Melody Lee
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Garden Guides uses a knowledgeable team of editors, writers, and experts to create all our content. We dive deep into the ever-evolving conversations surrounding gardening and landscaping, striving to deliver the most current and helpful tips, strengthened by expert insight and tutorials from our talented team.
As we cover many fields of expertise, we make it a priority to ensure every beat remains fresh and comprehensive. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
Stories By Melody Lee
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The Best Azaleas For Shade
The Best Azaleas for Shade. The best azaleas to grow in shade are those with evergreen leaves. They grow well in light or filtered shade cast by large deciduous trees. A site with morning sun and afternoon shade is also ideal. Plant azaleas next to a building or wall, near larger shrubs, or on a slope for protection against dry winds. Most evergreen azaleas are native to Japan, although some originated in China, Korea and Taiwan. Dr. Fred Galle identified more than 70 groups of evergreen hybrids in his book, Azaleas.
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What Are The Plant Problems For The Mahonia?
What Are the Plant Problems for the Mahonia?. Mahonia plants are evergreen shrubs with stiff, leathery leaves that resemble holly leaves. They have fragrant yellow flowers in late winter to early spring, followed by red, blue or purplish-black berries. hinese Mahonia (Mahonia fortunei) has bluish-green foliage and grows 3 to 5 feet wide and tall. Japanese Mahonia (M. japonica) grows 6 to 10 feet tall and Oregon Grapeholly (M. aquafolium) grows 3 to 7 feet tall. Both have dark green leaves.
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Are Maple Tree Seeds Toxic To Dogs?
Are Maple Tree Seeds Toxic to Dogs?. The toxicity of maple seeds has not been studied at length, but the leaves of red maples (Acer rubrum) are known to be toxic to dogs. Since the leaves are poisonous, it would be advisable to keep pets away from red maple trees.
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Worms That Attack Pine Trees
Worms That Attack Pine Trees. Different worms attack pine trees, depending on the species and location of the trees. Many worms only cause cosmetic damage by chewing on relatively few needles on a tree, but others can defoliate an entire tree within days.
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Are Chinese Palm Plants Poisonous To Cats?
Are Chinese Palm Plants Poisonous to Cats?. Chinese palm plants (Trachycarpus fortunei) are not poisonous to cats or dogs, according to the ASPCA. Chinese palms are also called Chusan palms, Chinese windmill palms, windmill palms and Chinese fan palms.
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Do Deer Like To Eat River Birch Trees?
Do Deer Like to Eat River Birch Trees?. River birch trees (Betula nigra) are native to the southeastern United States, where white-tailed deer frequently browse on the leaves and small twigs, and rabbits eat the seedlings (small trees).
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Ficus Tree Diseases
Ficus Tree Diseases. Ficus trees are grown for their beautiful foliage and are common houseplants. The species includes the Fiddleleaf Fig (F. lyrata), the Rubber Tree (F. elastica) and the Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina). Ficus trees are easy to care for. Avoid wetting the leaves or overwatering the plants to help prevent diseases. Regular fertilization, good air circulation and adequate light are important to the health of ficus trees.
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About Globe Willow Trees
About Globe Willow Trees. Globe willows (Salix matsudana 'Navajo') are fast growing trees with globe-shaped canopies. They are native to eastern Asia and are also called Hankow willows. Globe willows are excellent shade trees for lawns and parks, as well as near streams and lakes. They are some of the first trees to leaf out in early spring.
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Diseases In Thundercloud Plum Trees
Diseases in Thundercloud Plum Trees. The thundercloud plum tree (Prunus cerasifera 'Thundercloud') is a small deciduous tree that produces edible purple fruits in the fall. The fragrant white or pink flowers appear in the spring. The foliage emerges ruby red and turns reddish purple as it matures. Thundercloud plum trees grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) hardiness zones 5 to 8 in full sun and well-drained soil. They grow best in acidic soil, but will also grow in alkaline soil, and are moderately drought tolerant. They are prone to several fungal diseases that affect the trunk, foliage and fruits.
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How To Prune A Breath Of Heaven Shrub
How to Prune a Breath of Heaven Shrub. The soft needle-like leaves of the Breath of Heaven (Coleonema pulchellum/pulchrum) are fragrant and evergreen. In spring, the shrub is covered with small star-shaped flowers in shades of pink. It can be used as filler in a flower bed or as a specimen plant, as well as planted in a grouping. Breath of Heaven is a billowy shrub with thin supple limbs. It grows 5 feet tall and wide in a rounded mass and should be left in its natural form so the limbs can move in the breeze. Pruning should be limited to removal of weak growth and slight shaping after blooming.
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Japanese Magnolia Diseases
Japanese Magnolia Diseases. Japanese magnolias (Magnolia x soulangeana) have showy tulip- or cup-shaped blooms in the early spring before the leaves appear. The white, pink or purple flowers also bloom sporadically throughout the summer and fall. The silvery-gray bark of the trunk and branches adds winter interest to a garden. Few diseases affect Japanese magnolias. They grow in Zones 5 to 8 in the sun or partial shade. They prefer slightly acidic, moist but well-drained soil. Japanese magnolias are also called saucer magnolias and Japanese tulip trees.
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How To Prune Potentilla Shrubs
How to Prune Potentilla Shrubs. Potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa), also known as Shrubby Cinquefoil, comes in more than 100 varieties. Potentilla shrubs grow from 2 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 5 feet wide, depending on the variety. The yellow, white or red flowers bloom on the current season's growth, so prune the plants in late winter or early spring before the new growth starts. Do not severely prune and shape Potentillas, since they have a loose, open form. Rejuvenate straggly and ragged plants every 3 to 4 years to encourage vigorous new growth.
