Delosperma congestum is a cold hardy succulent that makes spectacular flowers that glisten in the sun. It is an alpine plant that originates from the mountains of South Africa.
Controlling Slugs with Ammonia – Which Methods Work?
Household ammonia is reported to be great for controlling slugs. Some people spray the slugs directly and apparently it kills them. Others spray plants so slugs stop eating them. Spraying soil is also a common method of controlling slugs and snails.
Do these methods work?
Ammonia is a strong cleaning agent and it surprises me that spraying it on plants will not harm them, but maybe the dilution used is low enough to prevent damage. If that is true, what is the ‘safe’ dilution ratio?
What Causes Blossom Drop in Tomatoes?
Why are my tomatoes not producing fruit? This is a common question on social media and in this post I’ll look at the real reasons for blossom drop and poor fruit production, as well as some of the myths people spread about the problem.
In a gardening Facebook Group someone asked, “What am I doing wrong??? This tomato plant is over 8 ft tall and hasn’t produced a single tomato. It has tons of flowers but they always fall off. I have 20 varieties of tomatoes growing and none of them are producing fruit.”
Here are some of the answers that people gave to help this poor gardener.
Jeffersonia diphylla
Jeffersonia diphylla is uncommon both in the wild and in gardens. It starts early in spring with purplish new growth that opens white flowers long before leaves show on deciduous trees. Unfortunately the flowers only last a few days. Its real beauty comes next as the blue-green leaves develop. The shape of these is very unusual and look as if someone has pasted two leaves together, hence the name diphylla.
Are Burpless Cucumbers Really Burpless?
I never thought cucumbers were so complicated. When ordering seeds you can certainly order burpless cucumber seed. And the English cucumbers are burpless, or at least my wife thinks since she always complains when I buy the American slicing variety at the grocery store.
I recently posted about a popular procedure for making cucumbers less bitter, on our popular Garden Fundamentals Facebook Group, and someone asked, are the bitter free cucumbers really burpless?
Good question. I thought the answer was yes, and so do 99% of the blog posts on line that talk about this topic. Guess what? We are wrong. Lets stop burping and sort it all out.
How to Grow Cucumbers Without Bitterness
Cucumbers are known for being a bit bitter and for giving people gas. In this post I will look at why they are bitter, what you can do in the garden to keep them from getting bitter and then I’ll discuss a popular way to get rid of the bitter taste in the kitchen.
Plants Do Not Need to Be Fed – Stop Fertilizing!
Everybody tells you that plants need to be fed. Thousands of gardening books and blogs confirm the fact. Fertilizer companies certainly continue to make you feel as if you are letting your plants down if you don’t fertilize. And most nurseries try to push their products at checkout.
I have good news for you. In most garden situations, you do NOT need to fertilize.
The idea that ornamental gardens need fertilizer is a big myth.
GMO Houseplant Purifies Air – Will People Buy It?
A recent report about a new genetically modified (GMO) houseplant that purifies the air in your home started me thinking about the social acceptability of GMO plants. The general public is mostly against them and yet 85% of scientists see no problem with them. I think that the public is against GMO for a couple of reasons; they don’t understand them and there is no direct benefit for them.
But what if a GMO hit closer to home? Would the general public accept it, if it provided some real benefits?
The genetically modified houseplant seemed like a perfect candidate to try a little social experiment. Would people use the plant if it removed toxins from the air in their home and there were no possible health or environmental concerns?
Is Salt in Mushroom Compost Harmful to Your Garden?
Mushroom compost is used a lot for gardens, but it comes with a warning: don’t use too much because it contains a lot of salt. I have been aware of this for a long time, and I have even cautioned people about using too much. Salt can harm plants, and it only makes sense not to use a product loaded with salt.
I always wondered why mushrooms would be grown with high levels of sodium. Are the fungi that different from plants? Do they need high sodium levels? A little online research started to make things clear. It turns out to be a good example of the confusion caused between salt and salt—something every gardener should understand.
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea monstrosa) Forms Peloric Flowers
I walked outside a few days ago and immediately spotted my monster foxglove. It is a cream yellow, growing in a fairly shady spot where the color just glows. But what made it really stand out is the large uncharacteristic flower at the top of the inflorescence (flower stem).
After a bit of work on the computer, I learned that this is a rare peloric mutation.
Does Barley Straw Stop Algae Growth in Ponds?
Algae is probably the pond owners biggest problem and people try everything to get rid of it, even barley straw. This is becoming a common method and companies are even selling bags of it for small back yard ponds, but does it actually work?
If you think about it for a minute, it does not make any sense. Why would barley straw work? Why not some other kind of straw?
Even if it does work, it seems a shame to use it in a pond rather than make beer out of it!
Corydalis ophiocarpa
Corydalis ophiocarpa is an unusual corydalis that is evergreen all year. Its blue-green ferny leaves make a nice display in spring. It flowers in late spring and becomes more upright in growth to form a very airy plant.