How to Fertilize Boston Ferns Boston ferns, like most ferns, are low feeders, meaning they tend to need less fertilizer than other plants; but just because they need less fertilizer doesn’t mean that they don’t need to be fertilized. Fertilizing Boston ferns properly at different times of the year is essential to growing beautiful Boston ferns. Fertilizing Boston Ferns in Summer Summer is when Boston ferns are in their active phase of growth; more growth means a higher need for nutrients....

About Firebush Watering As a general rule, water firebush at least once every week until the plant has been in your garden for a full year. If you live in an extremely hot climate, firebush water requirements may be higher during the intense heat of summer, especially for shrubs planted in full sunlight. Watering a firebush after the first year? Firebush watering requirements decrease substantially after the first year, but regular irrigation is still a must for a healthy plant....

Not sure how to get started? Read on for tips on gardening together. Gardening As A Couple: Plan Ahead Gardening requires careful planning, and gardening together adds a whole new dimension of things to think about. Don’t jump into couples gardening without talking it over first. It’s great if you discover you have a shared vision, but often, each person has their own ideas about purpose, style, colors, size, or complexity....

When kept healthy and disease free, gladiolus plants will return year after year to create a stunning flower garden display. Issues like gladiolus leaf spot, however, may cause decline in the vigor of your plants. Becoming familiar with the signs of gladiolus leaf diseases is important in preventing its spread. Gladiolus Leaf Spot Diseases As with many ornamental flowering plants, leaf spots on gladiolus can be quite troublesome. Leaf spot diseases are generally caused by the spread of certain types of bacteria or fungus in the garden – such as botrytis blight, bacterial leaf blight, curvularia leaf spot, or stemphylium leaf spot....

Using a Greenhouse for Growing Herbs Using a greenhouse allows you to control the heat, moisture, and shade for your plants, giving them the most perfect environment in which to grow. Greenhouse herb gardening can protect tender annuals from the extreme summer heat while extending the season and allowing your plants to grow earlier and later in the season. The key to getting the most out of your greenhouse is in setting it up before you add a single plant....

Ground Cover Plants Choose your ground cover plants according to the trees around which they’ll live. Some trees, like the Norway maple, have very thick coverage and offer almost no sunlight underneath. Others have sparser branches and smaller leaves, giving you more options to choose from. Find out how large each plant type will eventually spread to determine how many plants you will need to cover the entire area around the tree....

Growing Sweet Strawberries If your strawberries aren’t sweet, look at your current soil conditions. Strawberries perform best in well-drained, fertile, and slightly acidic soils. In fact, these plants tend to yield more and are sweeter when grown in compost-enriched, sandy soil. Planting strawberries in raised beds is also a good idea, as this (along with adequate soil) ensures for better drainage. Raised beds are also easier to maintain. Another important factor when growing this fruit is location....

Growing Cape Marigold from Seed Cape marigold is a pretty, daisy-like annual flower that is native to South Africa. It thrives in warm but not too hot temperatures. In hotter zones, in areas like southern California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida, you can grow this flower from seed starting in early fall for blooms in the winter. In colder regions, start seeds in late winter or early spring, outdoors after the last frost or indoors earlier....

Growing Over Septic Tanks What is a septic drain field? Basically, it’s an alternative to sewer systems, usually found on rural properties. A septic tank separates solid waste from liquid. This liquid waste is sent through long, wide, perforated pipes buried underground. The wastewater is released gradually into the soil where it is broken down and sanitized by microbes before it eventually reaches the water table. Planting on a septic drain field is a good idea because it helps prevent soil erosion and reduces foot traffic, which can compact the soil and cause problems....

With proper care, like watering, this dark (yet beautiful) plant will produce vibrant, dark green foliage and elegant, white and pink-purple blooms. About Mandrake Care Mandrakes are perennials that are winter hardy to many growing zones. These toxic plants are generally easy to grow and do well in container culture. As with any toxic plant, special care should be taken to keep them away from kids, pets, or any other potential hazards....

