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Bees, wasps, and hornets may look alike and belong to the same order of insects, Hymenoptera, but they are different insects. How can you distinguish between a hornet vs wasp and a bee? The words hornet and wasp are all too often used interchangeably, but there will be no need to do that after you’ve learnt all about their key differences in this article. The biggest…

Why do we kiss under the mistletoe? Of all the plants used in Christmas     décor, few have as long and as interesting a history as mistletoe. Discover the meaning of mistletoe and the fascinating folklore behind it.First of All, What Is Mistletoe?With evergreen leaves, yellow flowers, and white berries, large clumps of mistletoe are usually observed …

How did a tropical plant become an unlikely symbol of the Christmas holiday? The history of the poinsettia, as it relates to Christmas, begins with an old Mexican legend and, later, a prominent American business venture. Discover the legend of the poinsettia!You say poin-set-ee-uh, I say poin-set-uh—but let’s call the whole thing off because the name of the ubiquitous holiday plant can be…

These days, many of us find our Christmas trees at a garden supply store or a local church, selling them as a fundraiser. Ever wonder where they get the trees? Christmas tree farms, of course! But it’s not always easy. Growing Christmas trees is similar to producing any other agricultural crop. It’s a serious business that requires a lot of hard work that lasts years! Learn more about…

We love fall gardening! The heat is waning, but the soil is still warm. There are just three steps to consider in planting a fall garden: when to plant, what to plant, and where to plant. Let’s get started!Why Plant a Fall GardenFall gardening is much less stressful for many crops, shrubs, trees, and perennials. There are fewer weeds and pests, and it’s often rainier, so there is less…

Every garden should be graced by beautiful lilies. Fortunately, there is a lily in almost every color, shape, and size, and the bulbs are easy to plant. Here are our eight favorite types of lilies with photos to help you identify and choose. The first question is, “What is a true lily?” What is a True Lily?Many of the plants we call lilies, such as lily-of-the-valley, calla lilies,…

Bone meal is one of the best, most readily available sources of fertilizer for your plants. Discover its benefits for plant growth and how properly to use it in your garden.Blood meal, bone meal, feather meal, fish meal, kelp meal, soybean meal … The fertilizer at your local garden center is full of choices—often too many choices! Let’s talk about bone meal, which provides phosphorus, one of…

There is a lot of buzz out there about sterilizing the soil you use for starting your seedlings and potting them up, especially if you are reusing old soil. See how to sterilize soil in the oven, microwave, or pressure cooker. But let’s also ask ourselves, is this really necessary?Soil can harbor diseases, insect pests, and also weed seeds. If you purchase new potting soil, it’s considered…

Some flower bulbs will not survive cold winters and need to be dug up and stored indoors over winter. Among these are cannas, elephant ears, gladiolus, tuberous begonias, dahlias, and other summer favorites. Many of these bulbs are expensive, yet they’re easy to keep, so it is worth it! Here’s how to store bulbs over winter.What Are Tender Bulbs?Unlike spring bulbs, your …

Summer’s over! Time to breathe some new life into your landscape with fresh fall containers. Remove those tired summer annuals that have finally given up the ghost and replace them with something new and cold-hardy. Here’s a list of cool-weather plants for those fall containers.Many of the plants that gardeners in colder areas grow as annuals are actually tender perennials hardy in zones 8…

Did you know that there are Easter, Thanksgiving, AND Christmas cacti? How can you tell the difference among these holiday cacti? Find out with these helpful pictures!Holiday cacti such as the Christmas cactus, Thanksgiving cactus, and Easter cactus are all hybrids of Brazilian forest cacti. Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti are members of the genus Schlumbergera.Easter cactus…

You probably have heard the terms “determinate” and “indeterminate” applied to tomato plants and wondered what they meant. The differences are not mysterious; they are all about the way different tomato plants grow. We’ll explain.Determinate Vs. Indeterminate TomatoesTo get to the short answer …Determinate plants are “bush” tomatoes and only grow until they reach a fixed size. (…