Growing Plants

One way you can assure success when propagating plant seeds or cuttings is to make sure the rooting medium stays moist without becoming too wet. The best way to do this is to use a plant...

Schefflera, or Umbrella Trees, are easy to grow and are a common houseplant in many homes. They don't require a lot of sun and need minimal care. They can be difficult to grow from seed. The...

The clivia is a plant native to South Africa and produces both upright and pendulous orange and yellow florets. Depending on the type of clivia seedling you grow, the plant will bloom in either...

The cacao plant is a small evergreen tree growing in tropical areas of South and Central America, Asia and Africa. It is the source for all cocoa and chocolate products. The cacao tree only grows...

Yellow Groove bamboo (Phyllostachys aureosulcata) is a cold hardy evergreen plant that's native to China. In 1882, it was brought to the United States for ornamental purposes. The Yellow Groove...

Epsom salt is most commonly used on pepper, tomato and rose plants. This is because epsom salt is made from magnesium. Many pepper plants are planted in soil that is deficient in magnesium. The...

Cutting is an quick and inexpensive way to propagate plants. It is an effective way to clone a plant so that you end up with a plant that is exactly like its parent plant. Leaf cuttings may be...

One of many sword ferns, the Boston Fern is a prized plant native to the American tropics. Its characteristic frilly green arms and graceful, bushy health delights guests entering any home or...

Plants can be damaged for a variety of reasons: neglect, disease, an animal eating or trampling it, insects, or weather. If such damage occurs, some care must be taken to encourage the plant to...

Crassula argentea, the scientific name for the jade plant, is a member of the Crassulaceae family. A succulent, South African desert plant known to exhibit drought-survival strategies through...

There are many varieties of lavender, some of which are hardier than others, but for the most part, all lavender plants require very little maintenance in order to thrive. If a lavender plant...

We are going to show you how to take an overgrown staghorn fern ball divided and remount it on a new board.

According to Plantation House, a tobacco farm in Surrey, England, a garden measuring 4 feet by 27 feet (one meter by eight meters) can produce enough tobacco for more than 5,000 cigarettes. For a...

Bamboo adds an undeniable level of grace to any area. Originally native of China, these plants are incredibly easy to maintain. They grow quickly, getting as high as 20 feet in one season....

The best time to transplant a purple plum shrub is while it is still young. You can do this right after the leaves have fallen or early in the winter months, when the plum shrub is dormant. If you...

The practices of feng shui are over 3000 years old. These practices are today followed by many around the world who have found immense benefits with the use of these practices. Plants are used as...

The desert rose is a beautiful plant indigenous to eastern Africa. This succulent plant with beautiful flowers and a thick trunk is not related to the rose family and is actually from the...

Once tobacco plants are established, they require some basic care and maintenance in order to grow strong and produce the most useful tobacco. According to Plantation House, a tobacco farm in...

Blue rug juniper is an evergreen ground cover that grows only four to six inches above the ground. It creates a thick carpet when planted, preventing soil erosion and any weeds from growing. Blue...

Planting barley is a common way to attract deer and is easy to do. Several strains of barley grow in different climates, but most thrive during fall and winter climates just above freezing. Choose...

A new prayer plant, otherwise known as maranta, can be grown by the method of propagation, using tip cuttings. This requires taking a piece from an established plant and rooting it in a medium...

Growing an ivy topiary is a unique way to expand your gardening skills and create a whimsical houseplant. The word topiary describes the process of training a plant to grow over a frame, resulting...

Aloe vera is a tender succulent plant grown as a houseplant throughout the world, and in the garden in very warm climates. A member of the lily family, the plant has small, insignificant blooms,...

Cuttings need to have an almost constant source of water, according to Fred Winston at Chez Bloom, a flower shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Winston gives suggestions about how to make your own...

Black pine trees are majestic and evergreen, but they are also commonly seen in miniature form as bonsai trees. Black pines are available as seedlings from nurseries, but many people prefer to...

Clover is extremely versatile and an easy-to-grow seed, providing erosion control and texture to a lawn. Some people think of it as a weed and try their hardest to get rid of it. For those who...

