home sectionhome sectionGardeners living in warm and arid conditions can plant a variety of succulents that should thrive in a sunny landscape. Senecio serpens -- also called blue chalk sticks -- gets this name because the vertical foliage of the plant resembles pieces of chalk. This energetic ground cover needs little care after it establishes in a growing area. Plant blue chalk stick succulents in a landscape and it will spread attractively over the years.
Japanese taro, also known as dasheen, is one of four main taro types. A common side dish for Asian-Pacific cuisine, dasheen grows from cuttings taken from a parent plant. The cuttings, or hulis as they are called, comprise 12- to 18-inch stems attached to a corm. These tender greens prefer temperatures above 68 degrees, so planting is commonly in the spring, followed by growing season of six to 10 months and fall harvest.
Succulents bring nature indoors and free you from the care required for thirstier and higher-maintenance plants. The mini-blue, also known as a mini-blue chalk fingers plant, offers a hardy plant in an appealing blue-green. It has pulpy "fingers" with a chalky coating and produces white flowers. The full-size version of blue chalk fingers, Senecio vitalis, spreads easily as ground cover plant. This drought-tolerant succulent comes from South Africa and normally grows in mounded mats. The mini-blue chalk fingers plant remain more compact, making it a convenient size for a dish garden or potted plant indoors.
"Moshi Monsters" is an online game designed for kids to have fun, connect with friends in a safe environment and take care of pets. As you progress through the game, you must collect and grow various items to keep your little monster happy. An Ooze is just one of many items capable of growing in your garden. Ooze starter comes premade and requires a little time and care to grow properly. Once your Ooze reaches maturity, it can be used to eliminate monsters.
Betta fish, whose scientific name is Betta splendens, might be relatively easy to raise, but they need an appropriate habitat and appropriate care nonetheless. Their reputation for being exceedingly short-lived is not because they have a particularly short lifespan – they should live for two or three years -- but because they are often housed in very small tanks or bowls that are very difficult to maintain. If you are raising juveniles betta fish, bear in mind that their needs, their diet and, crucially, their behavior change as they grow.
Canaries are birds native to the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa. They are generally bright yellow in color but do come in other hues, including orange and white. Determining the sex of a canary can be difficult as there are very few physical differences between male and female canaries, though knowing the sex is essential to some breeders/owners as the male canaries are the songbirds of the two. Use proper handling methods to find out the sex of your canary.
Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), also called Confederate jasmine, offers sweet-scented, star-shaped blossoms and a versatile growth habit. Growing it as a hedge is easy with enough pruning, but you can also grow it as a trailing or climbing vine. To accomplish a hedge shape, allow the vine to grow and begin pruning as necessary to constrain it to a tight hedge shape. Persistent pruning is required to control the fast-growing vines. Without support, star jasmine will grow to about 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall, and 4 to 5 feet wide, but you can provide a trellis or fence to…
Selecting the correct memory card for your camera, gaming console or cell phone can be tricky. Each type of card has its own somewhat cryptic name and is available in a series of models that may have surprising features, such as the High Speed Series cards that Samsung guarantees can stay underwater for up to 24 hours, or certain cards SanDisk claims remain operational even after being run over by a 5-ton truck.
Using hedge shears allows you to get as precise as you need to during your hedge trimming sessions. Find out how to use hedge shears with help from an expert with over two decades of experience working in Garden Centers in this free video clip.
Anthony Waterer spiraea is part of a family of easy-to-care-for deciduous shrubs. This variety grows to a height of 3 feet. During the summer, it is covered with domes of carmine-pink flowers with pink or cream-tinged leaves. Proper pruning will encourage your Anthony Waterer spiraea shrubs to flower vigorously.
Shade-loving periwinkles (Vinca minor) brighten up spots where it may otherwise be difficult to garden. They thrive under trees, on steep hillsides and even in beds with much taller plants. These ground cover plants are easy to grow since they are not very picky about their homes. Gardeners often purchase bare root periwinkles to get more bang for their buck. The plants are dormant, which allows some flexibility in terms of planting. Because bare roots tend to be small, they are much easier to place in spots where a large hole cannot be dug.
