Growing a Red Twig Dogwood Don’t confuse red twig dogwood trees with other dogwood trees. While both the tree and the shrub belong to the Cornus genus, red twig dogwoods never grow to become trees. There are two species of Cornus called red twig dogwoods: Tatarian dogwood (C. alba) and Redosier dogwood (C. sericea). The two species are very similar. Red twig dogwood is one of those plants where more is better....

Why are Primrose Leaves Turning Yellow? Yellowing primrose plants can be attributed to a few causes. One common and easily treated problem is improper watering. Primroses need moist but not waterlogged soil. Make sure to water them regularly, but plant them in soil with good drainage to ensure they don’t stand in water, which can cause root rot and yellowing leaves. By the same token, don’t let the soil dry out, as this can cause yellow, brittle leaves....

Purple Sage Planting Guide Growing purple sage plants is great because they require such little care. Used to desert conditions (lending to its other common name – desert sage), they are very drought resistant and actually prefer sandy or even rocky soil. Because of this, the most likely reason for a purple sage plant to fail is that the growing conditions are too rich. Only gardeners in the hot, dry regions of the western U....

Spinach Beet Curly Top Info Curly top spinach disease is a Curtovirus that affects many plants besides just spinach. Certain herbs and even specific weeds are all susceptible to spinach beet curly top infections, as are: Beets Spinach Tomatoes Beans Peppers Cucumbers Swiss chard This viral infection is spread from plant to plant by the beet leafhopper. When leafhoppers feed on infected plants, they get the virus on their mouthparts and spread it to the next plant they feed on....

Instructions for Starting a Straw Bale Garden Purchase bales of straw from a farmer’s market or a local farmer. The big box stores offer decorative straw bales during the autumn holidays, but they are small and not suitable for growing plants in a straw bale garden. Bales of hay can also be used for this type of garden, but are more prone to sprouting weeds. You’ll save yourself some effort if you buy the bales in fall before you begin planting in spring....

Sugar Maple Tree Facts Sugar maple tree facts provide lots of interesting information about this remarkable tree. Well before colonists began sugar maple tree growing in this country, Native Americans tapped the trees for their sweet syrup and used the sugar made from it for bartering. But sugar maples are lovely trees in and of themselves. The dense crown grows in an oval shape and offers ample shade in the summer....

How To Grow A Mexican Bay Mexican bay leaf growing is easy in well-drained soil and full or filtered sunlight. It is also suitable for growing in large containers and growth tends to be slower than in the ground. Be sure the container has a drainage hole in the bottom. Grow Mexican bay leaf trees in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 through 11. The trees tolerate short periods of frost, but not extended cold....

The most widespread disease of irises is the mosaic virus, both mild and severe types, mostly affecting bulbous irises such as Dutch, Spanish, and Morocco types. Spread by aphids, the best deterrent is controlling aphids in the yard and the weeds that may harbor them. Iris Mosaic Symptoms Iris Mild Mosaic Virus exhibits symptoms such as light-green mosaic-like streaks on new leaves which become more apparent as the plant matures....

Know the signs of this disease and how to manage it to keep your plants healthy. Identifying Iris Rust Disease Iris rust is caused by Puccinia iridis, a fungal species. Most varieties of iris can be affected by this disease which causes a rusty, spot pattern on the leaves. Ultimately, the infection can kill leaves causing them to brown and die back but does not kill the whole plant. If you can control the disease, damage is typically minimal....

What Trees Grow Quickly? It may seem discouraging to plant a tree seedling that won’t reach a reasonable height for years. This isn’t the case with all tree species though, so look for trees that grow quickly. What trees grow quickly? Luckily, there are quite a few fast-growing trees out there, making it very likely you can find one to suit your planting location. Be sure to select trees that grow well in your hardiness zone and exposure you can offer it....

