Woodland forget-me-nots are short-lived perennials valued for their color, with numerous pink buds followed by small, attractive, half-inch five-petaled blue flowers. A short plant (often just 5 inches at maturity) with a medium growth rate, forget-me-not has hairy stems with single flowers growing at the end of bunches of flowering stems. It attracts butterflies and resists rabbits and deer. Forget-me-nots are cold hardy. Although they can grow in the sun or shade, they prefer moist, woodland environments with dappled light. In warmer, southern climates with high heat, they grow best in a shady spot. Although technically a perennial, most gardeners treat forget-me-not as a biennial, sowing seed in midsummer and enjoying the blooms the following year. It is used as a groundcover, in garden beds, woodland gardens, rock gardens, or containers. Deadhead flowers if you don't want them to overgrow in an area since they reseed readily and are invasive in some areas. Forget-Me-Not Meaning and Symbolism Woodland forget-me-nots (Myosotis sylvatica) are different from Chinese forget-me-nots (Cynoglossum amabile). The word "myosotis" in the species name comes from Greek words meaning "mouse ear." The plant's foliage has short, pointed leaves resembling mouse ears. A forget-me-not variety, Myosotis scorpiodes, also has a unique common name, "scorpion grass," for its flower clusters that curl like a scorpion's tail. Forget-me-nots are a popular bridal flower for their symbolism. They historically symbolize true love, respect, fidelity, and devotion. Forget-Me-Not Care Here are the main care requirements for growing woodland forget-me-nots: Grows well in full sun or partial shade, preferring dappled light. Prefers moist soil; do not allow it to dry out. Handles heat and cold climates and does not like intense heat. It needs rich soil, augmented with compost or fertilizer annually. Light In the North, you can grow it in full sun or partial shade, although this plant prefers dappled light. At the southern end of its range, give forget-me-not afternoon shade. This plant does not like intense sunlight. Soil Forget-me-not prospers in organically enriched, consistently moist, well-drained soil. Never allow the soil to dry out. It grows best in neutral pH, although it handles slightly alkaline or acidic soil pH. Water Forget-me-not prefers wet soil. It can handle muddy or waterlogged soil and thrives near a stream, pond, or bog. The more sunlight it receives, the more water it will need. Temperature and Humidity With a range covering six USDA zones, forget-me-not withstands heat and cold well. Unless you're trying to grow it north of zone 3, you don't need to take measures to winterize it. However, due to its susceptibility to powdery mildew disease,2 it isn't recommended for areas with intensely hot, humid summers. Fertilizer Fertilize forget-me-not with compost or general-purpose fertilizer annually. Follow the product label instructions for the amount of fertilizer to use. Types of Forget-Me-Nots There are about 100 species of forget-me-nots. Most are called forget-me-nots or scorpion grass. Some of these plants were historically used to treat wounds and some medical conditions.3 Other common types of forget-me-nots include: Small-flowered forget-me-not (Myosotis stricta) Broadleaf forget-me-not (Myosotis latifolia) Water forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides) Field forget-me-not (Myosotis arvensis) Alpine forget-me-not (Myosotis asiatica) Cultivars of Myosotis sylvatica with more options for color, plant size, or flower size include: Blue basket: Taller, deeper blue flowers Music: Flowers larger and deeper blue Pompadour: Compact growth habit; pink flowers Snowball: White flowers Ultramarine: Smaller plant; deep blue flowers Victoria blue: Compact growth habit Victoria rose: Pink flowers Victoria white: White flowers Pruning Forget-me-nots do not need pruning unless you want to trim away extra growth. You can remove dead or dried-up branches at any time, but the best time to trim overgrowth is immediately after the plant flowers. Use sterilized pruners to remove the spent flowering