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Trees & Houseplants : Home & Garden
How to Transplant a Weeping Cherry Tree
If you're landscaping your yard, you can transplant a weeping cherry tree for spectacular spring blossoms. Yours may look just like the cherry trees in Washington, D.C. Hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 8, weeping cherry trees form a pendular canopy, not unlike a weeping willow. Their blooms are fragrant as
How to Graft Scions in a Tree
Grafting is a method of propagating trees and other plants to grow another one with the same characteristics as the one you chose to reproduce. The process requires a scion and rootstock, and is done in winter or early spring while both are dormant. The scion is a cutting from the tree you want to p
Orange Fungus in a Rose
Roses are large, showy garden shrubs, and thrive in gardens with warm summer sun and relatively mild winters. Roses are high-maintenance plants, though, with specific soil, sun and water needs. These bushes also attract a wide range of damaging pests and diseases. Orange spots on leaves mean only on
How to Grow Mushrooms in Pennsylvania
Mushrooms are unique, moisture-loving fungi that grow in a range of different environments. Mushrooms can grow in sawdust, compost piles, lawns and even dead logs, but they do have some specific requirements for warmth and humidity. In cool areas like Pennsylvania, grow mushrooms inside year-round t
Trees with Light Shade
Trees are a permanent landscape feature and can live for up to 100 years or longer.trees image by Marta Reimpell from Fotolia.comChoosing a landscape design requires an understanding of trees. Certain trees produce more shade than others. Although some shade in an area is usually...
How to Revitalize Garden Soil for Planting
Rich soil is a key element if you want to produce healthy flowers and robust produce. However, not all soil is created equal and many gardeners will have to do some work before their soil is optimal for flowers and vegetables. Adding organic material will not only enrich your soil so your plants wil
How to Grow Coneflower From Seeds
Coneflowers, which are perennial wildflowers native to North America, are easy to grow in the home garden. These tall flowers rise above mounds of medium green foliage. They look like daises, except that the center of the flower is raised in a cone shape, giving the flower its name. The flowers come
What Tree Species Grow Well With the Black Walnut Tree?
The compound leaves of walnut trees turn bright yellow in fall.walnuts in fall image by Samuray from Fotolia.comBlack walnuts (Juglans nigra) are large, impressive trees, reaching heights of 75 to 150 feet. Unfortunately their roots secrete a substance known as juglone, which is poisonous...
Why Is Potassium Chloride Used in Water?
Water testing is a procedure used to identify various water problems, some of which may present serious health risks. Others, though not life threatening, are a nuisance and must be addressed. Hard water is an example of the latter. The term "hard" refers to water with high mineral content, particul
Floral Topiary Trees
Topiary trees are trimmed into geometric shapes. A common floral topiary tree shape looks like a round ball on the top of a straight trunk. The height ranges from tabletop for miniature topiary trees to 6 feet tall.
What Causes Rotten Stems on Squash Plants?
Insects and diseases can cause rotten stems on squash plants. Since plant stems carry necessary water and nutrients throughout plants, rotten stems can damage or kill entire parts of squash plants. Diseases that cause rotten stems can also spread to squashes or other parts of the plants, making them
How to Use Light to Purify Water
Wilderness explorers and avid campers often enjoy roughing it in the wild. This usually means fishing for food and using a bonfire to cook it. This may also mean purifying your own water if you run out or if you truly enjoy living off the land. Creating a water still that works on light involves a b
Compound Leaf Identification
During spring when the leaves begin to fill out once again, and the tree line is lush and full, leaves at first appear as great swaths of the various shades of green. But up close, where you really can see the trees for the forest, it's a very different picture. The leaves then begin to appear as di
Thistle Type Weeds
Not all thistles share a capacity for harm. Several thistle species are native to the U.S., and some have historical use as herbal remedies for circulatory problems. The Thistle genus' name, Cirsium, traces to the Greek word "cirsos," meaning "swollen vein." Other thistles, however, spread aggressiv
How to Propagate Butterfly Plants
A butterfly plant, or Buddleia, is a beautiful bush that acts like a perennial in many locations of the country. This import from China has striking long spikes of flowers in an array of colors from white, pinks, to purples and yellow. Planting this bush in your garden is sure to attract butterflies
How to Repot Orchid Flowers
Orchids require special conditions for growing, and they also have specific needs when it comes to repotting. Repotting orchids is not a task that you should dread, however. Like any other plant, orchids must be repotted to maintain the best growing environment so the plant remains healthy and flowe
Orchid Topics
The orchid (Orchidaceae) group makes for many possible topics, whether you want to lecture to a class of botany students or share information with a group of novice growers in your local community. You can speak about one particular native species or write an article on specific watering needs. Visi
Annual Flowering Shade Plants
A variety of annual flowering shade plants can be found for your garden.colorful flowers image by Ritu Jethani from Fotolia.comPick annual plants compatible with the sunlight your garden gets, and you can have beautiful flowers even in shady spots. Annual flowering shade plants come in a...
Homemade Flying Insect Repellent
Many commercial flying-insect repellents contain pesticides that are toxic to children, animals and the environment. You can make a variety of natural bug repellents at home be made with items in your kitchen or from a natural-foods store. The most common homemade flying insect-repellent recipes use