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Bee Friendly Plants for Shaded Areas Generally, bees prefer to buzz around plants in full sun, but there are some shade plants that bees love just as well. Honeybees are usually attracted to yellow, white, blue, and purple flowers. Native bees, like the mason bee — who actually pollinates more plants than honeybees, are attracted to fruit tree blossoms and native shrubs and perennials. Some shade-tolerant plants for bees are:...

Flowering Shrubs for Cold Climates In the U.S. Department of Agriculture zone system, zone 3 regions have winter temperatures that dive to negative 30 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit (-34 to -40 C.). That’s pretty cold and may be too cold for some perennials to survive. The cold can freeze the roots despite the snow cover. What areas are in zone 3? This zone stretches along the Canada border. It balances cold winters with warm to hot summers....

Why are My Seed Pods Mushy? There may be several reasons for soggy seed pods, such as a sudden shower or freeze. Seeds can deteriorate very fast in such wet and damp conditions. Insect infestations may also result in soggy seed pods that either rot or sprout prematurely. Can I Still Use Seeds from Wet Pods? In spite of the wetness, the seeds in the pods may be intact. If they are mature, you have a very good chance of saving them....

Staghorn Fern Outdoor Care The staghorn fern (Platycerium spp.) is native to tropical locations of South America, Africa, southeast Asia, and Australia. There are 18 species of staghorn ferns, also known as elkhorn ferns or moosehorn ferns, that grow as epiphytes in tropical regions all over the world. Some of these species have naturalized in Florida. Epiphytic plants grow on tree trunks, branches, and sometimes even rocks; many orchids are also epiphytes....

Why Use Egg Cartons for Seeds? There are a few great reasons to start using egg cartons for your starting seeds, especially if you are just starting out gardening or are starting plants from seeds for the first time. This is a great option. Here’s why: An egg carton seed tray is so cheap it’s free. Gardening can be expensive at times, so any way you can trim some costs helps....

My Tree Stump is Growing Back You have two options when it comes to getting rid of tree stumps and roots: grinding or chemically killing the stump. Grinding usually kills the stump on the first try if it’s done properly. Killing the stump chemically may take several tries. Stump Grinding Stump grinding is the way to go if you’re strong and enjoy running heavy equipment. Stump grinders are available at equipment rental stores....

Strawberry Water Needs Strawberries tend to dry out fairly quickly because they are shallow-rooted plants with roots that exist mostly in the top 3 inches (8 cm.) of soil. Generally, there is no need to water strawberries if your climate receives around 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5-4 cm.) of rainfall per week. In drier climates, you’ll have to provide supplemental moisture, especially during hot, dry weather. As a general rule, figure about an inch (2....

Sunflower Seed Heads There is a myriad of sunflower varieties to choose from that are suitable for growing either as ornamentals or for edible seed harvest. Traditional sunflowers grow to a height of about 5 plus feet (1.5 m.) and are typically a sunny yellow, but modern hybrids come in dwarf varieties of 1 to 2 feet (31-61 cm.) and a wide range of yellows, burgundies, reds, bronzes, and browns. All of these sunflower seed heads are enticing to birds, from chickadees to siskins, redpolls, nuthatches, and goldfinches....

About Survival Plants When it comes to plants that you can eat in the wild, it is first important to establish whether or not consuming the plant will be safe. When foraging for edible wild plants, they should never be consumed without absolute positive identification that they are safe to eat. This is especially important, as many edible plants closely resemble others that are toxic to humans. Foragers also need to consider the source of the plant....

Swamp Sunflower Info Swamp sunflower plant (Helianthus angustifolius) is a branching plant that produces deep green leaves and masses of bright yellow, daisy-like petals surrounding dark centers. The flowers, which measure 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm.) across, appear in late summer and early fall when most plants are finished for the season. Swamp sunflower grows wild across much of the eastern United States and is often found in coastal marshlands and disturbed areas such as along roadside ditches....

