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Fragrant Garden Plants When planting fragrant garden plants, keep in mind how strong their scents are. You want to be able to smell them, but at the same time, you don’t want them to be overwhelming. Situate your lightly scented plants along walkways where people will brush against them often. You want them to notice the scent as they pass but not be overwhelmed by it. When choosing scented plants for gardens, it’s important to know what you’re looking for....

Myrobalan Plum Pruning Info Myrobalan cherry plums can grow up to 20 feet (6 m.). These large shrubs or small trees can produce an abundance of branches which can become overcrowded. With age, cherry plum trees may also stop producing flowers and fruit. Pruning Myrobalan plum trees can help keep them looking full and healthy. However, it is important that Myrobalan plum pruning be timed right. Unlike other fruit trees, which are pruned while they are dormant, winter is the worst time for trimming a cherry plum because this is when it is the most susceptible to diseases, like bacterial canker or silver leaf disease....

Growing Snowbird Peas Snowbird pea plants are dwarf plants that reach heights of about 18 inches (45.5 cm.). In spite of their size, the plants produce a large number of peas in clusters of two to three pods. They are grown nearly everywhere, as long as the climate provides a period of cool weather. Plant Snowbird peas as soon as the soil can be worked in spring. Peas prefer cool, damp weather....

Stipa grass is also known as nassella, stipa feather grass, Mexican feather grass, or Texas needle grass. Botanically, stipa feather grass is referred to as Nassella tenuissima, formerly Stipa tenuissima. Interested in learning how to grow Mexican feather grass? Read on to learn more. Growing Stipa Grass Plants Stipa feather grass is suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 through 11. Purchase this perennial plant at a garden center or nursery or propagate a new plant by dividing existing mature plants....

When to Thin Strawberry Patches Strawberry plants are most productive in their second and third fruiting seasons. Beds that are thick with older plants produce a poor crop and the plants are more susceptible to foliage and crown diseases. Wait until the plants go dormant to thin out overgrown strawberry beds. Dormancy begins four to six weeks after the harvest and lasts until the bed gets some drenching rains. Try to thin strawberry beds before late summer rains revive the plants....

Hoya Wax Plant Info Native to Southeast Asia, sweetheart hoya (Hoya kerrii) is often a quirky Valentine’s Day gift with a single 5-inch (12.5 cm.) leaf planted upright in a small pot. Although the plant is relatively slow-growing, it appreciates a hanging basket, where it eventually becomes a bushy mass of green hearts. Mature plants can reach lengths of up to 13 feet (4 m.). During the summer, clusters of white, burgundy-centered blooms provide a bold contrast to the deep green or variegated leaves....

Read on to learn possible reasons and fixes for Ti plant leaves turning yellow. Troubleshooting Yellow Leaves on Ti Plant Too much direct sunlight is often to blame for a yellow Hawaiian Ti plant. Although sunlight brings out the colors in the leaves, too much can cause yellowing. Sometimes, this can occur when the plant’s location is changed suddenly, such as a move from indoors to outdoors. Give the plant time to acclimate to brighter light or move it to a more suitable spot....

When do you Harvest Soybeans? If you’ve eaten at a Japanese restaurant you’ve likely eaten delicious edamame. Edamame is simply the Japanese name for edible soybeans harvested and eaten when still green rather than dry. Edamame is not only delicious but healthy — high in protein and containing phytochemicals. Knowing when to harvest edamame can be a bit tricky. Varieties of edamame are classified into maturity groups 0-8 based on their day length requirements....

Burning Bush Relocation Burning bush transplanting is best done in the fall so the roots have all winter to establish before spring growth starts. It can also be done in very early spring before the plant has woken up from dormancy, but the roots will have much less time to grow and establish before energy is diverted to producing leaves and new branches. The best way to go about transplanting a burning bush is to prune the roots in the spring and then do the actual move in the fall....

Unfortunately, there are no options for treating pear stony pit virus, but you may be able to prevent the disease from occurring. Read on to learn about pear stony pit prevention. About Pears with Stony Pit Dark green spots on pears with stony pit show up about three weeks after petal fall. Dimpling and one or several deep, cone-shaped pits are usually present on the fruit. Badly infected pears are inedible, turning discolored, lumpy, and gnarled with a stone-like mass....

