Parrot Feather Information Stop: before you make the mistake of planting this seemingly innocent specimen in your landscape, you should know that parrot feather research indicates that these plants are highly invasive. Once planted, they have the potential to readily escape cultivation and overwhelm native plants. This has already happened in numerous areas in the United States. Only female specimens of the plant are known to grow in this country and multiply from root division and plant pieces in a process called fragmentation....

How to Grow a Peacock Plant High humidity at a level of 60 percent or more is needed for the best performance of the Calathea peacock plant. Many varieties of peacock houseplants offer a range of attractive foliage. No matter the cultivar of peacock houseplants you’re growing, providing humidity is the key to optimum performance. Providing humidity for peacock plant care Providing humidity for the Calathea peacock plant is as simple as placing bowls of water around the plant....

What is a Garden Urn? A garden urn planter is a type of unique container, usually made of concrete. These larger containers are generally very decorative and ornate. Unlike conventional containers, urn gardening offers growers the opportunity to create elegant plantings without much effort or fuss. Planting in Garden Urns Before planting in garden urns, growers will first need to establish whether or not the selected urn has drainage. While some containers will already have drainage holes, others may not....

Symptoms of Corky Ringspot in Potatoes What is potato ringspot? Corky ringspot of potatoes is caused by a disease called tobacco rattle virus. This virus is spread primarily by stubby root nematodes, microscopic worms that feed on plant roots. These nematodes will feed on infected roots, then move on to the roots of uninfected plants, spreading the virus underground without your knowledge. Even once a potato is infected with corky ringspot, you may not realize it, as the symptoms are almost always underground....

What is Prairie Dropseed? Prairie dropseed grass (Sporobolus heterolepis) is a North American native perennial bunch grass known for its bright green fine textured blades. Prairie dropseed plants sport airy pink and brown flowers in late August through October. Their leaves turn an attractive orangey rust mid-fall. Prairie dropseed plants love the sun. Their flowers have a distinct scent which is often described as smelling like cilantro, coriander, or popcorn. Other prairie dropseed facts include:...

Common Diseases of Spinach Seedlings Several pathogens are known to affect spinach seedlings. Although the sources are different, the result is usually the same– a condition known as either damping off or seedling blight. The symptoms of this condition include the seedling wilting and toppling over, the stem near the soil line becoming watery and girdled, and the roots becoming stunted and blackened. This is if the seedlings even manage to emerge from the ground....

About Quince Tree Propagation Before we go any further, there’s one important question: Which quince are we talking about? There are two very popular plants in circulation, and they both go by the name “quince.” One is known for its flowers, one for its fruit. They’re not closely related, but by a twist of fate, they both go by the same name. What we’re here to talk about is fruiting quince, Cydonia oblonga, which can be propagated by seed, cuttings, and layering....

Why Plant Purple Trees? Trees with bright foliage in colors other than green add interest and complexity to a landscape. Purple foliage trees are popular and provide a lovely contrast to smaller trees or shrubs with lighter or variegated leaves. The interest in different types of purple trees has helped to increase the choices available in commerce. Today you will be able to select small, medium, or tall trees in a wide range of shades of purple, from lavender to almost black....

Chilling Pears on the Tree Why do pears need to be chilled? Pear trees enter a period of dormancy when temperatures drop in late autumn. This dormant period is nature’s way of protecting the tree against damage from winter cold. Once a tree is dormant, it won’t produce flowers or fruit until it is has a certain amount of cold, followed by warm temperatures. Pear chilling requirements vary widely depending on the variety, as well as other factors such as growing zone and age of the tree....

River Birch Tree Facts River birch trees (Betula nigra) are hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9. They are more heat tolerant than most of their birch relatives, making them a good choice in many parts of the southern U.S. They grow naturally in wet environments along river and stream banks, so they are used to very moist soil. They will tolerate soil that is acidic, neutral, or alkaline, as well as poorly or well-drained soil....

