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How to Propagate Bougainvillea Plants Bougainvillea plants are commonly propagated by cuttings but seed growing is possible too. Propagation of Bougainvillea Cuttings The easiest of bougainvillea propagation methods is to grow it from cuttings. It can be done at any time of the year. To take a cutting from your bougainvillea, look for softwood. This is a part of the plant that isn’t brand new, but isn’t established and overly woody, either....

What is Boxwood Basil? As its name suggests, a growing Boxwood basil plant looks much akin to boxwood. Ocimum basilicum ‘Boxwood’ is a highly ornamental basil. This compact, round, bushy basil looks fabulous as a fragrant edging around the garden, in containers, or even trimmed into topiaries. Boxwood basil grows between 8 and 14 inches (20-36 cm.) wide and tall. It is suitable in USDA zones 9 to 11. How to Grow Boxwood Basil Like other basil varieties, Boxwood is a tender annual that likes both warm air and soil....

Caring for Boysenberries in Winter Mulch: Boysenberry winter protection includes several inches (5 to 10 cm.) of mulch such as straw, dried leaves, lawn clippings, pine needles, or small bark chips. Mulch protects the plant’s roots from fluctuations in soil temperature and also helps prevent soil erosion that often occurs in heavy rainfall. Apply the mulch in fall, after a few hard frosts. Aim for at least 8 inches (20.5 cm....

Bulb Gardening Year-Round To plant a year-round bulb garden, do a little research to find out which bulbs flower in which season. You’ll also need to consider your growing zone. Where a bulb is not hardy in winter, you’ll need to dig it out at the end of fall and overwinter indoors for the next year. For instance, dinner plate dahlias, with their stunning and large blooms, flower in late summer and fall....

California Fan Palm Information The California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera) is a tall palm tree native to southern Nevada and California, western Arizona, and the Baja in Mexico. Although its native range is limited, this grand tree will thrive in any dry to semi-dry climate, and even at elevations up to 4,000 feet (1219 m.). It naturally grows near springs and rivers in the desert and will tolerate an occasional frost or snow....

Reasons for Yellow Leaves on Calla Lilies If your biggest plant problem is, “My calla lily leaves are yellowing,” you should look beneath the soil for the answers. Yellow leaves are a sign of problems in the roots of the plant, for a number of different reasons. Yellowing leaves, known as chlorosis, is sometimes caused by a nutrient shortage in the soil, most often nitrogen, iron, zinc or some other trace element....

While calla lily is a relatively low-maintenance plant, it won’t tolerate excessively dry conditions or soggy, poorly drained soil. Read on to learn about calla lily water requirements. When to Water Calla Lilies Your calla lily’s watering needs depend on whether they are grown in the garden or in containers. Your current growing conditions, like the amount of light or soil type, should be factored in as well. How much water do calla lilies need in the garden?...

Best Time for Camellia Pruning The best time to prune a camellia plant is right after it has stopped blooming, which will most likely be in May or June depending on the variety. Pruning the plant at other times will not harm the plant, but it may remove some of the blossom buds for the next year. Pruning Camellias for Disease and Pest Control Camellia pruning to control disease and pests consists of thinning out some of the inner branches to improve airflow and allow more light to reach deeper into the plant....

Eucalyptus Growing Indoors Outside, eucalyptus trees (Eucalyptus spp.) grow to 60 feet tall (18 m.) and those half-moon-shaped leaves flutter in the breeze. They are tall evergreen trees with aromatic leaves. But the tree grows well indoors too. Potted eucalyptus trees can be grown as container perennials until they get so big that they must be planted in the backyard or donated to a park. Eucalyptus houseplants grow so fast that they can be grown as annuals....

How Can You Use Sawdust as Mulch? Some people who put sawdust down as mulch in their gardens have noticed a decline in their plants’ health, leading them to believe that sawdust is toxic to plants. This is not the case. Sawdust is woody material that needs nitrogen to decompose. This means that as it biodegrades, the process may draw nitrogen out of the soil and away from your plants’ roots, making them weaker....

