Home And Garden

Common Names:  rue, common rue, herb of Grace Family:   Rutaceae  (citrus Family) Description Rue is a small evergreen subshrub or semiwoody perennial 2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m) tall and almost as wide. The stems become woody near the base, but remain herbaceous nearer the tips. The 3-5 in (7.6-12.7 cm) long leaves are dissected pinnately into oblong or spoon shaped segments. They are somewhat fleshy and usually covered with a powdery bloom. The sea green foliage has a strong, pungent, rather unpleasant scent when bruised. The paniculate clusters of small yellow flowers appear in midsummer, held well above the foliage and often covering most of the plant. Each flower is about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) across with four concave notched petals. Rue usually grows in a compact, rounded mound. 'Jackman's Blue' has beautiful bluish green foliage and stays in a tight, rounded form, smaller than the species; this is the most popular cultivar in Europe. 'Blue Beauty' is small, to 18 in (4...

Acorus gramineus Common Names:  Japanese sweet flag, Japanese rush, grassy-leaved sweet flag, dwarf sweet flag Family: Araceae (arum Family) Description Japanese sweet flag is an aquatic or wetland perennial with semievergreen grasslike foliage. It has narrow, 6-14 in (15-35.6 cm) glossy leaves and looks like thick, lush grass. The leaves are carried in two ranks, like opposing fans. They are flat, about a 0.5 in (1.3 cm) wide and tend to flop over. The insignificant flowers, shaped like little horns, are produced in midsummer on erect hollow stems. Usually only plants grown in water produce flowers. The cultivar, 'Ogon' (a.k.a. 'Wogon') is also called golden variegated Japanese sweet flag, or Japanese rush. It has arching foliage with cream and chartreuse stripes, and is a little smaller than the species, with leaves a 0.25 in (0.6 cm) wide and just 10 in (25.4 cm) long. 'Variegatus' has green and white striped leaves. 'Licorice' has foliage and ...

Common Names : European fan palm Family : Arecacea/Palmae (palm Family) Description The attractive little European fan palm has become very popular in recent years, mostly due to its cold hardiness. Severe freezes in the mid-eighties decimated many other more tender palm species then being grown in central and northern Florida. Millions of dollars worth of landscape plants were killed, creating a demand for more cold resistant varieties that could withstand the occasional cold snap. This small fan leafed palm fit the bill. Not only can it resist temperatures below 20°F (-6° C) but it is fairly fast growing and drought resistant too! The European fan palm forms clumps than can grow up to 15 ft (4.5 m) in height. The triangular, fan shaped leaves grow to about 20-24 in (50-60 cm) long by 24 in (60 cm) wide. They are deeply divided into multiple segments that are themselves split at the tip and they are supported on 3-4 ft (90-120 cm) stems. This is an extremely variable plant both...

1 Make a pond by digging a hole suitable to you and line in with plastic or use the pond in your neighborhood. 2 Buy an already made pond, if you are not interested in building a pond. You can get this from your local plant nursery. 3 Take care of your pond by putting duck weed and a few tadpoles or fish in, to create a friendly environment for the pond guests. Putting in water plants and rocks it is a great idea. A good pond can encourage dragonflies that lay their eggs in the pond. 4 Once a balance of plants and animal life is established, the water should remain clear without needing further attention. However, if you notice any changes in the numbers of fish and plants, the water balance may be slightly off and a surge of algal growth may result. 5 Aquatic plants don't require much attention, but periodic division helps keep them healthy. Every couple of years, in late spring or early autumn, divide plants that are overgrown or crowding neighbouring plants. Thick roots...

If you want a rose bush to flower for the longest possible time, try to begin by selecting a variety with a long flowering period. Long-flowering varieties include Mayflower," "Bright Melody," or "Mary Rose." If you have already chosen your variety, don’t despair! You can take steps to keep them flowering for as long as possible, whether they're in a vase or in your garden. See Step 1 of your preferred method below to get started. Caring for Roses in a Vase 1 Make sure your vase is clean. Before putting your roses up for display, clean your vase with soap and water. Using a nice, clean vase that’s been washed since its last use is incredibly important as dirty vases can harbor bacteria. The residue from previous flowers and their water can speed up your new flowers' deterioration process. 2 Fill your vase 1/2 to 3/4 full ahead of time to let the chlorine dissipate. If you’re really planning ahead, it’s a good idea to let tap water sit for 24 hour...