What is a Saprophyte? Saprophytes are organisms that can’t make their own food. In order to survive, they feed on dead and decaying matter. Fungi and a few species of bacteria are saprophytes. Examples of saprophyte plants include: Indian pipe Corallorhiza orchids Mushrooms and molds Mycorrhizal fungi As saprophyte organisms feed, they break down decaying debris left by dead plants and animals. After the debris is broken down, what remains are rich minerals that become part of the soil....

Pitcher Plant Flowers Have you noticed something different about your pitcher plant or one from someone else’s garden – something appearing somewhat like a flower? Then the plant is blooming or getting ready to. Flowers of pitcher plants make an appearance in a two- to three-week span of time in April or May, depending on the climate and the specific plant type. The flowers, which look much like upside-down umbrellas, rise above the pitchers, a functional design that serves to protect friendly pollinators from inadvertently getting caught in the pitcher....

What are Scallions? Scallions are produced from specific cultivars of the bulbing onion and have a mild flavor. Are scallions the same as green onions? Yes, they are commonly called green onions; however, these plants are actually a cross of the shallot. Although sometimes marketed as such, the scallion is not the same as the leafy green top of the bulbing onion. It is the long, white shank that is used while the green part is often prepared as garnish....

Shade Plants for Zone 6 Gardens Here are some of the best shade plants for zone 6: Bigroot Geranium – Hardy in zones 4 through 6, this 2-foot (61 cm.) tall geranium produces pink flowers in the spring and the foliage of some varieties changes color in the fall. Ajuga – Hardy in zones 3 through 9, ajuga is a groundcover that reaches only 6 inches (15 cm.) in height. Its leaves are beautiful, purple, and variegated in many varieties....

Does a Spider Plant Flower? Spider plants do occasionally develop small white flowers at the ends of their long arching stems. Many times these flowers are so short lived and inconspicuous that they go completely unnoticed. Flowers on spider plants can grow in a cluster or can be single, depending on the variety of spider plant. Spider plant flowers are very small and white, with three-six petals. My Spider Plant is Growing Flowers Sometimes, certain varieties of spider plants will send out frequent flowers as a young plant but then never flower again as the plant matures....

On the other hand, you have some plants that just don’t transplant well. You can try growing them indoors and then moving them out into the garden, but the chances are that you will lose the tender seedling before you ever get to enjoy it. So what is a gardener to do when they have soil that they can’t plant directly in but have seeds that they cannot start indoors?...

What is Straightneck Squash? Straightneck squash plants are a type of summer squash. Straightneck squash varieties bear small, yellow fruits with subtle flavor. As their name would imply, these squash plants have a straight “neck” which attaches to the plant. Summer squashes are ideal additions in areas with short growing seasons, as plants mature quite quickly. Straightneck squash is also a favorite plant for succession sowing and in the fall vegetable garden....

Sunspot Sunflower Information Dwarf Sunspot sunflower (Helianthus annuus ‘Sunspot’) reaches heights of only about 24 inches (61 cm.), which makes it ideal for growing in the garden or in containers. The stems are sturdy enough to support the big, golden yellow blooms, measuring about 10 inches (25 cm.) in diameter– perfect for cut flower arrangements. Growing Sunspot Sunflowers Plant dwarf Sunspot sunflower seeds directly in the garden in late spring or early summer when all danger of frost has passed....

Tigridia Plant Info Thirty species of Tigridia shell flowers are found, mainly from Mexico and Guatemala, and are members of the Iridaceae family. Tiger flowers resemble the gladiola, with 3 to 6 inch (5-15 cm.) flowers in colors of pink, red, white, yellow, cream, orange, or scarlet. Triangular shaped petals of solid colors adorn the outer edges of the flower with a center that has a tiger skin or seashell-like appearance....

How to Trellis Raspberry Plants Training raspberries to grow up a support doesn’t have to be complicated. A trellised raspberry plant may be composed of posts and twine. Space the posts around 15 feet (4.5 m.) apart and then support the canes with the twine. Of course, this should be viewed as a temporary trellis system and because the plants are perennials, it might be better to build something more permanent from the get-go....