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Where Does Celeriac Grow? The cultivation and harvesting of celeriac occurs primarily in northern Europe and throughout the Mediterranean Region. Celeriac growing also occurs in North Africa, Siberia, and southwest Asia and even minimally in North America, where the cultivar ‘Diamant’ is most likely cultivated. The plant is indigenous to the Mediterranean and has long been a popular root veggie in a variety of European cuisines. What is Celeriac? Although the leaves are edible, celeriac plants are grown for their fairly large root or hypocotyls, which may be harvested when the bulb is about baseball sized to 4 inches (10 cm....

Symptoms of Late Blight Disease in Celery Celery with late blight disease is evidenced by round yellow lesions on the leaves. As the lesions get larger, they grow together and the leaves eventually become dry and papery. Late blight on celery affects older, lower foliage first, then moves up to younger leaves. Late blight also affects stems and can ruin entire celery plants. Tiny, dark specks in the damaged tissue are a sure sign of late blight disease in celery; the specks are actually reproductive bodies (spores) of the fungus....

What is a Cleft Graft? Grafting is done in a variety of different ways to achieve different ends. Reviewing a cleft grafting guide will give you information on when to use cleft grafting techniques and how it is done. The tree to which new material is to be attached is termed the rootstock, while the pieces to be attached are termed “scions.” In cleft graft propagation, the rootstock tree limb is cut off square and the cut end split....

Homesteading Information What is homesteading? Starting a homestead is often thought of as a ranch or farm. Usually, we think of someone who lives outside of society’s food and energy chains. A look at homesteading information informs us that the goal is self-sufficiency, which may even go as far as avoiding money and bartering for any necessary goods. Broadly, it means doing what you can for yourself in the space in which you live....

What is Langbeinite Fertilizer? Langbeinite is a mineral that is made of important nutrients for plants: potassium, magnesium, and sulfur. It’s found only in a few places. In the U.S., langbeinite is extracted from mines close to Carlsbad, New Mexico. The evaporation of ancient oceans left behind unique minerals, including this one. What is Langbeinite Used For? As a fertilizer, langbeinite is considered potash, meaning it supplies potassium. However, it also contains magnesium and sulfur, which makes it even more desirable as a well-rounded fertilizer....

What is Push-Pull Technology? It can be a real challenge to avoid harsh and dangerous chemical pesticides that not only damage our environment by poisoning pollinators but can also poison us. With push-pull methods, however, this may be changing. Push-pull pest control is a chemical free method that has become very popular in Australia and Africa for food crops. How push-pull works is by using companion plants that deter and repel (push) insects away from important food crops and decoy plants that attract (pull) pests to different locations where they are trapped or preyed upon by beneficial insects....

I was at this crossroads recently with the spruce trees in my wood lot. The needles on the ends of the branches were turning yellow, with the bottom branches most severely affected. I agonized over what it could be and what to do about it. I concluded that these were spruce needle rust symptoms. What is spruce needle rust, you ask? Well, let’s read on to learn more and discover how to treat spruce needle rust....

What is Stinkgrass? Stinkgrass (Eragrostis cilianensis) is a common annual grass that goes by many names, including strong-scented lovegrass and candy-grass. Its most common name, though, comes from the strong smell this grass produces from special glands located along the mature grass blades. These grasses are highly successful weeds because of their ability to produce an enormous number of seeds from a single plant. They prefer disturbed areas and will pop up in gardens, orchards and yards readily, especially if these areas were tilled well the previous spring....

What is Woodland Phlox? Woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata) is a perennial that can be seen in dappled woodland or meadows from Quebec to Florida and west to Texas. You may know this plant by any of a number of other common names like Louisiana phlox, wild blue phlox, and wild sweet William. Woodland phlox is a relative of creeping phlox, a variety that grows in sun and spreads quickly. In contrast, woodland phlox prefers partial shade and spreads slowly....

Plant Grass Now or Control Weeds First? Whether to sow grass seeds or control the weeds prior to sowing is a big question, and one that depends on three different scenarios. For areas with broadleaf weeds and a few annual grasses sow now and control the weeds later. Broadleaf herbicides should not be sprayed onto newly seeded turf until it has been mowed at least twice which can first be done when the grass is three inches (8 cm) tall....

