Host plants are the plants where butterflies and moths lay their eggs. They’re important because those plants are what a new caterpillar will start to eat after it has hatched—and after it has consumed its egg shell. A female butterfly will lay her eggs in clusters or as single eggs, depending on the species. You will often find them underneath a leaf or along a plant stem. In this article, I’m going to share some butterfly host plants for common North American butterflies....

Question: Can you eat too many artichokes? Should I try to preserve some artichokes instead of trying to eat them when they are fresh? -Fran L. Answer: Everything in moderation is a good rule to follow where diet is concerned. If you eat too much of any one particular thing, there will most likely be negative consequences. Even the healthiest foods in the world will cause problems if they are consumed in abundance....

A Brief History Featured as a local event in Sydney, Australia in 2007 to combat against global warming. In 2008 it became a mass movement and appreciated in 35+ countries and became a global event afterwards. What you ought to do Don’t toss it away as needless upshot, show your support and switch off all the lights at least for 15 minutes if you can. Come outside your home, see the depths of sky and wait till the time pass on....

The forget-me-not flower is pretty unforgettable. Those dainty blue (or sometimes pink or white) flowers sure do make a garden look its best! However, some people can’t forget them because they spread like crazy and quickly become invasive! If you’re not careful with the beautiful blooms of forget-me-nots, you’ll find yourself wishing you could forget. Table of Contents If you have bad luck with keeping plants alive, you may want to welcome this relentless flower into your empty flower beds....

What are black beans? Black beans originated in Central and South America. They’re the same species as snap beans, but are grown for their dried seeds, not immature pods. For this reason, black beans take longer than snap beans to go from seed to harvest. They need about 95 to 105 days versus snap beans which are harvested 50 to 55 days from planting. Beans are a warm season vegetable and grown between the spring and fall frost dates....

While you may be picturing the brown fuzzy kiwis you find at the grocery store, those aren’t the kiwi fruits I’m talking about. Grocery store kiwis (Actinidia chinensis) are native to southern Asia and they don’t survive temperatures lower than 10 degrees F. But, hardy kiwis (Actinidia arguta) are native to northern China and Russia and can survive temperatures as low as -25 degrees F. And, best of all, hardy kiwi fruits do not have to be peeled!...

QUESTION: It looks like all of my beet seeds sprouted. How do you thin beets in the garden? -Paul S ANSWER: You can thin beet seedlings when they are three inches tall. Cut down the entire portion of the seedling that is above the ground. If you don’t like eating beet greens, still prune the beet plants in order to keep the leafy older plants from pushing their way into their neighbors territory and to thin out the younger plants....

They may develop unsightly balls of spores called galls, or sori. Inside are masses of teliospores. As the galls age, they release clouds of spores that waft through a growing space and land on foliage and soil. Ustilaginomycetes Smut fungi, or Ustilaginomycetes, are parasites that infect plants with teliospores that enter plant tissue, and have the ability to overwinter and return from year to year. They are known as “true” smuts....

To help you grow more spider plants, we have all the tips and tricks on How to Get More Spider Plant Babies in easy ways! Have a look at the different ways to propagate Spider Plants here How Much Time Spider Plants Take to Reproduce? The reproduction cycle begins within 1-2 years when spider plants are mature and rooted well. Several elements are essential in the effectiveness of the reproduction method of your spider plant....

Fungus gnats (also called soil gnats) are probably the most common (and annoying) houseplant pests. So, in this post, I’m going to tell you all about them, and show you how to get rid of them – FOR GOOD! The worst part about fungus gnats is that they can infest any plant that is growing in soil. Which means, if you have indoor plants, they can get into every one of them....

Here are some super effective ways on How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs from Home and Garden to ensure these foul-smelling pests stay away for good. Learn How to Get Rid Off Mealybugs here How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs from Home and Garden Stink bugs produce a foul smell if squished or disturbed. Most people find the smell disgusting, like skunk, burnt tires, ammonia, or cilantro. The critters love to feed on squash, apples, peaches, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, gourds, and berries....

