The first step, as is the case with most reorganizing projects, is to empty out the contents of the drawer. Clean it out, then go through your socks, purge and sort them into categories such as ankle socks, tall socks, dress socks, or winter socks. Once they’re divided into groups, you’ll have a better idea of what you’re working with and can decide whether you need to use any dividers, organizers or bins to help keep the socks sorted....
The mealybug’s coating has a white cottony appearance, making them easy to identify when they appear on the stems and leaves of plants. In northern climates, they are principally a problem with houseplants and are found in private greenhouses but are rarely seen outdoors. In warmer climates, however, they can pose a serious problem for entire crops. A light mealybug infestation can be easy to get rid of, but if it’s a heavy infestation, you may need to toss the plant if it’s indoors, and for outdoor plants with heavy infestations, repeated treatments are suggested....
Crown daisy is a native of the Mediterranean that has widely naturalized in Asia, where it is a popular leaf vegetable. In seed catalogs, you might find it listed under Asian greens, its Japanese name, shingiku, or its Chinese name, tong hao. The plant has also naturalized in parts of North America to the point of becoming invasive in some areas such as southern California, where it chokes out native species such as native daisies....
In a garden landscape, the trailing stems of orchid cacti look good in hanging baskets. Despite their common name, they don’t like full sun and dry air like normal cacti species. Epiphyllums do best in warm, humid, and shady spots that replicate their tropical forest natural habitat. This makes them a good choice as an easy-to-grow, slow-growing bathroom plant. Light Orchid cacti thrive in filtered sunlight, which mimic the light conditions they receive in their natural tropical forest habitat....
Evening primrose self-seeds, so it’s possible that unless properly cared for, it could easily take over your garden. Still, its pretty, lemon-scented yellow flowers can lure many gardeners with their beauty. The plant’s blooms open in the late afternoon and evening and close throughout the day, attracting a different set of nighttime pollinators, such as moths and bats. Though evening primrose doesn’t require deadheading, controlling the plant is much easier if you snip or pinch off the expired blossoms to prevent the plant from self-seeding....
However, the main problem with colder environments is the lack of humidity—especially when the heat is on indoors. Plants might lose some leaves unless you can raise the humidity sufficiently. Otherwise, it is relatively easy to grow indoors as long as you provide even moisture and a fairly bright window. How to Grow False Aralia Indoors Sunlight False aralia does best in bright, indirect light. The leaf color is affected by overall light levels—the more light it gets, the darker the mature leaves will appear....
A heather’s evergreen foliage changes and intensifies in hue during cooler temperatures. Height varies by cultivar. Shorter types are best-suited to be ground covers or planted in rock gardens; taller varieties can be grown in rows to form borders. Light Heather blooms best in full sun in zones 4 and 5. In zone 6, it will appreciate afternoon shade. Soil Heather requires well-drained soil and does well in sandy soils or rocky terrain....
The Katsura is a dioecious plant, producing male and female flowers on separate trees. Its flowers are inconspicuous and unremarkable but red flowers indicate a male plant and green flowers identify the female plant. It grows best when planted in late winter or early spring. It is nicknamed the “caramel tree” for its sweet, caramelized sugar or cotton candy fragrance in the fall. This tree grows best in evenly moist soil, A 3 inch layer of mulch over the soil surface after planting will help retain moisture....
The foliage turns yellow in the fall. As the tree ages, the bark blackens and develops furrows. Lombardy poplar trees are usually planted in the spring or fall. As this tree has shallow, spreading roots, you should plant it away from pipes, septic tanks, lawns, gardens, sidewalks, streets, and foundations. Light Grow Lombardy poplar trees in full sun. Soil Lombardy poplars will do well in soil that is sandy, loamy, or very loamy....
Light All cultivars of Pennisetum glaucum thrive in full sun. The plant will tolerate partial shade, but won’t look as dramatic in its color. Soil Ornamental millet is a tolerant plant. It can sustain itself in drier soils and drought. It prefers good drainage as it has some issues with becoming waterlogged. Salt levels and pH balance is not an issue for this plant either. Water Pennisetum glaucum has medium needs for water....
Light October Glory maple tolerates partial shade, but it likely will produce superior fall color if grown in full sun. However, the further south you go in its range, the more it can profit from a bit of afternoon shade, especially before it has become established. Soil October Glory will survive whether its soil is a perfect loam mix, a heavy clay, or sandy. But in sandy soil, it will require extra watering....
If you can allow your pansy plants to remain in your garden and rest during the hottest months, they will probably begin blooming again in the fall. Shearing the plants back when they start to set seed will encourage new growth. Deadheading (cutting dead flowers off a healthy plant) will encourage more blooms. In warmer zones, pansies may look a little tired in the peak of winter, but they’ll perform beautifully when temperatures rise a bit, looking lovely in late winter and early spring....
Once you learn about its many uses as an edible herb, however, you may come to view it a little differently. You’ll soon begin to see plantain more as a harvestable crop than a pernicious weed. Should you want to deliberately cultivate plantain, harvest the seed heads to plant in spring, in whatever area of your garden where you want to establish an ongoing crop. Otherwise, the simple act of routinely hand-weeding your lawn can produce all the plantain you want for the table....
Just make sure it has good soil drainage and a decent amount of sunlight. Also, aim to plant it and then leave it alone, rather than disturbing its roots by transplanting. If you wish, you can prune to encourage more flowering. But otherwise, this plant is very low-maintenance. Light Red campion flourishes in full to partial sunlight. When selecting its growing site, focus on an area with southern exposure where the plant can receive at least six hours of direct sunlight....
The reason silver maples are desired as landscape trees is also what causes some of the biggest issues. The fast-growing branches result in weak limbs that are susceptible to breakage and highly prone to structural defects. This kind of weak wood is a liability to anything in the surrounding area, including the tree itself. The tree must be pruned regularly when first planted by a certified arborist to train for correct growth....
Spiderwort is characterized by a grass-like form with long, strappy leaves similar to lilies that grow up to three feet in height each season. Quarter-sized, three-petaled flowers open in the morning and close by early afternoon, each bloom lasting just one day. Luckily, each plant produces many buds throughout spring and into early summer. The flowers attract pollinators including butterflies and are of special interest to native bees. The plants may hybridize in any combination....
Squirrel corn is best planted in spring from purchased nursery plants in order to ensure first-season blooms. It has a moderate growth rate, and when started from seed will take at least 60 days to reach blooming maturity. A member of the poppy family, squirrel corn is toxic to humans and to animals. Like bleeding heart and dutchman’s breeches, squirrel corn contains isoquinoline alkaloids that can cause neurological symptoms if large quantities are ingested—most commonly by cattle and other grazing animals....
The herb is a low-growing shrub with narrow green leaves. During the summer, flowers appear on the plant which can be white, lilac, or pink. Because summer savory is a fast-growing annual plant, it only grows through the summer months. Plant summer savory seeds in the spring. It can be sown directly into the garden soil in the spring, or germinated from pots set up in late winter. Summer savory doesn’t need too much water or extra feeding....
When American botanist Benjamin Smith Barton found Twinleaf growing in the Pennsylvania garden of William Bartram, he renamed the plant Jeffersonia diphylla in honor of Thomas Jefferson who was also a fellow botanist. Native to Eastern North America, J. diphylla is a woodland wildflower that grows beneath the canopy of trees from Ontario southward, from Wisconsin to New York, to North Carolina, Georgia and northern Alabama. Twinleaf is a clump-forming plant, which grows about eight inches tall while flowering and goes on to grow up to three feet tall when the fruit ripens....