Different kinds of figures will have different kinds of angles depending on exactly what you're dealing with. Learn about figures that have different kinds of angles with help from a high school mathematics tutor in this free video clip.
Botanists, horticulturists and home gardeners have been interested in the differences between short-day and long-day plants for many years. Learning about these types of plants can help you determine what to grow in your garden or home greenhouse. You can better understand when these types of plants are likely to produce flowers or fruit for you and how to force blooms if you're interested.
Eversweet strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa 'Eversweet') are everbearing strawberries, which means they produce their first crop of fruit in spring and then in regular intervals throughout summer, until frost. They don't require certain day lengths or temperatures for production as June-bearing and day-neutral strawberries do. From disease organisms in the soil and organisms brought into the patch by animals or gardening tools, strawberries are vulnerable to many diseases, so disease resistance is important.
Thermal copiers are commonly used by tattoo artists to create stencils from hand drawn images, that are then transferred to a client's skin with ink. The stencil copy machine reassures the client will get the proper tattoo. There are two different kinds of thermal copiers, belt types and roller types. There are also thermal inkjet printers, which can print T-shirts, apparel, photos, documents and transparencies.
Japanese skimmia (Skimmia japonica) is an evergreen shrub that should be planted in groups of three in a woodland setting, where it thrives in the shade of larger shrubs and trees. It forms a low-maintenance hedge similar to yew or boxwood when planted 4 to 5 feet apart. The shrub is well-suited to containers where it will thrive in shady parts of the garden and on decks and patios. Japanese skimmia needs little care once established.
Larkspur (Delphinium) is a perennial common in English cottage-style gardens. Its tall stems boast dark green foliage and showy spikes of flowers. Blossoms vary in color but are commonly seen in blue and purple hues. This plant is noted for its cold hardiness and tolerance to frost, which occurs for a variety of reasons.
Ornamental grasses include rushes, sedges and grasses. They are hard to distinguish from each other, as they are all tall, slender plants with tiny flowers that cover acres of open land. Rushes and sedges thrive in cold, wet climates, while grasses grow best in dry, open areas. Slender sedge (Carex lasiocarpa) is part of the plant family Cyperaceae.
Plant and animal cells are very similar with respect to cell contents, cell organization and life cycle. They are both eukaryotic cells because their nucleus contains DNA and is surrounded by a membrane. A plant cell has a cell wall made of cellulose that encapsulates the cell membrane. Animal cells don't have cell walls, and this is where the two cell types have different methods of separating into new cells during cell division.
The D-subminiature, or D-sub, connector is an electrical connector long associated with computers, communications equipment and related electronic devices. It gets its name from the trapezoidal shape of its sides that resemble a “D.” It is a multi-pin connector available in several sizes accommodating from nine to 104 separate pins.
The savannas is one of the six biomes and falls between a desert and a rainforest. Savannas are known for tall grass, sparse trees, a seven-month average wet season and months of drought in the dry season. Because of these long periods of drought, the savannas only supports a select number of plants that have adapted to these harsh conditions. Savannas are present in numerous countries and states, including Botswana, Namibia, Kenya, Brazil, India, Australia and the Everglades of Florida.
Known for their bright colors and flowing fins, betta fish make a beautiful addition to your fish tank or aquarium. Unfortunately, bettas can be finicky about their tank mates. Having all males in one tank may create behavioral problems. Having all females cuts down on the aggression, but prevents any baby bettas. Identifying male and female bettas not only aids in the breeding process, but also helps you avoid aggression issues that arise in an unbalanced aquarium.
During a time when most written communications are handled electronically via e-mail or text messaging, it seems as if the craft of letter-writing is becoming even more obsolete. However, the general consensus among both professors and business leaders, like Delgado Community College communications professor Lesli Fumar, is that the importance of creating simple but polite friendly letters is just as important today as it ever was.
Bacteria and viruses cause plant diseases. Both infective agents are tiny -- you can see them only under a microscope. Viruses are much smaller than bacteria; to see them you need a powerful electron microscope. Bacteria and viruses cause a wide variety of diseases in all types of plants. The diseases range from fire blight in apples to the mosaic virus in cucumbers. There are a number of methods to avoid or prevent bacterial or viral plant diseases. Bacterial diseases may respond to treatment, but there is no chemical treatment or biological control for viral diseases.