What are Loblolly Pine Trees? The loblolly pine is more than just a pretty face. It’s an important timber tree and a prime choice for wind and privacy screens. This pine is also important to wildlife, providing food and habitat. The loblolly’s native range runs across the American southeast. Its straight trunk can soar to 100 feet (31 m.) or more in the wild, with a diameter up to 4 feet (2 m....

Laburnum Tree Information The Laburnum goldenchain tree (Laburnum spp.) only grows some 25 feet (7.6 m.) tall and 18 feet (5.5 m.) wide, but it is a magnificent sight in the backyard when it’s covered with golden blossoms. The drooping, 10-inch (25 cm.) flower clusters are incredibly showy when they appear on the deciduous tree in springtime. The leaves appear in small clusters. Each leaf is oval and stays green until the time it falls from the tree in autumn....

Flowering is profuse, with blooms that are silvery white and star-shaped and, when in full bloom, this mounded plant resembles a pile of snow, hence the plant’s name. However, the flowers are not the only attractive part of this showy plant. The silver, grayish green foliage is a dainty addition to this plant and retains its rich color year-round. Growing Snow in Summer Plants Growing snow in summer plants (Cerastium tomentosum) is relatively easy....

Plants That Grow with Parsnips One reason to grow parsnips in your garden, besides harvesting the tasty roots, is that the flowers on these plants that are allowed to go to seed attract predatory insects. These insects will consume pests and protect other plants as a result, especially fruit trees. The parsnip root also emits a substance toxic to red spider mites, fruit flies, and pea aphids. Fruit trees represent one category of great companions for parsnips, but there are others....

When to Pick Corn Knowing when to pick corn is one of the most important factors for a quality crop. Corn is ready for harvest about 20 days after the silk first appears. At harvest time, the silk turns brown, but the husks are still green. Each stalk should have at least one ear near the top. When conditions are right, you may get another ear lower down on the stalk....

About Dietes Flowers Dietes plant information says this plant is commonly called African iris or Butterfly iris. Dietes plant blossoms are showy and last just a day, sometimes two. Dietes iris normally has a long period of bloom, so you can expect continued blossoms for several weeks. Learning how to take care of Dietes flowers is not difficult, but will vary depending upon the location in which they’re planted. Multiple blooms appear on upright stalks during the bloom season in spring and early summer and often sporadically throughout the year....

What are Earthbags? Earthbags, otherwise known as sandbags, are cotton or polypropolene bags filled with native soil or sand. The bags are stacked in rows, with each row staggered offset from the one below it. Earthbag gardens create a stable and heavy wall that will withstand flood, snow, and high winds, protecting the garden and plants within. Tips for Building Earthbag Garden Beds Earthbag construction is easy; just buy empty bags from bag companies....

About Dwarf English Cherry Laurel This plant, Prunus laurocerasus ‘Nana,’ goes by many common names: dwarf English laurel, dwarf cherry laurel, and Nana English laurel. Whatever you call it, this is a versatile and attractive evergreen shrub. As the names suggest, it grows low and compact. The leaves are large and glossy green, and the flowers bloom white with a pretty fragrance. The cherry in the name is for the berries....

What are Flowering Ephemerals? Flowering ephemeral info says these plants are wildflowers, able to exist without human intervention. Some are perennials, but many are self-seeding annuals. Growing them in your landscape is easy and worthwhile when you see that first spring bloom. Most prefer a part shade to shade location with filtered sun. Blooms appear just as the soil is touched by warmth at the end of winter. These plants go dormant in summer, leaving room for continuing blooms of other flowers throughout late spring and summer....

Themes for Gardening with Toddlers Garden themes for toddlers should center around their five senses. Choose textured plants that they can feel and sensitive plants that snap shut when touched. Fragrant herbs appeal to a child’s sense of taste and smell. Honeysuckle is very fragrant, and if you catch the flowers at just the right time, you can squeeze a drop of sweet nectar onto the child’s tongue. There is no end to the variety of bright-colored flowers that are a delight to look at, and toddlers enjoy them even more if they can pick a few to enjoy indoors....