Hardy Palms: The Windmill Palm: Trachycarpus fortunei
Continuing on with our series on cold hardy palms is discussion of a large group of hardy windmill palm; Trachycarpus fortunei. Trachycarpus fortunei ‘Bulgaria’ (Bulgaria Windmill Palm) Palm grower Kiril Donov has collected thiswindmill palm seed from 35-year-old trees growing in Plavdiv, Bulgaria…
Introduction to the Hardy OrchidEverybody knows and loves the exotic, tropical orchids (e.g., Phalaenopsis, and Cattleya), but few are familiar with the Hardy Orchid. It might surprise you to know that there are many beautiful terrestrial orchids for temperate zones 5-9, some, such as bletilla and calanthe are actually very easy to grow.
Epimedium Hybrid Groups and Some Miscellaneous SpeciesBelow, I have categorized Epimedium hybrids by their plant form and flower types in order to help you select the best plants for your site. Other articles in this series contain other groups. Epimediums with Dodecatheon-like flowers Several other favorites that don’t resemble any of the aforementioned species are the clumping evergreen species Epimedium fargesii (1894) (Zone 5-8), Epimedium dewuense (2003) and the slowly spreading evergreen Epimedium dolichostemon (1988)(Zone 5-8).
Epimedium With Short Flower Spikes and Large Spider-Type FlowersThis article in the Epimedium series catalogs Epimedium species by their plant form and flower types in order to help you select the best plants for your site. There are too many Epimediums to list in a single article so check out the others in the series to see other categories such as white Epimediums or large Epimediums. The next group are evergreen epimediums that have large flowers in pink to white, but are borne on short flower stalks.
Hardy Palm Trees: Jubaea, Seronea, Trithrinax, and WashingtoniaJubaea is another monotypic genus of palm, this one is native to a small area of low forests and adjacent savannahs in central Chile at the base of the Andes. Jubaea is like most plants from Chile in that it detests hot, humid weather.
The Small Epimedium SpeciesBelow, I have categorized the small Epimedium species in order to help you select the best plants for your site. There are too many Epimediums to list in a single article so check out the others in the series to get a full view of Epimedium types. Small Epimedium with small/medium sized flowers If you’re looking for small and dainty in the epimedium world, the deciduous Japanese Epimedium diphyllum is for you.
Epimedium Culture and Flowering CalendarIn gardening circles, Epimedium are known as great plants for dry shade, but in the wild, most grow in very moist soils, with many being found near woodland waterfalls. While epimediums will indeed grow in dry shade, they fare much better in part sun to light shade with a rich, organic, moisture-retentive soil. As with all plants, stay away from salt-based fertilizers which can burn epimediums when used in excess.
Sabal Palms III: Sabal palmetto and Minor Sabal SpeciesContinuing on with our series on hardy palms is the species Sabal palmetto, the palm that is on the state flag of South Carolina and Florida. The following descriptions highlight the tremendous variety of the species. Sabal palmetto (Palmetto Palm) The 40′ tall Sabal palmetto is the dominant trunked palm in the Southeast US.
Interesting GiftToday, a friend came over and brought me something very interesting. She knew I needed a hobby; our book club was not going to meet for another month due to the holiday. Anxious to see the contents of the large box she was carrying, I quickly escorted her to the breakfast nook.
Tips to Grow Organic Tomatoes in Your HomeGardening is a pleasant activity especially when you get fresh vegetables that are free from any kind of pesticides and chemicals. Here, we will see how to grow tomatoes in your garden organically. Organic tomatoes are tremendously healthy for consumption mainly because they do not need chemicals to grow.
A Red Wiggler Worm’s Life CycleA red wiggler worms life cycle goes through different stages. It starts from the cocoon or egg stage, until the mating stage again. But we will really never know which came first, much like the egg and chicken theory. But did you know that all earthworm types are hermaphrodites? It’s true. And just like red wiggler worms, they too have both male and female reproductive organs. But in spite of, they will still need another of their kind to be able to mate and reproduce. But on a lighter note, let’s discuss each stage that brings a worm to mature.
Vegetables InformationTomatoes should be harvested with a stalk when ripe and just starting to soften. At the end of the season you can pick unripe tomatoes to ripen off the plant. Place in a drawer with a banana skin to help the process. Curettes zucchini should be picked when young and firm and about 4 inches long. You need to harvest regularly to ensure a continuous supply.