Philodendron Information What is a Congo Rojo philodendron? Native to South America, the Congo Rojo is different from many other philodendrons in that it doesn’t have a climbing or vining habit. Growing instead in a “self-heading” manner, it grows both outward and upward, peaking at about 2 feet (61 cm.) in height and 2 ½ feet (76 cm.) in width. Its flowers are very fragrant and come in shades of red, green, and white....

How to Plant Fennel in Containers Can you grow fennel in pots? Yes, as long as the pots are big enough. For one thing, fennel produces a long taproot that needs plenty of depth. For another thing, you grow extra tender fennel bulbs by “earthing up.” This means that as the bulbs get bigger, you pile more soil around them to protect them from the sun. If you’re growing bulb fennel in pots, this means you have to leave several inches of room between the soil and the rim of the container when you sow....

Crimson Pygmy Barberry Information Anyone growing a dwarf Crimson Pygmy barberry will be thrilled by the deep, rich color of the foliage. Dwarf barberry shrubs are only knee high, but the small, deep-burgundy leaves make quite a statement. Dwarf barberry shrubs also produce flowers, small and bright yellow. They smell sweet and the color contrasts nicely with the leaves. But according to Crimson Pygmy barberry information, they cannot compete with the gorgeous crimson foliage for ornamental value....

Wooden Pallets in the Garden We’ve all seen them, used wooden pallets leaned up beside garbage cans waiting to go to the dump. Then someone thought of bringing those wooden pallets into the garden and planting veggies, flowers, or other plants between the bars. Gardening with wooden pallets is an easy and inexpensive way to create a vertical planting area when space is tight. If you are wondering how to grow a pallet garden, all you need is landscape paper, hammer, nails, and potting soil....

What is a Bug Light? You’ll find bulbs advertised as bug lights in hardware and garden stores. They claim to be able to prevent those annoying clusters of flying insects around your patio lights on summer nights. This isn’t the same as a bug zapper, which kills insects indiscriminately. A yellow bug light is simply a yellow bulb. Instead of giving off white light, it creates a warm yellow glow. White light is a mixture of all colors of light on the visible spectrum....

Do Pecan Trees Need Pruning? Do pecan trees need pruning? The short answer is: yes. Cutting back pecan trees in the first five years of their lives can be a huge benefit when they reach maturity. Pruning a pecan tree when it is grown as well can help prevent the spread of disease and promote better nut production. When you first transplant your pecan tree, prune back the top third of the branches....

Steps for Fall Garden Clean Up When preparing a garden for fall, start by removing any materials used for supporting your plants, like bean stakes, tomato cages, or trellises. Clean all of these items by wiping them down or spraying them with a two to one solution of water and bleach. This will kill any diseases that may be lingering on the supports. The next step in cleaning the garden is to remove spent plant material from the garden....

Gathering Spores on Staghorn Fern Before you get too excited about propagating staghorn fern spores, it’s important to know that it’s far from the easiest propagation method. Division is much quicker and usually reliable. If you still want to collect spores and are willing to wait at least a year for results, it’s very doable. Spores on staghorn fern plants develop over the course of the summer. At first, they appear on the undersides of the long, antler-like fronds as green bumps....

Florasette Information Florasette tomato plants, also known as hot-set or heat-set tomatoes, were originally bred for greater heat tolerance, which makes them a great choice for hot or humid climates. They are also resistant to common tomato diseases, including fusarium wilt, tomato spotted wilt virus, and verticillium wilt. Nematodes also tend to steer clear of Florasette tomatoes. Florasette tomato plants are determinate, which means they will stop growing at maturity and fruit will ripen all at once....

What is Fritillaria Michailovskyi Plant? Known as Michael’s flower, this plant is a fall bulb that blooms in the spring. It is a perennial belonging to the same family as lilies and native to Turkey. Each plant grows to about 8 or 10 inches (20-25 cm.) in height and 5 to 7 inches (13-18 cm.) across. The foliage of Michael’s flower fritillary is long and narrow, grass like, and a gray green color....

