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Soil Health Information So the big question is exactly what are macro and micro elements in plants? Macro nutrients are found in large quantities in plants, usually at least 0.1%. Micro nutrients are needed only in trace amounts and are usually counted in parts per million. Both are essential for happy, healthy plants. What are Macro Nutrients? Here are the most common macro nutrients found in soil: Nitrogen – Nitrogen is crucial to plants....

Information on Fertilizing Cosmos Information for feeding cosmos plants consists mostly of reasons why you shouldn’t do it. Nitrogen encourages strong greenery and discourages the production of flowers. Most balanced fertilizer blends contain too much nitrogen for flowering annuals. It’s a vicious circle some gardeners get stuck in: they don’t see blooms, so they fertilize their plants hoping to encourage flowers. The more fertilizer they add, the fewer flowers will appear....

Are Crabapples Edible? The short answer to this question is: yes. However, there’s a longer answer to explain why. Crabapples aren’t actually a different kind of tree than apples. The only distinction is one of size. If a tree produces fruits that are bigger than 2 inches (5 cm.) in diameter, it’s an apple. If the fruits are smaller than 2 inches (5 cm.), it’s a crabapple. That’s it. Granted, those apples that have been bred to be bigger have also been bred to be better tasting....

What is Corking? Corking on jalapeño peppers appears as scaring or minor striations on the surface of the pepper skin. When you see jalapeño skin cracking in this manner, it simply means that it needs to stretch to accommodate the rapid growth of the pepper. Sudden rains or any other abundance of water (soaker hoses) combined with plenty of sun will cause the pepper to go on a growth spurt, resulting in corking....

What is a Johnny Jump Up? Also known as viola, wild pansy and heart’s ease, the johnny jump up is actually a relative of the pansy. The difference between johnny jump ups and pansies is mostly one of size. Pansies have much larger flowers, although they look very similar. On the other hand, johnny jump ups produce many more flowers per plant and are much more heat tolerant, making johnny jump up planting even more ideal....

Where Do Lacquer Trees Grow? It is not hard to guess where lacquer trees grow. The trees are sometimes called Asian lacquer trees, Chinese lacquer trees or Japanese lacquer trees. This is because they grow in the wild in parts of China, Japan and Korea. What is a Lacquer Tree? If you read lacquer tree information, you find that the trees grow to about 50 feet tall and bear big leaves, each composed of 7 to 19 leaflets....

What is a Luffa Gourd? Luffa (Luffa aegyptiaca and Luffa acutangula), also known as loofah, vegetable sponge, or dishcloth gourds are grown mainly for their useful, fibrous tissue skeleton. Young fruits can be eaten as squash, used in stews, or even used in place of cucumbers. The luffa gourd plant is an annual tropical or subtropical climbing vine. When the fruit section of the plant matures, it can be used as an organic bath or kitchen sponge....

Maggots in Vermicompost Keeping a worm bin can force you to come to terms with the varied creatures that help break down living tissues. For many, these pests in vermicompost have come to be associated with filth and disease, but the truth is that many are complementary to your worm bin. One of the most commonly friendly foes is the black soldier fly. Outdoor worm bins are perfect environments for soldier fly larvae to develop, resulting in the appearance of maggots in vermicompost....

Gracillimus Maiden Grass Info Maiden grass ‘Gracillimus’ displays narrow green leaves with silvery strips running down the center. The leaves turn yellow after the first frost, fading to tan or beige in northern regions, or rich gold or orange in warmer climates. Reddish-copper or pinkish flowers bloom in fall, turning to silvery or pinkish-white plumes as the seeds mature. The leaves and plumes continue to provide interest throughout the winter. Gracillimus maiden grass is suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 6 through 9....

What is a Rose Topiary Tree? Topiary refers to the intentional shaping of shrubs, bushes, and/or trees. While several types of bushes can be trimmed or sculpted, rose topiary trees are generally pruned so that the blooms of the rose grow in a mound at the top of the plant. This makes them ideal for placement near walkways, porches, and other highly visible landscaped areas. Real (and artificial) topiary rose bushes are also an extremely sought-after gift....

