What does blossom end rot look like? Gardeners who experience blossom end rot will not soon forget it. The distinctive appearance of affected fruits is pretty memorable. Blackened, sunken cankers appear on the bottom (blossom end) of the fruits. The top of the tomatoes look completely normal, but when the gardener plucks them from the vine and turns them over, the black lesion is clearly evident on the bottom of the fruit....
Canning pears is a great way to enjoy them through the winter and beyond. In this post, I’ll show you exactly how to do it with full step by step instructions. If you have a pear tree or two, you know that there often isn’t enough time to eat all of the fruits before they go bad. The good news is, canning pears is pretty darn easy, and doesn’t take much time....
Common cucumber plant problems Poor planting techniques stunt growth Cucumbers are easy to grow from seeds sown directly into the garden, but for northern gardeners with short growing seasons, it may help give you a jump on the season to plant transplants out into the garden, rather than seeds. The trouble is that cucumber plants don’t like to have their roots disturbed and commonly suffer from transplant shock. When struggling with this physiological disorder, cucumber transplants show signs of delayed growth and development, negating the timing benefits of planting young seedlings, rather than planting seeds....
Easter cactus plants are easy to grow and they require minimal care. In this post, I’ll show you all there is to know in order to keep them thriving and blooming for years to come. The Easter cactus and its spring flowers can be a lovely addition to any houseplant collection. Even a beginner gardener can grow and rebloom them every year by learning to create the environment they need to thrive....
Starting to Grow Eggplants Because eggplants need warmth to grow, they are best started indoors from seeds and transplanted after the soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees F and the danger of frost has past. Gardeners can buy transplants or grow their own from seed. One advantage of growing eggplants from seed is that you have more choice because specialty seed growers offer different varieties—ranging from the standard Black Beauty to large, white ovals like Casper and Easter Egg to long, slim purple fruits like Long Purple and Ichiban....
You’ve heard about terrariums and know it’s all about growing plants in a transparent container, usually made of glass. But just how does a terrarium work? Terrariums have been around for over 150 years, but they’ve become really popular in recent years. They let you grow a little world of plants inside a glass vessel. And best of all, these little miniature worlds are easy to care for. These mini gardens are ideal in your home, in small apartments, or to brighten up your office....
Luckily, there are a variety of options for safely and effectively ridding your houseplants of the little flies that are emerging from the soil medium. Bradysia spp., Orfelia spp. Once you notice them, flying slightly above your plants or in your face, you can’t ignore fungus gnats. Somehow, these quiet, tiny flies are as annoying as noisy house flies, and you’re on a mission to deal with them once and for all....
Now, this shrub has certain conditions that need to be met in order for it to thrive. It’ll also need occasional maintenance to keep it looking sharp. Carpenteria californica Putting on a gorgeous display, and as rare in the wild as a precious metal, the bush anemone truly is the stuff of legend. Native to just a single small patch of California, this woody shrub grows up to ten feet in height with an equal spread, and has the drought and wildfire tolerance necessary for surviving SoCal’s unique climate....
Also known as wild blueberries, these deciduous shrubs grow in dense groups, each spreading up to two feet tall and wide. Vaccinium angustifolium, V. myrtilloides One of my favorite summer activities is roaming through the woodlands near my home in Vermont, foraging for lowbush blueberries. A few summers ago, I decided to bring the berries to me and planted several V. angustifolium shrubs in my garden. Lowbush blueberries are sweeter and hardier than their highbush counterparts, and fairly easy to grow....
This guide contains all you need to know to grow and care for tulips, as well as an introduction to the many varieties from which to choose. Tulipa spp. Have you ever visited a botanical garden on a warm spring day and marveled at tulips in a rainbow of colors, with shapes ranging from cups to stars, contrasting striations, and ruffled edges? Now’s your chance to bring a taste of that awesome display home....