Most geckos like plants in their diet as well as on their surroundings. Geckos can be divided into two categories when it comes to their diet. Omnivorous geckos eat both insects and fruits and include species such as the crested, day and gargoyle geckos. Insectivores eat only insects and include species such as leopard, fat-tailed and Tokay gecko. The care for gecko varies slightly between the different species; always follow guidelines, such as which plants to include to your geckos diet or habitat, specifically created for your gecko.
Hanging and creeping vines provide colorful and sometimes fragrant options for shade in a garden or porch area. Grown in containers or in the ground, they'll cover a wall, trellis or arbor to create a natural, softened boundary and a shady retreat. You can control the amount of shade in your favorite spot by choosing wisely between vine types and support structures.
Different kinds of trumpet mouthpieces serve different purposes. Learn about the different kinds of trumpet mouth pieces with help from a private music instructor in this free video clip.
Full-size and dwarf varieties of Japanese skimmia (Skimmia japonica) have much in common. They require similar growing conditions and both produce attractive berries, flowers and foliage, making them excellent for adding color to a drab landscape. In most cases, you can select either the popular dwarf variety, Skimmia japonica reevesiana, or the standard Skimmia japonica, and expect similar success. To select between the plants, assess which size would better complement your garden when fully grown. Use caution if you have pets or young children since skimmia berries and leaves are poisonous if ingested.
When an investor owns a security, he may worry about losing his money if the price of the investment falls. To protect himself from a loss, he can place a short hedge. This strategy allows him to earn a profit if the price of his primary investment declines.
Petioles are specialized leaf stalks found in many plants. A petiole serves as an attachment point between leaves and stalks. In some cases, the petiole allows leaves to turn in order to follow the sun. The petiole provides support to leaf tissue during high winds or heavy rains. Considering that petioles are such an integral part of a plant leaf, it should come as no surprise that we eat a great number of leaf petioles as vegetables.
Trees serve many purposes in the home landscape, such as ornamentation, wildlife attraction, shade and wind breaks. The western redbud (Cercis occidentalis) serves several of these functions. A small deciduous tree or shrub, it adds a pop of color to the yard in spring while attracting hummingbirds with its bright pinkish-purple flowers An easy tree to grow, it tolerates most soil types and pH levels, from alkaline to slightly acid. The best time to transplant the western redbud bare root plant is the fall.
Although they are perennials, geraniums cannot tolerate extended winter frost. Gardeners must treat them as summer annuals or dig up them up and store the dormant plants in a protected indoor area each winter. Bare-root storage sends the geraniums into a state of dormancy. During this period, the plants don't require sun or fertilizer, but the roots might need water occasionally if they get too dry. Transplanting the geraniums to a pot properly in spring ensures they are ready to bloom at the onset of summer.
The white sturgeon, also known as the river sturgeon, is the largest freshwater fish in North America. A prized catch of fishermen in bays, rivers and estuaries along the west coast of the United States and Canada, the white sturgeon's habitat includes fresh water and the brackish fresh and salt water zones at the ocean mouths of large rivers. The white sturgeon is a bottom-feeding fish that favors bugs, snails, worms and crayfish. Baiting for sturgeon is very similar to channel catfish bait. Freshness of the bait is paramount because sturgeon have highly developed sense organs to sniff food odors…
Oak trees (Quercus species) are prized for their durability and distinctive leaves. The hundreds of species of oak trees are loosely divided into two groups based on the shapes of those distinctive leaves: Red oak trees feature leaves that have pointed, bristly tips, while white oak trees have rounded edges to their leaves.
Thermal socks, often purchased for their warmth in cold climates, can differ in the type of fabric used to make them. These fabrics are typically shorn from animals with heavy yet soft wool. Sufferers of diabetes and similar conditions can also locate thermal socks designed for them in particular.
The beauty of a closet is that you can shut the door and no one has to see your predilection for disorganization. The bad thing about a closet is that it can become an object lesson for your disorganization predilection. With just a few accessories, you can tackle the mess that is lurking behind the closet door and use shelf dividers to organize your things.