Can You Grow a Mango Pit? First and foremost, mangoes are only produced from mature trees. At maturity, mango trees can reach heights over 60 feet (18 m.) tall. Unless you live in a climate suitable for growth of mangoes outdoors, tropical and sub-tropical areas, it’s unlikely that your plants will ever produce fruit. Additionally, fruits produced from plants will not be like those from which the seed came. This is due to the fact that commercial mangoes are often produced by grafted trees for better disease resistance....

Read on for ideas about using trees for a memorial garden or as gifted remembrance trees. Planting Trees in Memory The gesture of planting a tree in memory of a friend or family member provides a long-term, living memorial. It can be a place of solace and peace for you, but also serve your family for generations as children and grandchildren can pay repeated visits to the spot. Trees add to the beauty of the environment as well as contributing to the air we breathe....

Mirror Plant Information Mirror plant (Coprosma repens) is an evergreen shrub suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 through 11. This fast-growing shrub can reach mature heights of 10 feet (3 m.) fairly quickly. Mirror bush plant is available in several variegated forms and various combinations of creamy white, lime green, bright pink, purple, gold, or soft yellow. The colors intensify when cooler weather arrives in autumn. Dwarf varieties, which top out at 2 to 3 feet (61-91 cm....

About Camu Camu Berries Camu camu berries are not regularly imported to the U.S. and their taste does not encourage regular consumption. However, the fruit is prized in Japan and Peruvian officials expect the U.S. to soon become a large consumer of the berries. The large berries have purple skin, yellow flesh, and are sour in natural form. Supplements use their juice in fermented beverages and pre-packaged smoothies, often to treat various chronic and degenerative diseases....

Nigella Plant Info If you’re not familiar with the love in a mist plant, you may wonder exactly what it is. Flowers of growing Nigella are surrounded by a series of bracts. These are supported by a thread-like leaf structure, known as a ruff, on the cultivar love in a mist plant. This gives the appearance of the flowers being surrounded by a mist, hence the romantic name. Double flowers appear to peek through the mist in colors of blue, pink, and white....

Why Won’t My Viburnum Bush Flower? Viburnum problems are few and far between, but one of the most perplexing issues growers of this shrub face is a lack of blooms. If this is the first year you’re growing a viburnum or you moved and found a viburnum in the new landscape, it may be that the bush is simply spent already. Most viburnum species only bloom for a few short weeks in the early summer and young viburnums almost always require a few years to establish their root systems before presenting their colorful display....

What are Some Non-Plant Alternatives to Grass? Lawn alternatives don’t have to be limited to plants. Hard surfaces such as stones, gravels, or pebbles can be just as effective. All of these provide interesting texture and are available in a variety of colors and sizes that will fit into any landscape design. They are also easy to apply and relatively inexpensive, depending on what you choose and how you use it....

Growing Omero Cabbages The heat tolerance given to this hybrid is responsible for the extended growing season. This variety takes 73 to 78 days until it is ready to harvest. Plant earlier in the typical summer planting season or later in the winter to spring time frame. Omero cabbage tastes best when touched by a hint of frost, so allow for main growth during cooler days. It has a mild, smooth taste that is slightly sweet and slightly peppery....

Symptoms of Neck Rot in Onions Onion neck rot is a disease caused by a particular fungus, Botrytis allii. This fungus affects alliums such as garlic, leeks, scallions, and onions. It is often not identified until after harvest, when the onions are either damaged during transportation or not cured properly before storage. First, the tissue around the neck of the onion (the top, facing the foliage) becomes water soaked and sunken....

Can You Use Pig Manure for Gardens? Absolutely. The best way for using pig manure in the garden is to compost it. Add pig manure to your compost pile and allow it to rot long enough and hot enough. It will break down and kill all the organisms it might carry that are a danger to your health. Compost is known by many gardeners as “black gold” for the amount of good it does in a garden....