Can You Repot a Chrysanthemum? Getting a potted mum to bloom again is difficult and the plants are usually discarded when their beauty fades. However, if you’re adventurous, you can move the plant into a new container with fresh potting soil, which may prolong the life of the plant. Use a container only one size larger and be sure the container you choose has a drainage hole in the bottom....

Determining Spaghetti Squash Ripeness In order to harvest spaghetti squash correctly, you need to learn how to determine whether or not the spaghetti squash is ripe. When the squash has turned a golden yellow or a dark yellowish color, it is usually ready to be picked. The skin of the squash will be very thick and hard. If you use your fingernail to poke the squash, you will know it’s ripe if your nail doesn’t penetrate the squash....

Brambles, such as raspberries and blackberries Fig Lilacs Roses Phlox Oriental poppies What are Root Cuttings? Root cuttings are pieces of root cut from plants that you want to propagate. Take cuttings from root growth in late winter or early spring, before the plant breaks dormancy. Roots have high levels of carbohydrates before they begin their spring growth, and the cuttings are more likely to be successful. Examine the roots before you cut them and choose roots that are firm and white....

Can You Take Cuttings from Quince? The fruits are not as popular today as they were several centuries ago, but quince trees are still popular for their early season color show. Quince seedlings are fairly easy to make through cuttings. Rooting quince plants is not hard, but the method depends upon which variety of plant you have. The flowering variety seems to be easier than the fruiting variety. Fruiting cuttings may sprout but there may not be fruit and it may not be true to parent....

How Much to Water Roses During Droughts These readings will give me a good indication of whether I really need to water the rose bushes then, or if the watering can wait a few days. By conducting the moisture meter tests, I am making sure the rose bushes have good soil moisture down in their root system zones, thus not watering when the need really is not quite there yet. Such a method conserves the precious (and at such drought times high priced!...

Choosing the Best Rose Fertilizer There are just about as many rose fertilizers or foods available on the market currently as anyone could think up a name for. Some of the rose fertilizers are organic and will not only have food for the rose bushes in the mix but also materials that enrich the soil. Enriching the soil as well as taking good care of the microorganisms that dwell in the soil is a very good thing!...

Is Rose of Sharon invasive? Rose of Sharon, also called althea rose, is native to eastern Asia. The first plants were brought into this country as ornamentals. What is the rose of Sharon growth rate? They typically grow to 10 feet (3 m.) tall and each plant has many branches. Some plants are very fertile and scatter viable seeds every year. These grow quickly into seedlings in springtime. Unless you act quickly, you will have a little forest of rose of Sharon plants growing in your garden....

Russian Cypress Information Russian arborvitae/Russian cypress shrubs (Microbiota decussata) are dwarf, evergreen conifers. They grow from 8 to 12 inches (20 cm. to 30 cm.) tall, with spreading tips that nod gracefully in the breeze. One bush can spread as much as 12 feet (3.7 m.) wide. The shrubs grow and spread in two waves of foliage. The original stems in the center of the young plant grow longer over time....

Scotch Broom Pruning Scotch broom plants may require pruning because of broken or diseased branches, like any other shrubs. More often, however, gardeners decide to prune a scotch broom plant because it has outgrown its allotted space or grown scraggly as it matures. However, once the plant is fully grown, it may be too late to reshape it by trimming and it can even get out of hand, requiring control. Scotch broom maintenance must begin while the shrub is young....

About Separating Seeds from Chaff Before we get to the definition of chaff, a little background on the make-up of cereal crops such as wheat, rice, barley, oats, and others is helpful. Cereal crops are made up of the seed or the grain kernel that we eat and an inedible hull or husk surrounding it. Seed and chaff separation is imperative because in order to process and eat the grain kernel, the inedible hull needs to be removed....

When Should I Repot Yucca? Don’t be in a hurry to repot a yucca; the plant performs well when its roots are slightly crowded. In fact, some yucca enthusiasts joke that the time to repot is when the roots become so large that they break the pot. If that seems a little drastic, you can repot the plant when you see roots growing out of the drainage hole. Yucca is definitely ready for repotting when water runs straight through the pot without wetting the soil, or when roots are matted on top of potting mix....

Planting Small Trees Before you purchase a tree, make sure you can provide the right location. That includes having the type of soil and sun exposure indicated on the plant tag. If your soil is hard or drains poorly, you’ll need to improve it before planting the tree. Dig a hole at least 12 inches (30.5 cm.) deep and about three times the width of the root ball. Amend the soil by mixing the dirt you removed from the hole with compost or composted manure....

Snowball Viburnum vs. Hydrangea The old-fashioned snowball bush (Hydrangea arborescens), also called Anabelle hydrangea, produces large clusters of flowers that start out pale green and turn white as they mature. The Chinese snowball viburnum bush (Viburnum macrocephalum) is similar in appearance and also produces flowers that start pale green and age to white even though the two plants aren’t related. If you’re wondering how to tell snowball bushes apart, take a look at these characteristics:...

Solutions for Yard Drainage Problems Most minor garden and lawn drainage issues are caused by clay soil. A minor issue will be that you have standing water after a heavy rainfall for less than a day. Clay soil is more dense than sandy or loamy soil, and therefore, is slower to allow rainwater to filter through it. Minor yard drainage problems like this can usually be corrected by taking steps to improve clay soil....

What is a Spathe and Spadix? An inflorescence is the entire flowering structure of a plant and these can vary quite a lot from one type of plant to the next. In one type, there is a spathe and a spadix making up the inflorescence, sometimes referred to as a spathe flower. The spathe looks like a large flower petal, but it is actually a bract. Confused yet? A bract is a modified leaf and is often brightly colored and stands out more than the actual flower does....

How to Start a Staghorn Fern Plant from Spores There are a few ways to go about staghorn fern propagation. In nature, the plant often reproduces from spores. Growing staghorn ferns from spores in the garden is possible, though many gardeners choose against it because it’s so time intensive. In the summer, look on the underside of the foliar fronds to find the spores. As the summer wears on, the spores should darken....

Succulent Rock Garden Design Rockeries are an excellent place to show off a succulent collection. Depending upon where you live, there are many sizes and growth forms from which to choose. Rock gardens afford dimension for the eye while also providing interesting textures and color. They are easy to upkeep if properly prepared and a long-lasting feature of interest in the garden. Before you install succulents in a rock garden, consider the size, shape, and height of your rockery....

Summertime Lettuce Information Iceberg lettuce is most often associated with sorry-looking heads in the grocery store, boring salads, and bland flavor. In reality, when you grow your own iceberg in the garden what you get is crisp, fresh, mild but delicious heads of lettuce. For salads, wraps, and sandwiches, it’s hard to beat a quality head of iceberg lettuce. In the iceberg family, there are many varieties from which to choose....

What is Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus? This is a disease that affects grains in most places in the U.S. where they are grown. Because of how widespread it is and how it affects yield, it is considered to be one of the most important grain diseases farmers face. Barley yellow dwarf disease is caused by a virus that is spread by aphids. Just 30 minutes of feeding on an infected plant and one of these tiny insects is capable of transferring the virus to the next plant on which it feeds....

What is Garden Tablescaping? Tablescaping refers to the process of decorating the dining table through the use of fresh-cut flower arrangements, candles, and/or other items. While elaborate tablescapes are common at events like weddings, they may also be set more casually. Garden-themed tablescapes are especially popular throughout the summer months and into the fall. How to Create Tablescapes Taking inspiration from your garden is a great way to explore new tablescaping ideas....