Although it is possible to acquire almost any cultivar or variety these days from a specialty plant store, the idea of gifting plants has not lost its appeal. But before you organize a pass-along-plant sale or plant swap, you may be interested to hear more about the history of this American tradition. Pass It Along Plants Was the term “passalong plants” first used by Steve Bender and Felder Rushing in their book of that name published some decades ago?...

How Gardening Helps Kids With the development of school and community gardens, the impact of planting vegetables and flowers with children has come into focus. These school gardens are undoubtedly a valuable classroom resource. However, they may also contribute to the overall well-being of students. The development of outdoor hobbies and interacting with nature can enhance our lives. Therapeutic gardening for kids is certainly no exception to this thinking. As many educators have learned, gardening as therapy for children has provided kids with valuable tools for life....

Can Lantana Grow Indoors? For those who wish to save their favorite plants, bringing lantana indoors for winter is among the best options. As cooler temperatures arrive in fall, lantana plants will often show a noticeable decrease in growth. Plants should be removed from the garden just before the arrival of the first frost. This can be done by carefully digging around the outer perimeter of the plant, if it has been grown in the ground, and transplanting it into a large container....

When to Relocate Bamboos Bamboo plants can be a bit finicky when it comes to transplanting, yet if you treat them right, they’ll spread all over the new area in very little time. Never transplant your bamboo when new shoots are forming; early in the spring or late in the fall are the best times. The roots are very sensitive to lack of moisture and to sunlight, so choose a cloudy, misty day for the absolute best results....

What is Pecan Vein Spot Disease? Pecan pie, pralines, and more are all delicious treats brought to you by a pecan tree. Noting pecan vein spot symptoms and acting promptly can help protect the yield of those tasty nuts. With good cultural care and some basic hygienic practices, treating pecan vein spot is manageable. There are no listed cultivars that are completely resistant but a few seem to be less susceptible and should be considered as replacements for those that are consistently infected....

Trimming Spider Plant Leaves When given the proper growing conditions, spider plants can reach 2 ½ to 3 feet (up to 1 m.) in both diameter and length. As a result, spider plants benefit from an occasional pruning. This is normally done during spring, or in most cases, summer. Pruning spider plants keeps them at a more desirable and manageable size and rejuvenates their overall health and vigor. In addition, the more babies it produces, the more the plant needs fertilizer and water as this uses up much of its energy....

What Causes Rust on Raspberries? Leaf rust on raspberries is a disease that attacks the foliage of raspberries. It may be caused by the fungus Phragmidium rubi-idaei. It appears as yellow pustules on the upper side of leaves in the early summer or in the spring. As the disease progresses, orange pustules appear on the underside of the foliage. Further into the disease, the orange pustules turn black. These black pustules contain overwintering spores....

Why are Plumeria Flowers Dropping? Plumeria, also called frangipani, are small, spreading trees. They deal well with drought, heat, neglect, and insect attacks. Plumeria are easily identifiable trees. They have gnarled branches and grow the distinctive flowers used in Hawaiian leis. The blossoms grow in clusters at the branch tips, with waxy petals, and a flower center in a contrasting color. Why are plumeria flowers dropping from the plant before they are finished blooming?...

Types of Conventional Weed Killers Chemical weed killer use depends on the type of plants you’re trying to eradicate. There are a number of conventional weed killers. Listed below are the basics: Residual weed killers Soil-acting, or residual weed killers, poison the soil, killing any plants within the treated area. Soil-acting weed killers inhibit seed germination as well as photosynthesis. Some of these weed killers remain in the soil for months or even years....

Types of Indian Eggplants Gardeners can choose from several kinds of Indian eggplants. Here are a few of the most popular Indian eggplant cultivars: Black Chu Chu hybrid, which produces small rounded fruits, is one of the newer Indian eggplant varieties. Red Chu Chu hybrid is an egg-shaped, bright reddish-purple eggplant. Calliope is an attractive oval eggplant with purple and white streaks. Apsara is one of the newest kinds of Indian eggplants....

