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What are Sugar Baby Watermelons? An interesting nugget about a Sugar Baby watermelon is its very high “brix” measurement. What does “brix” measurement mean? Commercial watermelon growers value melons high in sugar and the name for this sweetness is called “brix” and can be scientifically measured. As its name implies, Sugar Baby watermelons have a brix measurement of 10.2 and rank as one of the sweetest watermelon cultivars. Citrullus lanatus, or Sugar Baby watermelon, is an incredibly productive grower as well....

If you’re wondering how to keep plants disease-free, starting out with disease-resistant plants is even more important than you may realize. Read on to learn more about buying disease-free plants. What Does Certified Disease Free Mean? Most countries have certification programs in place, and regulations vary. In general, to earn the label of certified disease-free, plants must be propagated following a strict set of procedures and inspections that minimize the risk of infection and spread of disease....

What is a Camarosa Strawberry? Camarosa is one of the most common varieties of strawberry grown in southern California and shipped to grocery stores around the country. It produces a big yield of berries, and the berries are large with good form and stand up well to storage and shipping. They have a nice flavor too. These strawberry plants grow between 6 and 12 inches (15-31 cm.) tall and wide. Depending on where you live, they will ripen and be ready to harvest between February and June....

Mangave Plant Info Mangave hybrids were accidentally found growing in the Mexican desert. Horticulturists were there collecting seeds from the beautiful manfreda specimen. Two of these seeds grew to five times the normal size, with different shaped leaves and blooms that were different than those typically found on the manfreda plant. Eventually, the seed collectors realized there was a valley next to the collection area where Agave celsii grows, hence the beginning of the mangave....

What is a Peruvian Daffodil? Hymenocallis narcissiflora is native to the Andes of Peru. It is not a true daffodil but is a member of the daffodil and amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae, and its flowers resemble a “spidery” version of these flowers. The elongated, sometimes curved, petals have led to the plant’s alternate common names, “spider lily” and “basket flower.” The flowers have a pleasant fragrance and appear in early summer, with each plant producing two to five flower clusters....

What is a Pluot? Pluots are unique, interspecies hybrids, mixing a lot of plum with a lesser amount of apricot genetics. The fruits look like plums and taste like plums but they have a texture more like apricots. The pluot is an “interspecific” hybrid, a complex mix of two species of fruit. It is some 70 percent plum and some 30 percent apricot. Smooth-skinned and sturdy, the fruit is full of sweet juice without the tough skin of a plum....

What is a Sikkim Cucumber? Sikkim heirloom cucumbers are native to the Himalayas and named for Sikkim, a state in northwest India. The vines are long and vigorous, the leaves and flowers much bigger than those of the cucumbers you might be used to growing. The fruits are especially interesting. They can get huge, often weighing in at 2 or even 3 pounds (1 kg.). On the outside they look like a cross between a giraffe and a cantaloupe, with a tough skin of dark rust red striated with cream colored cracks....

Growing ground orchids is not much more difficult than growing other bedding plants, and you’ll be rewarded with 2-foot (61 cm.) spikes of brightly colored flowers that bloom almost continually throughout the growing season. What is a Spathoglottis Orchid? What is a Spathoglottis orchid and how is it different from other potted orchids you may want to grow? These stunning plants do well in the ground, so they’re well-suited as a bedding plant in very warm environments....

Sound like a scene from a science fiction movie? The star is the trigger plant (Stylidium graminifolium). What is a trigger plant and what does the trigger plant do exactly? Read on for more information on how the plant performs its strange pollination ritual. Trigger Plant Pollination More than 150 species of the trigger-happy plants reside in the southwest part of western Australia, the largest concentration of the fascinating flowers, accounting for 70 percent of trigger plants worldwide....

What is Orchardgrass? Orchardgrass uses span more than erosion, fodder, hay, silage, and natural ground cover. It also enhances the nitrogen in soil when planted deep with abundant water. As manure and biosolids, it returns high levels of this necessary macronutrient to the soil. There are a wide variety of orchardgrass growing conditions suitable for this tolerant plant. Orchardgrass is also known as cocksfoot. It is a cool-season, perennial bunching grass....

