Crepe Jasmine Plants Don’t be fooled by the name “jasmine.” At one time in history, every white flower with a sweet fragrance was nicknamed jasmine, and the crepe jasmine is not a real jasmine. In fact, crepe jasmine plants (Tabernaemontana divaricata) belong to the Apocynaceae family and, typical of the family, broken branches “bleed” milky fluid. The shrubs flower in spring, offering generous amounts of white fragrant blossoms. Each has its five petals arranged in a pinwheel pattern....

Do Asters Need to Be Pruned? Asters do not strictly need to be pruned, but there are some good reasons to do it. One is simply to maintain a shape and size that you like. Especially if you have rich soil, these flowers will grow abundantly. Pruning them back can prevent the need to stake them and give the plants more pleasing shapes. Thinning them out will also keep your plants healthy and reduce the risk of mildew developing....

Symptoms of Sweet Potato Foot Rot Foot rot in sweet potatoes is caused by Plenodomus destruens. It is first observed from mid-season to harvest wherein the stem base blackens at the soil line and the leaves closest to the crown yellow and drop. Fewer sweet potatoes are produced and those that are develop a brown rot at the stem end. P. destruens may also infect seedlings. Infected seedlings yellow starting on their lower leaves and as the disease progresses, wilt and die....

What Does Garden Cress Look Like? Garden cress vegetables are interesting perennial mounding plants that came to the United States from China. Known also as Marathi or halim, garden cress is fast-growing and used as a leafy vegetable in salads or as a garnish. The plant can grow to 2 feet (0.5 m.) in height and produces white or light pink flowers and tiny seedpods. The bottom of the stem has long leaves and feather-like leaves are on opposite sides of the upper stalk....

Thomas Jefferson’s favorite nurseryman Bernard McMahon sold hyacinth bean vine plants to Jefferson in 1804. Because of this, the hyacinth bean is also known as Jefferson bean. These fabulous heirloom plants are now featured at Monticello in the Colonial kitchen garden. How to Grow a Hyacinth Bean Vine Purple hyacinth beans are not fussy about soil type but do best when planted in full sun. These vigorous growers do require a sturdy support that is at least 10 to 15 feet (3-4....

Growing Japanese Maples in Zone 9 Japanese maples tend to do better at being cold hardy than heat tolerant. Excess warm weather can injure the trees in several ways. First, Japanese maple for zone 9 may not get an adequate period of dormancy. But also, hot sun and dry winds can injure the plants. You’ll want to select hot weather Japanese maples to give them the best chance in a zone 9 location....

How to Grow Rutabaga Remember that these plants are not much different from turnips. The difference is that the roots are larger, firmer, and rounder than turnip roots and the leaves on the rutabaga are smoother. When planting rutabaga, plant about 100 days before the first frost in late fall. Prepare your soil as you would when growing any vegetable, rake the soil and remove any debris and rocks. Planting Rutabaga When planting rutabaga, throw the seed down in the prepared soil and rake it in lightly....

How to Grow Turnips If you are planting a summer crop, plant the turnips early. If you are planting so you can have turnips to store throughout the winter, plant late in the summer to harvest turnips before first frost. Turnips generally require a full sun location but will tolerate partial shade, especially if you plan on harvesting the plant for its greens. Preparing the bed to grow turnip plants in is easy....

What are Hansel and Gretel Eggplants? Hansel and Gretel are two different hybrid varieties of eggplant, both fairly new to the gardening world. They each won All American Selections – Hansel in 2008 and Gretel in 2009. Both were developed specifically to breed out some of the undesirable characteristics of most eggplants. There are almost no practical differences between Hansel and Gretel eggplants. Hansel has deep purple skin and Gretel’s skin is white but, otherwise, they both have the same qualities that make them great options for the vegetable garden:...

Ideal Water Temp for Hydroponics Water is one of the mediums used in hydroponics, but it is not the only medium. Some systems of soilless culture, called aggregate culture, rely on gravel or sand as the primary medium. Other systems of soilless culture, termed aeroponics, suspend the plant roots in air. These systems are the most high-tech hydroponics systems. In all of these systems, however, a nutrient solution is used to feed the plants and water is an essential part of it....

The Bromeliad Water Tank Bromeliads grow in many different conditions. When taking care of a bromeliad, water it well. The center of a bromeliad is called a tank or cup. This particular plant will hold water in its tank. Fill the tank in the center and don’t allow it to get empty. Don’t let the water sit for a long time or it will stagnate and possibly cause damage to the plant....

Exactly What is Jojoba? Jojoba is a shrub or small tree with multiple stems that grows in dry, arid sections of the country. It grows between 8 and 19 feet tall, and male and female flowers appear on different plants. The fruit is a green capsule which encloses up to three seeds. Jojoba plant facts make it clear why this is a good plant for times of drought. The leaves stand vertically, so that only the tips are exposed to the hot sun....

What is Leaching? There are two types of leaching in the garden: Leaching of soil The soil in your garden is like a sponge. When rain falls, the soil near the top absorbs as much as possible, keeping the moisture available to the plants growing there. Once the soil is filled with all the water it can hold, the water begins to leak down through the layers of rock and subsoil beneath your garden....

Splitting Leaves in Plants What causes leaves to split in houseplants can vary between species, but there is almost always some kind of unfavorable growing condition to blame. Large-leafed plants, like bird of paradise and bananas, have leaves that are designed to split in response to high winds. If your plant is a large-leafed variety, leaf splitting may be normal, especially in rooms with fans or a lot of natural airflow....

What is Chervil Herb? Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) is an annual herb that is best known for being a “sweet” herb. Many people grow chervil to be used in desserts and drinks. The flavor is often described as a combination of parsley and licorice. The chervil herb is also known as gourmet parsley or French parsley. Best Conditions to Grow Chervil Chervil is one of the few herbs that grow best in the shade and moist soil....

There are two propagation methods available for dwarf mondo grass. One is planting dwarf mondo grass seeds and the other is division of your plant. Dwarf Mondo Grass Seeds If you decide to grow dwarf mondo grass seeds, be aware that they are finicky and you may have trouble getting them to grow. They may also not grow true to the parent plant. This is the more difficult of dwarf mondo grass propagation....

How are Pepper Plants Different? In general, there are several different types and species of peppers that growers may choose for their gardens. Even novice growers may be familiar with both sweet and hot peppers; however, the species of these plants will impact their size, shape, flower appearance, and sometimes appearance of the leaves. How to Identify Pepper Plants In many cases, the differences between peppers of the Capsicum genus can be minimal....

As frustrating as the waiting may be, you will be glad to know that there are a few things that can either speed up or slow down how fast a tomato turns red. What Makes Tomatoes Turn Red? The main determiner in how fast a tomato turns red is the variety. Smaller fruited varieties will turn red faster than large fruited varieties. This means that a cherry tomato will not take nearly as long to turn red as a beefsteak tomato....

Organic Gardening with Kids When organic gardening with kids, simplicity is the name of the game. Keep your garden space small – a 6 x 6 foot (2 x 2 m.) patch should be plenty. If you don’t have the space for an in-ground garden, containers are a great alternative. Make sure to leave room to walk between your rows, as this will make for easier movement and teach kids to stay on paths....

Can Ginger Grow Outside? Common ginger (Zingiber officinale) is hardy in zones 9-12, but a few other varieties of ginger are hardy down to zone 7. While common ginger needs about 8-10 months of active growth to reach maturity, the roots can be harvested at any time. Because the cool, damp winters of zones 7-8 can rot ginger rhizomes, plants are usually harvested in these locations in the fall. In zones 9-12, ginger plants can be harvested all throughout the year....