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Disadvantages to Landscaping With Volcanic Rock. Volcanic rock, often referred to as lava rock, is popular for use in landscapes because it does not decompose and require annual replacement like organic mulches do. Its porous nature also allows for good drainage. However, before you add volcanic rock to your landscape, it is important to look at the disadvantages to landscaping with it.
Read MorePlants That Absorb Mold & Mildew. People once believed that plants increased mold and mildew by increasing humidity and harboring spores in their soil. According to Bill Wolverton, this is only true if plants are overwatered, but in general plants reduce mold spores. According to Marie Harrison, houseplants protect us from mold spores by releasing phytochemicals that suppress mold spores and bacteria. According to her research, "plant-filled rooms have 50 to 60 percent fewer airborne molds and bacteria" than rooms without plants.
Read MoreWhat Do I Wrap a Tree with When the Bark Has Been Scraped?. If you're hoping to protect your damaged tree by wrapping it, then you're in for a big surprise. Wrapping is no longer recommended as a treatment for wounded trees. It actually does more harm than good. Your tree will be better off if you put down the wrap and pick up a water hose. Yep, a hose is the best thing you can do to help your tree heal from its injury.
Read MoreHow to Grow Herbs for Zone 8. Gardeners in the southern United States who want to grow herbs might think that the warm climate will limit their choices. Although not all herbs enjoy the heat, quite a few do. In fact, some of the most popular choices are considered hardy in USDA Zone 8.
Read MoreThe Best Trees for Hummingbirds to Nest In. At least 16 different species of hummingbirds migrate into the United States each spring in order to build their nests and raise baby hummingbirds. Hummingbird nests are very small, about the size of a walnut shell, and very well hidden. When hummingbirds look for trees to build their nest, they typically look for certain criteria rather than species.
Read MoreHow to Stop Birds From Eating Plums on Trees. You’ve waited all year for your plum tree to bear fruit. But when it comes harvest time, the plums have all been consumed by local birds. Birds are very resourceful and few devices will keep them away for very long. To be successful, you will need an arsenal of devices and tactics that are ready to be deployed the minute one stops working.
Read MoreThe Best Dwarf Blueberry Plants. If you want to grow blueberries but are limited in space, then dwarf or semi-dwarf blueberries are your best bet. Dwarf blueberries are about 1/3 to 1/2 the size of regular blueberries, which makes them perfect for containers and backyards. Dwarf blueberries are often referred to as half-high blueberries. Please note, "dwarf" only refers to the size of the bush and not the size of the berries.
Read MoreScale on Oak Trees. Scales are unusual-looking insects that can infect a variety of plants, including oak trees. These insects suck the sap from trees and other shrubs. Almost every species of oak can be affected by scales. They will not normally harm the plant unless the infestation is heavy, which can kill off branches and even kill young trees.
Read MoreThe Best Varieties of Blueberry Hedges. Using blueberry bushes can be an attractive and tasty way to form a hedge. If you are looking to create a uniform look, but still want fruit, use a variety of highbush blueberries, which are self-fertile. Although, if you want more fruit, you may want to plant at least two different varieties. When planting blueberry hedges, plant the bushes about 2-1/2 to 3 feet apart.
Read MoreDisease-Resistant Flowering Trees. Finding disease-resistant flowering trees is not a difficult task, provided you do your homework. Before selecting a tree, it is important to find out which diseases are prevalent in your area and then select a species or cultivar that is resistant to them. Of course, "disease resistant" does not guarantee that your tree will be disease-free, but it does give it better odds.
Read MoreThe Best Kinds of Lemon Trees. Lemon trees fall into two basic categories: true lemons and lemon hybrids. True lemons are known as Citrus limon or Citrus x limon and include the two most popular types of lemons, Eureka and Lisbon. Lemon hybrids are lemons that have been crossed with another citrus such as an orange or lime. Lemons are typically grown outside in USDA Zones 8 to 11 and inside as a container plant in colder areas.
Read MoreHuckleberries Vs. Blueberries. If you are confused over the difference between a huckleberry and a blueberry, you are not alone. While the term blueberry is almost always correctly used, the term huckleberry is often incorrectly applied to blueberries. If you want to know if your huckleberry is a true huckleberry, it is important to look at a variety of things.