stalks at the base. Basal pruning also prevents seeds from dispersing. Once you introduce it to your garden, you'll have it for many years (unless you actively suppress it). Propagating Forget-Me-Not Forget-me-nots are best propagated by seed and division. To divide it, here's how: Dig up plants that have spread from the original. Transplant them to other areas in spring. Dig the holes the same depth as they were growing previously. Place in the hole and backfill with soil. Space them 10 inches apart. Water deeply to settle the plant. How to Grow Forget-Me-Not From Seed Forget-me-not plants are grown easily from seed, as evidenced by the plant's ability to reseed and spread. Here's how to sow seeds: Source seeds by early summer. Select a spot in the garden. Prepare the soil by raking it to loosen it and smooth it out. By midsummer, broadcast the seed across the surface. Water lightly afterward and often enough to keep the soil moist. Seedlings emerge in the fall; blooming will occur the following spring. Potting and Repotting Forget-Me-Nots Forget-me-not grows well in containers, whether outside in a shady spot or indoors. Plant it on its own in a 8- to 12-inch pot with good drainage filled with fresh potting mix. It also makes a good filler plant in a larger container with a mix of shade-loving plants. Keep the soil moist but not soggy and make sure the plant has good air circulation. Indoors, keep the pot in a spot with indirect light and rotate the plant frequently to ensure even light exposure. Water the plant regularly to keep the soil evenly moist. When the plant becomes root-bound, move it into a container one size larger than its current pot. Fill the new container with fresh potting mix, place the plant in the center and firm it into place with additional potting mix. Water it well to eliminate air pockets and allow the pot to drain. How to Get Forget-Me-Not to Bloom Bloom Months Forget-me-nots typically bloom from April to May for several weeks. What Do Forget-Me-Not Flowers Look and Smell Like? The plant produces many dainty blue, pink, or white flowers, just under 1/2-inch across. The five-petalled star-like blooms have no discernible scent. How to Encourage More Blooms Provide rich, consistently moist soil for the longest blooming period and the most flowers. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage more flowers. Forget-me-not, as a biennial or short-lived, reseeding perennial, reblooms annually with minimal care. Common Pests and Plant Diseases Garden pests mostly leave forget-me-not alone, but aphids, slugs, and snails can sometimes become problematic. Aphids are sap-suckers that can be controlled by a regular spray of water or wiping them away by hand. Slugs and snails are best eliminated by hand-picking and dropping them in soapy water. If the problem is extensive, use traps made of sunken bowls of beer around the plants. The fermentation smell entices the pests and drowns them. Reset and repeat until these traps no longer capture new slugs or snails. Forget-me-nots are susceptible to two diseases: powdery mildew and rust.4 Powdery mildew is that light-colored, powdery covering on a plant's leaves. Seldom fatal, it temporarily ruins plants' appearance. Minimize it by avoiding overhead watering. Common Problems Forget-me-nots are easy plants to care for and grow. The biggest concerns with these plants are managing their spread and giving the right amount of water. Managing Growth These prolific self-seeders are best controlled by removing the seed heads or flowering stalk immediately as the flower begins to fade. Dig up new stands of emerging growth and transplant them to a new section of your garden to control overgrowth in one area. Or, remove and discard them if you want to limit them in your garden. Wilting Leaves Forget-me-nots are water lovers. If the plants look like the leaves are wilting and crispy, they are likely not getting enough water. If the leaves look wilting and limp, they may be getting too much water. Adjust the water level accordingly. If the problem continues, consider digging up the plant and replacing the soil with better-draining soil.