About Desert Willow Pruning Desert willow (Chilopsis linearis) is a native U.S. plant, growing in the American southwest as well as Kansas and Oklahoma. The little tree has slender, willow-like leaves, but it is actually a flowering shrub. Desert willow produces flowers that are extremely ornamental. They fill the tree in spring but can keep appearing sporadically all year-round. These trees grow in dry regions and can provide shade in arid landscapes, but in order for the plants to be attractive in your backyard, you’ll have to start pruning desert willows early and regularly....

How to Cut Back Lemongrass Plants If given plenty of sun, water, and fertilizer, lemongrass can grow to as big as 6 feet (1.8 m.) high and 4 feet (1.2 m.) wide. Pruning lemongrass plants is a good idea for keeping them a manageable size as well as encouraging new growth. Cutting lemongrass stalks for cooking will keep the plant somewhat in check, but lemongrass grows so quickly that extra pruning is often necessary....

It’s possible to grow tulip bulbs in warm climates, but you have to implement a little strategy to “trick” the bulbs. However, growing tulips in warm weather is a one-shot deal. The bulbs won’t generally rebloom the following year. Read on to learn about growing tulips in warm weather. Growing Tulip Bulbs in Warm Climates If your climate doesn’t provide a long, chilly period, you can chill the bulbs in the refrigerator for several weeks, beginning in mid-September or later, but not after December 1st....

Do Peonies Like Sun or Shade? In attempting to answer this question, growers will first need to carefully consider each peony species. Some of the most common types of peonies available at garden centers are herbaceous peonies, intersectional peonies, and tree peonies. Though each of these plants is quite similar to the other, there will be subtle variation in their light needs. For several varieties of peonies, full sun is an absolute necessity....

How Do Plants Use Magnesium? Magnesium is the powerhouse behind photosynthesis in plants. Without magnesium, chlorophyll cannot capture sun energy needed for photosynthesis. In short, magnesium is required to give leaves their green color. Magnesium in plants is located in the enzymes, in the heart of the chlorophyll molecule. Magnesium is also used by plants for the metabolism of carbohydrates and in the cell membrane stabilization. Magnesium Deficiency in Plants The role of magnesium is vital to plant growth and health....

About The USDA Idaho Hardiness Planting Zone If you are looking to find out what your growing zones in Idaho are, you will need to look at a USDA map of the plant hardiness zones. The above map is for Idaho plant zones and can help you find what planting zone you live in. You can find your Idaho hardiness planting zone by looking at the map above and locating approximately where you live on that map....

Oak Apple Gall Information So what are oak galls? Oak apple galls appear in oak trees, most often black, scarlet, and red oaks. They get their common name from the fact that they are round, like small apples, and hang in the trees. Oak apple gall information tells us that galls are formed when a female oak apple gall wasp lays eggs in the central vein on an oak leaves. When the larvae hatch, chemical and hormone interaction between the wasp eggs and the oak causes the tree to grow the round gall....

What is a Pruning Knife? If you are new to gardening, you may ask: what is a pruning knife? Pruning knives can be used for many different purposes in the garden. The pruning knife is the “Jack-of-all-trades” of cutlery. Many types of pruning knives are available in commerce, but the most typical pruning knife is short and sharp, with a blade around 3 inches (8 cm.), and a wooden or heavy-duty handle....

What are Zestar Apples? Zestar apples are delicious and lovely fruit. These trees were developed by the University of Minnesota, famed for its expertise in cold hardy variety development. They are among the latest additions to the University’s long list of cultivars. Are Zestar apple trees cold hardy? You bet they are, along with 25 other apple varieties resulting from the University’s work. You can start growing Zestar apples if you live in USDA plant hardiness zones 3b through 4....

Why Do Pears Split? Cracking of pear fruit arise from one factor – water. Simply put, a lack of water followed by a surplus of water is what causes pears to split. The same goes for nearly any other fruit cracking. Split pear fruit is a condition that is caused by an irregular supply of water. While the splits are not usually deep, they may be enough to invite disease or pests to attack otherwise tasty fruit....