One of the prettiest wildflowers you can find in the woods is Indian Pink, Spigelia marilandica. This native plant has bright red tubular flowers with a yellow interior that ends in a 5-pointed star. The rich, red color really stands out making it a great flower for the shady areas of your garden. Where Does Indian Pink Grow? Indian pink is also known as woodland pinkroot or worm grass. This perennial flowering plant can be found in 16 … [Read more...]
10 Best Plants for Colorful Shade Gardens
Planting in part to full shade doesn't have to be boring. With these 10 colorful plants need only part sun, you can add color and flowers to a shade garden. Choose from perennial flowers, perennials with brightly colored leaves, annuals that love shade, and ground covers perfect for those low light areas of your garden. I have to admit that planting in shady areas can sometimes frustrate me. I want bright colors and lots flowers and variety … [Read more...]
What are the Green Caterpillars on Your Tomato Plants? | The Tomato Hornworm & Tobacco Hornworm
Have you discovered that something is eating the leaves of your tomato plants and damaging your green tomatoes? You probably have a tomato hornworm or a tobacco hornworm. If you look around, you will probably find a giant green caterpillar on your tomato plants. What Does a Tomato Hornworm or Tobacco Hornworm Look Like? These big worms can grow up to just over three inches in length and they are quite thick. Both caterpillars have diagonal … [Read more...]
Eastern Redbuds Provide Early Spring Food for Bees
The pink-hued blooms of native eastern redbud trees (Cercis canadensis) are one of the first signs of color that I see in March. It’s a sure sign that spring is on its way and that more color will begin to pop up in the lawns and gardens in our neighborhood. After months of cold weather and the barren landscapes of winter, the hint of mauve and pink that begins to unfold along the branches and trunk of a redbud tree in late March is a welcome … [Read more...]
Celebrating Pollinators – Bees, Butterflies, Birds and More
National Pollinator Week occurs in mid- to late-June each year. The goal of this Week is to celebrate the beneficial insects, birds, and mammals that pollinate the flowers of plants that produce much of our food, maintain our ecosystems, stabilize soils, and provide wildlife habitat. It also serves to educate people about what they can do to help pollinators. Why are pollinators important? According to the Pollinator Partnership, … [Read more...]
You Won’t Believe Your Eyes When You See This Giant Caterpillar
This is the frangipani hornworm moth also known as the giant gray sphinx moth (Pseudosphinx tetrio). It is the biggest caterpillar I have ever seen. We were walking along the streets of old San Juan in Puerto Rico when we came across a small park. I noticed the Plumeria were looking rather ragged, so I took a closer look only to find not one, but many, of these caterpillars ranging in size. The biggest one we saw was almost as long as … [Read more...]
What is that Smell? Stinkhorn Mushrooms in the Garden
If you step outside one day to find a powerful stink in your freshly-laid mulch or new plants and you don't have a dog, a stinkhorn mushroom might be to blame. This unobtrusive fungi can pop up in wood chips, grass, or soil and they produce a very strong odor. Just like their name implies, stinkhorns produce a stink not unlike fresh manure. Stinkhorns are particularly prone to show up after heavy rains. Just like most fungi, they like … [Read more...]
Aerobin Review: Compost Kitchen Scraps and Yard Waste in Your Backyard
If you're looking for a large, sturdy, insulated composter, the Aerobin 400 Composter fits the bill. It is 47 inches tall by 29 inches wide and can hold up to 113 gallons of compost! Why Compost? Composting kitchen scraps with leaves and other yard waste creates great mulch for your garden. Compost adds nutrients back into the soil and also helps the soil retain water. When you compost yard waste and kitchen scraps, it also reduces the amount … [Read more...]
Belham Living Cedar Raised Garden Bed Review
Living in Georgia, our soil has a lot of clay in it. Our yard in particular has a lot of stones and broken up concrete from the activities of the previous owner. Last year, I was desperate to grow tomatoes but I didn't have the time to put in the work to install a proper vegetable bed, so I used very large planters. It worked pretty well, but it was hard to keep everything watered. This year, I installed three raised garden beds just for … [Read more...]
This amazing native plant actually moves when you touch it
If you haven’t been introduced to this tiny plant with fuzzy little pink flowers, you are missing out. It might not be much to look at, but sensitive briar does something pretty amazing. It moves. By itself. No, really. Sensitive briar – Mimosa spp. There are several species in the genus Mimosa that share the common name sensitive briar or sensitive plant. There are nearly 20 species in the central and southern U.S. alone. I saw one when … [Read more...]
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