Reasons Bee Balm Doesn’t Bloom Why won’t my bee balm flower? It may be due to one of a number of reasons. The most common problem is a lack of sun. Bee balm thrives in full sun, and most varieties need six to eight hours of sunlight per day in order to bloom well. Bee balm that doesn’t get enough sunlight is also often leggy looking. If your bee balm is showing both of these symptoms, try relocating it to a sunnier spot....

What are Wild Tomatoes? Known to botanists as Solanum pimpinellifolium or quaintly “pimp,” wild tomato plants are the ancestors of all the tomatoes we eat today. They still grow wild in northern Peru and southern Ecuador. No bigger than a shelled pea, pimps and their other wild tomato relatives, like wild currant tomatoes, are extremely adaptable and can survive in some of the driest, harshest desert regions to humid, rain-filled lowlands to chilly alpine heights....

Wood Fern Information With their upright foliage and interesting color, wood fern plants are highly ornamental additions to the garden. Some varieties emerge reddish or coppery pink in spring, maturing to a bright, shiny green as the season progresses. Others are an attractive, bluish-green. Although many wood ferns are evergreen, some are deciduous, dying down in winter and springing back to life in spring. Wood ferns grow in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 8, although some may tolerate chilly winters as far north as zone 3....

What are Poplar Weevils? Poplar weevils are small, black-brown weevils that reach about 3/16 inch (5 mm.) long. Like other weevils, they have long snouts, but because of their small size, you may not notice that or the deep groove in their wing covers. Many people simply identify them as “flying fleas” due to their size and shape. Yellow poplar weevil damage is distinctive, often appearing as holes in leaves or buds the same size and shape as a curved grain of rice....

Can Japanese Maples Grow in Zone 5 Climates? There are many popular varieties of zone 5 Japanese maples. However, in the northern parts of zone 5, they may need a little extra winter protection, especially against harsh winter winds. Wrapping sensitive Japanese maples with burlap in early winter can give them that added protection. While Japanese maples are not too picky about soil, they cannot tolerate salt, so do not plant them in areas where they will be exposed to salt injury in the winter....

Acacia Propagation Methods As a rule, acacia propagation tends to be by seed. Acacias produce big, distinctive seed pods that are hard to miss, and the seeds inside can usually be planted successfully. This method can be a problem, however, if you are looking to propagate a specific cultivar. Some seeds from cultivars and hybrids will not necessarily grow true to type – you may plants seeds from a parent with a very specific flower color or growth pattern, and find its child doing something completely different....

How are Nematodes Good for Iris? One of the most common nuisance pests of iris flowers is the iris borer. In the fall, borer moths lay eggs on the soil near iris beds and on old plant matter in the garden. The following spring the eggs hatch and the larvae burrow into young leaves. As the borers feed, they gradually work towards the rhizome of the iris. Once in the rhizome, borers continue to cause damage until they mature....

Aristolochia Pipevine Plant Darth Vader plant (Aristolochia salvadorensis syn. Aristolochia Salvador platensis), a woody climber native to the humid meadows and soggy flood plains of Brazil, belongs to the Aristolochiaceae family of plants, which includes pipevines, birthworts, and Dutchman’s pipe. Like many plants that grow in challenging environments, the weird, corpse-like appearance of Darth Vader pipevine flowers is due to adaptations that ensure its survival. The helmet-like shape and purple coloration of the blooms, combined with the powerful aroma of rotting flesh, tend to attract insect pollinators....

Black Eyed Susan Care As with many wildflowers, growing black eyed Susans is simple and rewarding when blooms brighten the garden, natural area or meadow. A member of the daisy family, black eyed Susan flowers go by other names, such as Gloriosa daisy or brown eyed Susan. Black eyed Susan plants are drought resistant, self-seeding and grow in a variety of soils. Growing black eyed Susans prefer a neutral soil pH and a full sun to light shade location....

Growing Celery as Herb Plants Once it gets going, leaf celery is easy to grow. Unlike celery grown for its stalks, it doesn’t need to be blanched or planted in trenches. Leaf celery prefers partial sun and requires quite a lot of moisture — plant it in a wet area and water regularly. It grows very well in containers and small spaces, reaching a maximum height of 8-12 inches (20-30 cm....