Why Grow Potatoes That are Red? Potatoes with red skin are healthier than, for example, bland Russets. The reason is in the skin color. The color in potatoes that are red is due to anthocyanains, a common pigment which is associated with being rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. Antioxidants make the spuds more nutritious and a diet rich in antioxidants helps to lower your risk of cancer. Red potato varieties are also a good source of vitamin B6; are fat, sodium and cholesterol free; and (this was a shocker) are an excellent source of potassium – even more than a banana!...

Interesting Weld Plant Information Weld plant is also known as dyer’s rocket for the bright yellow dye that has been used as a fabric dye and oil paint colorant since Roman times. Some modern-day painters continue to use the pigment and weld plant dye is still used as a fabric dye, primarily for silk. Otherwise, most gardeners agree that it isn’t the flowers that make reseda weld plants distinctive – it’s the sweet, powerful aroma....

About Common Beggartick Plants What are beggarticks? Common beggartick plants are members of the aster family, and the bright yellow flowers resemble daisies. The slender, leafy stems can reach heights of 1 to 5 feet (31 cm. to 1.5 m.). The dull green leaves are sharply toothed along the edges. If you have common beggartick plants in your lawn or garden, you already know how troublesome they can be. You know how the stickery, fishhook-like seeds grab hold of whatever they touch, and you’ve probably spent hours picking the pesky things out of your socks or your dog’s coat....

Fig Anthracnose Disease and Symptoms Fig anthracnose is a disease caused by the fungus Glomerella cingulata. It attacks the leaves and the fruit of fig trees. Fig anthracnose symptoms include fruit that rots and drops prematurely as well as immature fruit that shrivels and never drops from the tree. The fruit will have sunken spots that are discolored. As the disease spreads, these spots will develop pink spores. On the leaves, anthracnose of figs causes a margin that is dark brown in color surrounding spots that are slightly sunken....

What is a Calico Vine? Calico flower (Aristolochia littoralis) is an ornamental vine. Native to Brazil, the calico vine grows well in warmer climates, and acts as an outdoor perennial in zones 9 through 12. Calico vine is grown to add decorative interest to outdoor spaces, to climb and cover vertical surfaces, for privacy screening, and just because the flowers are so unique. The flowers of the calico vine are very unusual, with a purple and white calico-like coloring pattern....

Godetia Plant Info What is a godetia plant? Godetia has a bit of naming confusion surrounding it. The scientific name used to be Godetia amoena, but it has since been changed to Clarkia amoena. To make things more confusing, it is frequently still sold under its old name. It is a species of the Clarkia genus, named after William Clark of the famous Lewis and Clark expedition. This particular species is frequently also called the farewell-to-spring flower....

What is a Hazelfield Tomato? A Hazelfield Farm tomato is medium in size, weighing about a half a pound (227 gr.). It is red, slightly flattened and round with ribbing on the shoulders. These tomatoes are juicy, sweet (but not too sweet), and delicious. They are perfect for eating fresh and slicing, but they are also good canning tomatoes. Hazelfield Farm history isn’t long, but the history of its most famous tomato is certainly interesting....

What is a Mountain Hydrangea? Native to regions of Japan and Korea, Hydrangea serrata is often referred to as mountain hydrangea. This group, which frequently includes various cultivars of lacecap hydrangeas, is prized for its ornamental beauty and unique flower clusters. Blooms range in color from blue to pinkish red, depending upon soil pH, and feature a flattened cluster of flowers. Growing Mountain Hydrangea When growing mountain hydrangea you’ll first need to consider the specific needs of the plant....

Screwbean Mesquite Info What is a screwbean mesquite tree? Hardy in USDA zones 7 through 10, the screwbean mesquite tree (Prosopis pubescens) ranges from the American Southwest and Texas into Central and South America. It is small for a tree, usually topping out at 30 feet (9 m.) in height. With its multiple trunks and spreading branches, it can sometimes grow to be wider than it is tall. It differs from its cousin, the traditional mesquite tree, in a few ways....

What is a Strawberry Tree? The strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) is a charming shrub or small tree that is extremely decorative in your garden. It’s a relative of the madrone tree, and even shares the same common name in some regions. You can grow this plant as a multi-trunked shrub in a hedge or prune it down to one trunk and grow it as a specimen tree. Growing Strawberry Trees If you start growing strawberry trees, you’ll find that they have many delightful features....