Weeds and Their Control: Common Mallow (Malva neglecta)
Karen A native of Europe and Asia, common mallow is a spreading annual or biennial found throughout the United States. It is a relative of hollyhocks, cotton, okra and hibiscus and…
Plant Profile: Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)
Pecan nuts are popular for baking but the nuts are only one of the virtues of this native tree originally from the bottomland soils of the valleys and flood plains…
Soil pH: Understanding, Testing, Changing and Plant Requirements
Chuck Soil pH is a measure of soil acidity or alkalinity and is an important indicator of soil health. It affects plant productivity, plant nutrient availability, and soil micro-organism activity which…
Plant Profile: Persian Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissin)
A native of southwestern and eastern Asia, Persian silk tree, sometimes called mimosa, and is a member of the legume family that also includes beans, lupine clover. It is a…
Book Review: Wicked Plants
As soon as you see the cover of Amy Stewart’s book, Wicked Plants, you will suspect that it is “different” and you won’t be disappointed. Stewart tells her reader in…
Weeds and Their Control: Wild Mustard (Brassica kaber aka Sinapsis arvensis)
Wild mustard is an annual weed native to Europe and Asia but is wide spread in North American and can be found in throughout the United States. It prefers full…
Plant Profile: Rock Rose (Cistus x purpureus)
Rock rose is an evergreen shrub from the Mediterranean region from Portugal to Italy that boasts large beautiful flowers in spring and outstanding drought tolerance once established. Even if the…
How NOT to prune a mature tree (Tree Topping)
Tree topping is the pruning practice of cutting large limbs off the entire tree to dramatically reduce its size. Because topping has such a destructive, short- and long-term impact on…
Plant Profile: California Lilac (Ceanothus tomentosus)
California lilac is a beautiful sight in spring when it is covered with blue blooms and the rest of the year its evergreen foliage provides texture and interest with its…
Book Review: Veggie Gardener’s Answer Book
This nifty pocket-sized book of Barbara W. Ellis takes a novel approach to presenting gardening facts. Instead of describing the step by step procedures for vegetable gardening she presents the…