Today’s gloxinias are hybrids bred to quickly produce a large number of blossoms. These gloxinias produce an outstanding display for about two months, but once the flowers fade, the plant rarely comes back because it invests all its energy into flowers rather than sturdy roots. Therefore, these plants are best grown as annuals, and since they are discarded after the bloom cycle, gloxinia flower care focuses on keeping the plant looking fresh while it is in bloom....

Best Plants for Indoor Miniature Gardens Young plants can serve your purposes for a miniature garden for only a short period of time. Once they grow too big, you’ll have to transplant them to their own pot. Be sure to place plants together that have similar needs; if their needs are all different (one needing more water and one needing dry potting mix, for example), they will not survive. If you crowd the roots, the above ground part of the plant will remain small....

Chervil is an integral part of the “fines herbes” blend (a combination of finely chopped herbs) used in French cooking. Growing the plant indoors is an optimum use of the herb, as it does not flourish outside in hot summer heat and sun. When growing chervil indoors or outside, plants prefer light shade and cool temperatures. Garden chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) should not be confused with turnip rooted chervil. Rooted chervil is obscure in American and British food, but is still sometimes used in French cuisine....

Creating a Christmas Herb Garden If you want fresh herbs for Christmas, you need to start planning in spring. Holiday herbs add that special touch to home cooking and really impact the flavor of your dishes. Who can do without sage in their stuffing or a pinch of fresh thyme on their sautéed green beans? You can buy little kits of holiday herbs, but it’s much cheaper and easier to just have the plants on hand....

About Foxtail Ferns Foxtail ferns are not really ferns, as they’re multiplied from seeds and produce no spores. The common name likely came from the clumping habit of the plant that is similar to that of a fern. Foxtail asparagus ferns have an unusual, symmetrical look. These fern-like plants have arching plumes of tightly packed, needle-like leaves that look soft and delicate. Foxtail fern plants bloom with white flowers and produce red berries....

Can a Pond Be in Full Sun? Many people picture a perfect pond ringed by weeping willows and other trees that provide some shade. Ideally, a garden pond will have a mix of sun and shade. Between four and six hours of full sun should be fine. The right balance of sun and shade makes for a healthy pond for a few reasons. Fish benefit from some cooling shade. A little shade will also keep algae growth under control....

Growing Japanese Maples in Zone 7 As a rule, Japanese maple trees are hardy in zones 5 through 9. Not all can tolerate zone 5 minimum temperatures, but basically all can survive a zone 7 winter. This means that your options when selecting zone 7 Japanese maples are virtually limitless…as long as you’re planting them in the ground. Since they’re so showy and some varieties stay very small, Japanese maples are popular container trees....

Japanese Maple Varieties for Warmer Climates If your heart is set on growing Japanese maples in zone 8, then the following varieties deserve a second glance: Purple Ghost (Acer palmatum ‘Purple Ghost’) produces ruffly, reddish purple leaves that turn green and purple as summer progresses, then back to ruby red in autumn. Zones 5 to 9 Hogyoku (Acer palmatum ‘Hogyoku’) is a sturdy, mid-size tree that tolerates heat better than most Japanese maple varieties....

What is a Moss Plant? Mosses are categorized as bryophytes, which are non-vascular plants. While technically moss is a plant, it lacks the parts of a plant that we are used to seeing. It does not have true leaves, branches, or even roots. Since moss has no roots, it must find other ways to absorb water and this is why it is frequently found in damp, shady areas. Moss also does not have seeds like many other plants do....

What is Texas Needlegrass? Texas needlegrass (Nassella leucotricha) is a perennial grass that thrives in cooler weather. It blooms in early spring to early summer and attracts butterflies. It grows in a range of soils, but especially thrives in soil that has been disturbed. It tolerates heat, needs a lot of sun, and does not need much water. Texas needlegrass uses include forage for livestock because it grows well in the winter when other grasses have died back....

