Author Archives: Tom Rico
We know that cold is not good for the tomatoes and if you planted your crop in the late season, then it’s a must for you to know how to ripen tomatoes indoors. To ripen the tomatoes inside may seem like coaxing, but it is the only option to save them withering and die out totally. In this article, we are going to help you learn how to ripen tomatoes in the house for getting the best out of even that late-season plantation.
With the natural holding larger space in the health industry, a lot of people look for storing their favorite fruits and vegetables for continued usage. One such favorite vegetable is beetroot that you’d like to consume year-round so we will tell you how to freeze beets. The beets are the root vegetables that can be grown super easily as well as preserved too for long.
The strong and earthy flavor of the beets along with its red color is what makes them a staple for many colorful dishes. So if you wonder that can beets be frozen then read this article as we tell you how can you freeze beets.
We have all experienced that one day your garden seems fine and weeds are perfectly controlled and the next day, you have a look at your ground and find flowers or vegetables covered with hulking, big weeds. In the hot summer days, you do not like to break the back trying to hoe or pull all these weeds. No worries, here’s a solution using that gardeners can knock down all the weeds without many efforts. The best part is that this method does not involve chemicals, which could harm your plants and produce or cause health-related issues in your family. It is easy and cheap. Plus, there is no need to handpick those weeds, you can use some tips to use newspaper under mulch for preventing weeds naturally in your garden
All that you need is a lot of newspapers! Not lots of people read newspapers more, all thanks go to technology. It is true but if you do read them or if you have old newspapers, then you can use some tips to use newspaper under mulch for preventing weeds naturally in your garden. Along with newspapers, you just need materials like pine bark, straw, grass clippings, pine bark, etc. If you do not have access to any newspapers, visit a local library and look for newspapers they keep in the recycle bin. Once you have enough newspapers, you are all set to employ newspaper as weed barrier in your lovely garden.
Most of the time, if a blueberry bush is not flourishing well in a garden, then the soil is to blame. If the pH value of your soil is high, the bush would not grow. For this, you need to test the pH level of your level. If it’s high, then lowering it down could make a big difference to how well your berries grow. Keep on reading this article to know about soil preparation for your blueberry plants and also, how to make soil acidic for blueberries.
What do azaleas, rhododendrons, and blueberries have in common? They all like acidic soil. For keeping your tiny blueberry patch in productive, happy health, every spring you need to pour acidifying halos around shrubs. If your soil is acidic naturally, having a pH 4.6-5.5, then you are good to go if blueberries are concerned. If the soil is sweet or alkaline, meaning the pH is higher than 6.0, you have to amend the soil.
Vegetable gardening is not something for people with a faint heart. You still have to care for your garden even after nurturing the tiny seedlings into vigorous, big food machines. Apart from the weather, wildlife also poses a great threat to home-based crops. Pests are a part of horticulture and shrewd gardeners could organically control most moochers effortlessly. But, some invaders cause so much damage quickly that they emerge into the mythical ground of lawn lore. For tomato lovers, a few pests loom bigger than tomato hornworm eggs.
This green caterpillar with white eggs eviscerates tomato plants rapidly, leaving you little time to intervene. Despite their well-earned notoriety, hornworms are pretty beatable if you know how to react and what to search for. So, here’s everything that you need to know to deal with tomato hornworm eggs.
As the world of gardening is expanding, the landscapers look for ways to utilize whatever space they have most effectively. One such purpose is fulfilled by the columnar shrubs and the columnar evergreen trees. These are the narrow plants that can realize your dream of having a tree even in the smallest space.
The columnar plants add flair to the garden design. They bloom with the most beautiful flowers, some just have shiny leaves, most of them give the nectar and pollen to various hosts, while some even give juicy fruits.
We hope that you are intrigued enough about them and it is here that we suggest you read on to know more.
Are you aware of all the different kinds of fruits that are available around you?
Chances are good that if you do throng the neighborhood market or make frequent trips to the departmental stores in the area, you would indeed have a fair idea of fruits that are available in the vicinity.
Yet, there are a number of exotic fruit varieties which are native to select parts of the world; this also means that they are not available in many other places.
That is exactly the value-add of this article, to prepare a comprehensive dossier, in terms of a fruit list that fruit enthusiasts (which should ideally be all of us!) can easily look up.
Are all fruits covered here? No, that is simply not possible within the scope of an article – even an anthology would prove insufficient for that!
Instead, we have prepared a common fruit list which most folks would easily be able to relate to and identify.
If you could just bring one tree into your yard or garden, it would have to offer interest for all seasons and beauty too. Stewartia is best at this job, from summer flowers to exceptional autumn texture to elegant peeling bark in winter. This Japanese tree is perfect to grow as patio or lawn specimens, borders, and woodland gardens. So, find more about the Japanese Stewartia here. Also, read about how to grow a Stewartia tree and take proper care of this remarkable thing!