How to Help Robins in My Yard Glorious inhabitants of our backyards and open spaces, these common red-breasted birds may overwinter in cold regions or go to warmer climates. In areas where they stay for the cold season, robins in winter may need a little help with food and habitation. Some tips on how to help winter robins will help preserve these lovely birds and give you a close up look at their breeding and life cycles....

When to Plant Forget-Me-Nots Who doesn’t like forget-me-nots? True, they aren’t very attractive when they die back after blooming but, in the meantime, they have an uncomplicated, endearing nature that is trouble free and easy. Forget-me-nots are very hardy little plants that die back in winter but will re-sprout in spring. Plants that are at least a year old will flower the next spring. These little blue bloomers are so unfussy you can plant them almost anywhere at any time and expect some flowers within the next year and a half....

How to Prune a Leucadendron Plant Leucadendrons bloom in the spring, then continue to put out fresh growth throughout the summer. As the plant is flowering, it’s a good idea to remove spent blooms to keep it neat and to encourage more blooms. Cutting back a leucadendron is earnest and best done after the flowers have all passed. Leucadendron pruning is not an exact science, and the plants can take a lot of shearing very forgivingly....

In spite of its downfalls, growing a curly willow tree is a worthy endeavor, and with proper care, you’ll enjoy this fascinating tree for several years. Keep reading and learn more about how to grow corkscrew willow trees. Curly Willow Growing Conditions Before growing this tree, you should know where to plant curly willow. Corkscrew willow is suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. The tree develops a short root system that remains near the surface of the soil, so it should be planted a safe distance from buildings, driveways, sidewalks, and sewer lines....

So, what can be done about flowering shallots? Are there bolt resistant shallots? Why are My Shallots Bolting? Shallots, like onions and garlic, are plants that naturally flower once every two years. If your shallots are flowering in the first year, they are definitely premature. Bolted shallot plants aren’t the end of the world, however. Flowering shallots will probably result in smaller, yet still usable, bulbs. When the weather is unusually wet and cool, a percentage of shallots will bolt from stress....

Help, My Lemongrass Leaves are Brown! Like me, you’re probably asking “Why is my lemongrass turning brown?” Insufficient watering/fertilizing The most obvious reason for a lemongrass plant turning brown would be lack of water and/or nutrients. Lemongrass is native to areas with regular rainfall and high humidity so they may need more water in the home garden than other plants. Water and mist the plants regularly. To keep other plants nearby from getting drowned out by the frequent watering, plant the lemongrass in a bottomless container buried in the soil....

Before you use any tree wound sealer, it pays to find out what the experts have to say on the topic. Read on for an overview. The Idea Behind a Tree Pruning Sealer A tree wound sealer is a commercially available product that is applied to the cut section of a recently pruned tree or shrub. In many ways, the idea of applying a tree wound dressing makes sense to a gardener, as a kind of Band-Aid for the plant....

Looking for a few winter gardening challenges? Read on for fun ideas on gardening in winter. Growing Challenge in Winter: Leafy Greens You can’t grow a full garden indoors, but you can raise a hearty crop of nutritious, tasty, leafy greens. These fast-growing plants are a cinch, and all you need to get started are seeds, potting soil for seed starting, a small watering can, and a seedling tray (you can also use an old bread pan, the bottom of a plastic milk jug, or something similar)....

Should I Put Ashes in My Garden? The short answer to if you should use wood ash as a fertilizer is “yes.” That being said, you need to be careful about how and where you use wood ash in the garden, and composting ashes is a good idea. Using Wood Ash as a Fertilizer Wood ash is an excellent source of lime and potassium for your garden. Not only that, using ashes in the garden also provides many of the trace elements that plants need to thrive....

Best Vegetables for Cold Climates Here are some suitable vegetables for zone 4 gardening: Swiss chard is an attractive vegetable with shiny, arrow-shaped leaves. This plant isn’t only nutritious and delicious, but it can tolerate temps as lows as 15 degrees F. (-9 C.). Leeks are remarkably cold hardy vegetables and darker varieties are even more cold tolerant than pale green leeks. Carrots are one of the best vegetables for zone 4 because the flavor gets sweeter in cooler temperatures....