Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn. ~Elizabeth Lawrence
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Cast Your Votes for the 2021 Garden.org Photo Contest!
Over the past few weeks, gardeners from all over have been submitting their favorite photos, and it's now time for you to vote on your favorites! Each member may cast up to 3 votes in each category, so head over to the photo contest page, start browsing the many beautiful photos, and cast your votes for your favorites. |
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Soil Preparation for Potatoes
Potatoes will grow in just about any well-drained soil, but they dislike soggy soil. Because they do all their growing underground, they can expand more easily in loose, loamy soil than in heavy, compacted, clay soil that keeps plant roots from getting the air and water they need. |
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Getting Started With Potatoes
Since most home gardeners start potatoes by cutting and planting last season's tubers, common sense says you should use the healthiest tubers possible. |
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Potato Rotations and pH
Crop rotation is a must with potatoes. Troublesome insects and diseases can build up in the soil when you plant potatoes in the same spot year after year. Each season, move the potato patch to a new, sunny location. If possible, allow three seasons to pass before going back to the same area.
Since potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants are all members of the same family, consider them together. Don't put potatoes where tomatoes, peppers or eggplant were grown the previous year and vice versa. |
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A Brief History of Peppers
Peppers make the garden brighter. The glistening greens of the leaves and the rainbow of colors of the ripening peppers - red, yellow, orange, green, brown or purple - all mark the rows where peppers are growing. They're so striking, you'll probably want to plant peppers in a spot where they can easily be seen and appreciated by visitors. The attractive plants make everything around them look better, healthier, and tastier. |
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Sponsored by AgroThrive"Our bougainvillea never seemed to bloom and now after two dosings of AgroThrive we have an eruption of beautiful, colorful flowers. We didn't even know this particular plant was a mixture of both pink and orange flowers. Thanks to AgroThrive it is now super happy. Also, the Dutchman's pipeline in the background is taking over the fence and making the local butterflies super happy with a place to lay their eggs. Thanks AgroThrive!!!" - Sara from Florida, AgroThrive User Submission. Click here to shop Fruit & Flower Fertilizer by AgroThrive
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Tree Philodendron (Philodendron 'Evansii')
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb Life cycle: Perennial Sun Requirements: Partial or Dappled Shade Water Preferences: Mesic Plant Height: 6 to 12 feet Leaves: Evergreen Resistances: Humidity tolerant Toxicity: Other Propagation: Seeds: Other info Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger, Needs excellent drainage in pots Parentage: Philodendron speciosum x Philodendron bipinnatifidum
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Green Birdflower (Crotalaria cunninghamii)
Plant Habit: Shrub Sun Requirements: Full Sun Water Preferences: Mesic Plant Height: 4 to 5 feet Plant Spread: 4 to 5 feet Leaves: Evergreen, Other Fruit: Other Flowers: Showy, Other Flower Color: Green, Other Bloom Size: 1"-2" Flower Time: Late spring or early summer, Summer, Late summer or early fall Dynamic Accumulator: Nitrogen fixer Resistances: Drought tolerant Propagation: Seeds: Scarify seeds Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem Pollinators: Various insects Conservation status: Least Concern (LC)
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Pinecone Ginger (Zingiber zerumbet)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb Life cycle: Perennial Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade Plant Height: 6 feet Plant Spread: 6 feet Leaves: Unusual foliage color, Fragrant Flowers: Showy, Fragrant Flower Color: White Flower Time: Summer, Late summer or early fall, Fall Underground structures: Rhizome Uses: Cut Flower, Will Naturalize Wildlife Attractant: Hummingbirds, Butterflies, Bees Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
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Shooting Stars (Pseuderanthemum laxiflorum)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb, Shrub Life cycle: Perennial Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade, Partial or Dappled Shade Water Preferences: Mesic Plant Height: 2 to 4 feet Plant Spread: 1 to 2 feet Leaves: Evergreen Flowers: Showy Flower Color: Lavender Bloom Size: Under 1" Flower Time: Late spring or early summer, Summer, Late summer or early fall Underground structures: Taproot Suitable Locations: Houseplant, Xeriscapic Uses: Windbreak or Hedge, Suitable as Annual Wildlife Attractant: Butterflies, Bees Resistances: Humidity tolerant, Drought tolerant Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem Containers: Needs excellent drainage in pots
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Photo by Baja_Costero
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Photo by Valery33
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Photo by Valery33
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Photo by Alchemist "Semervivum arach tomentosum"
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Photo by Alchemist "Sempervivum arach Forest Frost"
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Photo by lasertrimguy "A beatiful plant at a friend and neighbor's house in Tucson. Might be a cardón."
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Photo by wildflowers
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Photo by ketsui73 "Slow and steady growth 😀"
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Photo by Australis
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Photo by Hillsepicacti "A stunning popular bloom from the 'Kiwi' hybrids."
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The numbers from this week:
408 members joined.
3,475 posts written in our forums.
710 photos posted to the plant database. 416 plants added to personal inventory lists.
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Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree. Emily Brontë
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