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What is Red Stele Disease? Red stele root rot afflicts strawberry plants in the northern regions of the United States. It is caused by the fungus Phytophthora fragariae. The disease afflicts not only strawberries, but loganberries and potentilla as well, although to a lesser extent. As mentioned, the disease is most common when conditions are cool and wet. During such periods, the fungus begins to move through the soil, infesting the root system of the strawberries....

Information about Basil ‘Spicy Globe’ Herbs Just what is Spicy Globe basil, you may ask. Ocimum basilicum ‘Spicy Globe’ is a member of the basil family that is usually grown as an annual herb. If you keep an indoor herb garden during winter, you may include this basil, as it is actually a perennial plant. The taste is more spicy than other basil varieties and is at its best when used fresh....

Nodding Lady’s Tresses Info Also known as nodding spiranthes, lady’s tresses orchid (Spiranthes cernua) grows wild throughout most of the central and eastern parts of the United States and Canada, as far west as Texas. This terrestrial orchid produces fragrant clusters of small white, yellow, or greenish flowers on spiky stems extending from ground-hugging rosettes. Mature plants reach heights of up to 2 feet (61 cm.). Spiranthes lady’s tresses orchids grow in marshes, bogs, woodlands, and riverbanks as well as along roadways, lawns, and other disturbed habitats....

What is Spring Squill? Spring blooms are simply magical, as they signal an end to winter and the start of the long, languorous days of summer. In coastal parts of Europe, the lucky hiker or beach goer may see the spring squill flower. This delicate blue bloom peeks out among seaside grasses. Its habitat is threatened, so populations are getting scarcer, but the dedicated beach comber can still find the plants in naturalized masses....

Is My Peach Tree Still Dormant? When peach trees go dormant, they produce growth inhibiting hormones that prevent them from growing or producing leaves and flowers. This keeps the tree from breaking dormancy before spring arrives. Cold weather breaks down the growth inhibiting hormones and allows the tree to break dormancy. The amount of exposure to cold weather required to break dormancy varies, and it’s best to choose a variety suited to winter temperatures in your area....

White Queen Tomato Info What is a White Queen tomato? Developed in the U.S., the White Queen is a cultivar of beefsteak tomato that has very lightly colored skin and flesh. While the fruits usually have a slight, yellow blush to them, they are often said to be the closest to true white of all the white tomato varieties. Its fruits are medium in size, usually growing to about 10 ounces (283....

But bulbs sprouting in winter isn’t normal in the cold winter climates of the East Coast, Midwest and the South. Are early flowering plants safe? What happens when it freezes again? Will the plants be permanently damaged? Will they bloom? People wonder how to protect plants that sprout early. Flowers Blooming too Early Climate is the major reason for plants flowering early. If the soil and air temperatures are above average for an extended period of time, leaf and flower buds may sprout ahead of schedule....

Can you plant hydrangeas in the fall? You can. And though the common wisdom is that you can plant hydrangeas in fall or spring, we think fall is the better idea. Read on to find out why. Meet the Hydrangea When you hear someone speaking of hydrangeas, do you automatically think of the bigleaf? Those snowball-size blossoms, (Hydrangea macrophylla), are so amazing that the bigleaf is one of the most popular types of hydrangea, and they can turn from blue to pink depending on how you amend the soil....

Why is My Quince Losing Flowers? A quince tree (Cydonia oblongata) covered with white and pink flowers in springtime is a lovely sight. When these flowers fall off before producing fruit (known as blossom drop), it’s certainly disappointing. Quince blossom drop may be due to several factors. Some amount of flower drop in quince is normal. The flowers near the tips of branches are the most likely to set fruit. Flowers located along the branches frequently fall off, but you may still get a good harvest....

Willow Oak Tree Information Willow oaks (Quercus phellos) are popular shade trees in parks and along streets. This tree grows fairly quickly and can become too large for some urban settings. The plant tolerates pollution and drought and has no serious insect or pest problems. The main factors for good willow oak tree care are water at establishment and some support when young. Willow oaks develop nicely symmetrical pyramid to round crown shapes....