Here’s what’s to come in this article: I love citrus fruit, but living in the Vermont mountains, I don’t often have access to freshly grown lemons, limes, or oranges. Fortunately, while perhaps not quite as impressive or fruitful as a tropical citrus orchard would be, it is possible to successfully grow citrus plants in pots indoors. Even here, in my USDA Hardiness Zone 4 climate, where snow coats the ground for practically half the year....
By Jennifer Poindexter Are you in the market for an easy-to-grow herb? You just hit the jackpot. Chinese flowering leeks (also known as garlic chives) are one of the easiest plants to grow. They aren’t difficult to plant, require little care, and provide a fruitful harvest. Whether you’re new to gardening and need an easy plant to start with or are looking for a new herb to add flavor to your kitchen, you must check into Chinese flowering leeks....
We’re assuming that you’ve read our previous post on How to make a birdcage planter. If not, please read that first. Let’s see how to grow succulents in a birdcage Step One: If you are growing succulents, take cuttings of your favorite plants or buy them. Step Two: Fill the birdcage with a well-drained potting mix for succulents. You can make that soil at home, too by mixing 3 parts of potting soil, 2 parts of sand and 1 part of perlite....
No matter, you’ll still undoubtedly produce a gorgeous plant that will not only add color to your yard, but that you can also eat! Many people know you can propagate a fuchsia plant from cuttings, but have you ever eyed your fetching flowers and wondered if you could propagate more by sowing the seeds? Well, you can! You know those little pods that are left behind after a flower falls off?...
Requirements Translucent Planter White Planter Pot (one size smaller than the translucent planter) Solar Power Solar LED Light Rope Gravels Foil (optional) Hot Glue Drill Procedure 1. Arrange a Translucent Planter Get a clear pot from any local store. To check if it works, shine a flashlight through the planter. 2. Smaller Planter You will need one more planter, it should be one size smaller than the first one. 3. Wrap it in Foil Either paint the small planter using white paint (if it isn’t already) or wrap it in foil....
Whatever you call them, these little berries are a superfood that you can easily grow for yourself. Physalis spp. Ever wish you could plant a berry bush or fruit tree and get instant fruit? Ground cherries are the answer to your impatience! Related to the ubiquitous garden tomato, these summer annuals can be included in your veggie garden to provide a crop of delicious, tropical-flavored fruit in just one growing season....
Read on to learn what to do to keep your crops from bolting and going to seed, and what steps to take once they do. Turnips are typically an easy and productive crop to grow in the spring or fall garden. Both the leafy tops and roots are edible, nutritious, and can be stored and eaten in a variety of ways. While relatively low maintenance, early bolting of turnips is a common frustration among many growers....
Truly, the tomato is a favorite food in vegetable gardening, especially when it comes to growing tomato plants from seed. Seeds for popular varieties can be found at any major seed distributor. Learning about tomato germination and planting is important since gardening with tomatoes is so rewarding! Table of Contents Gardening friends get together to discuss tomato plant cultivation just as spring arrives. They cultivate tomatoes easily indoors in grow tents, greenhouses, or hydroponic systems with proper amounts of light and the right temperature....
Stunning and distinctive, the Rex Begonia is a semi-tropical perennial plant that grows in tropical and semitropical climates. With a jaw-dropping plumage, this plant is also known as painted leaf begonia due to its unique coloration! Let’s have a look at the top tips on the best Rex Begonia Care! Here are the most awesome types of rex begonia you can grow Rex Begonia Care Native to tropical regions, Rex Begonias thrive in bright indirect sunlight, and this allows their colors such as purples, pinks, greens, and silvers to be as vibrant as they can get....
Vermiculite and perlite are in many potting soil mixes, but you may not be aware of why you should use vermiculite in your garden soil mixes. If you have water-loving plants, want vigorous seed germination, or need to help cuttings develop strong roots, you’ll want to use vermiculite in your gardening practice! Table of Contents So, what is this stuff? It’s a naturally occurring mineral mined in several places around the world, including the USA, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, and Zimbabwe—it can be found on nearly every continent!...