You might recognize the lemon cypress as the potted evergreen that seems to show up in every big box retail store before Christmas. However, this narrow, columnar evergreen tree is more than a lemon-scented holiday plant for indoors. It is a versatile needled conifer that can be used as a hedge, specimen, bonsai, or kept in a container on a patio. Also commonly referred to as the Goldcrest Monterey Cypress, Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Goldcrest’ (also known as Hesperocyparis macrocarpa) is a Monterey cypress cultivar with upward-growing branches. The unique yellow-green color of the lemon cypress can play off the darker greens of other conifers, while texture can be experimented with by placing the shrub next to boulders and fencing. Lemon Cypress Care One of the great things about C. macrocarpa ‘Goldcrest’ is that it is an easy plant to care for. Provide full sun to partial shade. Do not enrich the soil. Water a new plant weekly until established. Light Lemon trees require a good amount of light. Outdoors, a lemon cypress tree should be planted in full sun to partial shade. Indoors, the tree needs 5 to 6 hours of indirect sunlight or morning sun; don't put it in a wast-facing window, or risk harming the foliage. Soil The lemon cypress is adapted to grow in poor, sandy, well-draining soils that are low in organics and not very fertile. This poor soil allows the slow-growing tree to pace its development to match its height with its roots, helping to ensure that winds do not blow the thin and narrow plant over. Water As an outdoor shrub or tree, once established, the lemon cypress needs little supplemental watering. Allow the plant to establish itself by watering it once a week during the first season. If kept as a houseplant, give it a thorough deep watering weekly, ensuring the soil is never too dry. Temperature and Humidity A lemon cypress prefers cool, moist climates with temperatures between 20°F and 80°F. Grown indoors, the lemon cypress needs to be kept in a place with sufficient humidity. Fertilizer Don't fertilize a lemon cypress tree. It's native environment has poor soil conditions, and rich soils will cause quick, uneven growth and could result in an unstable tree. Types of Lemon Cypress In addition to the straight species. Cupressus macrocarpa. a few cultivars of Monterey cypress have been bred: C. macrocarpa 'Goldcrest Wilma': a slow-growing dwarf cultivar, 6 to 8 ft. tall, and 1 to 2 ft. wide, with fragrant, golden yellow needles C. macrocarpa 'Golden Pillar': with golden yellow needles when grown in a sunny location, and a mature size of 20 ft. tall and 4 ft. wide C. macrocarpa 'Citriodora': a slow-growing cultivar that can reach 15 to 30 ft. in height. New growth is bright yellow and turns deep green in the first year. Pruning Lemon cypress looks best in its natural, untrimmed, slow-growing upright shape. The only regular pruning maintenance required is when the lemon cypress is used as a hedge, bonsai, or topiary. In these cases, it needs to be done carefully and in a timely fashion. This shrub, like most conifers, does not take well to hard pruning. Pruning Tip Looking for the best pruners for your lemon cypresses? We tested 8 top-rated pruners in our Lab to make sure your shrubs stay happy and healthy. Propagating Lemon Cypress The best time for propagating lemon cypress from cuttings is in the winter. Here's how it's done: Cut a piece of stem about 4 inches long. Strip the foliage off the bottom part of the stem so the first 2 inches are bare. Moisten the cut end and dip it in rooting hormone. Add moist, well-draining potting mix to a small pot. Use a pencil to poke a hole in the soil mix and insert the cutting. Cover the pot with a plastic bag and use sticks to keep the plastic in place. Make sure the plastic does not touch the cutting. Place the pot in a warm location away from direct sunlight. Water it as needed to keep it evenly moist. When the cutting has developed a good root system—you'll know it's there when the stem does not move if you gently tug on it—it's time to remove the plastic bag, move the pot to a sunny location, and let the sapling continue to grow in the container, or transplant it outdoors. How to Grow Lemon Cypress From Seeds Most lemon cypress trees are cultivars and propagating them from seed does not produce a plant with the same features as the parent, therefore, propagation from seed is not recommended. Potting and Repotting Lemon Cypress Excellent drainage is crucial for lemon cypress so make sure the pot you use has large drain holes. Terracotta pots are ideal because they let air get to the roots but the pots also dry out faster so adjust the watering frequency accordingly. If keeping the lemon cypress in a container, it should be repotted once every three to four years. Move it to a larger pot at least one inch wider than the old pot and backfill with fresh potting mix. Prune the roots conservatively to keep growth in check while repotting. Overwintering Even when grown in a temperature range where it can be grown outdoors, cold winter winds burn the needles so the tree needs some protection. Below USDA zone 7, lemon cypress is best grown in a container and brought indoors during the winter. Keep the humidity around it high by adding a humidifier to the area and place it away from any drafts or heaters. Common Pests & Plant Diseases Cypress is prone to attacks by aphids, mealybugs, caterpillars, and scale insects. These usually don't affect the overall health of the tree and can be controlled with insecticidal soap.1 A more serious problem is coryneum canker, a fungus that can kill the tree. To keep it under control, remove infected branches promptly and dispose of them in the trash.1 Common Problems With Lemon Cypress After pruning a potted lemon cypress, you might notice that the tips of the pruned branches turn brown. That is part of the natural process and the brown spots should be disguised in due time by new bushy growth.