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Easter Cactus Disease
Easter Cactus Disease. The Easter Cactus has a weeping form that works well in a hanging basket or in a decorative container. It has jointed flattened stems that resemble leaves called cladophylls, and flowers of white, pink or red. Although the Easter Cactus blooms in the spring, the flowers may not coincide with Easter, since the date of Easter changes each year. There are several diseases that cause rot on the plants. The Easter Cactus, Rhipdalidopsis gaertneri, was formerly named Schlumbergera gaertneri.
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September Flowers For An Outside Garden In Georgia
September Flowers For an Outside Garden in Georgia. As September brings cooler weather to Georgia, people move outdoors into the garden to see which flowers are blooming. Some have bloomed all summer and will continue until frost, while others have just started flowering. Annuals, perennials and shrubs all provide seasonal fall color and beauty.
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How To Prune A Coppertina Shrub
How to Prune a Coppertina Shrub. One of the most colorful varieties of Ninebark is the Coppertina shrub (Physocarpus opulifolius "Mindia"). New growth offers a coppery-orange display and matures to rich red in the summer. Small white flowers in the spring are followed by red berries in the fall. Coppertina shrubs grow 6 to 8 feet tall and wide. The multi-stem shrubs contain arching branches and peeling, cinnamon-colored bark. Prune Coppertina shrubs in the late winter or early spring before new growth appears.
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Information On Fire King Crocosmia
Information on Fire King Crocosmia. Fire King Crocosmia has brilliant red flowers from early to mid-summer. It is a variety developed from native croscosmias of South Africa. Crocosmias are also known as Montbretias.
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Hawthorn Tree Diseases
Hawthorn Tree Diseases. Hawthorns (Crataegus spp.) are large shrubs or small trees that usually grow in thickets in the wild. In the home garden, their yellow or red fruits add seasonal color in the fall and winter, as well as provide food for birds and wildlife. In addition, small animals often nest in the dense, thorny foliage. Depending on the variety, hawthorns can grow in United States Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3a through 11a.
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Pennington Vs. Scotts Grass Seed
Pennington Vs. Scotts Grass Seed. You can save money and time by choosing the proper grass seed based on your location and the amount of maintenance you will provide. Both Pennington and Scotts offer an assortment of grass seed mixtures for different growing conditions and maintenance requirements. Some mixtures also contain fertilizer and/or mulch to help the grass seed to germinate and grow. By comparing the information listed on the seed containers, you can decide which type of grass is right for your conditions.
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Blueberry Bush Diseases
Blueberry Bush Diseases. Blueberry bushes are native to the eastern part of North America. Rabbiteye blueberry bushes (Vaccinium ashei) grow in north Florida and southeast Georgia. Highbush blueberry bushes (Vaccinium corymbosum) grow in the eastern third of the United States and southeast Canada. Highbush blueberry bushes bloom and set fruit earlier than rabbiteye blueberry bushes. Most people cannot tell a difference in the taste, but rabbiteye blueberries have a firmer texture.
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Diseases Of Walnut Trees
Diseases of Walnut Trees. Walnut trees (Juglans spp.) often drop their leaves prematurely due to bacterial or fungal diseases. Other symptoms of diseases on walnut trees include abnormal growth of foliage, damaged nuts and dead areas of bark. Most walnut tree diseases are not severe and do not cause permanent damage. Grow walnut trees in full sun in rich, moist soil. Plant them at least 60 to 80 feet away from other trees to prevent crowding, and prune regularly to provide good air circulation. Remove trimmings and other debris from around the tree and destroy it to prevent the spread of diseases.
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Can Plants Live In Anoxic Soil?
Can Plants Live in Anoxic Soil?. Soil normally has pockets of space that contain oxygen between the grains of solid material. The voids in anoxic soil are filled with water that inhibits the transfer of oxygen to plants. Wetland plants, however, are adapted to anoxic soils and get oxygen from the air through their stems.
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How To Propagate Mock Orange Shrubs
How to Propagate Mock Orange Shrubs. Mock oranges (Philadelphus coronarius) are large deciduous shrubs that have upright to arching, vase-shaped forms. They have fragrant white flowers in the late spring or early summer, and dry seedpods in the fall. Mock oranges prefer full sun or partial shade in moist, well-drained soil. They are hardy in zones 4 to 8.
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Are Ficus Trees Poisonous To Children?
Are Ficus Trees Poisonous to Children?. A child that gets the sap from a Ficus tree (Ficus benjamina) on his skin may have an allergic reaction that includes itching, stinging and redness. The symptoms are usually mild and do not last very long.
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Soil Types In Louisiana
Soil Types in Louisiana. Soils are formed from rock and sediment over long periods of time. The texture of soils is determined by the amount of weathering caused by temperature changes, moisture content and other factors. In the United States, soils are classified into 12 categories, called orders, based on the development, fertility, and organic and mineral content. Louisiana is part of 11 Major Land Resource Areas (MLRA), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Most of the soils in the state are formed from alluvial sediments deposited by the Mississippi, Ouachita and Red Rivers.
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Information On Malva Zebrina Flowers
Information on Malva Zebrina Flowers. Malva Zebrina has pale pink or purple blooms with darker purple stripes from late spring to frost. The old-fashioned flowers suit a cottage, heirloom or Victorian garden. The flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds, but are resistant to rabbits. The scientific name may be listed as Malva sylvestris 'Zebrina' or 'Zebrinus'. Its common names include Zebra Mallow, Tall Mallow, High Mallow, Striped Mallow and French Hollyhock.
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