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Pam’s French Lilac Shrub

Pam’s French Lilac Shrub
A few months back my wife Pam became the proud owner of a donated French Lilac Shrub. Although there are literally hundreds of diverse varieties of these types of Lilacs, we have no idea which one this actually is, perhaps in the springtime we will have some insight into its variety.

I Turn My Shredded Paper Into Compost

I Turn My Shredded Paper Into Compost
Being a writer, I often have a considerable amount of paper that I need to shred for security reasons. This is in addition to the monthly statements for my credit cards and utility bills. All this normally ends up in the trash bin to be taken to the local dump and tossed into a huge hole. Well, I no longer contribute to filling holes at the dump, but rather use my shredded paper to create compost for my garden. In this short lecture I intend to explain to you how I go about this task. It is easy and simple.

A Natural Garden Fungicide

A Natural Garden Fungicide
A while back I was fortunate enough to be able to take a course in Herbal applications. During the class one of the formulas which the instructor provided was for a natural homemade fungicide. Many people would prefer not to use any of the commercial chemical-based fungicides on the market today. This solution to the common garden fungal diseases is simple and above all inexpensive. This easy to make homemade product will work well for your cucurbits you have planted such as cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, and watermelon. These plants are usually prone to a fungal disease known as powdery mildew.

Botany Field Kit

Botany Field Kit
Pam and I like to stop and take a cutting from plants which attract our attention, assuming it is legal and permitted. In order to do this, we needed a kit of some sort which included all the supplies and equipment that we would possibly require. This kit is helpful because we never know when we may find something of interest in our travels. Everyone who is interested in plants and growing them should have such a kit. This field kit is nothing as elaborate as the professional botanist kits, but it is adequate for our use.

Pecan Trees from Nuts

Pecan Trees from Nuts
As with any other type of nut tree that one undertakes to grow, pecan’s take a considerable amount of patience and skills, especially in their early years. To grow a tree for the nuts you will require several trees rather than just a single one, otherwise you will end up with a beautiful shade tree void of any nut production. Cross-pollination is required by these trees. The patience requires six to eight years of watching the tree slowly grow before seeing any nut appear on it. These trees also require a considerable amount of space since they grow as tall as 150 feet high, thus they between 35 and 50 feet per tree. Pecan trees are able to be cultivated in U.S. zones 6 through 9, thus with Delaware being in zone 7, we are right in the middle.

So, you want to Plant a Rambutan Seed?

So, you want to Plant a Rambutan Seed?
Today I made one of my many trips to the Dover Produce Junction and found an unusual fruit for sale. The fruit is a tropical plant known as Rambutan. Rambutan trees are native to the Indonesian region of the world. It is now distributed worldwide, thanks to the 13th century traders. The plant is an evergreen tree which grows to approximately 65 feet high as a mature tree, under the proper conditions. There are three types of Rambutan trees, the male which produces flowers but no fruit, the female which produces flowers only and the hermaphroditic which produces female flowers and a small percentage of male flowers.

Rooting Roses from a Bouquet

Rooting Roses from a Bouquet
My article today concerns an event from August 6, which was my wife’s birthday. On the occasion I bought her a beautiful bouquet of roses. These dozen roses were of an unusual color making them especially attractive. With that thought in mind, I plan to talk about rooting roses which one receives as a gift bouquet and producing a living memory. We often encounter special events in our life where we wish that we could keep the set of roses forever, well, you actually can. Most people dry roses from special events in their life, but you can create a complete bush with very little effort. Imagine how romantic it would be to preserve a complete rose bush from your wedding bouquet or other special event.