Winter Care of Caladium Bulbs Caladiums are winter hardy to USDA zone 9, meaning that they should be able to survive the winter outdoors. Even in these areas, though, a heavy mulching of 3 inches (7.5 cm.) is the recommended winter care for caladiums to keep them from dying in the colder temperatures. In USDA zones 8 and lower, winter care for caladium bulbs involves digging them up and bringing them inside to go dormant....

The USDA Plant Hardiness Map for Wisconsin Gardeners in Wisconsin are used to the chilly winters and, as indicated by the Wisconsin USDA planting map above, the temperatures can dip as low as -35 degrees F. (-37 C.). To find your zone on the new 2012 USDA plant hardiness map, click on the map to enlarge it. If you cannot find your areas easily, you can go to the USDA home page where you will find a box to input your zip code....

What is Wonderberry? Also known as garden huckleberry, the wonderberry/sunberry (Solanum burbankii) is a unique plant developed by Luther Burbank in the early 1900s. The bushy, erect plants reach mature heights of 2 feet (61 cm.). Attractive, white flowers appear in midsummer, followed by hundreds of deep bluish black berries. Wonderberry growing is easy and the plants require little care. Start the seed indoors in late winter, then move the plants outdoors when all danger of frost has passed in the spring....

Is Mulching Berms a Good Idea? What is a berm? A berm is a manmade mound of earth that serves some purpose in the landscape. Some berms are meant to create a sense of elevation in an otherwise flat garden or yard. Some are meant to retain or direct water, such as around a tree or away from a house. Some are meant just to create a rise in the landscape, subtly but effectively blocking out whatever is on the other side....

Bonanza Peach Tree Information Bonanza miniature peach trees are dwarf fruit trees that only grow to about 5 or 6 feet (1.5 to 2 m.) tall. And the tree will grow well in zones 6 through 9, so it is an option for many home gardeners. The fruits are large and sweet, with a delicious flavor and juicy, yellow flesh. These are freestone peaches, so they are easy to free from the pit....

How to Grow a Cast Iron Plant Indoors Growing cast iron indoors is extremely easy and rewarding. This China native is a member of the lily family. The plant has small purple flowers that only appear near the soil surface and are hidden in its foliage. For what this plant may lack in glitz, however, it makes up for in robust, healthy, dark green leaves. The cast iron plant grows well in low light indoors and is not finicky about regular water either....

Cedar Pine Facts It is not surprising if you ask, “What is a cedar pine?”. Although it is a North American native tree, it is one of the least-seen pines in this country. Cedar pine is an attractive pine with an open crown. The tree grows to over 100 feet (30.5 m.) in the wild with a diameter of 4 feet (1 m.). In cultivation, it often stays considerably shorter. The species is also known as spruce pine because of the texture of the bark of a mature tree....

Why Cucumber Companion Planting? Cucumber companion planting is beneficial for a number of reasons. Companion plants for cucumbers create diversity in the garden. Generally, we tend to plant tidy rows of just a few plant species, which isn’t how nature is designed. These groupings of similar plants are called monocultures. Monocultures are far more susceptible to insect pests and disease. By increasing the diversity of the garden, you are mimicking nature’s way of minimizing disease and pest attacks....

What is Broccoli Di Ciccio? Broccoli Di Ciccio is an heirloom variety that comes from Italy. It is small to medium in size compared to other varieties of broccoli and has long, thin stems. Each plant produces a central head but also offshoots with smaller heads. You can remove each head one at a time and get a continuous harvest from your broccoli Di Ciccio plants. The flavor of this broccoli variety is mild but sweet and tasty....

Vitamin K Rich Veggies Vitamin K is a fat-soluble nutrient that promotes healthy bones and helps coagulate blood. In fact, the “K” comes from “koagulation,” the German word for coagulation. There are bacteria in the human intestines that produce Vitamin K naturally, and the body’s liver and fat can store it. Because of this, it’s not common to have too little vitamin K. That being said, it’s recommended that women get an average of 90 micrograms of Vitamin K per day, and that men get 120 micrograms....

