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Trees & Houseplants : Home & Garden
How to Care for Purple Ninebarks
The purple ninebark, a deciduous shrub reaching 10 feet in height and width, produces green foliage that turns yellow in autumn with pink, white or purple flowers. The ninebark is a perennial shrub that can be renewed each year with little maintenance.The plant is best for gardeners who wish to cove
Are Stems of Sunflowers Ever Purple?
The sunflower or Helianthus family contains many different varieties. Helianthus annuus, or the common sunflower, is distinguished by its vivid yellow blossoms and green stems, but not all sunflowers have the same basic coloring. In the sunflower family, purple-stemmed flowers aren't rare at all.
Care for Weeping Cherry Tree
Weeping cherry trees (Prunus subhirtella) come in a variety of sizes with mature heights ranging between 15 and 30 feet. These deciduous trees produce downward swooping branches that give way to deep green foliage that turns yellow in fall. Weeping cherries prefer planting in well-drained, sunny soi
How to Prune a Dwarf Blue Spruce
The blue spruce, also known as the Colorado blue spruce, can reach heights up to 85 feet with a crown width of up to 30 feet. Unless you have a lot of land to work with, a full-size blue spruce may not be ideal for your property. Like full-size blue spruces, a dwarf blue spruce produces distinctive
What Type of Soil for My Garden?
Selecting an appropriate soil for your gardening needs can be tricky. Various types of plants thrive in soils with different qualities. Before planting, collect a sample of your soil and take it to a county extension office to have it tested. The test results will indicate what type of soil you have
How to Harvest a Blanket Flower Seed
The blanket flower, also known as Indian blanket and firewheel, is a common North American weed with big, bright red and yellow flowers. In fall, after the flowers die, the blanket flower produces large seed heads. When the seed heads become gray and fuzzy, they are mature enough for harvest. Combin
Vinegar for Organic Weed Control in Cat Tails
Vinegar is a nontoxic solution that controls weeds around cattails. Careful application of the vinegar produces desirable results in most cases, but you may need several applications if the weeds are in an advanced stage of growth.
How Make Your Own Garden Soil
Buying gardening soil is certainly convenient, but if you have a large garden, plant often or through several seasons, buying soil in bags may become expensive throughout the year. With a few simple tools, soil from your own yard and organic compost materials, you can make large batches of nutrient-
How to Get Rid of Mushrooms on Tree Barks
Mushrooms and other fungi growing on tree trunks in your yard is typically a sign of excess moisture or rot in the wood. A healthy tree will rarely be plagued with mushrooms, while an unhealthy tree is often fraught with them. Using a herbicide to kill the mushrooms is not advisable because it may d
How to Prune Large Apple Trees
Pruning apple trees is important to keeping a tree healthy and symmetrical. Removing dead branches quickly will prevent disease or infestation from spreading and harming the rest of your apple tree. Regular pruning of stray branches and twigs will invigorate your tree and encourage new, healthy grow
How to Deadhead Lantana
Lantanas produce clusters of brightly colored flowers on stalks that emerge above the bright green foliage. Lantanas grow as a perennial in areas that experience mild frost or as an annual in colder regions. Deadheading and trimming back the plants throughout the growing season encourages the plants
Is a Chinese Elm Tree Softwood or Hardwood?
According to the University of Florida, the Chinese elm tree is a hardwood tree. Chinese elms, which are also known as Drake elms or lacebark elms, are ornamental trees that are native to northern China, Japan and Korea. They became popular trees to plant in urban areas because they're resistant to
A Homemade Prevention for Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew is a common fungal disorder that is characterized by the appearance of a white or gray powdery fungus on the surface of plant leaves, flowers or fruits. Found on both indoor and outdoor plants, for the most part powdery mildew is simply unattractive. But in some cases it can be fatal
How to Plant Flowers in a Big Wooden Pot
Big wooden pots make attractive and sturdy containers for planted flowers. You can place these pots just about anywhere, indoors and out. Some woods, such as cedar, are good for use as planting containers because they do not rot quickly. Any type of wood will do, however. If you are concerned about
Does Passiflora Grow in Zone 10?
Passiflora -- the botanical genus name for the vines known as passionflowers -- comprises 18 species, some producing edible passionfruits. U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zone 10 is where winter temperatures drop on average each year to 30 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, often avoiding frost.
Types of Banana Peppers
Banana Peppers are usually yellow when harvested, turning red as it matures.banana peppers image by cherie from Fotolia.comThe Banana Pepper derived its name from its long, crooked banana-shape fruit and the yellow color when maturing. Banana peppers belong to the Capsicum family and have...
Trees in the Birch Family
Birch treesbirch trees image by Calin Tatu from Fotolia.comThe birch tree is a small sized shrub or tree which belongs to the Betulaceae family. The tree grows abundantly in temperate Nordic climates and on hills and mountainsides. The branches of the tree are long and hang downwards and...
Orange Tree Growth
The growth of an orange tree is relatively predictable, as it generally follows a specific life cycle in much the same way that humans and animals do. All orange trees begin with a single seed, which can be harvested directly from the fruit. The orange tree then follows a growth cycle that can be ro
Spider Mites in Illinois
Spider mites are tiny insects that can pack a big punch if they infest gardens or agricultural crops. The two-spotted spider mite is a particular challenge for Illinois farmers and gardeners, as it quickly develops resistance to miticides. Some infestations have worsened after miticide applications,
How to Grow Bhut Jolokia Pepper Hottest Pepper in The World
Bhut Jolokia pepper is rated the hottest pepper in the world with a rating of over one million Scoville heat units.