Outdoor Growing

Sometimes fields need to be cleared of crops, yet the most efficient ways to kill crops is using herbicides or other chemicals. This is bad for a variety of reasons, perhaps the most glaring being...

Passiflora Edulis, also known as passion fruit, is a flowering vine from tropical Brazil. Under the right growing conditions the passion fruit vine can grow up to 20 feet in a single year. Besides...

When frost is on the pumpkin it is time to move the potted plants indoors. If this is not possible then consider some alternatives. Some gardeners place boxes over their potted fuchsias and stuff...

Orchard grass is a cool season grass which is typically found in pastures. Cool season grasses germinate very early and produce well in May and early June. Orchard grass is commonly cultivated as...

For people who don't have the space or time for a full garden, a flower box is a great option. Compact yet impressionable, flower boxes brighten and impart a warm feeling to any area. Creating a...

Caring for your own personal herb garden can be as therapeutic as it is economically beneficial for you and your family. However, garden pests can be a problem for your herbs. Interplanting is a...

Aloe vera is a beautiful plant with great healing qualities. It is resistant to drought conditions, needs to be watered very little, and can easily be transported from outside to inside and vice...

Avena Sativa, also known as oats, is a whole grain with a variety of uses. Oats are used as animal feed, planted as a crop cover to keep soil in place, used in the production of many foods, and...

Aloe plants have amazing healing qualities. They help heal cuts, scrapes and infections as well as being the go-to treatment for sunburns. For its healing qualities, soothing aloe and unique...

Oats are a whole grain used in a variety of foods, as well as in animal feed. Oats are also marketed as a nutritional supplement. The companies marketing oats claim that the plant has benefits...

Love homegrown vegetables but hate the digging? Want to have your own vegetable garden but lack the space in your yard? Learn how to grow a patio vegetable garden, and you can have all the fresh...

You won't find one perfect mulch for both flowers and vegetables. Different mulches are preferred during different seasons. Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of mulch materials will help...

Do you have squirrels in your garden? If so, you are probably aware of the damage they can cause by digging and nibbling on your vegetables and fruits. These playful pests also wreak havoc on...

Outdoor plants and indoor plants have a tendency to develop white flies and spider mites. If left untreated, either pest will damage the plant and possibly kill it. White flies are small flies...

While the drooping plants that suffer in the summer heat get all our attention, sometimes we forget to care for plants enduring the cold. Watering is still an essential part of plant care during...

When a heat wave strikes, your plants don't have the luxury of retreating inside to enjoy the air conditioning. But don't lose hope, even when they are wilting, dropping leaves and turning brown....

There are three types of topiaries that you can make -- free-form, shrub and sphagnum. Free-form is where you cut an already grown shrub or tree into a shape with shears or other cutting...

Cranberries are a great source of Vitamin C as well as having a high antioxidant content. Cranberries have many healthy benefits to the body, including being a great fighter against urinary tract...

Bottlebrush trees are a type of tree most common in parts of Australia and New Caledonia. Bottlebrushes can be extremely attractive plants, and are a great addition to your yard. The crimson...

Planting cool-season grasses like rye grasses and bluegrasses while snow is on the ground is actually recommended, as the freezing temperatures create cracks in the ground that help the seeds make...

Brazos blackberries are a variety of fruit developed by plant breeders at Texas A&M in 1959. As a highly adaptable fruit, it has some of the taste and characteristics of raspberries and...

Encore azaleas are one of the few azalea varieties that bloom in the spring, summer and fall seasons. These azalea plants thrive in full sunlight (at least 6 hours a day), and those planted in...

Western red lilies, also known as prairie lilies, are prized for their bright red flowers and low maintenance. This flower can be found in wooded areas, prairie plains and home gardens. For those...

People looking to add a more tropical feel to their property have been using banana plants because of their beauty, regenerative capabilities and an occasional bit of fruit. Of course, taking...

If the neighborhood dogs enjoy sniffing your flower garden as much as you do, you may need to discourage the local canine population from snooping around your flower bed, where their marking and...

