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The Best Vegetables for a Kansas Garden. Kansas' climate is conducive to growing both tender summer crops and cold-hardy vegetables. The state has a reputation for being one of the flattest in the nation, but in reality its weather and topography are more diverse than meets the eye. It is split rather vertically into USDA hardiness zones 5 and 6, making it ideal vegetable gardening territory.
Read MoreHow to Raise Hydrangeas in Ohio. Ohio's warm summers and cold winters provide an adequate climate to raise many hydrangeas, although winter protection is needed for some that are less hardy. USDA plant hardiness zones 5 and 6 encompass the Buckeye State, which means varieties such as bigleaf, lacecap, mountain, panicle and smooth can be grown. New varieties featuring different and continuous bloom colors are also introduced annually, contributing to hydrangeas' popularity in Ohio.
Read MoreCommon Weeds of Northern Ohio. Northern Ohio's humid continental climate, punctuated by Canadian fronts that sweep across Lake Erie, creates growing conditions that ideal for many weeds as it is for perennials. Several weed varieties as well as favored plants, like tulips, require a chilling period, which the northern part of the Buckeye State offers, to thrive. But unlike tulips, Ohio gardeners consider such weeds to have no redeeming gardening qualities.
Read MoreHerb Plants in Kentucky. Kentuckians have it lucky when it comes to plant variety, particularly herbs. The state's temperate climate, with its humid summers and cold winters, provides good growing opportunities. The U.S.D.A. Forest Service explains the Commonwealth enjoys four seasons and steady rainfall throughout each year. The Appalachian Mountains also offer protection and varying degrees of topography, most of which lie in U.S.D.A. hardiness Zone 6, with some isolated regions in Zone 5. Kentuckians, therefore, have their pick when it comes to herb cultivation.
Read MoreFlowers to Grow in the Summer in Georgia. Georgia's warm, humid summers are perfect for growing flowers, particularly those that don't like to get chilly. The Appalachian Mountains and regions along the east coast bordering the Atlantic Ocean also offer some protection and cooler weather, giving plants a break from stifling days. Gardeners who want to eliminate as much guesswork as possible should consider selecting Peach State natives as well as complimentary imports.
Read MoreHistory of the Pea Plant. Don't let the pea's humble size fool you. The pea plant, along with producing flavorful and nutritious fruit, has played significant roles in world history. Today's gardeners grow several varieties of this cool-season vegetable and people from around the globe savor the sweet, tiny, round pods fresh, in soups, salads and other dishes. But despite their innocuous appearance, the plants weren't always considered suitable for eating. Legend has it that Norse God Thor used these legumes as a weapon. Their other well-known purpose had to do with a genetic experiment that profoundly impacted scientific understanding.
Read MoreVegetables to Grow in Southern Idaho. Idaho has the reputation of being a potato-growing state, but plenty of other vegetables are grown in this mountainous, landlocked area in the Pacific Northwest, including in southern Idaho. USDA hardiness zones 3 to 6 prevail, which allows gardeners to grow several crops hardy to those regions. But keeping a watchful eye on forecasts and having protective measures at the ready is essential because maritime weather influences are still a factor, thanks to the Pacific Ocean to the west. More summer precipitation and dryer winter conditions can also characterize the southern part of the state.
Read MoreVegetables That Grow in Ohio. Gardeners in the Buckeye State can grow many kinds of vegetables, as long as they take into consideration the state's varying topography and climate. The foothills of the Appalachian Mountains to the south, Lake Erie to the north, and Canadian weather fronts that sweep through all affect Ohio's growing season. But some regions experience, on average, up to 200 days without killing frosts, providing ample time for most vegetable cultivation.
Read MoreLife Cycle of a Vegetable Plant. Successful gardeners know how much effort it takes to grow a delicious vegetable. Juicy, ripe tomatoes and crisp, sweet snap beans require extra nurturing that nature alone doesn't always provide. Even hybrid plants bred for vigor and disease resistance need special attention. But the plant also exerts plenty of energy in the growth process. Pushing through the earth and reproducing takes a lot of work too, although a plant's efforts can be lost on a gardener amid tasks like staking, mulching, weeding, watering and harvesting. Distinct development phases show the transformative nature of vegetable growing.
Read MoreVegetables That Grow Well in Abilene, Texas. Vegetables thrive in Abilene, Texas, and can be grown at different times of the year according to their variety. Located in the middle of the state, Abilene experiences hot summers, cool winters and little precipitation. The average summer high temperature reaches 95 degrees Fahrenheit in July, and the average low reaches 32 degrees Fahrenheit in January. Its wettest month is May, which sees about 3.5 inches of rainfall. If given enough supplemental water and the right soil conditions, most vegetables will flourish in Abilene, even cool-season vegetables if they are planted early in the spring and in late fall, according to Texas A&M University Extension.
