Wood Lily Information Wood lily plants (Lilium philadelphicum) grow in a single stem and can reach 1 to 3 feet (31-91 cm.) tall. The leaves are in a whorled pattern around the stem and the top of the stem can carry up to five flowers. These blooms are what make the wood lily such a popular plant. The bright orange, cup-shaped blooms are made of six separate flaring petals and each petal is spotted with deep purple spots right at the base....

How Many Composting Worms Do I Need? Vermicompost worm amount in the composting bin will be dependent on the amount of scraps produced. Gardeners should begin calculating the number of worms in compost by weighing the amount of compostable materials produced during one week’s time. The weight of the scraps in pounds will relate directly to the surface area and amount of worms needed for the vermicomposting bin. Unlike traditional piles, vermicompost containers should be relatively shallow to ensure proper movement among worms....

Cold Hardy Gardenias The term “cold hardy” when applied to gardenias does not mean zone 5 gardenia shrubs. It simply means shrubs that can tolerate cooler zones than the toasty areas in which they typically thrive. Some hardy gardenias grow in zone 8, and a few new ones survive in zone 7. For example, the cultivar ‘Frost Proof’ offers cold hardy gardenias. However, the plants thrive only to zone 7. Likewise, ‘Jubilation,” reputedly one of the hardiest gardenias, grows in zones 7 through 10....

Choosing Hardy Rosemary Plants Rosemary is an evergreen perennial in zones 9 or higher native to the Mediterranean. Upright varieties of rosemary are considered more cold hardy than prostrate varieties. Rosemary prefers to grow in hot, arid climates with intense sunlight. They cannot tolerate wet feet, so proper drainage is essential. In cooler zones, rosemary is usually grown as an annual or in a container that can be moved outdoors in summer and taken indoors for winter....

Are there Non-White Snowdrops? In spite of rumors to the contrary, it appears that not much has changed and snowdrops in other colors probably aren’t a “real thing” – at least not yet. As interest grows, snowdrops in other colors are in high demand, and plant breeders who figure out how to produce true multi-colored snowdrops stand to make a lot of money. The interest is so great, in fact, that enthusiasts have earned the moniker, “galanthophiles....

Bird Pests of Boysenberry Outside of a handful of boysenberry insect pests, the greatest threat to your berry patch are birds. Birds love boysenberries as much or more than you do and make it their business to get to them before you do. Beat the birds to it by checking the plants daily, preferably in the morning, for any ripe berries. Given that a morning check isn’t always possible, protect the berries with netting, cotton, or a fruit cage....

California Barrel Cactus Information The California barrel cactus (Ferocactus cylindraceus) goes by several common names, including Arizona barrel, red barrel, miner’s compass, and compass barrel cactus. However, all these names refer to the same cactus, a native to the Mojave and Sonoran deserts in the American southwest. California barrel cactus plants grow very slowly, starting out stout and spherical and eventually lengthening into cylinders, sometimes reaching up to 8 feet or roughly 2....

Eating Pumpkin, Zucchini, and Squash Tendrils Perhaps you didn’t know that squash tendrils were edible, but did know that squash blossoms are edible. It doesn’t take much of a leap to figure that the tendrils might be tasty as well. They look much akin to pea shoots (delicious) albeit a bit firmer. All varieties of squash can be eaten, including zucchini and pumpkins. Edible squash tendrils may have tiny bristles on them, which might be unpalatable to some, but rest assured that when they are cooked, the little spines soften up....

Candy Crisp Apple Info As the name suggests, Candy Crisp apples are said to be as sweet as candy. They are a ‘golden’ apple with a pink blush and a shape very reminiscent of a Red Delicious apple. The trees bear large juicy fruit with a terrific crunchy texture that is said to be sweet but with more pear rather than apple overtones. The tree is said to have been a chance seedling founded in the Hudson Valley area of New York State in a Red Delicious orchard, thus thought to be related....

Goat’s beard plant was around during Roman days and earned the name of Aruncus goat’s beard. It was named by Pliny during that era. It is also native to Japan and North America. As with many native plants, it is easy to learn how to care for goat’s beard. Goat’s Beard in the Garden Aruncus goat’s beard provides tall, fluffy, creamy white blooms in late spring to early summer, brightening shady spots....

