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Although spring titi makes a lovely plant for home landscapes, you may be concerned about spring titi nectar and bees. There is no reason for worry; spring titi and bees get along just fine. Read on for more spring titi information and learn more about spring titi and bees. Spring Titi Information Spring titi is native to the warm, tropical climates of the southeastern United States, as well as parts of Mexico and South America....

How to Grow Rose Mallow The easiest way to grow rose mallow is to purchase a plant at a garden center or nursery. However, growing rose mallow by seed isn’t difficult. Start seeds indoors eight to ten weeks before the last frost in your area or plant seeds directly in the garden after the last killing frost in spring. Rose mallow benefits from rich soil amended with at least 2 or 3 inches (5-8 cm....

What is Algal Leaf Spot? Algal leaf spot disease, also known as green scurf, is caused by Cephaleuros virescens, a type of parasitic algae. Algal leaf spot disease spores, which are spread by rain, create a big problem for more than 200 plant species, especially plants growing in warm, humid climates. Susceptible plants include those that have leathery leaves such as: Magnolia Camellia Boxwood Crepe myrtle Azalea Bougainvillea Wisteria Rhododendron Viburnum...

Tea Plant Pruning The leaves of tea plants (Camellia sinensis) are used to make green, oolong, and black teas. The processing of the young shoots involves withering, oxidation, heat processing, and drying. Tea is usually grown in tropical or subtropical areas. Plant your tea shrubs in a warm site that gets full sun for best growth. You’ll need to plant them in well-drained, acidic, or pH neutral soil some distance from trees and structures....

How and When to Prune Citrus Trees Major citrus tree pruning, which controls the size of the tree, should be done after risk of freeze has passed but well in advance of summer heat. Otherwise, uncontrolled growth results in a tree that is less vigorous and uses water less efficiently. You may need to prune the center of the tree if it is excessively dark and no fruit is produced in that area....

Recognizing Spinach with Root Knot Nematodes It’s difficult to identify root knot nematodes on spinach with certainty and you may need to send a sample of your soil to a diagnostic lab to know for sure. However, there are certain signs that can give you a pretty good indication. If you suspect spinach with root knot nematodes, dig up a plant and rinse the roots gently. Look for tiny lesions or galls, along with excessive growth of tiny roots....

Using Understory Plants The trees in your backyard create the framework for understory planting. Tips about which understory trees and shrubs to use will depend on the size of the large trees already in your yard and the density of their canopies. You must choose types of understory plants that can grow in the amount of light allowed in by the canopy of taller trees. Inspect your backyard to determine how much light will be available for understory trees and shrubs when all the trees presently growing there mature fully....

How to Upcycle Old Doors Build a garden bench: Use two old doors to make a garden bench, one door for the seat and one for the backrest. You can even cut an old paneled door into quarters and make a small, one-person (or child sized) garden bench chair. There will be two long panels and two shorter panels just right for a seat, back, and sides. Construct a Pergola: Two old doors in the garden can be used to build a pergola....

How to Grow a Watch Chain Succulent Growing Watch Chain is similar to growing most succulent Crassula plants. Ease them into full morning sun when outdoor temperatures are at least 45 to 50 degrees F. (7-10 C.) at the coldest part of the morning. Some morning sun, even in the hottest part of summer, does not seem to damage this plant but is best combined with some type of shade. In hardiness zones 9a to 10b, grow Watch Chain plants outside as groundcover, where they may also become small shrubs....

Essential Japanese Garden Tools Gardeners have a huge variety of traditional Japanese garden tools from which to choose, and some, such as those for bonsai and Ikebana, are highly specialized. However, there are several tools that no serious gardener should be without. Here are just a few: Hori Hori knife – Sometimes known as a weeding knife or soil knife, a hori hori knife has a slightly concave, serrated steel blade that makes it useful for digging out weeds, planting perennials, cutting sod, trimming small branches, or cutting through tough roots....

Tree Basal Shoots What is a basal shoot? By its terms, tree basal shoots are growth or shoots that appear at the base of a tree. When you start delving into the question though, it can be a little confusing. Some experts distinguish between water sprouts, suckers, offsets, and basal shoots, with recommendations on what to do with each. One of the primary distinctions is between a sucker and an offset....

What is a Beauty Leaf Tree? Beauty leaf tree (Calophyllum inophyllum) is a broadleaf evergreen native to Australia, Eastern Africa and Southern India to Malaysia. According to most Calophyllum tree info, lumber from a beauty leaf is very hard and of high quality. In shipbuilding it is used to make masts and planks, and it is also used to build fine furniture. All parts of the Calophyllum beauty leaf are considered poisonous....

What is a Golden Raintree? The golden raintree (Koelreuteria paniculata) is a lovely shade tree for backyards and gardens in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. According to golden raintree information, these trees fit well into smaller yards since they usually grow between 25 and 40 feet (8-12 m.) tall. Those growing golden raintrees love the dramatic panicles of small brilliant yellow flowers that appear midsummer on the tree’s spreading branches....

What is a Hand Weeder? When people talk about a hand weeder or a hand-held garden weeder, chances are good they’re all thinking of the same tool. A hand weeder is small, about the size of a regular garden trowel. It has a very similar handle in size and shape. Instead of a trowel’s head, however, the handle is attached to a long, thin metal pole that ends in two forking tines that are roughly 1 inch (2....

For more Japanese stewartia info and tips on Japanese stewartia care, read on. What is a Japanese Stewartia? Native to Japan, the Japanese stewartia tree (Stewartia pseudocamellia) is a popular ornamental tree in this country. It thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8. This lovely tree has a dense crown of oval leaves. It grows to about 40 feet (12 m.) tall, shooting up at the rate of 24 inches (61 cm....

In a fish tank, it is an undemanding plant that requires almost no care once established. Read on to learn more about this aquarium plant. Growing Ozelot Sword in a Fish Tank Ozelot Sword is an ideal plant for beginners and grows well even in sub-optimum conditions (although not quite as fast). The plant is amphibious, meaning it can be either fully or partially submersed. Very little care is required, but the following tips may help with Ozelot Sword plant care:...

What is Fig Souring? Symptoms of fig souring are usually easily recognizable. As the figs start to ripen, they will give off a fermented smell and a pink, syrupy liquid will begin to ooze from the eye, sometimes forming bubbles as it comes out. Eventually, the flesh inside the fruit will liquefy and become covered in a white scum. The fruit will go limp and black, then shrivel up and either drop from the tree or remain there until it is removed....

How to Grow a Medusa’s Head Euphorbia You may be lucky enough to find Medusa’s Head plants (Euphorbia caput-medusae) at a garden center that specializes in cacti and succulents. If you have a friend with a mature plant, ask if you can have a cutting to propagate your own plant. Let the cut end dry for a few days to develop a callus before planting. Medusa’s Head euphorbia is suitable for growing outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 9b through 11....

To narrow it down even further, there are several species of root knot nematodes. The type in your garden may vary from your neighbor’s garden, depending on the vegetables you grow. Different nematodes have different preferences. This article discusses the pea root knot nematode. Peas and Root Knot Nematodes Are peas affected by root knot nematodes? Unfortunately, root knot nematodes of peas are common, especially in sandy soil. What can you do about peas with root knot nematodes?...

Help, My Bananas are Cracking Open! No need to panic about banana fruit cracking. Among all the possible banana tree problems, this one is minimal. Why do bananas split on the bunch? The reason the fruit is cracking is likely due to high relative humidity of over 90% combined with temperatures over 70 F. (21 C.). This is especially true if bananas are left on the plant until ripe. Bananas need to be cut off the plant when still green to promote ripening....