The chameleon plant, while native to Southeast Asia, can easily be found in various parts of the world today. Notwithstanding its rather attractive appearance, given the heart shaped leaves with a pleasant tinge of lavender to them, the plant is also a source of nuisance since it is extremely difficult to do away with.
Accordingly, one of the major objectives of this post is to guide you on ways and means to tackle the chameleon plant, against the backdrop of common queries around “Why won’t this plant die?”
At the end of the post, you will have a well-rounded perspective on houttuynia cordata chameleon, especially on the most effective ways in which you could deal with it, once it makes its appearance in your garden.
The primary reason for which chameleon plant is considered quite a nuisance is because of its invasive nature such that it grows uncontrollably such that it has the unique ability to root from stems that have broken off as well as from pieces of the plant which may have fallen off.
Alongside, since you are itching to know “Why won’t this plant die?” the ideal and most effective solution for that would be to incinerate the plant after you have removed it completely – including its roots and every single rhizome that you can identify. Not only that, you might have to go through this process a few times before the plant is actually eradicated completely since remnants are still likely to be left behind, even after a thorough cleaning job.
It is interesting to note that many novices in this realm actually bring the plant to their garden – or to their surroundings, on their own volition. This has a lot to do with the attractive appearance of the plant, especially its leaves, as we highlighted earlier.
For instance, the leaves have a surreal heart-shaped design. Additionally, the foliage of the plant tends to have various shades of yellow, red, and green hues which accentuate the overall attraction quotient of the plant incrementally.
The video below showcases the chameleon plant in all its full-blown glory and therefore is definitely a must watch:
While in the previous section we hinted at the chameleon plant being a nuisance, there are some cultures where it is revered, since it is an important part of the culinary traditions there.
In this regard, houttuynia cordata chameleon finds dual usage both as a standalone leafy vegetable as well as a condiment wherein it is used to garnish a number of different items. Below we share some culinary applications of the chameleon plant which we are sure you will find quite interesting:
While discussing the chameleon plant in the context of its use as a food item, there is simply no way we can miss out mentioning its rather fishy taste! So if you have always thought about something being rather fishy (in the idiomatic sense!) about houttuynia cordata chameleon, let us assure you that it is true in the literal sense too!
This is particularly the reason for which its leaves find common usage in garnishing fish based food items; doing so essentially further enhances the taste of the dish. Among Chinese preparations, be it fried rice or noodles such as mixian and migan, along with various other sauces commonly used in Southwest China, you will consistently find the plant’s fishy taste to be a driving factor for its usage.
Further, since there’s also a hint of minty taste, you can look at the chameleon plant’s leaves as having a combined fish-mint taste if you will!
While traditional Chinese medicine has looked at houttuynia cordata chameleon as a possible treatment for various infections (such as SARS) and other diseases, till date, there is no real scientific basis on which a definitive conclusion about its veracity can be arrived at.
In spite of the invasive characteristics of this plant, if there is any reason for which you would like to purchase this plant online, you can conveniently do over here.
We mention this especially against the backdrop of other uses of the plant, such as in food or as a medicine – as we highlighted previously.
The chameleon plant remains an invasive and largely unwanted plant for most gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts. Most folks of this ilk who have ever introduced the plant to their exterior surroundings have ended up regretting doing so.
That is the reason you will find queries along the lines of “Why won’t this plant die?” being inquired around quite frequently.
At the same time there are other uses of the plant as outlined in previous sections.
We need to keep those uses of the plant in mind before cautioning ourselves – or others, about the plant.
Is there anything else about houttuynia cordata chameleon which you would still want to know or perhaps share from your own experience or perspective? Please feel free to share in the comments section below.
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Cissus discolor comes from Java, where it is found growing in tropical rain forests. Thanks to its striking, large leaves and climbing growth, it turns out to be a wonderful houseplant. This lovely vine could also be used on arbors or trellises. But it is not easy to take care of as a houseplant!
Having a vining growth habit and striking leaves of a Rex begonia, Cissus discolor is great in a container or a hanging basket and could be trained onto a form. This vine goes up to 3 feet in containers. Its heart-shaped leaves are dark green in color and feature silver patterns and red undersides. Due to its interesting patter on the long, wide leaves, it is commonly known as Rex begonia vine. This is because it features showy patterns on the leaves, resembling the hybrids of the painted leaf begonia.
This plant is a member of the Vitaceae family and the ‘Cissus’ genus that comprises over 350 species of woody vines. Out of all, the most popular one is Cissus Rhombifolia or grape ivy. For enjoying colorful, full foliage, provide the plant lots of sunshine, warmth, and display Cissus discolor in a hanging basket.