How to Design With Japanese Maples

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While an obvious choice for an Asian inspired garden, a Japanese maple is at home in traditional and contemporary landscapes as well. When incorporating a Japanese maple into your landscape design, look for a prominent site that will capture attention. In "Japanese Maples," J.D. Vertrees describes

When Do I Trim Roses in the Spring?

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Many gardeners believe that roses should be trimmed in spring, but the best time could be as early as January or as late as May, depending on climate conditions. Therefore, consider basic pruning principles to select the best time to trim roses.

How to Make a Tree Grow Fast

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Trees offer a variety of benefits for the environment, including filtering pollutants, creating oxygen, recycling water and providing shade. Additionally, trees provide a habitat for several animals, giving them shelter. Trees require care for the first three to five years of life. Like other plants

Evergreen Tree Borers

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Juniper, pine, spruce and fir are among the evergreens commonly attacked by borers, according to the Montana State University Integrated Pest Management Center. Tree borers damage trees by tunneling within and burrowing out of wood. The type of tree targeted and the damage caused depends on the type

When Should I Plant Ground Cover Plants?

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Plants for ground cover, including grass, low-lying ferns and ivy, are designed to present a pleasing view of landscape or lawn while also protecting the soil from erosion. Like most plants, ground cover plants vary in bloom time and growing season according to species. Because of this, different

How to Make a Boxwood Topiary

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With their eye-catching shapes, topiaries add instant character to your yard -- and when it comes to choosing a plant for the project, it's hard to top a boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), which grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 8. This dense, shiny-leaved evergreen

How to Propagate Perennials by Division

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Division is a simple process that produces plants that are identical to the parent. It provides mature plants more quickly than by taking cuttings. It can be performed only on plants with a rootstock that produces multiple growing points. It is not possible to do it for a plant with a single stem.

The Effects of Plant Size and Weather on Flowering pH

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Larger flowers located in the South experience better flowering pH than small flowers in the North.flowers image by pearlguy from Fotolia.comFlowers can't bloom successfully if the pH level in the soil is too low or too high. The optimum pH for sunflowers, for example, is 6.0 to 7.5,...

My Hyacinths Are Leaning in the Pot

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Hyacinths are spring-blooming bulbs grown for their intensely fragrant flower spikes. They come in a range of colors from lavender to pink and blue and are often forced to bloom indoors. While bulbs are generally problem-free, improper irrigation, lack of fertilizer and less-than-ideal growing condi

What Is the Meaning of Lily of the Valley?

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Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) is a fragrant flowering plant used in religious ceremonies, world celebrations, perfumes and in gardens. Also known as the May lily, it means "return to happiness" and most often symbolizes chastity, purity, happiness, luck and humility. Its meaning and symb

Sources for Japanese Maples

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The Japanese maple is a popular choice for landscapes and is sold in a variety of retail channels. You can take on the task of purchasing the Japanese maple on your own as a DIY project or hire a professional landscaping company to do everything from selecting the tree to planting it. The key is to

The Best Sphagnum Moss for Topiaries

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Approximately 14,500 species of moss exist within the phylum Bryophyte. Sphagnum moss is a genus of moss with over 300 species. Sphagnum cristatum and Sphagnum subnitens are species within the genus Sphagnum that are cultivated and used for topiary, hanging baskets and horticultural displays. They h

Why Is Organic Soil Important in a Garden?

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Organic soil is concocted without chemical ingredients and enhanced with organic matter such as peat, ground bark, compost and leaf mold. The matter provides key elements and nutrients that serve as a rich medium for plants to grow through a slow, healthy process. Although organic soil tends to be m

How Big Was the Biggest Pumpkin?

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In 2007, Joe Jutras of North Scituate, R.I., grew a 1,689 pound pumpkin to claim the current world's record. In the same year, Don Young of Des Moines, Iowa, fell just short of the goal with a monster squash of 1,662 pounds.

Brown Leaves on Rhododendron

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Rhododendrons are flowering shrubs that produce bright, showy flowers. They grow best in mild, humid weather. Because rhododendrons are evergreen, browning leaves indicate a problem with the plant.

Ficus Tree Care Problems

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Ficus trees (Ficus benjamina) or "weeping figs" grow well both indoors and out. Their native lands in India, northern Australia and Southeast Asia offer tropical settings, yet have distinct wet and dry seasons. Once you have a better understanding of the tree's native climate, you can have a better

How to Grow Litchi Fruit

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Litchi is also known as lychee and is the source of the delicious lychee nuts --- which are actually fruits. The tree is native to lower elevations in southern China, where it grows in regions without frost but cool, dry winters and hot, wet summers. It grows well in any type of clay to sandy soil w

When to Trim Shrubs?

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Regardless of whether you want your shrubs to have a natural growth appearance or prefer a more formal, shaped shrub, trimming will benefit the health of a shrub. Understanding when to trim your shrub is as important as how you trim it. Annual spring trimming or trimming when the shrub does not need

Behavioral Adaptations of Evergreen Trees

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Trees are an integral part of the environment, necessary for life on the planet. Evergreen trees provide shade, shelter, timber, fuel and food and habitat for birds and wildlife. They absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen into the atmosphere. They retain their deep green foliage all-year-round,

How to Trim an Asian Pear Tree

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Asian pears have been a prized product of Asia for centuries. With a crisp texture when they mature, they are comparable to apples. Because of the wide selection of cultivars (varieties) of Asian pears, you can choose one that meets the climate and soil conditions of your yard. Choose the right cult