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What October gardening tasks need to be accomplished? The following regional to-do list for Northeast gardeners will have you prepping the garden for winter and the following spring. Northeast Gardening in October In the Northeast, the first expected frost date is rapidly approaching so there’s no time to waste accomplishing October gardening tasks. Some items on your regional to-do list will involve putting the veggie garden to bed, brightening up the landscape for spring, working on the lawn, and generally tidying up before ‘Old Man Winter’ arrives....

Oleander Plant Cuttings Before doing anything with oleander, it is very important to know that it is a poisonous plant. Be sure to wear rubber gloves, long sleeves, and safety glasses when handling oleander. Keep all oleander plant cuttings out of reach from children and pets. Despite its toxicity, oleander is a much beloved and commonly grown plant in zones 8-11. The best way to quickly propagate it is from cuttings....

One way to avoid this unhappy result is to resist planting the items that possoms like best. Read on to learn what opossums eat. What Does an Opossum Eat? The word “opossum” comes from an Algonquian word meaning “white animal,” and some say these marsupials look like white rats the size of house cats. But they are truly remarkable critters, the females bearing babies the size of bumblebees that grow in their pouch....

What is Orange Peel Fungus? Orange peel fungus (Aleuria aurantia), or orange fairy cup fungus, is a striking fungi that can be found growing throughout North America, especially during the summer and fall. This fungus, like other members of the cup fungi family, has a cup-like body with folds and is a brilliant orange color, which some may mistake for a discarded orange peel. Spores are big and have spiny projections....

Organic Plants Vs. Non-Organic Plants From the day organic marketing began, there’s been a fierce debate about its advantages, with religiously held opinions on either side. This article is not meant to prove or disprove either argument – its purpose is simply to lay out some of the facts to help readers make their own decision. Ultimately, whether you choose to buy, grow, and eat organically is entirely up to you....

While tilling the soil seems to be a good starting point, it may cause over-tilling garden problems rather than the benefits you are looking to achieve. The effects of over tillage too early in the season include a host of issues such as: clumping compaction loss of nutrients diminished germination Proper tillage practices force the eager gardener to remain stoic and wait until the sun-kissed earth has dried out enough for working the soil....

Using Oyster Shells in the Garden Mulching with oyster shells adds calcium to the soil and makes it more alkaline. Oyster shells in the garden eventually break down, but if you want to use them as groundcover under plants that need acidic soil, apply them on plastic. Plastic works as an extra layer of protection to stop weeds from sprouting and to conserve moisture. Mulching with oyster shells also improves soil health while adding a professional, well-manicured appearance....

What are Papedas? Papeda citrus trees are native to tropical Asia. The plants are slow growing and produce bitter fruits which have little commercial use. They, along with pomelo and citron, are the ancestors of most of our current citrus species. Some of the trees have ornamental value, others have rootstock or breeding purposes, and still others are used as flavoring agents. Although papedas grow in tropical regions, they are actually one of the more frost tolerant of the citrus trees....

Parthenocarpy in plants is a relatively unusual condition but it does occur in some of our most common fruit. What is parthenocarpy? This circumstance occurs when the ovary of a flower develops into a fruit without fertilization. The result is a seedless fruit. Read on to discover what causes parthenocarpy. What is Parthenocarpy? The short answer is seedless fruit. What causes parthenocarpy? The word comes from Greek, meaning virgin fruit....

Pears and Fire Blight Fire blight can affect all parts of a pear tree and, therefore, it can manifest itself in different ways. One of the most common and earliest occurring symptoms is blossom blight. When this occurs, the blossoms take on a gray and waterlogged appearance that eventually turns to black. The next very recognizable symptom is shoot blight, when new shoots turn black and wither, bending under their own weight into the shape of a candy cane....