Lucky bamboo (botanical name "Dracaena sanderiana") is a small, shrubby plant that is sold extensively as a hardy houseplant. Despite its name, lucky bamboo is not related to bamboo and is not even native to Asia. Because of its development as a rainforest understory plant, it works well as a houseplant because it can tolerate moderate temperatures and very low light. The plant grows very quickly, and therefore it is useful to learn how to propagate lucky bamboo to produce new plants and avoid crowding the original plant. 1-Select a stalk for propagating. The stalk of the lucky bamboo plant is the thick, cylindrical base from which the smaller, leafy shoots grow. Select a stalk with at least 1 long, healthy shoot to take your cutting. 2-Trim the leaves from the shoot. Once you have selected a shoot to cut, remove all of the smaller leaves by plucking them off with your fingers. Leave only the few long, mature leaves at the top of the shoot. Removing the leaves keeps the ...

Pesticides are useful in the prevention of insect damage to crops, garden plants, and buildings, and keeping them out of our homes where they can spread disease and ruin food stored in pantries and bins. Safety is of utmost concern when using these toxic chemicals. 1-Read and follow all label instructions. Many pest control products have brochures or instruction pamphlets enclosed or attached to their container. Here are a few examples of the product instructions: Mix 1 oz. of product per 1 gallon of water. This is a mix ratio. Using stronger concentrations does not make the product more effective, but can increase its toxicity. Do not use in windy conditions. Windy conditions may cause the product to drift into unprotected areas, or into a waterway where contamination and unintentional aquatic life kill is possible. Do not mix with other products. Mixing pesticides, or any chemical, may produce unexpected and dangerous results. 2-Read the warning label. The warning label conta...

Do you have a brand new lawn, or one riddled with bare patches of dirt? Growing grass in a yard provides ground cover and protects the soil from erosion, in addition to accenting your home with natural beauty. Learn how to pick out the right grass seed for your region, plant the seed correctly, and help it grow into a lush carpet of grass. 1-Research types of grass that grow well in your region. Most common grasses fall into one of two categories: cool season grasses and warm season grasses. It's important to find out which category grows best where you live to ensure you have a healthy lawn all year round. Cool season grasses are planted in the summer or early fall, and they have a vigorous growing season in mid to late fall. These grasses tend to grow better in northern areas with cold winters and mild summers. Cool season grasses include the following: Kentucky bluegrass, a fine, dark green grass that grows well in the shade. Tall fescue, a low maintenance grass that is co...

The Bird of Paradise   ( Strelitzia reginae) is an exotic plant that is native to South Africa. Its name comes from its flowers that resemble a flying bird. The plant is a popular ornamental piece due to its attractiveness. However, certain conditions must be met in order for the plant to reach its maximum flowering capability. Learning how to grow Bird of Paradise properly will increase the beauty and health of your plants. 1-Find an ideal area to plant your Bird of Paradise plant that promotes growth. You will want to grow your Bird of Paradise in a pot if you live in a climate that has temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees C). The plant can stay outside during warmer temperatures and be brought indoors when it is cooler. A Bird of Paradise plant can withstand a salty breeze and is suitable for locations near the ocean. Bird of Paradise plants do best in spots that receive full sun. They prefer loamy soil that is rich and well-drained. Test the soil and st...

Fragrant, delicious rosemary is a wonderful herb to grow on your own, either indoors in a pot or outside in your garden. Rosemary is generally not hard to grow, and once it taken root, this perennial, woody shrub will thrive for years. Read on to learn how to plant, care for, and harvest rosemary. 1-Get a rosemary cutting. Rosemary is easiest to grow from a cutting, rather than planting seeds. Go to your local nursery and get a cutting, or better yet, find a rosemary plant you admire and clip off a few 4 inch pieces to propagate. The best time to do this is in the late spring, but if you live in a warmer climate, this can be done during early autumn as well. The plants you'll be able to grow from the cuttings will have the same qualities as the original bush. If you'd prefer to grow a variety you haven't seen in your area, you can order a cutting online or ask your nursery to get one for you. There are many varieties of rosemary, each with slightly different properties....