Orange trees are popular for both their appearance and fruit. Everyone loves having freshly picked oranges on the table in the summer. But orange trees come with their own set of problems, and no...

The pothos plant is the most common indoor house plant because it is easy to grow and maintain. It will flourish in a variety of indoor conditions, can survive in varying light levels,...

The ziziphus, commonly known as the Chinese apple or Buffalo thorn, is a small tree that produces small edible fruits similar to the taste of a tart apple. These trees, hardy to zone 6, grow a...

The evening primrose (Oenothera) is also known as Desert Evening Primrose and Sundrops. The plant produces tall spike stems that reach a height of 8 to 24 inches and width of 15 inches. The flower...

Gardeners have long used epsom salts as a way to add magnesium to the soil around trees and shrubs. Magnesium is an important secondary nutrient essential to plant growth along with the primary...

Fresh pepper can spice up many dishes. By invigorating the taste buds, pepper also aids in digestion by increasing the body's production of hydrochloric acid, which decreases problems with...

The purpose of your greenhouse will be dictated by what you grow. Having fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the year and knowing what was used to grow your edible plants is a worthwhile...

A collection of topiaries, or shaped plants, can provide a beautiful ornamental touch to any garden. Although topiaries often seem fairly complex to create, they require only a few supplies and a...

Gymnema sylvestre is an herb that is cultivated in India. It has recently become popular since the discovery of benefits it has for individuals with diabetes. Chewing the leaves can help stimulate...

The Hawaii State flower, the yellow hibiscus (also called Ma'o Hau Hele, or Hibiscus brackenridgei) and the Noni (Morinda citrifolia) are two of the best-known of the many hundreds of plants...

With its jungle-like foliage, Monstera deliciosa, a relative of split leaf philodendron, makes a beautiful houseplant or, in tropical areas, a garden plant. The Monstera deliciosa requires little...

Generally only older Aloe vera plants---those that have been established for four years or longer---bloom. And generally only very happy plants that receive excellent care bloom. When Aloe vera...

If the leaves of your houseplants look dusty and dull, follow these simple steps to get them looking clean, shiny, and beautiful again.

Most gardeners begin Aloe vera plants by taking a "pup" or cutting from a mature plant. However, Aloe vera can be cultivated from seed. The process of reaching a mature plant just takes a bit...

The akparata tree, better known as the "akee apple," is the national fruit of Jamaica. The tree produces fleshy, oval leaves and four-lobed red fruit. The fruit should never be eaten before it is...

Whether you are starting seedlings indoors or need an additional light source for your houseplants, fluorescent light bulbs provide the needed types of light rays for healthy plant growth....

The idea of a carnivorous plant may surprise some people, but those who have experienced the beauty of purple pitcher plants have grown accustomed to the idea. With a stunning red-purple color,...

The pygmy date palm (Phoenix roebelenii) is a small-growing palm admired for the graceful, feathery fronds atop its upright, slender trunk. Usually seen growing in clusters of many trunks, pruning...

The cat's whiskers plant is a shrub-like plant that belongs to the mint family. It can grow to be 2 feet tall and its width is 3 to 4 feet. The plant attracts hummingbirds and butterflies because...

The agave plant is a desert succulent used to make tequila. It is commercially farmed throughout the desert regions of the United States. It is also grown privately, either for personal use or for...

The Kwanzan cherry tree is primarily an ornamental tree. It is a small tree that bears beautiful clusters of pink flowers in the spring and golden yellow leaves in the fall. It likes full sun and...

Most people know the Aloe vera as a plant with leaves that contain a medicinal gel which can help heal burns. There are actually over 250 varieties of aloe, most of which are native to Africa....

Venus flytraps are beautiful, exotic and fun plants to have around, and they even earn their keep--your African violets certainly won't take care of stray bugs the way a Venus flytrap will. But...

"Palmetto" can refer to two plants in the United States: a tall, trunk-forming palm (Sabal palmetto) or a clustering, shrub-like palm called the saw palmetto (Serenoa repens). Other species of...