Home And Garden

Common Names: Natal plum Family: Apocynaceae (dogbane Family) Description Natal plum is a dense, closely branched spiny evergreen shrub or small tree up to 20 ft (6.1 m) in height. Most of the cultivated forms are much smaller, though. The dark glossy green leaves are ovate, 1-3 in (2.5-7.6 cm) long, thick and leathery, and arranged in opposing pairs. Forked spines, about 1-2 in (2.5-5.1 cm) long, arm the branches and the ends of the twigs. Broken twigs exude a white milky sap. Natal plum produces an abundance of white starlike flowers with five thick and waxy petals. The flowers are about 2 in (5.1 cm) across and sweetly fragrant, like orange blossoms, especially at night. The edible fruit is a pretty plum shaped red berry abut 2 in (5.1 cm) long which tastes like sweet cranberries. Natal plum blooms almost all year long and most of the time both flowers and fruit are present. 'Bonsai' grows in a compact mound only 2 ft (0.6 m) tall. 'Prostrata' and 'Horizo...

A vase of fresh flowers cut straight from the garden can instantly make a house feel more like a home. So it’s surprisingly that more people don’t try growing their own cut flowers, particularly when you consider the benefits to your purse. There are plenty of cut flowers that you can grow at home, but if you need some inspiration take a look at our top 10 favorites. You don’t need to be a florist to get the best from your cut flowers either. There are lots of handy tips that you can employ to make your blooms last longer in the vase. Here are a just a few to get you started. Keep your cut flowers looking good for longer. • Cut flower stems at an angle to prevent the stem resting on the bottom of the vase and sealing itself over. Angular cuts also great a larger surface area for water uptake. • Strip any foliage from stems that would sit below water level in a vase as these will simply decay, becoming slimy and smelly. • Always use a thoroughly clean vase as bacteria can su...

Pest Control 1. Tomato Leaf Spray is effective in killing aphids and mites. It works because the alkaloids in the tomato leaves (and the leaves of all nightshades, actually) are fatal to many insects. 2. Garlic Oil Spray is a great, safe insect repellent. Simply put three to four cloves of minced garlic into two teaspoons of mineral oil. Let the mixture sit overnight, and then strain the garlic out of the oil. Add the oil to one pint of water, and add a teaspoon of biodegradable dish soap. Store in a bottle or jar, and dilute the mixture when you use it by adding two tablespoons of your garlic oil mixture to one pint of water. This mixture works because the compounds in garlic (namely, diallyl disulfide and diallyl trisulfide) are irritating or deadly to many insects. The oil and soap help the mixture stick to plant leaves. What insects does garlic oil repel? Whiteflies, aphids, and most beetles will avoid plants sprayed with garlic oil. A word of caution: don't apply this spr...

Common Names: poinsettia Family: Euphorbiaceae (spurge Family) Description The poinsettia's species name pulcherrima means "most beautiful" and that it is! Poinsettia's brilliant red floral display held against rich green foliage has made this unlikely species a holiday favorite. Its appealing presentation of the traditional Christmas colors has so endeared poinsettia that it is now second only to the Christmas tree as the most popular holiday plant. Euphorbia pulcherrima is named after Dr. J.R. Poinsett, and was introduced to gardeners in the early 19th century. Always popular, the holiday poinsettia trade is today a multi-million dollar business with plants sold everywhere from florists and nurseries to supermarkets and convenience stores. The species is a tall, rangy shrub that grows to a height of 10 ft (3.1 m). It has large, dark green, oval leaves that are "toothed" on the sides and pointed at the tips. They emerge from smooth green erect stems....

One of the famous and popular garden decorations is Zen garden. It is the representation of the passion and bountifulness of oriental look. It is also offer you a peace and calm impressions. Moreover, Zen garden decoration also gives you a harmonization between human being and nature. -  The aim of Zen garden is that to show the harmonization and balance of all of the garden texture and natural garden element of water, stone, tree and sand. Those natural elements are the main things that must be presented in Zen garden. Those are the elements that show the closeness of human and nature that cannot be separated. That is a kin d of oriental Zen garden’s philosophy. Zen garden designs can be created in some ways by placing and displaying those main elements keys. The first decoration style, you can put or display sand and stone as the main decoration stuff. You can spread the sand over the ground and place the stone in specific area. It can be the therapeutic relaxation by walking ...