Read MoreLombardy Poplar vs. Hybrid Poplar vs. Tulip Poplar. Although yellow poplars, Lombardy poplars and hybrid poplars sound like they should be similar, they are not. They are not even the same species. Hybrid poplars is actually a term that applies to quite a number of hybrid Populus clones. In fact, the Lombardy poplar is actually a hybrid, although it is not usually grouped with them. Yellow poplars, Liriodendron tulipifera, are not even in the same Populus genus as other poplars. It is actually part of the same family as magnolias. They are also known as tulip trees, tulip magnolias, tulip poplars and whitewoods.
Read MoreHow Close Can You Plant Bushes to an AC Unit?. If you have decided to plant bushes around your air conditioner, you may be wondering how close you can plant them. It’s a good question to ask, because planting them too close can have negative effects on both the plants and the air conditioner. But if you plant them too far away, they may not have the effect you desire.
Read MoreWhat Is the Name of the Indoor House Plant That Has Green Leaves and Long Vines?. If you're playing detective to identify an unknown vine growing in your home, then you need to brace yourself. Some of the most popular plants found in homes have green leaves and can grow into long vines. For most of them, the color and shape of the leaf is the easiest way to identify the plant. But keep in mind that these plants often have cultivars that bear little or no resemblance to the original plant.
Read MoreOutdoor Plants That Repel Carpenter Ants. Ants, in any form, are an unpleasant sight. Carpenter ants are doubly troubling because they make their nests in the foundations of homes. Despite their name, carpenter ants do not eat wood, but they can weaken it as they tunnel through it. A way to prevent ants from invading your home is to surround it with plants that repel them.
Read MoreTypes of Zinc to Put on Pecan Trees. Zinc is essential to the development of pecan trees. When deficient, young leaves may curl and develop a rosette pattern. Narrow leaves and terminal die-back are also signs of a zinc deficiency. This problem can be corrected by applying zinc either as a ground application or a foliar spray. According to University of Arkansas, your soil's pH level will help determine which is used. Alkaline soils have carbohydrates that make the zinc inaccessible to the tree, which means it must be applied to the leaves. Acidic soils do not have this problem.
Read MoreThe Causes of My Bleeding Oak Tree. In oaks as with people, bleeding is a sign of a serious problem. Oak trees may not have blood, but they can exude liquids that look reddish or dark colored. The liquid oozes out of cankers or cracks in the bark. It is often a sign of a serious condition called sudden oak death, but may also be a symptom of some less severe problems.
Read MoreOther Names for Magnolia Trees. Magnolia is the both the genus and common name for many of the plants in the Magnoliaceae family. The trees were given the name "magnolia" in honor of French botanist Pierre Magnolia. Most of the trees in this family are referred to as magnolias. However, a few magnolias have aliases in various parts of the world.
Read MoreEssential Parts of the Flower. Understanding the essential parts of a flower begins by breaking it down into its major parts: the reproductive organs and the non-reproductive parts. The reproductive organs, which include the stamen and the pistil, are essential for the flower's survival as a species. The other parts of the flower help protect the reproductive organs and attract insects and birds to the flower, which are essential for reproduction.
Read MoreSix Types of Soil. You may treat it like dirt, but you'd be lost without it. Scientists use a variety of features to categorize soil including color, moisture and organic content, pH level, temperature and texture. But you don't need a lab to determine a soil's type, a good approximation can be done if you understand the basic characteristics of the different types.
Read MoreHow to Put an Aspirin in the Water for Fresh Flowers. According to gardening expert Marion Owen, the salicylic acid in aspirin stops flowers from forming a substance it produces naturally-- salicylic acid--when wounded, which is designed to help the plant fight off disease, but also causes the flower to wilt faster. Others believe that aspirin helps lessen the bacteria in the water or works by increasing the carbohydrate content in the water. Either way, it is common to also add a copper penny to the water. The copper in the penny helps decrease the pH in the water, which helps keep the flowers fresher for longer.
Read MoreTips on Killing Large Patches of Weeds. If you have a large patch of weeds, your first instinct may be to go out and find the largest bottle of herbicide they make. Eventually, you come to the realization that using that much pesticide will not only kill the weeds, but have a detrimental effect on every other living thing around it. Before you roll up your sleeves and attempt to pull out each weed by hand, try some ecologically friendly methods that are capable of killing weeds.
Read MoreSalt As a Weed Killer. Being the salt of the earth might be considered a good thing for people, but not for vegetation. Salt has a long history of being used to destroy unwanted vegetation. Unfortunately, if used incorrectly, it can also kill wanted vegetation. Before pulling out the salt shaker and heading outside, it is a good idea to understand what salt can do and how to use it correctly as a weed killer.
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