Browsing Category
Trees & Houseplants : Home & Garden
What Causes the Formation of Crystals?
A crystal is a material that is solid. It contains atoms, ions and molecules that are arranged in a repeating pattern that is orderly, extending into the three spatial dimensions. Crystallography is the science that studies how crystals are formed because it explores how atoms come to be arranged in
Flowers That Look Like Lillies
Large, colorful lily petals make attractive landing pads for insects.pink lilies image by susie peek-swint from Fotolia.comGardeners and flower arrangers who are attracted to lilies for their colorful, six-petal blooms and prominent, pollen-topped stamens, can choose from an enormous...
Value of a Fruit Tree in the Yard
Whether you're thinking of planting a fruit tree in your yard or have a few trees there already, be aware of the value these plants can bring to your home. Cultivating fruit trees at home can be beneficial for the whole family.
How to Care for Gaura Plants
The gaura plant, also known as the butterfly plant, has white and pink flowers which, when fully open, closely resemble a butterfly’s wings. The plant is native to South and Central America, and as such, is extremely heat and drought tolerant, and is hardy in zones 6 through 9. The plant w
How to Tell When the Grapefruits on a Tree Are Ready
Many gardeners grow grapefruit successfully at home. According to Purdue University, grapefruit was first grown in Florida as a novelty tree. However, people started to get a taste for the fruit and now it is grown throughout the country in regions that do not experience harsh winters. Knowing when
Steps to Making Distilled Water
The distilling process removes all minerals from water. Water boils and turns to steam, leaving behind the minerals in the water. When this steam cools it condenses back into water, which is then known as distilled. Preparing and collecting this water gives you an ingredient for science experiments
Vascular Non-Flowering Seed Plants
Conifers are vascular nonflowering seed plants.Anna Yu/Photodisc/Getty ImagesThe majority of all terrestrial plant species are vascular. Vascular plants are those that have an extensive vascular system, comprising of xylem vessels and phloem cells. Xylem vessels transport minerals and...
Frangipani Fungus
Frangipani is the common name for members of the plumeria family. These tropical plants are native to Central America, Mexico and South America, but are more closely associated with Hawaii, where their flowers are used to make traditional leis. Frangipani have few problems, but there are a number of
Potting Soil Recipes for a Baby Rubber Plant
Ficus are common houseplants, and the baby rubber plant is one of the more simple varieties to grow. The baby rubber plant is a dwarf variety of rubber trees, or ficus elastica. While it requires only a minimal amount of care, the proper potting soil is vital to the continued health of...
How to Landscape With Pineapple Guava
The pineapple guava, or feijoa, is a shrub that tolerates the temperature in USDA climate zones 8 through 10, or winter lows down to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. It originated in South America's subtropical area and is an evergreen shrub with multiple branches. It produces edible flowers and green fruit t
Low-Flying Lawn Insects
Homeowners often notice low-flying insects on their lawn, especially during the spring and summer months. Low-flying insects are typically beneficial insects, feeding on damaging lawn pests.
Leaves Are Falling Off a Christmas Cactus
Christmas cacti not only make good holiday gifts, but the plants can be maintained throughout the year to bloom during the next holiday season. Unfortunately, by the time your Christmas cactus gets to you, it might already be suffering from fluctuating temperatures and poor watering. Your plant need
What Time of Year Is Good to Plant Fruit Trees?
When you grow your own fruit, it just seems to taste better. A ripe, juicy peach still warm from the sun makes a healthy snack. If you have some space in your yard, you can grow a fruit tree.
How to Get Rid of Scale on Shrubs
Scale insects feed on plant sap. Their appetite can kill off branches and even entire shrubs and trees. Since they lack a separate head and are normally immobile, they are not immediately identifiable as insects. Scale insects secrete a honeydew that ants eat; therefore, ants symbiotically protect t
How to Propagate Rhododendron Roseum
Rhododendrons come in over 850 natural varieties and hundreds of hybrids. Rhododendron Roseum is a catawbiens hybrid that is an excellent choice for beginners because it's hardy and endures temperature extremes better than most other rhododendrons. The flower color is lavender pink with green markin
How to Fight Onion Soft Rot
Onion soft rot is a bacterial disease commonly seen in onions. It is usually caused by wounds through which the bacteria enter the bulb. These bacteria are found in the soil or passed by onion maggots. Infected bulbs are soft with yellowed tissue that turns brown as the bacteria progresses. The neck
How to Work With Asbestos Cement
Asbestos cement was used in the early 1900s because of its flexibility and durability. It was not known than that asbestos was harmful to inhale and could cause a host of medical issues later on in life. These days, removing asbestos cement is the only way to work with it. It is unlike working with
Should I Trim a Frozen Bougainvillea Bush?
Bougainvilleas are evergreen, woody, clambering vines that grown well in USDA plant hardiness zones 9b through 11. When given proper care and maintenance, these thorny vines will produce tropical-looking, bright-colored flowers throughout the year. Bougainvilleas are frost-sensitive plants. Plants m
What Are Some Cold Weather Flowers?
Many flowers, such as crocus, will bloom in the snow.Anna Yu/Photodisc/Getty ImagesChoose flowers that withstand cold weather to have flowers in bloom earlier in the spring, to extend the garden season later into the fall or to have flowers in bloom outdoors during the winter. Many cool...