Fruit trees provide cooling shade and edible food. They need to be grown in full sunlight, or six hours or more of unimpeded sun. The soil should be at least 3 feet deep and have good drainage....

Red mites, also called spider mites, are indoor and outdoor pests. If your plants are indoors, there are a variety of easy ways to get rid of these creatures, such as isolating the affected...

Using the right fertilizers is critical to successfully growing corn. The amount of fertilizer needed depends on climate and soil texture. Corn needs fertilization through all of its growing stages.

A plant enthusiast may need to warm plants in the winter if a freeze is predicted in a sub-tropical or tropical region. Unlike plants in a cold region, tropical plants will die when exposed to...

Deer are beautiful creatures, and many enjoy looking at them and even having them as guests in their yards on occasion. However, the image of these sweet, woodland animals soon sours when they...

It's only natural to associate beautiful flowers, trees and plants with the spring and summer months. When thinking of the of the beauty of fall, most of us think of the color and falling of the...

Harvested for about 9,000 years, certain species of the agave plant sustained early Americans as both food and medicine. The flowers, stalk and sap are edible, and it is pollinated by humming...

Busy Lizzie is the common name for Impatiens walleriana, a hardy annual flower in the Balsaminaceae family. Busy Lizzie usually grows to be between 10 inches and two feet tall, with wide green...

Gardenias are plants that bloom into deep, sultry-scented flowers that bring a fresh aroma to any lawn or garden. The gardenia bush is a finicky plant, particular about its environment with...

Heavenly bamboo is an attractive, easy-to-care-for, mid-sized shrub that enhances the look of any garden. It is very susceptible to cold weather, losing its foliage if the temperature drops below...

Raspberry plants grow in thorny bushes that tend to be around three feet tall. If left unpruned the plants can expand to be extremely wide. This is because, as berries fall off the branches onto...

Red grapefruit has a darker flesh than standard pink grapefruit and a sweeter flavor. Red grapefruits, commonly referred to as "Ruby Red," are seedless and the most popular variety in the U.S....

Raised garden beds are a great option for growing your own produce because they offer an area where conditions can be controlled, monitored, and kept rich and healthy. When designing your beds,...

Although melons differ in size, shape and flavor, one thing they all have in common is a need for rich fertile soil in which to grow. Black mulch is a plastic barrier between plants and the soil....

Melons are warm-season fruit that grows on the vine. While they are fairly easy to grow, it's important to plant them only in warm climates, where they can grow to be up to 15 pounds. It's also...

That old, useless stump in your yard has become an eyesore. While you can't stand to look at it, you can't stand the idea of paying someone to pull it up, either. This is the perfect time to get...

Those big cement pots on the front stoop or the outdoor planters along the walk are the first thing guests see when they arrive. That container that runs the length of the patio was a "gift" from...

While many plants naturally die off in the cold months of winter, some perennial plants like trees, shrubs and some kinds of lawn grasses will survive, provided they receive sufficient nourishment...

Driveway containers serve both aesthetically pleasing and practical functions. They indicate the perimeters of the driveway when planted with large plants and colorful flowers. Likewise, by...

Hops, also called Humulus lupulus, is an herb most famous for its use as a beer ingredient. It's generally less difficult to grow hops from rhizomes (a root stem clipping from an adult hops...

After the idea for the upside down tomato planter emerged through national television, many people with gardens began creating homemade versions. You can do this yourself. Just keep in mind that...

Poppy plants can grow in most climates, and actually do fairly well in the cold. The plants, which slightly resemble tulips, are most often used for the seeds that come within its bulb. Poppy...

Most outdoor plants, whether potted or in the ground, need to be protected from frost and cold. Frost can quickly kill certain plants, young saplings, herbs and vegetables. If frost is predicted,...

Nothing tastes better than a fresh peach picked right off the tree during prime harvesting time. Peaches ripen at different times depending on their location--in the south, peaches ripen from late...

A trellis is a vertical frame with places for a vine to grab onto and grow upward. It is an ideal addition to any garden, as it can support beautiful vines and climbing flowers, as well as add a...