Read MoreFlowers That Hang Upside Down. Flowers decorate any landscape and indoor space, no matter which direction they point. Certain species, rather than growing upward, have blooms that hang downward, giving them a more graceful and fragile appearance that appeals to many growers. Look for plants that have bell-shaped and tubular flowers and cultivate them in places such as hanging baskets and borders, where they'll be most visible.
Read MoreUses of a Cotton Plant. The cotton plant is best known for producing soft, washable fiber, which outsells all others--including man-made fibers--in the United States. But other parts of the plant are also used for various purposes. According to CottonInc.com, cotton has been cultivated for about 7,000 years, and evidence suggests it existed in Egypt as far back as 12,000 B.C. In the United States, the cotton belt spans 17 southern states from Virginia to California, where farmers glean as much use out of plants as they can.
Read MoreList of Hybrid Plants. Charles Darwin promoted the concept of cross-breeding, but Gregor Mendel is credited with starting the hybrid plant revolution with his genetic studies of peas in the early 1900s. Hybridization took off from there as horticulturists realized they could cross-breed plants within the same species but from different varieties, to attain specific desired physical results inherent in the parent plants. Today's gardeners have thousands of hybridized plants to choose from that feature traits like disease resistance, larger fruits and prolific growth habits.
Read MoreFacts About Lemon Seeds. Lemon seeds are usually considered an afterthought, if that, when it comes to the actual fruit they are contained in. Plump, bright and flavorful, lemons serve as the stars in many beverages and meals. But the tiny seeds are ultimately responsible for all of those flavorful tarts, cold summer drinks and seafood toppers. The seeds traveled far to reach America. Many lemon varieties are now grown in orchards and home gardens alike.
Read MoreHistory of Florida Orange Trees. Florida is known as the citrus capital of the United States, even though oranges are a large crop in California, Texas and Arizona. The Sunshine State's sweet orange juice and fruit used to be in such high demand and so difficult to transport that it was considered a rare splurge for northerners. Orange trees are the most commonly grown tree fruit, but aren't native to Florida, nor have they ever been discovered growing in the wild in any part of the world. Instead, the state can trace its orange history to the Orient.
Read MoreOrnamental Grasses in Ohio. According to the Ohio State University Extension Service, ornamental grasses are experiencing a resurgence in popularity not seen since the Victorian age. Though certain varieties of ornamental grasses, such as reed canary grass, are banned in Ohio, many non-invasive varieties are available that can be cultivated as perennials in all areas of the Buckeye State. Some are adapted hybrids that can withstand the state's cold winters, volatile spring weather and warm, often humid summers.
Read MoreThe Best Outdoor Plants for Indiana. Indiana's climate and topography creates ideal growing conditions for many plants. The Hoosier state is relatively flat in the north but hilly toward the south and its weather is largely influenced by Canadian fronts that sweep through from the northwest. Plants that require a cold dormancy period can be grown as perennials in Indiana, where winters are frigid. Plants native to all parts of Indiana are good bets when it comes to growing outdoor species.
Read MoreWhat Herbs Are Good to Grow in Kansas?. Kansas' climate can create growing challenges for more tender plants, but many herbs, which are generally considered hardy, have no problem thriving there. The state has a reputation for being one of the flattest in the nation, but in reality its weather and topography is more diverse. With the state split rather vertically into USDA hardiness zones 5 and 6, several herb varieties are easy to grow there, as annuals and perennials.
Read MoreWhat Types of Flowers Do Butterflies Eat?. Some flowers get all the luck. Not only do they look and often smell nice, but many of them also attract butterflies, the most beautiful of all winged insects. Since butterflies usually migrate long distances, they require frequent feeding stopovers. Flowers, particularly their nectar, are vital to these fragile animals. Conservation groups encourage people to plant butterfly gardens because some species are in decline. Luckily, there are many flowering plants that butterflies like.
Read MoreEdible Plant Life in Ohio. Deer, squirrels and other wildlife already know that Ohio is teeming with edible plants. Native trees offer good eats, ground vegetation includes berries and flavorful foliage, and even water plants can provide nutrition for people and animals. Bordered by Lake Erie on the north and the Ohio River on the south, and with much of the stated blanketed by Appalachian Mountain foothills, the Buckeye State's temperate climate is conducive to a wide variety of wild, or natural, culinary plant growth. Survivalists should therefore have no problem with hunger in Ohio, although anyone lacking a sound plant knowledge base must be extremely cautious, because poisonous varieties can mimic edibles in appearance and taste.
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