Tatarian Maple Facts Tatarian maple trees (Acer tataricum) are small trees or large shrubs native to native to western Asia. They may grow 20 feet (6 meters) tall but often spread to 25 feet (7.5 meters) or wider. Despite this short height, they shoot up fast, sometimes 2 feet (0.5 meters) per year. These trees are considered ornamentals. They produce panicles of greenish-white flowers in springtime. The fruit is also eye-catching: long, red samaras that hang on the tree for a month or so before falling....

Taunton Yew Information Taunton yew shrubs (Taxus x media ‘Tauntonii’) have many features that make them a delight in your backyard or garden. They are also known by the common name Taunton’s yew. Those growing Taunton yews love the shrubs’ deep green needles, which seem to resist summer burn and winter freeze damage. Taunton yew shrubs grow some 3 to 4 feet (1 m.) tall and 5 to 6 feet (1....

Everyone recognizes the lovely fragrance of a honeysuckle plant and the sweet taste of its nectar. Honeysuckles are heat-tolerant and wildly attractive in any garden. A honeysuckle plant is a great addition to any landscape and will draw abundant wildlife with its sweet, yellow to bright-red blossoms. Honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.) belong to a large family that consists of hardy shrubs and vines that grow in almost every state in America....

How to Propagate Houseplant Cuttings You don’t need anything more than some clean flowerpots, a sharp knife, and some cutting compost. A few short sticks might come in handy to support the new cuttings as well. You have to be sure you provide a lighted place with an even temperature of 55 to 64 degrees F. (13-18 C.); more for tropical plants. You can grow more than one cutting in each pot as well....

Symptoms of Bacterial Speck on Tomatoes Tomato bacterial speck is one of three tomato diseases that have similar symptoms. The other two are bacterial spot and bacterial canker. Bacterial speck on tomatoes is caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas syringae pv. The symptoms of bacterial speck (as well as spot and canker) are small spots that appear on the leaves of the tomato plant. These spots will be brown in the center surrounded by a yellow ring....

Hostas are easily moved once you know how to. To transplant hosta plants, you’ll need a good shovel, nutritious additives for the soil, and, for larger specimens in particular, a means to move your plant. When to Transplant Hostas Before we discuss how to transplant hostas, we need to talk about when to transplant hostas and that involves both the time of day and time of year. The best time to transplant hostas is in the spring, but that’s really because it’s easier on you, the gardener, than on the transplant....

What is Fire Blight of Loquats? Fire blight of loquats is a serious bacterial disease caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovaora. The first signs of the disease occur in the early spring when temps are above 60 F. (16 C.) and the weather is a typical spring mix of rain and humidity. This disease attacks some plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, to which loquat belongs. It may also infect:...

Mites That Affect Succulents Due to the dizzying array of succulents to choose from, many people are so fascinated by them they become virtual succulent hoarders. Collecting succulents is a great hobby, but the one downside may be if the collection becomes pest infested. Pest and diseases especially afflict large collections and can be difficult to control in its entirety. Mealybugs, scale, whitefly, various weevils, and a few varieties of mites are examples of pests that attack succulents....

Unfortunately, there are no options for treating pear stony pit virus, but you may be able to prevent the disease from occurring. Read on to learn about pear stony pit prevention. About Pears with Stony Pit Dark green spots on pears with stony pit show up about three weeks after petal fall. Dimpling and one or several deep, cone-shaped pits are usually present on the fruit. Badly infected pears are inedible, turning discolored, lumpy, and gnarled with a stone-like mass....

What is Sooty Blotch? Sooty blotch fungus is a common problem in apple trees with poor air circulation or where humidity is high during the cool season. The fungus Gloeodes pomigena is responsible for the dark, smutty discoloration that makes affected apples look impossibly damaged. Fortunately for growers, sooty blotch on apples is a surface disease only; it may make your apples hard to sell at market, but if you’re eating them at home or canning them for later, a thorough wash or peel will remove all of the fungus....