What is a Watermelon Radish? Watermelon radishes are an heirloom variety of Daikon radish, one of my favorites. They are a member of the mustard family, which includes arugula and turnip. An interesting watermelon radish fact tells us that the Chinese word for these radishes is ShinRi-Mei, meaning “beauty in the heart.” One only needs to slice into one of these beauties to understand the meaning behind the name. Their Latin name is Raphanus sativus acanthiformis....

What is a Barbary Fig? Barbary fig, a variety of prickly pear cactus, is thought to be native to Mexico where it has long been used for a variety of purposes. The fruits and pads can be eaten by humans and livestock, and the size, sprawling growth, and thorns make this cactus a good natural fence and barrier. The insects that are used to make red dye feed on prickly pear, which has made it an economically useful plant....

What is Brown Flesh Tomato? Tomatoes are coming in more and more skin and flesh colors than ever before. Using heirloom stock or even combining recently bred varieties results in unheard of hues and tones. This is the case with Brown Flesh tomato. What is a Brown Flesh tomato? The name is misleading, as the flesh isn’t truly brown but is a delicious, red-brown toned fruit. This variety is an indeterminate vining plant....

What is a Contemporary Garden? Contemporary design relies upon simple, clean lines but can encompass one’s personality. These traits work well in garden design. But what is a contemporary garden? A contemporary garden should have a relaxed and homey feel. It brings the outside in and provides a living space that reflects the owner and invites conversation while providing a modern look. When we talk about contemporary garden design, think sleek but unique....

What is Prairifire Tree? In Latin, Malus means apple. The many varieties of these pomes stem from their ability to cross pollinate and hybridized. Prairifire tree is a member of these fruiting trees that produce copious blooms and edible fruit. Try growing Prairifire trees en masse, or as standalone plants with several seasons of beauty and unmatched tolerance to numerous site conditions. Prairifire can grow 20 feet (6 m.) tall with a spread of 15 feet (5 m....

What is an Oriental Plane? You may be familiar with the popular London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia), with its maple-like leaves and small spiky fruit. It is a hybrid, and the oriental plane tree (Platanus orientalis) is one of its parents. The oriental plant has very lovely maple-like leaves as well. They are a rich green and more deeply lobed than the London plane tree. The trees can grow past 80 feet (24 m....

What is Elephant Garlic? Elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum) looks like a giant garlic clove but in fact, is not a true garlic; instead it is more closely related to a leek. It’s a hardy bulb with large blue-green leaves. This perennial herb boasts an outsized pink or purple flower stalk that appears in the spring or summer. Under the ground, a large bulb consisting of five to six large cloves surrounded by smaller bulblets grows....

What is New Zealand Spinach? Spinach has a host of uses, whether fresh or cooked. Its high concentration of Vitamins A and C and low calories make it a perfect stand alone or complement to recipes. In many regions, growing New Zealand spinach is a warm-season alternative. What is New Zealand spinach? This plant is also packed with nutrients and a perfect stand-in for regular spinach. Like regular spinach, New Zealand is a leafy green, however, its leaves are much thicker and succulent, lending it the alternate name of ice plant....

The unique flavor and the crazy looking plant are kid favorites and they can be involved in growing romanesco broccoli. Learn how to grow romanesco and expose your friends and family to a unique brassica that can be used fresh or cooked. What is Romanesco? Your first glimpse of this strange vegetable will have you wondering, what is romanesco? The neon green color is unearthly and the entire head is spiked unevenly....

St. Andrew’s cross plant is named for the bright yellow, cross-shaped flowers that appear from early summer until autumn. This is a lovely choice for a semi-shady woodland garden. Growing St. Andrew’s cross in gardens isn’t difficult. Read on and learn how to grow St. Andrew’s cross wildflowers. Growing St. Andrew’s Cross in Gardens St. Andrew’s cross wildflowers are suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 and above....

When it comes to growing Tendersweet cabbage, it’s best to get started in early spring. However, you can also grow a crop for fall harvest in milder climates. How to Grow Tendersweet Cabbages Plant seeds indoors four to six weeks ahead of the last expected frost in your region. This is the best plan if you want to harvest cabbage before the hottest part of summer. You can also purchase young plants at your local garden center....

What to Do with Overgrown Shrubs Large shrubs started out as small shrubs. If they didn’t get the maintenance pruning they needed, they may now appear as overgrown masses of crossing branches. What to do with overgrown shrubs? Before you hire someone to rip those shrubs out, consider cutting them back to rejuvenate them. How to Trim an Overgrown Shrub Overgrown shrub pruning, also called renewal or rejuvenation pruning, involves cutting out the oldest and largest branches at ground level....

Succulent Planting Time Info Regardless of the appropriate planting time for your area, never leave a just purchased succulent in a pot of soggy soil. Home improvement and big box stores often soak containers to this point, and it can be deadly for the succulent plant. If this happens to you, unpot and gently remove all the wet soil you can and then let the roots dry out for a few days....

When to Start Tomatoes The first thing to understand about when to start growing tomatoes is that tomatoes are warm weather plants. While many people try to plant tomatoes as early as possible, the fact of the matter is that this method will not make an earlier producing tomato and also exposes the tomato plant to unexpected late frosts, which could kill the plant. Beyond this, tomatoes will not grow in temperatures below 50 F....

To understand the rules for trimming fall-bearing red raspberries, it’s important to get a clear idea of their growth cycle. The roots and crowns of these plants live for many years, but the stems (called canes) only live for two years. In the first year, the canes are called primocanes. At this point, the canes are green and you will see them form fruiting buds. The buds are at the tips of the primocanes fruit in autumn, while the lower cane buds do not fruit until early the following summer....

Which Fire Pit is Best? Deciding which style of fire pit to incorporate into your landscape requires narrowing down your requirements and expectation. For instance, do you want to heat just a partially covered patio or lanai or are you interested in having a roaring bonfire on property that, of course, is nowhere near anything flammable? Budget will also be a determining factor when deciding on an outdoor fire pit style....

Why a Petunia Has Yellow Leaves In many cases, yellow leaves on petunia plants are cultural in nature but sometimes the cause is a common disease that can be spread from cucurbits. Some information on the exact symptoms and causes can help you determine if your petunia is destined for the rubbish bin or if you can save the plant to bloom another day. Petunias need well-drained soil, bright sunlight, and warm temperatures for best performance....

Weed Garden Tips The key to a successful weed garden bed is in your choice of plants. There are many wild plants with weed-like tendencies that are valuable food sources for animals, birds and butterflies. If you change the name to a wildlife garden, creating a weed garden is much more palatable. Weeds are hardy souls that thrive without water, in poor soil, grow fast and need no supplemental care. Some good options that will also make a pretty display are:...

What is a Cover Crop? A cover crop is anything that is planted in order to literally “cover” a piece of land that is not in use. Cover crops are used for a wide variety of reasons, from green manure to soil improvement to weed control. For the home gardener, the question of where to plant cover crops comes down to what part of your garden will be empty during the cold weather....

Does winter propagation work? Keep reading to learn all about winter plant propagation. Can You Propagate Plants in Winter? When you read yes, propagating plants in winter is possible, you may be thinking that’s crazy. In fact, winter is a great time to propagate hardwood cuttings taken from deciduous trees and shrubs. Fruit cuttings include: ApricotsBlackberriesBlueberriesKiwiMulberriesPeaches Some ornamentals to try: RosesHydrangeaMaplesWisteria Even some evergreens are suitable for winter propagating:...