Yellow Oleander Information Yellow oleander trees are so small that many consider them large bushes. Yellow oleander information suggests that these evergreen plants rarely get over 10 feet (3 m.) when cultivated, although they can get to 20 feet (6 m.) in the wild. The flower of yellow oleander looks like a narrow tube that flares out at the tip into five petals, twisted into a spiral shape. They are fragrant, about 2 inches (5 cm....

Yucca Baccata Information Like all types of yucca, banana yucca consists of mounded clumps of stiff, sword-shaped leaves. Tall, attractive spikes of creamy flowers appear in spring, although usually not every year. Plant experts think the plant sometimes needs to recuperate and rebuild a healthy store of carbohydrates before resuming blooming. In its natural environment, banana yucca often grows alongside sagebrush, pinyon juniper, or ponderosa pine. Although banana yucca is a desert plant, it is hardy and tolerates cold to -20 degrees F....

Cold Hardy Annuals “Annual” is a term we use a little loosely in cool climates for basically anything we grow that cannot survive outdoors in our winters. Tropical plants like cannas, elephant ear, and dahlias are often sold as annuals for zone 4, but their bulbs can be dug up in autumn to be dried and stored indoors through the winter. Plants that are perennials in warmer climates but grown as zone 4 annuals may include:...

Evergreen Trees for Zone 5 While there are many evergreens that grow in zone 5, here are some of the most favored choices for growing evergreens in zone 5 gardens: Arborvitae – Hardy down to zone 3, arborvitae is one of the more commonly planted evergreens in the landscape. Many sizes and varieties are available to suit any area or purpose. They are especially lovely as standalone specimens but make great hedges too....

Winter Gardening in Zone 6 When should you be planting winter vegetables? Many cool weather crops can be planted in late summer and harvested well into the winter in zone 6. When planting winter vegetables in late summer, sow the seeds of semi-hardy plants 10 weeks before the average first frost date and hardy plants 8 weeks before. If you start these seeds indoors, you’ll protect your plants from both the hot summer sun and capitalize on space in your garden....

Can You Grow Hydrangeas in Zone 8? Those who live in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 8 may wonder about growing hydrangeas for zone 8. The answer is an unconditional yes. Each type of hydrangea shrub thrives in a range of hardiness zones. Most of those ranges include zone 8. However, some zone 8 hydrangea varieties are more likely to be trouble-free than others, so those are the best zone 8 hydrangeas for planting in this region....

Zone 9 Evergreen Groundcovers Interested in growing zone 9 evergreen groundcovers? The following plants are certain to thrive in your region and provide year-round coverage: Beach morning glory – Also known as bayhops or railroad vine (Ipomoea pes-caprae), this is among the most prolific creeping evergreen plants for zone 9. The plant, which grows in a variety of difficult conditions, produces bright pink blooms sporadically all year long. Although the vine is a native plant and isn’t considered invasive, beach morning glory is a fast-growing plant that requires plenty of room to spread....

What is Exotic Manure? When animals such as oxen or mules were used to till the soil, they would often fertilize it at the same time. Even the use of human waste, as vile as it may seem, was popular for a time. Although human waste is not used today, the manure of such animals as pigs, steer, cows, horses, rabbits, turkeys, chickens, and other poultry are used in a variety of organic gardening practices....

About Red Leaf Plants The color of red foliage plants is due to the pigment anthocyanin. Anthocyanin absorbs green and yellow light which makes them appear red (or purple) to the human eye. Red foliage plants still photosynthesize, and thus contain chlorophyll which is responsible for the green coloration of most foliage, but the anthocyanin masks the green hues. Red Foliage Perennials Varieties Additional Red Foliage Plant Options

After the Bareroot Tree Transplant Arrives When your bareroot tree arrives, it will be in a dormant state. You can think of this as like suspended animation for plants. It’s important to keep the bareroot plant in this state until you are ready to plant it in the ground; otherwise, the plant will die. In order to do this, make sure to keep the roots of the plants moist by leaving the wrapping on the roots or packing the roots in damp peat moss or soil....