Plant Crafting Ideas Some plant crafting ideas are more obvious, such as making brooms from broomcorn and planting self-drying strawflowers for wreaths. Gourds have been used for making everything from ladles to birdhouses. Using carrots for garden plant crafts though? How about sunflowers? Many plants lend themselves well for dyeing fabric and making paints. Carrots, beets, skins from your onions, and blueberries are just a few edibles that can be used for painting and other garden plant crafts....

Planting Marigolds with Tomatoes So why do marigolds and tomatoes grow well together? Marigolds and tomatoes are good garden buddies with similar growing conditions. Research studies have indicated that planting marigolds between tomatoes protects the tomato plants from harmful root-knot nematodes in the soil. Although scientists tend to be skeptical, many gardeners are convinced that the pungent scent of marigolds also discourages a variety of pests such tomato hornworms, whiteflies, thrips, and maybe even rabbits!...

Why Hummingbirds Like Trumpet Vines You might think that hummingbirds are attracted to trumpet vines because of the high nectar content and the color – generally shades of red, orange, or yellow, but you would be only partially right. The other huge reason why hummingbirds like trumpet vines is the shape of the blooms, which accommodate the birds’ long tongues. Scientists have long been mystified about how the process works but, in recent years, they have determined that the tongues operate much like tiny, very effective pumping mechanisms....

How to Prune Morning Glory One of the most time consuming aspects of pruning morning glory vines is deadheading, or removing the spent flowers. When the flowers close in the afternoon, they will not open again and berries filled with seeds form in their place. Bringing the seeds to maturity drains a lot of energy from the vine and results in fewer flowers. Remove the spent flowers by squeezing them between your finger and thumbnail to keep the vines blooming freely....

Alpine Poppy Info Also known by the common names of rooted poppies or arctic poppies, these poppies are perennials, but they don’t do well in warm temperatures. They are often grown as cool weather annuals, suitable for gardens in USDA plant hardiness zones 2 through 6. In spring and early summer, alpine rooted poppy plants produce fern-like leaves and showy flowers with papery petals of orange, yellow, salmon red or cream....

Information About Seaside Daisy Plants Seaside daisies (Erigeron glaucus) are low-growing plants that reach heights of 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25.5 cm), with a spread of 1 to 2 feet (0.5 m.). This evergreen perennial consists of glossy, grayish-green foliage. Attractive blooms with ice blue, daisy-like petals (sometimes with a lavender or pink tint) surrounding a large, bright yellow center. Seaside daisy plants are durable, but they don’t tolerate extreme cold....

Shrubby Potentilla Info Although the species’ shrubs produce single yellow flowers, you’ll find many cultivars with color variations and some with double flowers. ‘Abbotswood’ is a very popular cultivar with single white flowers and bluish green leaves. ‘Sunset’ has orange flowers that fade to yellow in the heat of summer. ‘UMan’ features bicolored red and orange flowers. ‘Primrose Beauty’ blooms in a soft shade of yellow and has silvery leaves. ‘Medicine Wheel Mountain’ has bright yellow flowers with ruffled petals....

Symptoms of Curly Top Virus on Southern Peas Curly top virus is a disease transmitted specifically by the beet leafhopper. The incubation time of the virus in the insects is only about 21 hours, and that time shortens when conditions are warm or hot. The symptoms of the infection in plants like southern peas will begin to show up just 24 hours after transmission in hot temperatures. When the weather is cooler, it may take up to two weeks for symptoms to appear....

How to Handle Harvested Cherries Once harvested, fresh cherries must be cooled as soon as possible to slow down the ripening process, as the quality will deteriorate quickly. Keep cherries in a shady spot until you can get them into the refrigerator or another cold storage. Place the cherries in a sturdy plastic bag or container, but don’t wash them yet because the moisture will speed the decaying process. Wait and rinse the cherries with cold water when you’re ready to eat them....

