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Deodar Cedar Info This airy evergreen cedar tree rises to 50 feet (15 m.) or more when cultivated, and much taller in the wild. It is native to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, and thrives in the coastal regions of the United States. Deodar cedar trees grow into a loose pyramid shape, with 2-inch (5 cm.) long whorled needles that give the tree a soft allure. The branches extend almost horizontally, angling slightly down, and the tips rise slightly....

Depending on the cultivar, dracaena may reach heights of up to 10 feet (3 m.) or even more, which means that regular dracaena trimming will probably be necessary. The good news is that pruning dracaena plants isn’t difficult. These sturdy plants tolerate trims with little complaint, and you can cut back a dracaena to any height you like. How to Prune a Dracaena Pruning dracaena plants produces a full, healthy plant, as two or more new branches, each with its own cluster of leaves, will soon appear....

Dwarf Peach Tree Varieties Small peach trees aren’t difficult to grow, but they are only moderately tolerant of cold temperatures. Peach tree dwarf cultivars are suitable for USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9, although some are tough enough to withstand chilly winters in zone 4. •El Dorado is a medium-size, early summer peach with rich, yellow flesh and red-blushed yellow skin. •O’Henry are small peach trees with large, firm fruit ready for mid-season harvest....

As students head back to the classroom in fall, or even for those who may be homeschooling, there is no reason that garden learning and growing has to cease. Fall gardening with kids can be a fulfilling and satisfying way to continue teaching core curriculum content, as well as spark an interest in nature. Gardening in Fall with Children For seasoned growers, the process of planning an autumn garden for kids may seem extremely simple....

Ficus Banana Leaf Plants Ficus is the Latin word for fig and is also the genus name of about 800 fig species. Figs are woody trees, shrubs, or vines native to Asia, Australia, and Africa. Those species cultivated for home gardens or backyards either produce edible fruit or are grown for their ornamental value. Banana leaf ficus trees are shrubs or small trees with long, saber-shaped leaves. The leaves emerge red, but later turn dark green and become leathery....

0Causes of Yellow Grape Ivy When your grape ivy is turning yellow, you may be really concerned that it won’t survive the ordeal – and you may be right. Although there’s not much that can get these hardy plants down, yellow leaves can be a sign of serious distress. It’s time to do a little detective work to find out what’s causing your plant’s problem. By far, the two most common causes of yellow leaves on grape ivy are spider mites and root rot....

Centerpiece Easter Plants When you are trying to decide on Easter centerpiece flowers, you can either go with fresh flowers or potted plants. Fresh flowers for the Easter table can include anything currently in bloom, from lilacs to bulb plants like tulips or daffodils. Roses are also an Easter classic. All you need to do is arrange the freshly cut flowers in a special vase or another vessel. Experts recommend cutting them in the morning for best results....

Growing Perennials in Zone 5 While zone 5 is not the coldest zone in the U.S. or North America, it is still a cold, northern climate with winter temperatures that can dip down to -20 degrees F. (-29 C.). Snow is also very common in zone 5 winters, which actually helps insulate plants and their roots from the brutal winter chill. Regardless of this frigid winter weather, there are many common zone 5 perennials and bulbs you can grow and enjoy year after year....

How to Grow Purple Passion Plants The purple passion plant, also known as velvet plant or gynura, appears to have purple leaves from the thick hairs. As the plant ages, the hairs spread further apart and the color is not as intense. Most purple passion houseplants remain attractive for two to three years. Plant the purple passion plant in a houseplant soil that offers good drainage, as the plant is susceptible to root rot from too much water....

How to Split Hostas Should hostas be divided? Yes, they definitely should be divided for several reasons. One is that division is the only real way to propagate new plants. Hostas from seeds don’t grow true in most cases. Division is also a great way to clean up your hostas, remove dead portions, and keep them the size you want. Here’s how to do it: Start hosta plant division by digging up the entire root clump....

