Have you ever watched a gardening TV show only to have no idea what plants they're talking about because they use the Latin names? What are those names and why do scientists and professionals in the horticultural industry use them?
Read More
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family (Rosaceae). It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. The tree originated in Western Asia, where its wild ancestor, the Alma, is still found today.
Read More
Along a few miles of the Pacific Coast at the Oregon and California border lies a unique area where the ideal combination of climate, soil, water and man has developed a product of deep meaning, beauty and tradition - the Easter Lily.
Read More
Fall is here. There is a bit of a chill in the air this week, and, here in the mid-Ohio valley, the leaves are starting to change. There are a few factors that cause the leaves of deciduous trees to change in the fall, and the science behind that change is pretty … cool.
Read More
This year I went a little crazy with tomatoes. I have close to fifty plants in my garden. I had hoped for a bumper crop that I could freeze and can for future use, but this hasn’t been the best growing season. My tomatoes are ripening at a smaller size than typically expected and ripening more slowly at that. Also, some of them are developing splits in the skin are this last round of much needed rain.
Read More
Rust is a common disease that affects many plants. Bean rust is caused by Uromyces phaseoli typica, and it affects common dry and snap, lima, and scarlet runner beans.
Read More
Pumpkins are a plant with an interesting history. Originally cultivated in the Americas, they are now enjoyed throughout the world both for their festive appearance and also as a food source.
Read More
Today we are going to be making a terrarium. “Terra” is the Latin word for earth or ground. A terrarium is simply a representation of a land environment.
Read More
Like many gardeners, I like to save some of my seeds from year to year. Whether it is an heirloom variety or something new, a simple germination test can tell you if you should order replacements.
Read More
On Monday Bea Corra from Parkersburg shared a picture of a plant on our Facebook page wanting to know what type of plant it was and whether it was invasive or harmful. I instantly had a flashback to August 2005 when I was studying Plant Taxonomy at Marshall University. The plant (right) is Japanese Knotweed, an invasive species. I also remember Dr. Evans’s advice for getting rid of it … “sell your house”. This week, we’re going to take a look at what makes a plant invasive and some of the most common in our region.
Read More
This week I got an email from Rebecca. She was trying to help her mother take care of a plant she got as a mother’s day gift from her brother. Her particular problem would’ve been a brain teaser for me had it not been for her excellent description and the photo she included.
Read More