What is Cherry Rust? Rust in cherry trees is a fungal infection caused by Tranzschelia discolor. This fungus infects cherry trees as well as peach, plum, apricot, and almond trees. It can be damaging to trees because it causes the leaves to drop prematurely, which weakens the tree overall and may affect yield. However, this kind of damage generally happens late in the season, so the disease doesn’t have a major impact on the fruit produced....

Choosing Hardy Perennial Plants Cool climate perennials come in many heights and widths. Choose a variety of blooms when picking plants for cold regions. Grow delicate and frilly flowers when choosing hardy perennial plants that are members of the Dianthus family, such as Sweet William and carnations. The herb yarrow provides frilly foliage and delicate blooms when used for cold climate gardening. Local garden centers can help with plant choices when you’re growing hardy perennials....

Best Yellow Perennials Yellow plants in the garden have long been a favorite of many growers. Often used as a symbol of happiness and friendship, there is no denying that yellow perennial flowers can be used to add a sense of vibrancy to growing spaces. Before planting yellow blossom perennials, you should carefully consider each plant’s growth requirements to ensure that the plant will thrive. This includes attention to USDA hardiness zones, as well as sun and water needs....

Urban Rock Garden Tips Creating city rock gardens isn’t all that difficult. Emulating the rocky outcrops and scarce soil of mountain ridges above the tree line, rock gardens are the perfect home for alpine plants. Used to buffer winds, alpine plants grow close to the ground and are great if you don’t have much space for your garden to spread. They make up for what they lack in size with the brightness of their flowers, however....

When Does Ornamental Grass Need Pruning? Several varieties of ornamental grasses, some tall, some short, are used to help design the landscape. Many have colorful seed heads that make them even more attractive. Regardless of the type, however, most will benefit from pruning in some manner. There are two seasons of growth for ornamental grasses, cool season and warm season. If you’re not aware of which type you’ve planted, just keep an eye on when the growth begins....

Zone 7 Deciduous Trees Below are just some examples of zone 7 deciduous trees, including ornamental trees, small trees, and suggestions for trees that provide fall color or summer shade. (Keep in mind that many of these hardy deciduous trees are suitable for more than one category.) Ornamental Weeping cherry (Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula’) Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) Crabapple (Malus) Saucer magnolia (Magnolia soulangeana) White dogwood (Cornus florida) Redbud (Cercis canadensis) Cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera) Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) Serviceberry (Amelanchier) Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) Golden chain (Laburnum x watereri)...

Do Zinnias Need to Be Staked? Zinnia plant staking leaps to mind when you see just how tall these bright flowers grow. Do zinnias need to be staked? Support for zinnias is sometimes required depending on the variety. Some zinnas, like Zinnia angustifolia, are creepers, perfect for the front of the garden. Others grow to several feet tall. But staking zinnia plants is limited to the really tall zinnias – those that grow to 3 feet (1 m....

Effect of Color on Planters Planter colors in academic studies have been proven to have a measurable impact on plant growth. The direct impact for container color and plants is on soil temperature. Variations in temperature, in turn, impact how the plant grows. Researchers have found that containers in darker colors, especially black, heat the soil more. For instance, in one study researchers grew bush beans in black, white, and silver containers....

Unusual Edibles for Your Backyard Landscape Not all edible plants are easily recognized as vegetables; a good thing if you’d prefer to not have your neighbors come over and sample your produce! Some of the best and easiest to grow include the following unusual fruits and vegetables: Unusual Vegetables for the garden Tomatillo Arugula Malabar spinach Horseradish Garden soybean Shallot Romanesco broccoli Chayote Yacon Unusual Fruits for Gardens Currant Jackfruit Gooseberry Huckleberry Pawpaw Kiwi Persimmon...

OrchidsChrysanthemumsEaster liliesChristmas cactusLucky bamboo Should you remove foil on plants? Read on to find out. Reasons for Foil on Plants Nurseries wrap foil around plants because it makes them more attractive and festive, and it hides the inexpensive green, black, or brown plastic pot that most plants come in. Often, those foil-wrapped plants die in the first couple of weeks and the recipient of the gift plant is discouraged and wondering how they managed to kill that beautiful, healthy poinsettia or Christmas cactus....