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Trees & Houseplants : Home & Garden
How to Prune Apple Trees in Spring
To improve the fruit yield and the shape of apple trees, you must prune them every spring. Not only will regular pruning improve the yield and shape of apple trees, but it will also cause the trees to produce more apples earlier in the trees' lives, help the trees to survive longer and improve the o
Understanding Hydroponics in Education
Hydroponics is the science of growing plants in water instead of soil, often indoors with the aid of ultraviolet grow lights. It isn't just something NASA scientists study to help astronauts grow their own food in space; in fact, most of the world's greenhouse vegetables are already produced this wa
Basics of Flower Arrangements
People arrange flowers for various reasons, but the most common are to lend a little cheeriness and a pleasant scent to a room. In fact, flowers may be arranged specifically to cover up an unpleasant odor, or they may be there to make someone forget an unpleasant event. The following strategies are
How to Grow a Climbing Rose on a Stucco Wall
Climbing roses are attractive, versatile plants that require very little root space, making them ideally suited for small gardens. Many rose species are fast-growing, and if provided a proper structure to climb on, will flourish in the garden for many years. If you have a blank and uninteresting stu
Aquatic Freshwater Plants
Loosestrife's beauty belies its invasive nature.loosestrife on a meadow image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.comAquatic plants are a staple of freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers, swamps and other wetland areas. Aquatic plants play a vital role in their ecosystems, providing shade, food...
How to Detect Flower Pests
Your flowers should be the pride of your garden, but certain bugs, birds and other pests can wreak havoc on your blossoms if left unchecked. In addition to periodically inspecting every inch of your flowers, keep a lookout for these tell-tale signs of damaging pests in your garden. You may even be a
Plants & Shrubs to Put at an Entryway
Increase your home's curb appeal by adding interest to an entryway with plants. By bracketing a doorway or path with potted shrubs or other plantings, you can add color as well as soften harsh lines and angles. Choose low-maintenance plants or evergreen shrubs for easy, year-round entryway appeal.
How to Kill Gnat Larvae in House Plants
Fungus gnats are tiny flying insects that often swarm around houseplants and sunny windows. Although they are annoying house guests, fungus gnats in the adult stage are harmless to people and plants. They lay their eggs in moist potting soil, and the larvae that hatch a few days later feed on housep
British Aquatic Plants
The ponds and lakes of Great Britain are home to a multitude of native plant species, both submerged under the water and flourishing at the shoreline. Water plantain, water violet, bog bean and creeping sedge are among Britain's most pervasive aquatic plants.
Licorice Plant Bugs
The licorice plant is an ornamental herb that bears no physical resemblance to licorice, other than a slight licorice taste if the leaf is chewed. It is planted decoratively as a border or a container accent and is extremely hardy, being largely disease and pest resistant. In rare cases, however, it
Can I Plant the Daisy Gardenia in the Fall?
The daisy gardenia, a cultivar of the common gardenia, can grow as high as 6 feet. The plant features the traditional white flower common to gardenias, and the color looks particularly intense against the dark green leaves of the plant. Gardenias serve as hedges, container plants or in landscape pla
Use of Dianthus in Landscaping
Dianthus is a diverse group of plants that includes the well-known carnations, sweet Willams and pinks. They tend to be cool climate plants, native to temperate Europe. They often have a sweet, clove-scented flower, but some varieties don't have any fragrance at all. Flower colors are predominantly
How to Get Rid of Ladybugs Indoors
Ladybugs, those cute little critters, are just fine to encounter in the great outdoors, but lately they've become pests in many homes as populations have gotten out of control. The Asian ladybug, introduced to North America and Europe to control aphids, burrows into the structures of homes to hibern
How to Care for an Autumn Purple Ash Tree
Autumn purple ash trees have foliage that make them standouts in a home landscape. They grow 40 to 60 feet high with an oval shape. The leaves are oblong and measure 2 to 4 inches. They are green in the summer and turn a bright color in the fall. Autumn purple ash trees thrive in moist areas but can
Information on Red Worms in Texas
Raising and breeding red worms involves little more than setting up a home for them in a bin and providing them with moisture, warmth, darkness and oxygen, according to Red Worm Composting website. Also known as red wigglers, the worms measure 3 to 4 inches long and thrive in many locations. The cli
When to Pick Growing Mushrooms
Picking mushrooms is a rewarding activity that takes one to the outdoors during the warmer months of the year. Mushrooms develop extensively underground and are picked when a fruiting body emerges above the ground.
When to Prune an Ornamental Cherry Tree
Ornamental cherry trees produce fragrant blossoms in spring, but don't expect to feast on their fruit later in summer. The several varieties of this flowering tree draw many visitors to Washington, D.C. for the National Cherry Blossom Festival every spring. To keep an ornamental cherry tree healthy,
How to Care for Turf Lawns With Weeds and Insects
Lawns that have high weed and insect populations typically have an excessive buildup of thatch. Thatch accumulates between the soil and the grass blades. When a thatch layer is more than 1/2 an inch high, thatch-dwelling insects increase and weeds pop up because the grass cannot properly spread. Als
How to Grow Strong Root Systems
When roots systems are strong, plants thrive and growth flourishes. When growth is inhibited, many gardeners turn to quick fixes or a boost of fertilizer in an effort to return their plants to vigor -- without considering the condition of their plants' roots. Because roots are hidden beneath the soi
When to Plant Sunflower?
Sunflowers provide color and visual interest to your garden, and they attract butterflies and colorful birds. Birds feast on the seeds while butterflies enjoy the nectar. You can also harvest the seeds as a garnish for salads or salt them for a tasty snack. Sunflowers grow so quickly and easily that