Uses for Italian Giant parsley are many and chefs frequently prefer this flat-leaf parsley over standard curled parsley in salads, soups, stews, and sauces. In the garden, this lovely plant attracts a variety of beneficial insects, including black swallowtail butterfly larvae. Giant of Italy parsley care and growing isn’t complicated. Read on to learn how. How to Grow Italian Giant Parsley Plant Giant of Italy parsley seeds indoors or start them directly in the garden in spring, when danger of frost has passed....

Companion Planting Reasons Vegetable companion planting makes sense for a few reasons: First, many companion plants are already plants you would grow in your garden. By moving these plants around, you can get the best performance from them. Second, many companion vegetable plants help to deter pests, which helps to decrease the amount of pesticides and effort it takes to keep your garden pest free. Third, vegetable companion planting frequently also increases the yields of the plants....

Asparagus Growing Conditions Production can last 15 years in a well placed bed of asparagus. Care should be taken to find a spot that will receive at least eight hours of sunlight in a well drained area that can be deeply dug to properly plant your asparagus. Growing conditions should be given the greatest consideration since the bed will be more or less permanent. How to Grow Asparagus Knowing how to grow asparagus will give you the healthiest plants with the greatest yield....

When to Start a Pine Tree from Cuttings You can take cuttings from pine trees anytime between summer and before new growth appears in spring, but the ideal time for rooting pine tree cuttings is from early to mid-autumn, or in midwinter. How to Root Pine Cuttings Growing a pine tree from cuttings successfully isn’t too complicated. Start by taking several 4- to 6-inch (10-15 cm.) cuttings from the current year’s growth....

Wild Hydrangea Shrubs This species of hydrangea forms a low mound of heart-shaped green leaves and sturdy stems that turn dark yellow in the fall. The plant foliage has a coarse texture, and grows to about 3 to 4 feet (1 m.) tall with an even wider spread by the time fall comes around. The flowers are fertile and of a uniform height, slightly flattened and displayed atop sturdy stalks. When they open, they are slightly green....

Velvet Love Impatiens Information Impatiens morsei, also known as the Velvet Love impatiens, or velvetea, is a variety from China that has foliage and flowers unlike most impatiens you’ve seen. It may be difficult to find in your local nursery but is worth tracking down, online if necessary. The common name comes from the fact that the leaves are a soft, velvety deep green. They are so dark they appear black in certain light....

Air Pruning Roots How does air pruning work? In nature, a plant’s roots can grow wherever they please. In a container, of course, there’s a firm border to their growth space. Because of this, the roots will butt up against the wall and often continue to grow along it, creating the root-bound spiral shape so common in potted plants. The roots grow thick and intertwined, inhibiting nutrient and water access and possibly eventually strangling the plant....

What is Hedge Parsley? Hedge parsley (Torilis arvensis), also known as spreading hedge parsley, is a weed that is native to southern Europe and thrives in many parts of the U.S. It tends to grow in pastures and fields, on the edges of forests, and in disturbed sites, like roadsides and gardens. The hedge parsley weed grows about 2 feet (61 cm.) tall and has toothed, fern-like leaves and narrow, rounded stems....

Symptoms of Fusarium Wilt in Okra Okra with fusarium wilt disease causes a noticeable yellowing and wilting, often showing up on older, lower leaves first. However, wilt may occur on a single branch or an upper branch, or it may be limited to one side of the plant. As the fungus spreads, more leaves become yellow, frequently drying up, and dropping from the plant. Fusarium wilt disease is most troublesome when temperatures are between 78 and 90 degrees F....

In the case of a hill or steep slope, a rain garden may not be the ideal solution. However, it is possible to have a rain garden on a hill. Sloped Rain Garden Alternatives For a rain garden, the slope from the highest to the lowest point in the desired area should not measure more than 12 percent. If it is higher, as in the case of a hill, digging into the side of the hill may compromise its stability, making erosion more of a problem....