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If you are thinking about putting in some hot tub landscaping, read on for information about what to plant in backyard jacuzzi gardens. Hot Tub Landscaping When you decide to install a hot tub, you may have visions of romantic and relaxing evenings spent in warm water with a beautiful setting. Your first step is to select a good location for the hot tub itself. Many homeowners prefer to have their hot tubs within easy reach of the house....

Growing Trees in Zone 8 With an average minimum winter temperature between 10 and 20 degrees F. (-12 to -7 C.), USDA zone 8 can’t support trees that are frost sensitive. It can, however, support a huge range of cold hardy trees. The range is so big, in fact, that it’s impossible to cover every species. Here is a selection of common zone 8 trees, separated into broad categories: Common Zone 8 Trees Deciduous trees are extremely popular in zone 8....

How to Protect Plants from Frost Keeping plants safe in frost means being vigilant about the weather. It’s always a good idea to stay as up to date as you can on current conditions in your area, which will give you the heads up as to when frost may be expected. The best frost plant protection methods are dependent on the length of time cold temps will remain, how low they will go and, of course, the types of plants you have....

Plants That Mature Fast Bamboo – A fast growing plant that makes a great privacy screen is bamboo. This tall ornamental grass comes in a variety of species, one of which will fit your needs. Be careful though, some varieties of bamboo can be invasive and must be planted with this in mind. Thuja or arborvitae – This evergreen tree is a popular option when it comes to what to plant for privacy....

Raspberry Fertilizing Needs Raspberry fertilizing needs are very basic and not hard to keep up with. Raspberry plant fertilizer should be heavy in nitrogen, although a balanced type is often preferred. For instance, the best fertilizer for raspberry bushes is a 10-10-10 fertilizer or actual nitrogen at a rate of 4 to 5 pounds (1.8 to 2.3 kg.) per 100 feet (30.4 m.) of row. If you’re looking for organic raspberry plant fertilizer, you can substitute with manure (50 to 100 pounds (22....

Do Blanket Flowers Need to Be Deadheaded? The simplest answer is no. Removing blooms on blanket flower that are spent is not necessary to the survival or growth of the plant. The reason that people deadhead flowering plants is to keep the flowers going longer, to avoid seed production, and just to keep the plant looking nice and tidy. For perennials like blanket flower, you can get all of these benefits from deadheading....

Shooting Star Plant Propagation via Seed Shooting stars may be propagated either by sowing seeds or by division. While propagating shooting star plants via seed is possible, keep in mind that the seeds need to go through a period of cold stratification before they are ready to plant and they grow very slowly. After flowering, shooting star produces small, hard green capsules. These capsules are the fruit of the plant and contain seeds....

Herbs for Thai-Inspired Gardens While some components of a Thai-inspired garden may already be growing in your vegetable patch or readily available at your local grocery store, there are quite a few Thai herb plants and spices that may be more difficult to find. These plants offer a distinctive flavor to soups, curries, and other recipes. Growing a Thai herb garden will ensure that you’ll have everything you need, freshly picked and ready to use....

What is a Roma Tomato? A roma tomato is a paste tomato. Paste tomatoes, like roma tomatoes, generally have a thicker fruit wall, fewer seeds, and a denser but more grainy flesh. Roma tomatoes tend to be oblong in shape and heavy for their size. They also tend to be more firm than a non-roma or paste tomato. Roma tomatoes are determinate, which means that the fruit ripens at one time, rather than continually through the season....

Signs of Northern Corn Leaf Blight Northern corn leaf blight is an infection caused by a fungus that is fairly common in the Midwest, wherever corn is grown. The disease generally only causes limited damage, but it may lead to crop loss under certain conditions. Some varieties of corn are more susceptible, and when the infection sets in early, losses are often greater. The characteristic sign of corn with northern leaf blight is the formation of lesions on the leaves....