Growing Lemongrass Herbs When you go to the grocery store, find the freshest lemongrass plants you can buy. When you get home, trim a couple of inches (5 cm.) off the top of the lemongrass plants and peel away anything that looks somewhat dead. Take the stalks and put them into a glass of shallow water and place it near a sunny window. After a few weeks, you should start seeing tiny roots at the bottom of the lemongrass herb stalk....

Can Pets Eat Dracaena Plants? The short answer is no. Dracaena is toxic to both cats and dogs. Or rather saponin, a chemical compound that is found in the plant, is toxic to them. A dog eating dracaena leaves can result in vomiting (sometimes with and sometimes without blood), diarrhea, weakness, drooling, loss of appetite, and depression. A cat eating dracaena will result in the same symptoms, possibly with the addition of dilated pupils....

Japanese Flowering Quince Shrubs Today, most American gardeners who are growing Japanese flowering quince do so for the spring blossoms. The bright flowers erupt into bloom in March or April in vibrant shades of pink, white, orange or red that only last a few weeks. Some cultivars offer a few flowers again in autumn. Various species and cultivars exist, but the common flowering quince plants are most commonly planted. Common Japanese flowering quince shrubs grow to 10 feet (3 m....

Kiwi Plant Identification To determine kiwi plant gender, one must only wait for the plant to bloom. Ascertaining the sex of male and female kiwi vines lies in the differences between the flowers. Understanding the difference between male and female kiwi vines will determine whether the plant will set fruit. Female kiwi plant identification will appear as flowers with long sticky stigmas radiating out from the center of the bloom. Additionally, the female flowers do not produce pollen....

Barley Basal Glume Blotch Info What is basal glume blotch of barley? Also known as barley basal glume rot and spikelet rot, this disease is caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas atrofaciens (sometimes also called Pseudomonas syringae pv. atrofaciens), which is the same fungus that can also lead to septoria leaf blotch. It affects the glume of the plant, or the small bract that grows out of the stem partially covering each kernel of grain....

About Wyoming USDA Plant Hardiness Map The USDA revealed its Internet friendly plant hardiness map at the start of 2012. This map replaces the less sophisticated 1990 version and has made some significant changes using accurate data collected over a thirty-year period. Plant hardiness zones represent annual extreme winter low temperatures averaged over time. Gardeners across the country depend on this information when selecting plants for their home landscape. The Wyoming planting map above outlines the hardiness zones within the state....

Growing Mexican Oregano Plants Mexican bush oregano (sometimes referred to as rosemary mint) can’t be grown everywhere. In fact, Mexican oregano hardiness falls between USDA zones 7b and 11. In zones 7b through 8a, however, it’s only root hardy. This means that all the top growth will die back in the winter, with the roots surviving to put up new growth each spring. The roots aren’t always guaranteed to make it, especially if the winter is a cold one....

Using Mulch in Place of Soil Most gardeners prefer to plant in soil and spread a few inches (8 cm.) of mulch on top of the soil – around the plant but not covering it. As a general rule, most experienced gardeners aren’t crazy about the idea of planting in mulch, or about using mulch in place of soil. If you want to experiment with mulch gardening, it may be worth a try, but start small in case the experiment doesn’t work....

Pachysandra is an invasive perennial ground cover that spreads throughout the garden by means of underground stems and roots. Once it gets a foothold in the garden, it is very difficult to control. Pachysandra plants can overrun your garden and escape into wild areas where it displaces native plants. How to Get Rid of Pachysandra in the Garden If you find your garden overrun with this ground cover, then you’ll need to know how to control pachysandra plant....

Symptoms of Parsnip Powdery Mildew While powdery mildew affects many plants, it can be caused by a number of different fungi, many of which target only certain plants. For example, parsnips with powdery mildew are infected specifically by Erysiphe fungi. Erysiphe heraclei, in particular, is often a culprit. Powdery mildew symptoms start as small, white spots on both or either side of the leaves. These spots spread to a fine, sooty coating that can cover the entire leaf....