Home And Garden

Also known as   hedge   clippers or trimmers,   hedge   shears are devices that are used to trim decorative   shrubbery and other types of plants. Designed for residential and commercial use, the shears make it possible to manicure the landscape around a home, commercial building, or other type of edifice.   Hedge   shears come in several sizes and with different options for a power source. The choice of the make and model for the   hedge shear   equipment often depends on the intended purpose the shears will serve, and the personal preferences of the user. Basic   hedge   shears are simple devices composed of two sharp blades and a set of handles that make it possible to open and close the blades at will. The basic shears rely on the strength of the user to manage the task of trimming   hedge   bushes or cutting through other types of plants, such as thin tree limbs. Operating shears of this kind normally requires a fai...

Description Medicinal aloe is a clump forming succulent whose fleshy gray-green leaves are arranged in a vase shaped rosette atop a very short stem. The leaves are up to 18 in (45.7 cm) long and 2 in (5.1 cm) wide at the base, slightly grooved on top, and terminating in a sharp point. The leaves have small grayish teeth on the margins. The main rosette gets up to about 2 ft (0.6 m) high, and the plant continually produces little offset rosettes. In winter and spring, medicinal aloe bears small tubular yellow flowers on branched stalks up to 3 ft (0.9 cm) tall. Location Medicinal aloe is believed to have originated in northern Africa, the Canary Islands and the Cape Verde Islands. It has escaped cultivation and established in the Florida Keys, throughout the Caribbean, and in tropical areas worldwide. It is grown commercially, especially in the Netherlands Antilles, for the sap which is used medicinally. Culture Medicinal aloe is easy to grow in sandy or gravelly, well-drained so...

Description This massive tropical palm commands attention and inspires awe wherever it is grown. The Bismarck palm's stout trunk and symmetry of the huge crown lends a formal note while the startling blue green foliage amplifies the visual impact of this big beauty. It grows a single trunk that is smooth on mature specimens but young individuals retain old leaf bases. This palm may reach an ultimate height of 50-60 ft (15-18m) with a spread of 20 ft (6m) or more. Even young specimens that have yet to form a trunk sport full crowns of about 25 leaves with the maximum spread! The huge palmate leaves are bright light blue, waxy and are up to 10 ft (3m) across. They are supported on 6 ft (1.8 m) stems that can be 10 in (25cm) in diameter. The leaf bases split where they attach to the trunk (like those of  Sabal palmetto ) and the leaf stems are armed with small sharp teeth. Location Bismarckia nobilis  is native to the island of Madagascar which is off the east coast of Afric...

Instructions Spring Rose Care 1-Prune roses in early spring once the rose starts to show signs of new growth, usually in the form of tiny red buds swelling. These buds will become new branches. 2-Cut out any obviously dead or damaged branches first. Then cut out all but four or five healthy stems, each ideally about as thick as a pencil. 3-Cut the rose bush back by 1/3 to 1/2, depending on how tall you want it to be. Make these cuts right above an outward facing bud - that is, a red bud that's on the outside of the rose bush. This directs the bud to grow up and out, leaving the center of the rose bush open for a prettier shape and better air circulation. 4-Fertilize roses regularly during the growing season. Roses are hungry plants, demanding lots of nutrients for best growth and flowering. Each rose grower has his or her own favorite method. One of the easiest is to buy a slow-release granular rose food and work it into the soil so it can feed the ...

A member of the Arum family, the calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) is an herbaceous, tuberous rooted plant characterized by lush, waxy, green leaves and crisp, funnel-shaped flowers that may be white or burgundy depending on the cultivar. Commonly grown both indoors and outdoors, calla lilies are low-maintenance plants that thrive with a little care. Location Calla lilies grow naturally throughout Southern and Eastern Africa, thriving in wetlands and alongside lakes. Calla lilies do best when grown outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 8 to 10. Plant the flower in a bright, sunny location in cooler climates and in an area with light or shifting shade in hotter climates. Plants grown in partially shaded or shaded locations produce fewer or no flowers. Indoor plants prefer a windowsill with bright sun. Care Calla lilies thrive in moist conditions, with some species even preferring shallow water. Grow calla lilies in a rich, deep soil ...

Quick Tips: 1-Avoid over watering your ficus! The most common mistake people make is to add more water once the leaves begin to turn yellow. This is the opposite of what you should do. Always feel the surface of the soil with your finger tip. If it feels dry to the touch one inch below the surface, it is time to water. If the soil still feels moist, withhold water for a day or two. 2-Provide ample humidity, especially for new plants. Mist ficus plants at least twice daily. 3-Make a humidity tray by filling the plant saucer with gravel. Runoff water will collect in the saucer, which has two benefits: the roots will not sit in standing water - the most common cause of root rot; and the surplus water will evaporate through the plant, providing additional humidity. 4-Select a site with bright, filtered light. To determine if the light is bright enough for a ficus, you should be able to see your shadow on the wall behind the area you select. Early-morning or late-afternoon sun is ...

Irises are wonderful garden plants. The word Iris means rainbow. Irises come many colors: blue and purple, white and yellow, pink and orange, brown and red, and even black. The genus Iris has about 200 species and is native of North Temperate regions of the world. The habitat of iris also varies a lot. Some irises grow in deserts, some in swamps, some in the cold far north, and many in temperate climates.  Bearded Iris  and  Siberian Iris  are two of the most common types of iris grown. Kingdom Plantae Division Magnoliophyta Class Liliopsida Order Asparagales Family Iridaceae Genus Iris Since Iris is the Greek goddess for the Messenger of Love, her sacred flower is considered the symbol of communication and messages. Therefore the flower  iris in the language of flowers symbolizes eloquence . Based on their color, iris conveys varied messages. Purple  iris is symbolic of wisdom and compliments . Blue iris symbolizes faith and hope. Yellow...