Why Try Upside-Down Gardening? You don’t have to turn the world on its head to try upside-down gardening. The concept reportedly started in 1998 when a gardener, Kathi Lael Morris, tried it on peppers and tomatoes. The concept worked and has since become a phenomenon. Growing plants upside down has several benefits and may be the method condo and apartment dwellers have been searching for in their smaller gardening spaces. The benefits and drawbacks of growing in inverted containers can fill this page....

Vermiculture Insects and Pests There are several types of visitors to a worm bin. Some are highly compatible with worms and help to break down foods, but others may pose a serious threat to your worms. Knowing the insect pests in worm bins can help you better manage your vermiculture pest problem. Sowbugs and Springtails – These are common isopods that like the same sort of conditions that make your worms happy....

How to Control Blueweed Viper’s bugloss plant grows in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 8. If you’re dealing with small stands of bugloss blueweed plants, you can maintain control by hand pulling and digging young plants. Wear long sleeves and sturdy gloves because the hairy stems and foliage can cause severe skin irritation. Water the area the day before to soften the soil, as you’ll need an extra edge to get the entire taproot, which can be as long as 24 inches (60 cm....

Washington Hawthorn Information If you are thinking of growing a Washington hawthorn, you’ll find a lot to love in this native deciduous tree. It offers fragrant spring flowers that attract butterflies and bright fruit called haws that wild birds love. These hawthorns are also lovely in autumn. The green foliage blazes into shade of orange, scarlet, crimson, and purple. Washington hawthorn trees don’t get taller than 30 feet (9 m.). Cultivated specimens can be considerably shorter....

Watermelon Leaf Curl Symptoms Watermelon leaf curl, also known as squash leaf curl or watermelon curly mottle, is a viral disease that is spread from plant to plant by the saliva and piercing mouthparts of the insect vectors whiteflies. Whiteflies are tiny, winged insects that feed on the sap of many vegetable and ornamental plants. As they feed, they inadvertently spread diseases. The whiteflies thought to be responsible for spreading watermelon curl are Bemisia tabaci, which are native to desert areas of the southwestern United States and Mexico....

Watermelons with Cucurbit Yellow Vine Disease Cucurbit yellow vine disease is a bacterial disease caused by the pathogen Serratia marcescens. It infects plants in the cucurbit family such as melons, pumpkins, squash, and cucumbers. The symptoms of yellow vine disease in watermelons are bright yellow vines, which seemingly appear overnight, foliage that rolls up, runners which grow straight up, and rapid decline or dieback of plants. Roots and plant crowns may also turn brown and rot....

Weeping Willow Information The weeping willow (Salix babylonica) is native to China. These trees are popular worldwide for their unusual weeping branches. Utilized and admired in gardens and the subject of legends from ancient times, these trees grow throughout the eastern United States, thriving from Michigan to central Florida and west to Missouri. Some believe the ‘weeping’ refers to the way raindrops stream down the branches, dripping ‘tears’ from the tips....

If you are putting in a fish tank or garden pond, it’s time you learn about the Aponogeton genus. While some tropical plants are difficult to care for, growing Aponogeton which you buy from the aquarium is quite easy, even for a beginner. What are Aponogeton Plants? Aponogeton is the name of this genus of aquatic plants. Included in the genus are a wide variety of plants native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia....

What are Calanthe Orchids? Calanthe is a genus of orchids made up of only five species. Most of these species are hardy in USDA zone 7, but they may be able to survive the winter in zone 6b if they’re mulched well. This means that these orchids can actually be grown outdoors in the garden if your climate allows. Calanthe orchid plants can be divided into two main groups: evergreen and deciduous....

What Are Pelleted Seeds? So exactly what are pelleted seeds? Pelleted seeds make vegetable gardening a whole lot easier. Think of seeds that require a magnifying glass to figure out how many you have between two fingers. Why do carrots keep coming to mind? Petunia seeds are just as small, at some 300,000 seeds per ounce (28 g.). Pelleted vegetable seeds are the same tiny seeds but covered in a dissolvable, pelleted coating....