Attic vents are designed to help manage air circulation in homes. Attic ventilation allows excess moisture and heat to escape from your home. This reduces your cooling and heating costs and prevents condensation from collecting on insulation, framing and roofing materials. Having too much moisture in your home can cause those materials to rot, mildew or mold. Several different kinds of attic vents are available.
The yew (Taxus baccata), also called common yew or English yew, is a popular backyard evergreen plant. This is due to its low maintenance requirements, hardy nature, and moderate resistance to pests and diseases. Grow the coniferous shrubs in a row along your property to form an ornamental hedge that provides year-round color. Although established, your mature yew hedge requires care so it remains healthy and produces bushy growth.
The tropical red anthurium has eye-catching blooms. Large heart-shaped petals surround a white center spike in one of the most common varieties, and cut blooms can last for a month. Anthurium plants can be grown in pots in warm climates, though they are susceptible to blight and root rot in wet soil. To have anthurium blooms peaking at the right time or to control plant size, you may need to induce slower growth.
Engineers, machinists and mechanics often need to accurately measure extremely small distances. This used to be accomplished manually with calipers and a ruler; however, these tools limit the accuracy of the measurements. The development of micrometer calipers enable the measurement of distances in extremely small increments. There are three main types of micrometer calipers.
A home catastrophe can be averted by installing the right shower drain for the type of shower you have. The wrong drain can leak, allowing mold to grow underneath the shower. The material and construction of the shower can help you to select the right drain.
DSum is a function in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. It adds the numbers listed in rows and columns based on a given criteria. The syntax for the DSum function is: DSum( range, field, criteria). Let's say a charity organization wants to analyze the fund-raising capacity of its patrons based on gender and age. This can be done using the DSum function in Excel.
Hedging is a trading strategy that involves investing in an asset to offset possible losses in another investment. If you own stock in a company and you want to hedge against loss in case the price of that stock goes down, you can buy a put option on the same stock. A put option gives you, the buyer, the right but not the obligation to sell a stock at some time in the future at an agreed-upon price, known as the strike price or exercise price. A put option is a financial derivative, which means that its value is “derived”…
Aglaonema modestum is more commonly known as the Chinese evergreen. With glossy, variegated green and cream foliage, the A. modestum grows to 2 feet in height, with an 18-inch spread. Although it thrives outdoors within zones 10b and 11 on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map, it does well as a houseplant. While A. modestum attracts common pests, periodically checking and washing the plant keeps them to a minimum.
Comparable worth seeks to bridge the compensation gap between genders. This controversial topic is hotly debated and has staunch supporters on either side. Comparable worth supports value-based pay systems to achieve gender-pay parity. Its purpose is to eliminate gender pay discrimination and implement it on local levels. Supporters believe using these more-customized methods can also enliven impoverished communities.
Onions grow in a variety of climates and soil conditions, which makes them a popular choice for both yard and container gardens. In most climates, they can be planted in early spring and harvested in late summer. Visit your nursery or garden center to discuss the best onion varieties for your soil and weather conditions.
One of the joys of gardening is creating new areas in the landscape to fill in with various plants, like a painter with her brush. Borders and flower beds help to transform empty, unattractive or neglected plots into beautiful spaces. The combination of plants within them can be almost endless, providing interest to a landscape by adding color and texture with plants that can change with the seasons.
Tropical vines of any species can quickly take over the hedges. If not removed, the vines suffocate the hedges and steal nutrients the hedges require for proper growth. Many herbicides kill the tropical vines but also damage and possibly kill the hedge as well. Removing the tropical vines is not a difficult process. However, removing them without harming the hedges as well as preventing the vines from growing back is more difficult.
The Bullmastiff is a gentle bear of a dog, solidly built and very alert. With males weighing between 100 and 130 pounds and between 24 and 27 inches tall and females slightly smaller, this strong and powerful dog is intimidating but unusually appealing. An original mix of English Mastiff and the English Bulldog, this animal is an excellent watchdog and a lovable companion for all ages.
Semi-dwarf apple trees reach a smaller height at maturity than standard apple trees. Semi-dwarf fruit trees often come in bare root form, requiring you to transplant them quickly into the landscape. You can also plant the bare root trees in containers, to provide a healthy environment until your site is ready.