What is Sweet Dani basil? Continue reading to learn about growing Sweet Dani basil, as well as its uses. About Sweet Dani Herbs Sweet Dani lemon basil is a variety of Ocimum basilicum with an undeniable lemony scent and flavor. Its tangy, citrus flavor and scent is due to the fact that it contains about 65% more natural essential oils than other basil plants. In 1998, this earned Sweet Dani basil the title of All-American Selection....

What to Put in a Compost Bin At a very basic level, what to compost is as simple as anything made from organic material, but not all organic material is safe for most home compost piles. Without a doubt, the following materials are safe for your compost pile: Grass clippings Tree leaves Vegetable food scraps (coffee grounds, lettuce, potato peels, banana peels, avocado skins, etc.) Black and white newspaper Printer paper Most disease free yard waste Cardboard Vegetarian animal manure (e....

What will Attract Hedgehogs? There are 17 species of hedgehog, which can be found in Europe, Asia, and Africa natively and in New Zealand through introduction. These small spiny mammals are primarily nocturnal and eat small invertebrates and insects. They are potent allies in the garden where they help keep insect populations to normal levels. But how do you attract hedgehogs to gardens? This is where you have to think like the animal and remove any potential booby traps and dangers as well as provide a safe habitat for the little mammals....

Southern and Northern Hemisphere Summer In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs when the North Pole is tilted closest to the sun, on June 20th or 21st. It is the longest day of the year and marks the first day of summer. The seasons are the exact opposite in the Southern Hemisphere, where June 20th or 21st marks the winter solstice, the beginning of winter. Summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere occurs on December 20th or 21st, the beginning of winter here in the Northern Hemisphere....

What is Winter Rye Grass? Winter rye is the most winter hardy of all the cereal grains. It tolerates temperatures down to -30 degrees F. (-34 C.) once established. It can germinate and grow in temps as low as 33 degrees F. (.5 C.). Winter rye should not be confused with ryegrass. Ryegrass is used for lawns, pasture, and hay for livestock, while winter rye is used as a cover crop, forage crop, or as a grain that is used to make flour, beer, some whiskey and vodkas, or can be eaten whole as boiled rye berries or rolled like rolled oats....

Why Aren’t My Azaleas Blooming? Let’s start with the most common reason why azaleas won’t bloom. It is called inappropriate pruning. Azaleas are one of those shrubs that fix buds for the next season within weeks after this year’s flowers fade. Gardeners who prune, trim, or sheer azalea bushes after that period can remove all of the buds that would have turned into next spring’s flowers. When do azaleas bloom? Generally, azalea blooming periods come in early spring and the shrubs are considered by many the queens of the spring season....

Will Calathea grow outdoors? It depends on your climate because Calathea is a tropical plant. If you’re fortunate to live in a warm, humid climate in USDA plant hardiness zone 8 or above, you can certainly try growing calathea plants in your garden. Read on for more info on growing Calathea plants in gardens. Calathea Plant Info Calathea are tender perennials that grow in clumps from tuberous, underground roots. The blooms, which appear occasionally on most types of plants, are insignificant compared to the big, bold leaves....

Preparing Cannas For Canna Bulb Storage Before you can start storing canna bulbs, you must first lift the bulbs from the ground. Wait to dig the cannas up until after a frost has killed back the foliage. Once the foliage is dead, carefully dig around the canna bulbs. Remember that canna bulbs can multiply rapidly over the summer, so you will want to start digging a bit further out from where you originally planted the canna....

Cold Hardy Grape Varieties Growing grapes in zone 4 is no different than anywhere else, though additional winter protection or prepping may be necessary in some instances. The key to success largely depends on your zone 4 grape selections. Here are some good zone 4 grapevines: Beta – Hardy down to zone 3, this concord hybrid is deep purple and very strong. It’s good for jams and juice but not for winemaking....

Selecting Wildflowers for Zone 4 Gardens Before delving too far into wildflower selection, it’s important to understand that USDA zones are based on temperature, and not necessarily on geography. A flower that’s native in one part of zone 4 may be invasive in another part. This is especially important to remember when planting wildflowers, as they are usually self-seeding (and more likely to spread) and because they are often meant to be low maintenance and able to survive in their native environment with very little intervention....