How to Grow Mint Indoors Growing and planting mint indoors is easy. You can find mint growing indoors in a pot of soil or even in a bottle of water. For starters, you need a container with adequate drainage for healthy plant growth. Pot up your mint plant with a good potting mix, either a regular commercial type or one with equal amounts of sand, peat, and perlite mixed in. Water the mint plant well after planting and place it in an area with indirect light, preferably an east-facing window during spring and summer or a west or south-facing one in fall and winter....

Is Star Jasmine Good for Hedges? Instead of the usual evergreen conifer hedge, consider using the beautiful star jasmine vine. Is star jasmine good for hedges? It is. A hedge of star jasmine grows fast and is highly decorative with the coveted fragrant blossoms. Star jasmine is usually grown as a vine that can cover a tall wall or trellis quickly once the plant’s root system gets established. You can create a hedge of star jasmine vine by regular and strategic pruning....

How to Plant Violets in Pots Violets are readily available in most garden stores, but it’s easy to start violet seeds indoors about 10 to 12 weeks before the last expected frost in your area. Violets are relatively slow to germinate. Simply fill a planting tray with a good quality potting mix (be sure the container has at least one drainage hole). Sprinkle the seeds lightly over the surface of the soil and cover them with 1/8 inch (3 mm....

Plants That Deter Insect Pests A number of herbs, flowers, and even vegetable plants can make ideal repellents for insect pests. Here are some of the more commonly grown: Chives and leeks deter the carrot fly and can also improve the overall health of garden plants. Garlic helps to repel nasty aphids and Japanese beetles. When planted alongside onions, this plant also deters moles and mice. Basil shoos away flies and mosquitoes; try setting some around the porch or other outdoor areas....

Identifying Scarlet Pimpernel Scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis) is an annual weed that is quick to invade cultivated areas such as lawns, gardens, and agricultural lands. Scarlet pimpernel looks a lot like chickweed, with small, oval leaves growing opposite of each other on plants that grow no more than 1 foot (30.5 cm.) tall. The two main differences between the weeds are found in the stems and the flowers. The stems are round on chickweed plants and square on scarlet pimpernel....

Ikebana Information What is ikebana? While it’s usually referred to as flower arranging, ikebana is really more about plant arranging. The goal with this practice isn’t to highlight blossoms and colors like it so often is in Western flower arranging. Instead, the focus is more on form and height, with special attention paid to the relationship between heaven, earth, and mankind. Arranging Plants for Ikebana Ikebana arrangements require at least three distinct parts called Shin, Soe, and Hikae....

Identifying Root Weevils Root weevils can be one of several kinds. The most common in the garden is the black vine root weevil or the strawberry root weevil. The black vine weevil attacks shrubs and strawberry weevils attack strawberries. While these are the most common, they are far from the only kind. All plants in your home or garden are susceptible to weevil infestation. Larval root weevils will look like white grubs or worms and will be found in the soil....

Mulching with Lucerne Hay Lucerne hay (Medicago sativa), a clover-like plant belonging to the pea family, is grown as livestock feed in countries around the world. Because the hay is so rich in many essential elements, lucerne hay makes terrific mulch. Here are some lucerne mulch benefits you can expect when using lucerne mulch in your garden: Contains high levels of protein Provides many important minerals, including potassium, calcium, iron, folic acid, and others Increases soil nitrogen Suppresses weeds Decomposes quickly, making it an excellent choice for poor soil Conserves moisture Keeps soil cool in summer and warm in winter Reduces fertilizer requirement, thus reducing expenses Stimulates healthy root growth Contains natural hormones that help prevent root disease Feeds worms that help keep soil healthy...

What Causes Mango Tipburn? When you inspect your mango and find mango leaves with burnt tips, the plant is probably suffering from a physiological disease called tipburn. The primary symptom of tipburn of mango leaves is necrotic sections around the leaf edges. If your mango leaf tips are burnt, you may ask what causes mango tipburn. It is important to figure out the cause of the condition in order to begin appropriate treatment....

Messina Peach Information Messina peaches were introduced by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station at Rutgers University. Messina peach trees have earned good reviews for a vigorous growth habit and low susceptibility to bacterial leaf spot. Look for Messina peaches to ripen between mid July and mid August, depending on climate. Messina Peach Care Messina trees are self-pollinating. However, a pollinator in close proximity may result in a larger crop. Choose a variety that, like Messina peach, blooms relatively early....