Lily of the Valley Tree Information Elaeocarpus lily of the valley trees are evergreens native to Australia. Growing Elaeocarpus outside is only possible in warmer regions like USDA plant hardiness zones 10 to 12. The tree thrives indoors as a tough houseplant almost anywhere though. These trees grow up to 30 feet (9 m.) in the wild. If you grow them indoors; however, they probably won’t get taller than you are....

Aster Container Growing Use a container with plenty of space for the roots to grow. However, avoid overly large containers, as a large amount of potting mix holds excess water that may result in root rot. It’s always better to repot when the plant outgrows its container. Be sure the container has at least one drainage hole in the bottom. Cover the hole with mesh or a paper coffee filter to prevent loss of potting mix through the hole....

Growing Japanese Maples in Zone 7 As a rule, Japanese maple trees are hardy in zones 5 through 9. Not all can tolerate zone 5 minimum temperatures, but basically all can survive a zone 7 winter. This means that your options when selecting zone 7 Japanese maples are virtually limitless…as long as you’re planting them in the ground. Since they’re so showy and some varieties stay very small, Japanese maples are popular container trees....

What is Peppergrass? Peppergrass is an annual, or winter annual, that will grow in most climates. It can thrive in many types of soil, in full sun to partial shade. It is often found in disturbed ground and in urban areas, like vacant lots and roadsides. The plant can grow to three feet (1 m.) in height and become bushy when it has no other competition. It starts out as a low-growing rosette that bolts upward rapidly to form long, thin leaves, small white flowers, and seed pods....

Planting smoke trees is easy enough. These trees make a great landscaping addition to most front yards. A lot of people prefer to use them as accent trees similar to the Japanese maple. When the smoke tree blooms, it makes a great accent. Planting smoke trees throughout the border of your yard is another excellent idea for a pretty border that separates your yard from your neighbor’s that both you and your neighbor will enjoy....

Problems with Using Tin Can Planters There are a few things to consider if growing edibles in metal cans. When a tin can is opened and the inner layer is exposed to oxygen, it begins to break down. If using an older can, make sure there is no rust. This may still be present when you plant into the can (even after washing) and can affect your veggie plant. Some tin cans have an inner plastic coating which can include BPA, and may also cause problems with planting food in them....

Why are My Guava Leaves Changing Color? Guava trees are normally small evergreen trees. Healthy leaves are stiff and slightly leathery, a dull green, and smell good when you crush them. If you see purple guava leaves, you may be asking, “Why are my guava leaves changing color?” Although there are several possible causes, the most likely reason for purple or red guava leaves is chilly weather. If you see your guava tree turning red or purple, it may be caused by cold....

Harlequin Glorybower Information Harlequin glorybower is a large, deciduous shrub that displays showy clusters of sweet-scented, white flowers in late summer. The jasmine-like blooms are followed by bright, bluish-green berries. Some varieties may turn color in milder climates but, usually, the large, heart-shaped leaves die with the first frost. Growing a harlequin glorybower bush isn’t difficult in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 through 11. However, harlequin glorybower info indicates that the plant may be hardy to zone 6b....

Regardless of personal beliefs, information related to the moon and growing crops remains relevant. The connection between the harvest moon and gardening, for example, is just one of these many interesting aspects to explore. Learning about harvest moon facts can help determine whether or not there is validity to these garden legends. What is the Harvest Moon? Answering the question, “when is the harvest moon,” is key to understanding exactly what it actually is....

How to Save Zinnia Seeds Before gardeners are able to begin collecting zinnia seeds, they will first need to make certain the selected plants are open-pollinated. While hybrid varieties of zinnia can be quite beautiful, there is no guarantee that they will grow true-to-type from saved seed. Each bloom will also need to be allowed to fully open and remain on the plant. This means allowing for the flower head to dry completely on the plant, until it has turned brown....