Tomatoes are one of the most widely cultivated plants in the world. Originally native to South America, the plants are grown throughout the world by commercial producers and home gardeners. No matter what size the operation, tomatoes grow best with the proper care. This includes proper watering as p

Although rabbits can make wonderful companions, they can do some serious damage to your garden. Rabbits love to nibble on fruits and vegetables, such as lettuce and strawberries. They also eat flowers and they can cause damage to fences. Fortunately, there are many easy and humane home remedies that

Scale bugs infect shrubs, perennials and trees, including fruit trees. Damage caused by scale infection depends on the severity of the infestation, the type of scale, the type of plant and environmental factors. If you have not seen scale bugs before, you may not recognize them on your trees. Most n

Hops, used in beer making, come from the female plants of Humulus lupulus. Outside of commercial production, Humulus species work well in a garden setting as an ornamental. The climbing vines quickly cover arbors and trellises. A herbaceous perennial, the hop plants die back to the ground in winter

You can plant seeds saved from your carved pumpkin, although the pumpkins that the seeds produce may not resemble the parent. If possible, select an heirloom variety harvested at least three weeks before you plan to carve the pumpkin.

Unwanted vegetation and weeds can make a lawn or a garden unsightly and it can stifle the growth of your real plants. You could go out and buy a commercial weed killer, but other options are available. Homemade vegetation root killers are easy to make and are inexpensive. Kill the root of these plan

The azalea is a cultivar of the rhododendron, native to parts of America and deciduous by nature. Imports from countries such as Japan, however, have brought evergreen azaleas to the United States. The native azaleas may be susceptible to weather-related illness due to foliage loss. During the winte

Planting cucumbers in containers is a great way for gardeners with limited space to enjoy this refreshing salad vegetable. Bush varieties such as Salad Bush, Bush Champion, Sweet Success and Suyo are especially suited to container gardening.

Castor bean plants, or Ricinus communis, are small evergreen trees or large shrubs native to Africa and the Middle East. They are useful as rapidly growing screens or ornamental specimen plants.

The Colorado potato beetle is oval shaped with a striped orange shell and six tan legs. It wreaks havoc on potato plants by eating the leaves and quickly spreading throughout a crop or garden. It also attacks plants in the nightshade family, such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. There are a numbe

Testing soil is just as important for casual gardeners as for professionals. By sampling your soil, you can learn about the nutrients it contains, its pH levels, and what you need to do to supplement it for optimal plant growth.

They may not be exactly baseball-sized, but they are pretty small. The new trend in watermelons is known as "personal watermelons," and they range in size from 2 to 5 lbs. Perfect for small home gardens or small families, these little melons have thinner rinds and are just as tasty as their bigger c

Tree bark is essentially the skin of a tree. Healthy trees have healthy bark and unhealthy trees are likely caused through the improper care of damaged bark. There are several disease pathogens that can attack bark wounds and damage bark further, according to A.R. Biggs of West Virginia University,

Growing your own coffee beans is an exciting proposition for those who enjoy cultivating new plants. Learning about the special needs of coffee trees and enjoying the result can make the three- to four-year wait worth the effort. Coffee trees are natives of tropical areas and require constant, warm

Orchids are elegant, specialized flowers that grow in a wealth of colors and sizes, but always need the same basic care. The plants do best in dry, airy foundations, and should always grow in a non-soil planting media. Although hydroponic gardens feature indoor situations and non-soil growing founda

Grow organic apples from seed.Kathy Collins/Stockbyte/Getty ImagesOrganic foods are those grown without the use of chemicals or fertilizers and eating a juicy, ripe piece of fruit fresh from your garden and knowing it was grown free of herbicides and pesticides is a comforting thought....

Pick peonies still in their bud state several weeks in advance of an event and store them in your refrigerator until they are ready to be used. When needed, these hardy flowers can be revived in water and allowed to bloom normally.

You've got the beginnings of a great soil amendment in your kitchen and yard. When you compost your kitchen scraps and yard clippings, you recycle waste and create a nutrient-rich soil additive in the process.

Fertilizer application methods vary by the type of growing involved.fertile farmland valley image by Yali Shi from Fotolia.comMany people think that growing plants simply involves sunlight and water, but they are missing a key step to keeping plants healthy. While a weekly watering may...

Bedbugs are flat, red or brown parasites that are visible to the naked eye. Bedbugs feed on humans, leaving nasty red welts that remain itchy and painful for days after the bites have occurred. Once the bedbugs have infested a home, they are notoriously difficult to eradicate. The bugs are insidious