles feed in the root zone of the trees causing decreased vigor and low yields....

April Gardening Tasks for the Upper Midwest If you’re itching to get your hands in the dirt and on plants, April is a good time to get started on several important growing chores. April is the perfect time in this region to use a pre-emergent weed killer. You can apply these products to beds to keep weeds down throughout the growing season. Get your vegetable garden ready now. Whether you’re building new raised beds or using existing beds, now is the time to prepare the soil....

What Were American Colonial Gardens Like? The gardens of colonial Americans reflected their diversity. They varied by national origin, wealth, and available space. One common factor was that colonists did not grow turf lawns like we use today. They mostly grew a mix of foods, including native species and those from their homelands. A typical colonial garden would be close to the house and have stone or gravel paths, including a main walkway and several spokes....

May Gardening To-Do List Lawn Mowing is one of the weekly gardening tasks for Ohio homeowners this month. Control your carbon footprint by composting or recycling those grass clippings. Apply a fertilizer/herbicide combo to the lawn. Fill in and reseed low spots in the yard.Use grass clippings for inexpensive veggie plant mulch. Flowerbeds As the Ohio gardening season gets underway, May is the perfect time to add color and texture to the landscaping....

What is Geranium Cutting Rot? Rotten geranium cuttings are the result of bacterial and/or fungal cut geranium diseases. Stem rot is usually caused by bacteria while root rot is the result of fungal infection. Symptoms of Rot on Geranium Cuttings Bacterial stem rot on geranium cuttings results in black, weakened stems that eventually wilt and die. Geranium cuttings rot as the result of a fungus attacking the roots, causing them to rot and kill off the plant....

How to Grow Coffee from Coffee Plant Seeds Ideally, to grow coffee bean plants, you should start with a freshly picked coffee cherry, but most of us don’t live in a coffee producing country, so this is a bit problematic. If, however, you do happen to reside in a coffee producing country, pick ripe coffee cherries by hand, pulp them, wash, and ferment in a container until the pulp flops off....