Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) or Thanksgiving cacti (Schlumbergera truncata) are called holiday cacti. They are actually succulents and not true cacti. Both originate from tropical regions and make dependable, long-lived house plants. Christmas cactus are frequently mislabeled as such and are really Thanksgiving cactus. Christmas cacti have flattened leaves with rounded leaf edges compared to Thanksgiving […]
Archive for the ‘Fertilizing plants’ Category
Christmas Vs Thanksgiving Cacti
Posted by Hugh on November 26th, 2016
Posted in acidic soil, Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera), Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Interior (house) Plants, Mealy bugs, Photoperiod (Daylength), Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Root rotting, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Thanksgiving cactus, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, Winter Protection 
Comments Off on Christmas Vs Thanksgiving CactiFine Tuning Growing Calamondin Orange In The Home
Posted by Hugh on November 16th, 2016
Calamondin orange (Citris mitis) is challenging to grow in a home environment. It is hardy to 20°F., more than most other true citrus (USDA hardiness zone 8). It does not grow well in temperatures below 45ºF. In temperate regions calamondin spends the active growing months (May – October) outdoors either in direct sunlight (in northern areas) and in half day shade (in […]
Posted in Aphids, Bee Favorite, Calamondin Orange, Container growing, container shrub, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Foliage plant, Interior (house) Plants, Mealy bugs, Mites, Ornamental fruit, Pesticide recommendations, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Scale, Southern Appalachian Region, Tropical Plants (non-hardy) Comments Off on Fine Tuning Growing Calamondin Orange In The HomeGrowing Amaryllis
Posted by Hugh on November 1st, 2016
Amaryllis is a tropical bulb that blooms indoors usually in winter (USDA hardiness zones 9-11). It is one of the easiest flowering plants to grow. Everything you need to enjoy a bouquet of big, beautiful flowers is inside the bulb. Simply plant the pre-chilled bulb in a container and add water. There are many […]
Posted in acidic soil, Amaryllis, Amaryllis (Bulb), Bulb Crops, Container garden, Fertilizing plants, Flowering Bulb, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Interior (house) Plants, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, Wind protection, winter hardiness Comments Off on Growing AmaryllisPolar Express Sunbelt Rose Big Winner At 2016 Biltmore Gardens Rose Trial
Posted by Hugh on October 29th, 2016
If you grow roses in the U.S. Mid-South region, the historic Biltmore Gardens in Asheville, NC is key source for discovering what varieties you should be growing. Recently, a jury of world rose experts selected the winning roses in the 2016 Biltmore International Rose Trials. Since 2011, Biltmore’s historic Rose Garden has been home to the trials in which more […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, climbing roses, compost, Container garden, deadheading, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Floribunda roses, Fragrant, Hybrid teas, mulching, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Roses, shrub roses, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Polar Express Sunbelt Rose Big Winner At 2016 Biltmore Gardens Rose TrialEastern White Pine Losses Continue
Posted by Hugh on October 24th, 2016
Environmental and pathogenic problems continue to take their toll on Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus). This valued landscape and lumber tree is native in the Eastern U.S. and Canada (USDA zones 3-8). Climate change is likely contributing to recent losses of white pines due a number of serious disease and pest problems that are reducing tree numbers. Pests: A […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bagworms, Disease prone, Disease resistant, Environmental issues, Fertilizing plants, Insect (Pest) Problems, mulching, Native Plant, Pesticide recommendations, Pests, Pine (Pinus spp.), Pines (Pinus spp.), Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Sapsucker, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, watering evergreens, watering tips, winter hardiness, winter injury Comments Off on Eastern White Pine Losses Continue‘Midwinter Fire’ Dogwood Brightens Up The Winter Landscape
Posted by Hugh on October 21st, 2016
Bloodtwig dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), indigenous to Europe and Asia, is an upright branched, round-topped, spreading deciduous shrub (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 7). In the wild the species matures to 8-15 feet in height and spread. Its common name “bloodtwig” is misleading. Winter wood on 1-2 year old branches is not red. Instead, winter stems turn […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, compact shrub, Cornus sanguinea, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, mulching, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Midwinter Fire’ Dogwood Brightens Up The Winter LandscapeHappidaze® Sweetgum Produces No Gumballs
Posted by Hugh on October 18th, 2016
Sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is a low-maintenance deciduous shade tree. The species is native from Connecticut to Florida and west to Missouri and south to Texas and Mexico (USDA hardiness zones 5 – 9). A popular landscape shade tree, it typically grows to 60 to 80 feet tall with a straight central trunk. A young […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Sweetgum (Liquidambar), Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Happidaze® Sweetgum Produces No GumballsTry Popcorn Cassia For Its Lush Tropical Look
Posted by Hugh on October 12th, 2016
Big and bold is this tropical annual (USDA hardiness zones 9-11), known by several names including popcorn or peanut butter cassia (Senna didymotrya), formerly Cassia didymotrya. Popcorn plant is a legume family (Fabaceae), indigenous to tropical Africa. It is also been utilized as a cover crop or green manure crop in some areas of the world. It thrives […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Bee Favorite, Container garden, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, mulching, Planting tips, Popcorn Cassia, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Try Popcorn Cassia For Its Lush Tropical LookSeven Ideas for Managing Mosses in Lawn Areas
Posted by Hugh on September 30th, 2016
Mosses, over 14,000 species of them worldwide, are major competitors with lawn grasses in certain landscape situations. They belong to their own plant family. They photosynthesize and draw moisture from tiny rhizoids (primitive root systems). They do not compete for soil nutrients with lawn grasses. Some can live in full sun, other kinds in shade […]
Posted in acidic soil, Fertilizing, Fertilizing plants, Garden Problems, Irrigation, Moss (in lawn), Moss (unwanter), Mowing, Pesticide Recommendations, Pests, Red fescue, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Soil Testing, Southern Appalachian Region, Tall Fescue, watering tips Comments Off on Seven Ideas for Managing Mosses in Lawn AreasMapleleaf Viburnum For Woodland Areas
Posted by Hugh on September 27th, 2016
The genus Viburnum is a rich source of over 150 species of great flowering shrubs worldwide. Many viburnums are native to North America including mapleleaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium). This totally underutilized deciduous viburnum is a great choice to plant in shrub borders, foundation, or hedging, as well as to naturalize in an open woodland area (zone 3-8). Shrub grows 4 – […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, compact tree, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Mapleleaf viburnum, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Pruning, Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, Viburnums, winter hardiness Comments Off on Mapleleaf Viburnum For Woodland Areas