What is Tobacco Ringspot Virus? Tobacco ringspot virus is a pathogen that in addition to tobacco can affect several crops including: Blueberry Grapevines Cow peas Beans Peas Clover Cucumber Soybeans While the disease is caused by a virus, the virus is transmitted by dagger nematodes, microscopic worms as well as by tobacco thrips and flea beetles. In commercial farming, this disease can be a big problem for growing soybeans, although grape producers in the northeast also battle tobacco ringspot virus....

Trellis Ideas for Containers Here are a few suggestions to get you started on using an upcycled trellis for pots: Tomato cage container trellises: Old, rusty tomato cages are ideal for relatively small patio containers. You can insert them into the potting mix with the wide end up or you can wire the “legs” of the cages together and use it with the round part down. Feel free to paint potted DIY trellises with rust-resistant paint....

About Tennessee Plant Hardiness and the USDA Planting Map If you live in Tennessee and are wondering about what kind of trees, shrubs or perennial flowers to put in your yard and garden, use the Tennessee USDA zone map above to locate your plant hardiness zone. Understanding your zone is critical to the success of your garden. The 2012 plant hardiness map replaces the 1990 map and is based on weather information collected over a period of thirty years....

Vegetable Plant Propagation Growing vegetable plants from cuttings has some distinct advantages. First, you’re taking cuttings from the best plants in your garden, so you already know this variety does well in your environment. No worries about whether you get enough sun in your area or if the air is the right temperature. That’s all been tested and proven true. Second, rooting vegetable cuttings in the middle of summer gives your garden a new lease on life....

What are Calanthe Orchids? Calanthe is a genus of orchids made up of only five species. Most of these species are hardy in USDA zone 7, but they may be able to survive the winter in zone 6b if they’re mulched well. This means that these orchids can actually be grown outdoors in the garden if your climate allows. Calanthe orchid plants can be divided into two main groups: evergreen and deciduous....

Growing Plants for Hobbies What are garden makers? These are people who make things with the bounty from their gardens, and they don’t just stop at grilling up an eggplant. There’s more to growing edible plants than just eating them. For example, fermenting your produce into alcohol is a great way to get involved with your garden. While growing grapes for wine is an old standby, basically any fruit (or vegetable) that contains sugar can be turned into wine, sometimes with surprisingly delicious results....

What are Mint Borers? Mint borers are the larval form of a light brown moth that hold their wings over themselves like a partially flattened tent. Adults reach up to 3/4 inch (2 cm.), emerging from mid-June through mid-August. During the week they’re alive, adults lay eggs aggressively on peppermint and spearmint leaves. Larvae emerge in about 10 days and begin feeding on leaves. After a few days, these hungry larvae drop into the soil to chew on root hairs and burrow into the rhizomes of their host plants....

Fruit Trees for Zone 6 Gardens Here are some good fruit trees for zone 6 landscapes: Apples – Perhaps the most popular garden fruit tree, apples come in a wide range of varieties that perform well in different climates. Some of the best matches for zone 6 are: Honeycrisp Gala Red Halareds McIntosh Pears – The best European pears for zone 6 are: Bosc Bartlett Conference Rescue Asian Pears – Not the same as European pears, Asian pear fruit trees have a few varieties that do well in zone 6....

What is a Kosui Asian Pear? It’s important to get some Kosui Asian pear information before you decide to grow this variety, especially if your experience with Asian varieties is limited. Asian pears like Kosui are true pears, but, in many ways, the fruits are more like apples. They are typically round—some are indeed pear-shaped— and have a crisper texture than European pears. Kosui pears are small to medium in size and rounded like an apple but with a little bit of flattening like a Clementine orange....

What is a Mikado Plant? Mikado plants, also known as Syngonanthus Mikado, are flowering ornamentals native to the swamps of Brazil. Growing up to 14 inches (35 cm.) tall, these spiky plants produce tall globular flowers. Before opening, the ball-shaped flowers range in color from white to cream. These flowers provide a beautiful contrast when in bloom held above the grass-like foliage. Mikado Indoor Plant Care To begin growing Mikado plants indoors, gardeners will first need to purchase a transplant from a reputable garden center or online retailer....