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Trees & Houseplants : Home & Garden

The Best Rose Fertilizer Recipe

Growing roses doesn't need to strike fear into gardeners. When they are planted in a proper location that meets their soil, pH range and sunlight requirements, they are able to give you seasons of blooms. In order to provide roses with the best nutrients, a homemade fertilizer recipe can save you mo

Shade- & Drought-Tolerant Plants

A shady landscape may receive less than a couple of hours of dappled light, reflected light or no light at all. When the ground is blasted by wind or has too many plants completing for moisture, the soil can be dry. In growing situations of little light and moisture, shade- and drought-tolerant plan

Flowering Bushes & Shrubs

Bayberry is a flowering bush.bayberry in autumn image by Scott Williams from Fotolia.comFlowering bushes and shrubs make a nice border for large gardens, porches and patios. Some can be grown in portable containers. Flowering shrubs can be fragrant or non-fragrant, short or tall, with...

How to Grow Flowering Plants in South Texas in July

Gardeners in South Texas have a variety of options when it comes to flowering plants that bloom in July. South Texas has a very warm climate that includes USDA hardiness zones eight through 11, according to the National Arboretum. To grow flowering plants during July, gardeners should plant the flow

How to Care for Yellow Elder Plants

The yellow elder (Tecoma stans), also known as trumpet bush, yellow bells, and Esperanza, is an evergreen shrub that can grow as high as 20 feet in warm climates. It blooms profusely from spring through fall, bearing clusters of fragrant, trumpet-shaped yellow flowers. Although it is considered a tr

The Size of the Goldenrod

Also known as anise-scented goldenrod or blue mountain tea, common goldenrod (Solidago odora) is a perennial member of the aster/daisy family characterized by small yellow flowers. The fast-growing plant has a long history of medicinal use and may be cultivated with little effort in a cottage- or wo

How to Prune Gravenstein Apple Trees

Of the tens of thousands of apple varieties, sweet-tart Gravenstein apples --- imported to America from Europe in the mid-1800s --- serve as one of the more popular types. These smooth red apples lend themselves to pies, sauces and snacking. Like all types of apple trees, young Gravensteins require

The Best Roofing for Cold Climates

Cold climates, with their subzero temperatures, harsh winds and freeze/thaw cycles, are extremely hard on roofing materials. Asphalt shingles appear on roofs across the country, but extreme weather causes them to dry and crack, shortening their lives. Fortunately, you can now find other roofing mate

Do Lily Bulbs Need to Go Dormant?

True lilies (Lilium) comprise about 100 different species and thousands of horticultural varieties. Lilies typically are herbaceous perennials native to temperate regions. The bulbs endure a dormant season.

Cleome Hassleriana Toxicity

The spider flower (Cleome hassleriana, also known as C. spinosa) is a pretty annual for sunny gardens. The plant reaches 3 to 5 feet tall and wide, depending on cultivar, and grows best in moist, well-drained soil.

How to Kill Poison Ivy in a Garden

Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) is a type of sprawling vine found growing in shaded areas throughout North America's forests. It is also sometimes seen in backyards when seeds are dropped by birds or carried in on your shoes or in your pet's fur. Not only can the vine choke out more desirable pl

DIY Garden Soil

Healthy garden soil is alive, containing thousands of beneficial micro-organisms as well as inert minerals, sand, silt and clay. If the soil in your garden is less than ideal, it is fairly easy to add ingredients that will improve the texture and add vital nutrients. Herbicides, pesticides, chemical

Growing Navy Beans

Navy beans are a tasty and nutritious food that grow successfully in most climates. One cup of boiled, unsalted navy beans contains 13 percent of the daily requirement for calcium, 3 percent of vitamin C, 24 percent of iron, 74 percent of fiber (19 grams) and 15 grams of protein. In addition, one cu

How to Identify Flowering Trees

Flowering trees can be quite beautiful, and will often prompt the interested admirer to wonder just what the particular tree is that they are looking at. Identifying trees under any circumstance or season is not especially difficult if you know what to look for, and fortunately, flowering trees prov

What Is the Difference Between a Finance Charge & an Annual Percentage Rate?

Loans are often necessary to help cover unexpected expenses or to purchase particularly expensive items, such as cars and homes. When a consumer borrows money, he may not understand all the charges associated with the loan. Most lenders charge annual interest rates, or APRs. Lenders may also impose

Sugar Water Effect on Plants

Plants require three essentials, light, water and nutrients to thrive and produce optimum yield. Plants naturally produce sugars, such as glucose and sucrose. These sugars are needed to produce energy, promote growth and aide in the processes of respiration and transpiration. Sugar can also be in

How to Protect Peach Trees

A tree-ripened, home-grown peach tastes nothing like commercial peaches, picked green and trucked for miles. Before you plant a peach tree in your yard, though, consider the growing requirements of peach trees. Peach trees thrive in mild climates with warm summers and moderately cool winters. They p

How Can I Make Weed Killers?

Each year, weeds are a prominent problem for gardeners. Landscapes, gardens, lawns and even patios are susceptible to weeds. Although weeds have some positive attributes, such as stabilizing soil and providing nectar for bees, many gardeners find them more troublesome than beneficial. Weeds compete

How to Germinate Beeches

Beeches are deciduous trees that grow in temperate climates. Beech trees produce edible beech nuts and have a thick canopy of toothed leaves. Beech trees thrive in well-drained, moist soil of all types. When selecting nuts for germination, place them in a bucket of water and use the ones that sink.