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Trees & Houseplants : Home & Garden
How to Strip Turf
Lawns are beautiful, fun to roll on, great for croquet. But they're also among the most high-maintenance, water-hogging ways to landscape - and they're tenacious, especially if they have not been maintained well. That's why sometimes you just gotta strip 'em off.
How to Grow an Oak Tree Indoors
You can grow a seedling oak tree indoors, but only for a few years. Oaks have extensive, deep root systems, and will not tolerate being pot-bound for long. A mature oak can reach a height and spread of more than 100 feet and live for hundreds of years, but each one starts life as a tiny seed encased
The Best Time to Plant Cabbage
Cabbage is a member of the brassica vegetable family that also includes brussels sprouts, kale and collards. Cabbage has been cultivated since ancient Greece and Rome. Celtic wanderers introduced it to Europe in 600 B.C. The round vegetable comes in shades of red and green and is composed of layers
How Does a Fish Breathe?
Many people are fascinated that fish have the ability to breathe under water. The way a fish does this very complex. This article will explain in simple terms how a fish breathes under water. All fish use a variation of the process to be described to take in oxygen from the water.The...
Trees & Plants That Grow Well in Acidic Soil
Heather plants prefer acidic soil.Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty ImagesAcidic soil has a pH of 7.0 or below, which decreases the availability of some nutrients to plants. Other nutrients, such as aluminum and manganese, may become available in toxic amounts and cause plant damage. Acidic soils...
Which Flowering Shrubs are Hardy to Zone Four?
The delicate flowers of a spirea bush welcome spring in zone 4 landscapes.spirea image by Alison Bowden from Fotolia.comIf you live in USDA Hardiness Zone 4, you know temperatures in the winter months can drop to -20 to -30 degrees F. What this means for your landscape plants is that the...
What Are the Little White Bugs on My Jade Plant?
Tiny, white mealybugs are notorious enemies of the jade plant, affecting even plants that have been healthy for years. Mealybugs can be recognized by the tiny white or gray insects or the fluffy white ovisacs that hold the insect's eggs.
How to Kill Gnats Outside
Gnats are pesky little bugs that fly around. They are extremely small in size, but multiply very quickly. Female gnats lay up to 300 eggs at a time, but these gnats only live four months. They are attracted to light like many other bugs. Gnats can be extremely annoying for homeowners when they are a
What Kind of Soil for a Garden?
A new vegetable or flower garden grows best in the right type of soil. Most beds don't naturally contain the optimum soil conditions for the type of plants you are considering, but there are ways to improve the soil that work in most beds. Improving the soil to match the needs of your garden plants
How to Water Your Plants With Milk Jugs
Every plant has certain needs that must be met in order for it to live and grow. Part of caring for a plant is providing it with the correct amount of water on a regular basis. Outdoor plants are usually watered by natural rainfall or outdoor sprinklers. Houseplants, however, require that you water
Long Blooming Plants
Sweet william bears long-lasting, fringed blooms.sweet william image by Michel Essiambre from Fotolia.comLiven up the garden by planting long blooming plants. Grown in a wide range of shapes and sizes, they provide a brilliant display with their stunning flowers and ornamental foliage. To...
Are Oak Trees Shady?
Before planting any new tree on your property, it is important to factor in all of the tree's characteristics. This helps you determine the best location for the tree within your landscape and whether plants and fixtures can be incorporated into the yard space below. It also helps you decide which t
Weeping Willow Adaptations
Weeping willow, known scientifically as Salix x sepucralis, is known for its graceful, drooping crown and presence near rivers, lakes and wetlands. In certain regions the weeping willow is considered an undesirable invasive species. Whether the willow is situated where it is native or invasive, cert
The Best Types of Soil for Water Retention
Certain plants require that their soil is moist at all times. To achieve this, gardeners need to use soil with the ability to retain water. The best type of soil for water retention has several different and specific properties, and various soils that have these properties can also be blended togeth
How to Grow Norfolk Island Pine Trees
Native to Norfolk Island in the Pacific Ocean, the tree is not a true pine. Instead, the Norfolk pine is a member of the ancient Araucariaceae family. Planted outdoors, Norfolk pines can reach 200 feet tall. They also make good indoor container plants when grown in bright light and humid conditions.
Fertilizer Weight of Nitrogen
Nitrogen is the element used by plants for energy. A plant lacking proper access to nitrogen will be stunted and have poor reproduction. Nitrogen usually is sold in a combination with other elements as part of a balanced fertilizer.
How to Pick Persimmons
Persimmon trees produce fruits that look similar to a slightly flattened tomato. The tree grows best in climates where temperatures remain above 10 degrees Fahrenheit, as colder temperatures injure or kill the persimmon. The fruits develop from flowers that bloom in late spring and early summer, and
The Yucca Flower & the Yucca Moth
The yucca flower (Yucca glauca) is a member of the lily family and the state flower of New Mexico. The Yucca genus includes around 40 species, mainly from southwestern United States and Mexico. The yucca plant has a unique pollination system using the yucca moth.
How to Germinate Bamboo Seeds
The bamboo plant seldom flowers, making bamboo seeds extremely difficult to find. Since the seeds are so rare, information on the germination process is also difficult to find. Here's how to do it: