I placed the pot on my desk and the light from my study lamp was enough for the little plants to sprout. Moisture is important, but they can't stand wet or boggy conditions. Once the flower stalks form, the plant tends to get leggy and they aren't as...
Caladiums are enexpensive and easy to obtain. Many new gardeners are starting to plan their first adventure into our crazy, wonderful world. Often new gardeners live in an apartment with very little space for plants, or they have a shady balcony where...
However, the same rose in my friend Kathleen's garden in upstate New York is much smaller. Albas can withstand fairly severe winters, but do not do as well where winters are extremely mild (or non-existent.)My alba is planted in full sun, but it is reported...
Most direct-seeded zinnias will bloom four to six weeks after they are planted, if the ground is warm and conditions are favorable.Zinnias require a sunny area and moderately fertile soil.
Many new gardeners are starting to plan their first adventure into our crazy, wonderful world. They may wither a bit, but if given a drink, they'll bounce right back with no ill effects.
Over the course of several seasons, two or three fans will increase to a substantial clump and each fan is capable of producing flower stalks or scapes. Shapes range from a basic star shape to round, sculpted, recurved, crispate and spiders.
The ideal temperature range for the big, leathery leaved plant is 60 to 65 F at night and 75 to 80 F during the day. If you're planting in a container, choose one with at least one drainage hole.Avoid western exposures for a rubber tree plant -- in addition...
When 30-40% of the seeds have changed color, the crop is harvested.In 1985, the FDA ruled that canola is safe for human consumption. Another name for canola oil is LEAR – Low Eeucic Acid Rapeseed oil.Today, canola ranks 5th in production amongst the...
Choosing the right varieties, as well as a little pre-planning, will reap the biggest rewards.Tomatoes are very sensitive to cold and will show damage at any temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Blot them gently with paper towels. Add them to corsages, hair arrangements or leis, which will keep for up to one day.Gently pick the plumeria flowers close to the bottom of the stem where they join the tree so as not to crush the five-pointed petals.Construct...
The plan usually involves an expensive mousetrap that you may not be able to afford, or involves a messy mousetrap that causes a horrifying scene at cleanup. Place the toothpick high enough to stop the barbwire from swinging outward but low enough for...
Working in batches of five or 10, drop the grapes in the egg mixture, blot them dry to remove the excess egg, then roll them in the sugar.Arrange the sugared grapes on decorative trays and serve them immediately.
If you don't always have access to fresh ginger leaves, use them dried. Have ginger tea on its own or enjoy it with a wedge of lemon and a teaspoon of honey. For the fullest flavor, chop ginger leaves just before you use them.
Use a 1/2-inch drill bit. Create humidity by misting the bucket daily or by setting the bucket in a tub that contains about 1 inch of water. You can use coffee grounds, sawdust, straw or a mixture of the items to form the media.Open the bag of mushroom...
Optimum is if the bag is always out of direct sunlight but the plant receives full sun at least 6 hours per day. The bag, plus the cables and plant will be about 2.5 feet tall and can not be set down or it will damage the young plant.Hang the planter.
Spray the roses lightly with aerosol hair spray to strengthen their petals. Leave the roses for two to three weeks.Remove the dry roses form the hook. Cut the long end of the wire to the desired length, then wrap the wire with florist's tape.Gather a...
Urea is a by-product of humans and mammals produced in urine. The nitrogen makes the urea water-soluble and easy to mix in soil. For medicine, urea is used for dermatology, as a diuretic and in barbiturates.Humans produce 30 g of urea a day, mostly in...
Depending on its size, a potato is approximately 75% water. He saved it and planted it the following year after which he derived 23 new plants, Out of these 23 plants, the Russet potato emerged as the world's most-planted potato.Did you know that 85%...
Use plastic bags specifically designed for freezer use if you want to flatten the filled bags to conserve space in your freezer. Swirl the peas around for a minute or two until they are completely cooled, then pour them into the colander to drain.Spoon...
When this happens, many people just toss the unripened squash. The water-bleach mixture will help prevent the squash from rotting.Place the butternut squash in a sunny location in your home.
Put on the cap and screw it on lightly. Secure the tubing with a small amount of silicon sealant -- allow the sealant to dry overnight.Fill the bottle halfway with water; it should be lukewarm to avoid killing the yeast.
This makes a dry pack for the peaches, which allows for easier removal of a few slices from the bag since the peaches do not freeze together.Freeze the peaches until solid, which will take about two hours.Transfer the frozen peaches to a vacuum sealer...
Blueberries belong to the heath plant family that includes cranberries, bilberries, huckleberries, azaleas and rhododendrons. Coffee grounds can help create these ideal conditions.
Considered by some to be a delicacy surpassed only by truffles, morel mushrooms are one of the most highly coveted species of wild fungi. This honeycomb characteristic alone is enough to positively identify a morel mushroom, as no other species of wild...
But this only works for climacteric fruit, which use ethylene to stimulate the ripening process. Unlike climacteric fruits, there is no spike in ethylene and CO2 levels in cherries as they ripen.
Learn how to prevent this and even what to do if you have a basket full of sour blackberries.Don't pick blackberries too early or they may be sour.Even when your berries are dark in color, they may not yet be ripe for picking.
