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Trees & Houseplants : Home & Garden
How to Amend Clay Soil for Evergreen Planting
Clay makes great dinnerware, sculpture, and flower pots -- and frustrating garden soil for many kinds of plants. Composed of smaller particles than sandy or loamy soils, clay bonds with water molecules to form a slick runoff surface, or incorporates larger amounts of water to form mud as sticky as g
Information on Lily Pads
Lily pads (Nymphaea) are the floating leaves of water lilies. They can grow anywhere standing water exists. According to the Washington State Department of Ecology, water lilies are among the most recognizable of aquatic plants.
How to Slow the Curing of Concrete
Curing time affects the strength of concrete. The slower the concrete cures, the stronger it becomes. Generally, concrete takes 28 days to fully cure. Concrete cures as the water in it evaporates. The key to slowing concrete curing time is it moist. You can use a variety of techniques to slow concre
How to Identify a Bear Clover
The bear clover has several common names including mountain misery and bear mat; the California Miwok Indians called it "kit-kit-dizze." The botanical name for bear clover is Chamaebatia foliosa, and it is native to California. The bear clover is known to be a strong slope stabilizer. The plants spe
Spade Shaped Herbs
Herbs are a common ingredient in many cooking projects. They are edible plants whose leaves are chopped, ground or dried to add flavor to a wide array of dishes. You can identify different herbs by their taste, smell and appearance. Some herbs feature uniquely shaped leaves, like spade shapes. Altho
How to Sow Hibiscus Seeds
Hibiscus plants are hardy plants that bloom with large and colorful petals, some as big as a dinner plate. Starter hibiscus plants can be found at most gardening centers, or a friend may be able to offer you some cuttings to start your own. The pride of sowing the seed yourself and watching your hib
How to Grow Vegetables in a Bathtub
Many vegetables are well suited to grow in containers and an old bathtub is really just a large container. In fact, a bathtub is big enough to be turned into a small garden bed, where your vegetables can thrive without danger of being devoured by underground garden pests. All you need to do grow veg
When to Prune Pincushion Flowers
Whether they're purple, red, yellow, or white, scabiosa, or pincushion flowers, bring color, height, and structure to the garden. Pincushion flowers grow and spread, and will welcome continuous attention and pruning throughout the year.
Uses of Palm Leaves
Palm leaf use by humans dates to ancient Mesopotamian civilization.Palm leaf image by Nikolay Okhitin from Fotolia.comThe palm tree is a flowering plant indigenous to tropical and subtropical regions. Palm trees of various species have been utilized for their practical applications since...
Can I Plant Seeds in Steer Manure and Compost?
Compost and steer manure make good soil amendments when used correctly. They lighten the soil, improve drainage and add slow-release nutrients to the soil. However, they are not recommended as planting mediums for seeds unless mixed with top soil, peat moss, perlite or vermiculite.
How to Cut Black Walnuts
The black walnut tree also is known as the American walnut and produces golf ball-sized nuts that are encased in thick hulls. The hulls are a light green color when they first develop but darken to black as the walnut inside ripens. The black walnut is edible, although extracting it from the hull ca
Why Are the Leaves on a Crape Myrtle Turning Brown?
Crape myrtle was first introduced to the United States from China in the mid-1700s. Its showy flowers, attractive fall foliage and lush canopy make it an excellent ornamental shrub or tree for a home garden. One of the most common diseases of crape myrtle is cercospora leaf spot. If your crape myrtl
How to Start Azaleas from Clippings
Starting azaleas from stem clippings is the most popular method of propagating these plants for container or garden use. Azaleas propagate by root cuttings, layering or from seed. Rooting azaleas from cuttings ensures the new plants are genetically identical to the mother plant, with all of the char
How to Grow Dwarf Snapdragons Inside
The dwarf snapdragon -- Chaenorrhimun minus -- is a small variety of the taller snapdragon. The average height of the dwarf variety is between 2 and 10 inches tall. Snapdragons flower in cool weather, usually early spring. If you plan to have snapdragons in your home, you will need to place them in
The Best Plants for Lining the Driveway
The purpose of front yard landscaping is to present an attractive face to the neighborhood, as well as to get guests safely to the front door. Keep these two goals in mind when designing landscaping that lines the driveway. Choose plants that are adapted to your region and require little care and ma
How to Build Indoor Seed Starters
After a long winter, it's normal for gardeners to look forward to new green plants emerging from the ground. For those who don't want to wait for outdoor temperatures to rise, starting seeds indoors is an option. Although seed starting systems are available at gardening stores, you may construct you
What is Xeriscaping?
Adding xeriscaping to your home's landscaping can cut your water and maintenance costs by as much as 60 percent, according to Colorado Water Wise. Xeriscaping involves choosing plants that fit your home's natural environment.
Do Japanese Knotweed Plants Attract Japanese Beetles?
The invasive weed, Japanese knotweed, does not attract the Japanese beetle to its foliage. Nevertheless, knotweed plays an important role in ridding ornamental plants and lawns of the destructive beetle.
How to Remove a Honeybee Nest
Honeybees are important to nature because they provide honey and beeswax and help pollinate flowers. Honeybees are most often found in beekeeping facilities but occasionally wild nests may be found in hollow trees or wall cavities. They should be left undisturbed, unless the nest is near areas of hu
How Late in Winter Can I Plant Amaryllis Bulbs?
Amaryllis plants---tall and colorful---produce striking blooms through spring and into summer with the right care. As tropical plants, amaryllis requires specific care both during planting and during growth.