Rambutan, also known as hairy lychee, is a tropical broadleaf evergreen tree known for its juicy, flavorful fruit. Native to Southeast Asia, rambutan requires moist, well-drained soil, year-round fertilizer, and very warm, sunny conditions. Like longan and lychee trees, rambutans are members of the soapberry family. The fruits have a hairy-looking outer shell containing sweet, floral-tasting flesh that surrounds a large, inedible seed. Here's everything you need to know to grow rambutan plant. How to Plant Rambutan When to Plant Plant rambutan seedlings outdoors in spring once night temperatures are consistently above 60 degrees. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best-growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! Selecting a Planting Site Choose a site with full sun conditions and loamy, well-drained soil. If possible, select a site that is protected from harsh, drying winds. Spacing, Depth, and Support Ensure that there's a clear space of at least 15 feet around the planting site for the tree to spread as it matures. Dig a hole that's at least twice as wide and the same depth as your rambutan plant's root ball. Remove the plant from its pot and place it in the hole. Fill in the hole so that the soil level hits the same spot as it did in the container. Additional support usually isn't necessary. Rambutan Plant Care Light Plant rambutan in a spot that gets full sun—at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day. A site with partial sun for at least 12 hours per day could also work. Be sure to gradually acclimate seedlings or saplings that have been cultivated indoors over a few weeks before planting them outdoors in full or partial sun. Soil Rambutan plants prefer rich, loamy, well-drained soil with a slightly acidic pH (5.5 to 6.5). Avoid planting in areas with heavy clay soils that will retain excess moisture. If you're growing a rambutan plant in a container, use a high-quality potting mix amended with perlite or coarse sand for drainage. Water Water rambutan plants regularly so that the soil remains consistently moist but not soggy. Unlike some other fruit trees, rambutans are shallow-rooted and can experience leaf drop after only a few days without water. However, two to four weeks of water stress can help induce flowering. Add a few inches of organic mulch such as wood chips around the base of the tree to the drip line to help retain soil moisture. Leave 3 to 5 inches of space between the mulch and the stem or trunk of the tree. Avoid letting rambutan plants in containers dry out. Check soil moisture and water when the soil begins to feel dry to the touch. Temperature and Humidity Rambutan plants thrive in temperatures between 70°F and 95°F during the day, though they can withstand temperatures around ten degrees cooler and hotter than that range. Temperatures below 50°F can damage young growth, and conditions below 40°F can cause leaf drop. High humidity of around 75 percent is ideal. Fertilizer Rambutans are heavy feeders, meaning they require regular fertilizing throughout the year to bloom and bear fruit. Feed plants with a balanced liquid plant fertilizer year-round. Rambutan's fertilizer needs will vary as the plant blooms and produces fruit. In winter, change to a 15-30-15 fertilizer to promote blooming, then a 20-10-30 fertilizer to help with fruit set after the plant flowers. After harvesting, return to balanced fertilizer. Pollination Rambutans are naturally dioecious, meaning that a female tree they must be pollinated by a male tree to bear fruit. However, many cultivars are self-pollinating and don't require a second tree to fruit. Types of Rambutan The two main types of rambutan are red and yellow, which is typically how rambutan plants are categorized in the U.S. However, dozens of different cultivars are available in the plant's native range of Southeast Asia, including: Nephelium lappaceum 'Binjai': This high-yielding red rambutan cultivar with firm fruit is the most widely grown in Indonesia. Nephelium lappaceum 'Rongrien': This oval-shaped variety is native to Thailand and turns red with green tips on its hairs at maturity. Nephelium lappaceum 'E35': This compact yellow rambutan cultivar has very sweet fruits that are particularly juicy. Nephelium lappaceum 'School Boy': Deep red shells with green hairs conceal small, sweet fruits that grow profusely on this rambutan cultivar. Harvesting Rambutan Rambutan plants grown from seed can bear fruit in five or six years, though grafted or budded trees can fruit in as little as two years. In tropical climates, trees may bear fruit twice—once in late fall or early winter and again in late spring or early summer. Expect fruits to ripen between 12 and 16 weeks after flowers bloom. When they're ready to harvest, fruits will be completely red or yellow and at peak sweetness. Fruits