Plant Gardens 101

An undesirable, very vigorous vertical shoot that forms on trees, usually in response to severe pruning. Also called watershoot.

The botanical name for chaste tree.

The botanical name for toadflax.

Is there a perfect location to erect a greenhouse kit? Is there anywhere that greenhouse kits can not be built?

Greenhouse kits can be built in a warm climate. You might be wondering why anyone would build a greenhouse in an area that has warm weather most of the year but there are actually some very good reasons. Greenhouse kits allow the gardener to adjust the temperature and air flow inside the structure. There is no way to control these things when you are gardening outside. When you have a greenhouse kit you can provide an atmosphere that encourages growth and success.

Maybe you live in a part of the country that gets a lot of rain or snow. This means that a greenhouse kit will come in handy because even when it’s snowing or sleeting outside all of your plants and flowers will stay warm and dry. (more…)

On carnivorous plants, a sensitive hair or filament that detects the arrival of an insect.

An insecticide that must be ingested in order to work and does not kill insects that simply touch it. Bt is an example.

Netlike or weblike. Often refers to leaves that are covered with a prominent network or webbing of veins. Can also refer to a netlike membrane that covers corms or other plant parts.

Many towns and cities of all sizes are encouraging people to bring their yard debris and green waste in to central recycling centers so that the yard waste can be composted. The main purpose of these efforts is to reduce the burden on the landfills, while at the same time providing recycling composting fertilizer for public parks and facilities. In some municipalities, people can “trade in” their yard debris for compost that they can use on their own property.

This use of yard waste on a municipal level has helped to reduce the burden on the landfills, while making people more aware of the importance of organic waste recycling and of the benefits of composting. At the same time, the parks and recreational departments are able to cut their budgets for fertilizer and soil treatments by utilizing the compost to treat and improve the soil in the parks. Some cities also use the compost to support the community vegetable garden projects as well. (more…)

An individual cone-shaped cover made of translucent waxed paper or plastic, used to protect new plants against cold weather or from birds.

The botanical name for poppy.

The botanical name for evening primrose.

A nonprofit organization working to conserve traditional crops of the United States and northern Mexico, as well as their wild relatives.

If you want to know what’s up in gardening trends, look no further than climbing plants and vines! Climbers are a great element to include in a landscape design. They can be trained to climb numerous structures of your choosing such as trellises, arbors and pergolas, decks, railings, and more. Climbing plants and vines can be strategically placed throughout the garden to cast shade or provide privacy as needed. Best of all, climbing plants will draw the eye upward, adding a vertical element to a horizontal landscape.

If you want to get started with climbing plants and vines, it’s a good idea to evaluate the options first. Your climate, soil type, and particular situational needs should all be taken into consideration when choosing a climbing plant. So what are some common types of climbing plants and vines? We’ll explore some of the more popular options that you might want to consider.

Wisteria: Wisteria is a beautiful flowering vine that grows rapidly in the sun. If you live in a climate that experiences winter, wisteria is a good choice, as it’s hardy up to Zones 4 or 5. As it grows, wisteria can become very woody and dense. After a few years of growth, wisteria will need a strong supporting structure. Be careful where you plant wisteria. Because of its rapid growth, size, and weight, you’ll want to be sure to plant it somewhere where it won’t do any damage to your home or property. Large wisteria vines, when left unchecked, can easily collapse a deck or other structure. (more…)

The botanical name for grape hyacinth.

Any of various fungal or bacterial diseases that result in a well-defined necrotic spot on a leaf. The roundish spots may be of various colors.

The tip of a stem where new growth occurs. When it is pinched off, side shoots usually develop below this point.

There are many things we do to add a little splash of color to our summer gardens but we often fail to focus on keeping our summer gardens looking lush and green just a little bit longer even though we know that by doing so we are essentially prolonging the life and therefore our enjoyment of our summer gardens. The focus of this article is to keep your summer garden looking crisp and green as long as possible by taking a few extra steps a little earlier in the summer months to prepare for the inevitable beginning of the end.

One thing to keep in mind is that once your summer garden begins to take on that yellowish brown hue that indicates the end of summer it always seems to be a downhill ride into the fall. That ride, more often than not is over far too quickly and your summer garden is but a dim reminder of its formerly glorious summer greenery.

First things first, get rid of the yellowing leaves and dying flowers as they make their appearance. They rob the remainder of the garden of its splendor and leave the pallor of decay on the garden far too soon in the season. You will be glad you did, as it will immediately restore the look of health and vitality that your summer garden is missing while also providing a much perkier attitude and bearing from the remaining plants.  (more…)