Most important among these is the need for proper climate, include chilling. Choosing the correct variety and growing location will be key in establishing a thriving peony planting. Peony Chill Hours Peony plants grow best in regions with periods of cold weather during the winter months. Before planting peonies, examine the specifics of your growing zone and determine whether or not it is suitable. Most peonies will grow well in USDA growing zones 3 through 8 where they will receive the required amount of “chill hours....

What Can I Plant with Onions? Far and away the best onion plant companions are members of the cabbage family, such as: Broccoli Kale Brussels sprouts Cabbage This is because onions naturally repel pests that love cabbage family plants, like cabbage loopers, cabbage worms, and cabbage maggots. Onions also naturally deter aphids, Japanese beetles, and rabbits, meaning that good companion plants for onions are any plants that often fall victim to them....

Contender Peach Facts Contender peach trees are cold hardy and tolerant of sub-zero temperatures. Although Contender peaches grow in a wide diversity of climates, they are especially prized by northern gardeners. Contender peach trees were developed at North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station in 1987. They are favored by home gardeners, not only for the quality of the fruit, but for the masses of pink blooms in springtime. Growing Contender peaches is easy, and the tree’s mature height of 10 to 15 feet (3 to 5 m....

Citrus Sooty Mold Info Citrus with sooty mold is the result of an infestation of aphids or other types of sap-sucking insects. As the pests dine on the sweet juices, they excrete sticky “honeydew” that attracts the growth of ugly black mold. Sooty mold fungus can grow wherever the honeydew drips- on sidewalks, lawn furniture, or anything else under the tree. Citrus Sooty Mold Treatment If you want to get rid of sooty mold on citrus, the first step is to eliminate the honeydew producing insects....

Saving Crepe Myrtle Seeds The attractive seed heads that weigh down your crepe myrtle branches in winter contain seeds that wild birds love to eat. So, taking a few to increase your crepe myrtle seed collection will still leave them plenty. When should you start crepe myrtle seed harvesting? You’ll want to start saving crepe myrtle seeds when the seed pods ripen. Crepe myrtle trees flower in late summer and produce green berries....

What are Determinate Potatoes? Determinate potatoes are varieties with tubers that grow in just one layer. For this reason, the plants do not require mounding of the soil around them. They produce early, in about 70 to 90 days. Sow determinate potatoes in loose soil to a depth of about 4 inches (10 cm.). Use mulch to prevent weed growth and to prevent the tubers from being exposed to the sun, which will turn the potatoes green....

What shrubs do well in full sun? There are more than a few. Here is a short list of full sun shrubs that are well worth your consideration. Full Sun Shrubs and Bushes “Full sun” is a little misleading as gardening phrases go. All day sun shrubs do not require, nor can most grow happily, in a site with 12 hours of sun a day. Rather, full sun shrubs and bushes are those that thrive with some six hours of direct sunlight most days....

Astilbe Plant Bloom Time Astilbe are popular flowering plants for woodland gardens because they are one of the few garden gems that bloom so brightly in full shade. Their flowers display as upright, feathery plumes and come in shades of white, pink, red, and lavender. Each feathery plume is made of many tiny, little flowers which open up one after the other. Astilbe cultivars come in a wide range of sizes, from 6” (15 cm....

What are Floral Ice Cubes? As the name suggests, floral ice cubes are made by freezing various types of edible flowers inside the cubes. This results in a stunning and colorful addition to drinks. Ice cube flowers can also add visual interest to ice buckets. What flowers can I use, you ask? The most important aspect of making these gorgeous ice cubes is to harvest only flowers which are edible. Flowers like pansies, nasturtiums, and rose petals are all excellent options....

Crown Imperial Flowers Crown imperial plants are native to Asia and the Middle East and are hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9. They are distinguished by 1- to 3-foot (30.5-91.5 cm.) tall erect stalks topped with pointed leaves and a circular collection of hanging, bell-shaped flowers. These flowers come in shades of red, orange, and yellow depending upon variety. The flowers of the Lutea variety are yellow. The flowers of the Aurora, Prolifer, and Aureomarginata are all an orange/red color....