Pin Oak Information Native east of the Mississippi River and hardy in zones 4-8, Quercus palustris, or pin oak, is a large full, ovate shaped tree. With a growth rate of 24 inches (61 cm.) or more per year, it is one of the faster growing oak trees. Tolerant of wet soils, pin oak trees usually grow 60-80 feet (18.5 to 24.5 m.) high and 25-40 feet (7.5 to 12 m....

The only way to know for sure is to give moon phase gardening a try. After all, what can it hurt? (And it just may help!) Let’s learn a little more about how to garden by the moon. How to Plant by Moon Phases When the moon is waxing: This is the time to start planting annual flowers such as marigolds, nasturtiums, and petunias. Why? During the waxing of the moon (the period extending from the day the moon is new to the day it reaches its fullest point), the moon pulls moisture upwards....

Quail are a popular game bird but also important to bird watchers. Unfortunately, their population has declined drastically in the last few decades. There is something the average homeowner can do to help though. Providing habitat and food for the little birds ensures them a safe place to make their homes and help build up their numbers. Landscaping with plants that attract quail will give them cover and a food source....

About Rhubarb Seed Growing If I ask you to envision rhubarb pie and rhubarb crumble, what is your response? If you’re salivating and just chomping at the bit, then you may want to rule out growing rhubarb from seed. Seed grown rhubarb actually takes a year longer or more to produce stalks than rhubarb grown from crowns or plant divisions. At a minimum, you will be waiting two years for a decent harvest....

Facts about Bats as Pollinators Bats are important pollinators in warm climates – primarily desert and tropical climates such as the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia and Africa. They are critical pollinators for plants of the American Southwest, including agave plants, Saguaro and organ pipe cactus. Pollinating is only part of their job, as one bat can eat more than 600 mosquitoes in a single hour. Bats also eat harmful beetles and other crop-decimating pests....

Ersinger Fruhzwetsche Plum Info Known for its use in cooking and in sweet treats, Ersinger Fruhzwetsche plums are believed to have originated in Germany. In early spring, these plum trees offer gardeners and pollinators a dazzling display of white flower blossoms. Though usually listed as self-fruitful or self-fertile, trees will produce the best harvests when additional pollinator plum trees have been planted. Prone to bearing large crops of fruit, healthy trees will reward growers with ample supply of crisp, marketable plums....

Pomegranate Growing Pomegranates (Punica granatum) are steeped in history and have been grown for thousands of years through the Mediterranean regions of Asia, Africa, and Europe. Native from Iran to the northern Himalayas, the fruit eventually traveled to Egypt, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, India, Burma, and Saudi Arabia. It was introduced to the Americas in the 1500’s by Spanish missionaries. A member of the Lythraceae family, pomegranate fruit has a smooth, leathery, red to pink skin surrounding the edible arils....

What Causes Dry Rot in Potatoes? Dry rot of potatoes is caused by several fungi in the genus Fusarium. Fusarium are relatively weak fungi, unable to attack potatoes with intact skin, but once inside the tuber, these pathogens cause significant problems and allow other diseases, like bacterial soft rot, to take hold. Potato dry rot disease is most common in the spring and fall and can remain dormant in the soil....

You’ll find a variety of purple hues and tones – in heights from 3 to 15 feet (1 to 5m.) to complement every area of the landscape. Purple Leaf Shrubs Why not start with shrubs you might not know yet like red filbert (Corylus maxima Atropurpurea)? It’s a handsome plant that grows to 12 feet (4m.) tall and grows edible nuts. Another good choice is smokebush (Cotinus coggygria), a many-stemmed shrub with purple foliage and feathery purple flowers that look like haze....

How to Root Lychee Cuttings As mentioned, seed viability is scant, and traditional grafting budding techniques are unreliable, so the best way to grow lychee is via lychee cutting propagation or marcotting. Marcotting is just another term for air-layering, which encourages the formation of roots on a portion of a branch. The first step to growing lychee from cuttings is to soak a few handfuls of sphagnum moss for each layer for an hour in warm water....