Harvesting Olive Trees Harvesting olive trees begins in late August through November depending upon the region, variety, and desired ripeness. Since olives are picked for both eating and processing into oil, the degree of ripeness matters. All olives start out green and then gradually become rosy and finally black. Depending upon the type of oil the grower is making, a combination of all three may be used for pressing. Traditionally, picking olives is done by hand, even in commercial groves....

Hinoki False Cypress Information The Hinoki cypress is useful in privacy screens because of its tall, dense, conical, or pyramidal growth habit. It is also popular for use in ornamental plantings within its growing range and as a bonsai. Hinoki cypresses planted in gardens and parks typically reach 50 to 75 feet (15-23 m.) tall with a spread of 10 to 20 feet (3-6 m.) at maturity, though the tree can reach 120 feet (37 m....

About Hot Weather Hops It is the female plant which produces the valuable cones for beer making. In commercial production, vines (called bines) are strung upward to catch more sun and to support the plant. Hot weather hops grow similarly but production of cones can be sacrificed if the plant is heat stressed or doesn’t receive enough moisture. For this reason, choosing the right zone 9 hops is key to successful harvest....

Indoor Aphid Control There are many mechanical and non-toxic methods to address your houseplant aphid problems. Light aphid infestations The simplest way, especially if you only have a light aphid infestation, is to simply squash the aphids with your fingers. Aphids are very soft bodied and if you only see a few of them on your plants, this is probably the easiest method. Another method that you can use for lighter infestations, especially if you don’t want to squash them with your fingers, is to wash them away with a stream of water....

Pruning evergreen euonymus is not an annual event. However, it is sometimes necessary. Read on for information about how to cut back euonymus. Pruning Evergreen Euonymus Evergreen euonymus are hardy shrubs that come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Evergreen euonymus plants are easy to grow, drought tolerant, and require little maintenance. This includes pruning evergreen euonymus, a task that only needs to be undertaken to control the shrub’s size or in the case of an overgrown plant....

Creating Garden Arbor Designs Garden arbor ideas are limitless, and can serve a multitude of purposes within the home landscape. While some arbors may be purely decorative, others can be used to create a welcoming seating area. Regardless of its beauty and usefulness, many gardeners are hesitant to add these structures into their yards. For growers who are more budget savvy, the cost to purchase and install garden arbors can be quite expensive....

About Dried Ginseng Root Ginseng is a perennial native herb found throughout the deciduous forests of the eastern United States. It was one of the earliest marketable herbs exported to ginseng hungry China. It was once abundant but was over-harvested in the mid 1970’s and is now more commonly grown as an alternative crop. Ginseng is prized in Asia and can be quite profitable, however, it can take eight to ten years before that profit is realized....

From early spring into summer, both leafy plants and flowering plants require some feeding at 10 to 14 day intervals. Houseplants that flower only in the winter should be fed the same way, but only when they are flowering. Liquid Fertilizer for Feeding Houseplants Most people feed their houseplants by mixing concentrated liquid fertilizer in clean, room temperature water and watering the plants with the solution. Make sure you don’t make the mixture too strong and mix the solution according to manufacturer recommendations....

Identifying Creeping Charlie Weed Creeping charlie (Glechoma hederacea) is often called ground ivy due to its appearance and growth habits. Creeping charlie weed is a green vine whose leaves are round with scalloped edges. Creeping charlie has a small purple flower. The creeping charlie plant is most easily identified by its growth habit. It is a vine that grows close to the ground and will form a mat-like ground cover if allowed to....

Identify Poison Plants With so many houseplants available today, it’s difficult to know which are poisonous houseplants. While there is no tell-tale sign that a plant is poisonous, there are a few standard signs that can help you identify potentially toxic plants. These signs for possible poison plants are: Milky sap Naturally shiny leaves Plants that have yellow or white berries Umbrella shaped plants While following this list will not eliminate all toxic houseplants, it will help steer you clear of a great many of them....