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Trees & Houseplants : Home & Garden

How to Kill Weeds With Hot Air

Weeds soak up nutrients and water from the soil, making it difficult for surrounding plants and flowers to stay healthy and grow. Eventually, weeds either strangle the roots of desired plants in the garden or take up so much space, water and nutrition from the soil that the other plants give way and

Will Ammonia Harm Rose Bushes?

Ammonia is a household cleaner that may seem harmful to delicate flowers like roses because it is viewed as a harsh chemical. However, many organic insect control sprays for roses and other flowers contain ammonia, and ammonia has been used as a fertilizer for hundreds of years. If properly diluted

What Is a Fern Plant?

There are thousands of different kinds of fern plants. They are from the plant division Pteridophyta and don't produce flowers and seeds. Ferns need to be protected from the wind and kept out of strong sunlight.

How to Revive Bird of Paradise Plants

Bird of Paradise plants (Strelitzia reginae) are considered easy to grow and almost never suffer from attack by disease or pests. They produce brilliant orange and blue flowers on tall stalks, giving observers the overall impression of an exotic bird in the garden. Bird of Paradise is an attractive

Green Bean Diseases & Pests

Green beans, also known as snap beans or string beans, are a versatile garden vegetable that is relatively easy to grow and maintain. Whether you use transplants or plant green beans from seed, be wary of common pests and diseases that may decrease crop production.

Yellow Cypress Shrubs

The word "cypress" may conjure up images of an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, but the term also refers to a group of evergreen shrubs that belong to the Cupressaceae family. While many have green or bluish-green foliage, your landscaping choices do include some yellow cypress shrubs

How to Pinch Back Petunias

Petunia plants are annual-growing flowering plants that produce small leaves covered with sticky hairs. The blossoms are bell-shaped and available in many colors including multi-colored. Petunias require pinching to prevent the plant from becoming tall or leggy, which decreases bud production. The p

How to Store Flour Tortillas in the Refrigerator

Flour tortillas are a flatbread most commonly used in Mexican cuisine. Tortillas are traditionally used to make tacos and burritos, but they can also make a tasty wrap for sandwich fillings. They are typically sold in bags containing eight or more tortilla rounds. Once opened, the tortillas only rem

Clematis Flower Types

Clematis can bloom several times a year.clematis 1 image by michael luckett from Fotolia.comClematis flowers are members of the Ranunculaceae family, more commonly referred to as the buttercup family, according to Ohio State University. With more than 250 species and a variety of hybrids,...

Hybrid Coconut Trees

Coconut trees (Cocos nucifera) grow in tropical and subtropical climates around the world. Horticulturists developed hybrids to increase crop yield and improve disease resistance. The entire coconut tree is useful for such products as water, foods, utensils, soap, rope, fuel and building materials.

What is the Meaning of Amaryllis?

The amaryllis is a sizeable bell shaped perennial flower that has a wide range of solid and mixed colors. It is a trouble-free flower to grow and does well when used in pots and flowerbeds. Striped and mixed colors of this flower are just as widespread as solid blooms.

Will White & Yellow Peach Trees Pollinate Each Other?

White peaches do not differ appreciably from yellow peaches except in taste and appearance. While yellow peaches have a tangy, acidic taste, white peaches deliver only a sweet taste. The skin of white peaches, as the name suggests, is pale with a slight blush to it, while yellow peaches have a dark

How to Grow and Process Black Pepper

Black pepper is the most popular spice in America. Every home has a pepper shaker or pepper mill on their table. Fresh black pepper has a better pungent fiery flavor than the ground pepper you buy in the store. With a little knowledge you can grow and process the peppercorns that makes black pepp

The Best Cities to Live With Mild Winter & Summer Temps

Choosing a city to make your home can be a complicated process. Cities with milder climates can mean less humid summers and kinder winters. Several US cities have been selected by experts as the best places to live when milder climates are preferred. Many of these metropolitan areas boast additional

How to Test Garden Soil for Arsenic

Although arsenic is a naturally occurring mineral, found in the earth's crust, it can be toxic to humans. Industrial uses of arsenic--such as fertilizers, pesticides and the coatings for pressure-treated lumber--increased the arsenic content in soil and groundwater, according to the Minnesota Health

How to Prevent Hornworms

Hornworms feed on the foliage of garden plants, causing severe damage and sometimes killing the plant. These 3- to 5-inch green caterpillars have white stripes and a horn at the back end. The adult moths lay eggs on the undersides of leaves and the hungry caterpillars begin feeding as soon as they h

Types of Mountain Shrubs

Landscaping in mountainous communities is often difficult for many home gardeners. The soil is often rocky and finding flat areas for digging and planting is challenging. Landscaping a high-country yard with landscape shrubs helps bring color, flowers and fruit to the space. Many types of shrubs are

How Big Does Midnight Weigela Get?

Midnight Wine weigela (Weigela florida "Elvera") is a dwarf cultivar of Wine and Roses, an old-fashioned weigela cultivar. The low-growing plant is characterized by a rounded habit, dark foliage and rose-pink blooms. Midnight Wine' former name was Elvera, and it is still sometimes referred to by its