DIY Pinecone Christmas Tree When it comes right down to it, all Christmas trees are made of pinecones. Those brown cones are the seed-bearers of evergreen conifer trees like pines and spruce, the most popular types of live and cut Christmas trees. Maybe that’s why the pinecone Christmas tree craft just feels so right. A tabletop pinecone tree, however, is actually constructed of pinecones. They are fixed in a cone shape, with a wider base tapering to a smaller top....

What is a Thryallis Plant? Thryallis (Galphimia glauca) is an evergreen shrub of medium size that produces yellow flowers year round. It thrives in sub-tropical climates, and in the U.S. is becoming more popular for hedging and ornamental use in South Florida. Thryallis grows to about six to nine feet (two to three m.) tall and forms a dense and compact oval shape. It can be used alone or alternated with other shrubs to create a variety of textures, sizes and colors in a hedge....

So what is turtlehead? A member of the Figwort family, this interesting perennial wildflower is found in many parts of the eastern United States along stream banks, rivers, lakes, and damp ground. Turtlehead flowers are hardy, require minimal maintenance, and provide lots of late season color to the landscape. Turtlehead Garden Care With a mature height of 2 to 3 feet (61-91 cm.), a spread of 1 foot (31 cm....

Vermicompost Worms Dying Usually, worms dying in vermicompost systems can be traced back to one of a few problems: incorrect moisture levels, problematic temperatures, lack of air circulation, and too much or too little food. Keeping a worm farm means constantly checking it for these key items. Regular check-ups will also help you stave off pests if they begin to make trouble. Moisture – Moisture must be present for worms to thrive, but too much is as bad as too little....

Why Keeping Compost Bins Clean is Important If you have curbside pickup of compost, you have a bin dedicated to stinky, rotting vegetables and other food and garden waste. Unlike garbage bins that usually contain bagged trash, for these bins, you simply throw the food in. This strategy is simple, but it also makes for a stinking mess, especially during the summer. You’ll need to clean it regularly to prevent pests, like flies, and an unbearable odor....

About the Bismarck Palm The Bismarck palm, Bismarckia nobilis, is a large sub-tropical palm tree. It is a solitary palm that is native to the island of Madagascar, but which does well in zones 9 through 11 in the U.S., thriving in areas like Florida and southern Texas. It grows slowly but can go up to 50 feet (15 m.) high with a crown that can reach up to 20 feet (6 m....

Root and Vine Rot of Watermelon Crops This disease is prevalent in hot climates and has been known to cause massive crop loss in the United States in Texas, Arizona, and California. Watermelon cannonballus disease is also a problem in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Brazil, Spain, Italy, Israel, Iran, Libya, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, Japan, and Taiwan. Watermelon vine decline is generally a problem in sites with clay or silt soil....

What are Freedom Apples? Freedom is a variety of apple that was developed in the 1950s by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. It was created to be resistant to a number of diseases, like apple scab, cedar apple rust, powdery mildew, and fire blight. This is an especially good choice for your yard if you have struggled with these particular diseases in the past. Growing Freedom apples does require a pollinator....

How Cold Can Oleanders Tolerate? In their perennial range across oleander hardiness zones 8-10, most oleanders can only handle temperatures that dip no lower than 15 to 20 degrees F. (10 to -6 C.). Sustained exposure to these temperatures can damage plants and inhibit or reduce flowering. They perform best when planted in full sun, which also helps melt the frost formation more quickly than when planted in shady areas....

What is a Dwarf Yucca? Yucca nana is a dwarf variety of this popular desert plant. The full-size species is Yucca harrimaniae. The dwarf yucca is only native to a small area on the border of Utah and Colorado, but its cultivation in gardens is becoming more popular. It looks like the bigger variety, but grows much smaller, about one foot (30.5 cm.) tall and wide, and it produces the same impressive spike of creamy white flowers....

Japanese anemone plants are a cinch to grow and adaptable to most growing conditions. Read on to learn more about growing a Japanese anemone (or several!) in your garden. How to Grow Japanese Anemone Plants Ready to start growing a Japanese anemone? This plant may be available at your local greenhouse or nursery. Otherwise, it’s easy to divide mature plants or take root cuttings in early spring. Although it’s possible to plant Japanese anemone seeds, germination is erratic and slow....