Fig offers you the best of both worlds – it looks great with the glossy foliage when the plant is not fruiting and when it does, you can enjoy the tasty harvest with your heart’s content! If you are short on space, then here’s everything on How to Grow a Fig Tree in a Pot. Check out our article on growing apple trees in pots here Best Fig Varieties for Pots While growing figs in pots, you need first to choose an appropriate variety that would be suitable for containers....

In this article, you’ll learn how to cultivate this landscape plant for foundation or stand-alone placements, as well as mixed borders and hedges. Spiraea thunbergii ‘Ogon’ (Mellow Yellow) Baby’s breath spirea, Spiraea thunbergii, is an ornamental woody shrub in the Rosaceae family. It has gracefully arching stems and slender, slightly-serrated lanceolate leaves. The ‘Ogon’ cultivar, S. thumbergii ‘Ogon’, aka Mellow Yellow, is noteworthy for its early spring bloom time and golden leaves....

In other words, they’re beautiful and versatile. Oh, and did I forget to mention that they’re not prone to pests and diseases? Papaveraceae Family There’s a reason that poppies make an appearance in so much artwork and in so many gardens across the world. They’re dazzling. The paper-thin petals are incredibly elegant, in shades that range from eye-poppingly vibrant to soft and subtle. The blooms can be petite and simple or massive and full....

One such plant is the coral bark Japanese maple, which – in addition to stunning spring, summer, and fall foliage – also looks amazing in winter. Acer palmatum Back when I was in high school, there were a fair number of jocks, i.e. sport-playing athletic people. And while the single-sport kids made it pretty far, it was the multi-sport folks who were the greatest athletes. The ones who played a different sport every season had the most adaptability, cross-conditioning, and all-around physical awesomeness....

Harvesting lavender is simple, and the more you do it, the more you’ll get. In this post, you’ll learn what part to cut, and the best time to do it. Then I’ll show you exactly how to pick the buds and leaves, and give you tips for storing them too. Lavender is a beautiful and highly fragrant herb that is extremely popular for it’s calming effect. Lots of gardeners love growing lavender in their home garden for the bright purple flowers alone....

Information Are you seeing spots on the leaves of your roses? Black Spot is a common rose disease, and is especially prevalent in rainy, humid climates. In this article, gardening expert and rose enthusiast Danielle Sherwood explains everything you need to know about black spot, including how to identify, prevent, and treat it. By Danielle Sherwood Last updated: December 7, 2022 | 6 min read Perhaps you’re putting your “nose to the rose” and enjoying the perfume of your favorites, when you notice some ugly discoloration and yellowing on otherwise healthy shrubs....

When I ask people what their biggest struggle is, one of the most common answers I get is watering the vegetable garden. Watering your veggie garden be a huge pain during the heat of summer, there’s no doubt about that. Not only is it a chore, doing it wrong can cause major problems. Some you may not even realize are related. It seems like it would be a total no-brainer… but it’s not....

What are round zucchini? Zucchini, or summer squash, is a warm season vegetable in the squash and pumpkin family with fruits that are harvested when immature and very tender. Round zucchini varieties like Eight Ball and Piccolo are best picked small, from one to four inches across, and can be enjoyed in the same way as all types of zucchini – grilled, sautéed, roasted, and baked. The round shape makes this vegetable perfect for hollowing out and stuffing with meats, vegetables, rice, and herbs....

Plants can benefit from a lot of things, and coffee is one of them. Surprised? Don’t be! We have some of the best Coffee Uses in the Garden to help you out! Here are the best plants that LOVE Coffee Coffee Uses in the Garden 1. Growing Veggies in Coffee Grounds Using coffee grounds in the vegetable garden ensures a slow supply of nitrogen and lowers the pH, thereby contributing to the growth of healthy and robust plants....