won't ripen off the tree, so it's best to wait until they are fully ripe to pick. Mature trees can bear several thousand fruits in each harvest. Pruning There's no need to prune rambutan plants regularly, but it's a good idea to remove dead or damaged branches as you see them. Pruning after fruiting can help encourage new growth and keep the tree a manageable size. Propagating Rambutan Rambutan plants can be propagated by sophisticated techniques like grafting and budding, but air layering is easier and simpler for the home gardener. Rambutan plants respond well to air layering, which involves rooting a branch or section of stem while it's still on the mother plant. The best time to propagate rambutan is in spring or summer. Before you begin, you'll need a healthy mother plant, a sterilized blade, sphagnum moss, clear plastic, aluminum foil, and string or twist ties. Here's how to propagate rambutan. Soak a few handfuls of sphagnum moss in water until it's well saturated. Remove the moss and squeeze it to remove excess moisture. Identify a vertical branch on the mother plant that gets plenty of sun. Use a sharp blade to remove a 1 to 2-inch area of bark all the way around the branch. Wrap the damp moss around the exposed area of branch, then wrap a piece of clear plastic around the moss so that no moss is exposed to the air. Use string or twist ties to fasten the plastic around the moss and branch. Wrap the foil around the plastic to shield the moss from direct sunlight. After about 12 weeks, the branch will have grown roots into the damp sphagnum moss. Cut the branch below the root ball and plant it in a container. How to Grow Rambutan From Seed It's possible to grow rambutan plants from seed—including seeds you've saved yourself from a ripe rambutan fruit. The fresher the seeds are, the better your chance of germination. Carefully remove the flesh from around the seed, avoiding cutting or bruising the seed in the process. Rinse the seed to remove any residue from the flesh, then soak it in room-temperature water overnight. Plant the seed in a small container of fresh potting mix one inch deep with the flat part of the seed pointing down. Water the soil and keep it consistently moist. Keep the pot in a bright, very warm place, or use a heat mat to warm the soil. The rambutan seed should germinate within two weeks of planting. After the seed sprouts, put it outdoors in a place that gets full, direct sunlight. If keeping the seedling indoors, use grow lights to provide adequate light. Overwintering If you're keeping a rambutan plant in a container outdoors, you'll want to begin the process of bringing it inside a few weeks before night temperatures drop below 60 °F. Gradually acclimate the plant to shadier conditions over two weeks or so. When you're ready to bring it in for good, follow steps for bringing plants indoors for the winter, such as soaking the root ball to drive out insects and inspecting foliage for pests or damaged leaves. Common Pests and Plant Diseases Common pests such as fruit flies, moths, fruit borers, and fruit webbers can affect rambutan plants. In tropical regions, birds may also eat green or ripe fruits. While rambutan plants aren't susceptible to many plant diseases, they may be affected by fungal issues like powdery mildew.

Mums are one of the most popular fall flowers for their beautiful red, brown, yellow and pink blooms that perfectly encapsulate fall. But of course, sometimes no matter how hard you try, flowers have a mind of their own and may dry out or die before you can even enjoy them. Here are the four most common issues with mums and how to tackle them. Mum Leaves Are Turning Yellow If you are noticing your mums not looking as good as your next-door neighbors, you aren't alone. While mums are certainly tough and can withstand a lot of outdoor factors, they can wilt, shrivel up and not bloom just like any other flower or plant. But don't fret, we've got you covered so your mums can get the care they deserve and start looking as good as new. If you're noticing your mums leaves are discolored and turning from a bright green to an unsightly yellow color, it could be mildew on your mums. To help reverse this, as soon as you notice the discoloring of the mums, dust your mums with finely ground sulfur. Then, repeat this step once a week until buds turn a better color.1 Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best-growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! Flowers Are Turning Brown If you notice your mums drying out and turning from beautiful blooms to an unsightly brown or rust color, it's time to water, water, and water some more. Mums hate being dry and need a ton of moisture to keep looking fresh all day long. When grown in pots on your stoop, on hot days in early fall, it's common for mums to need water twice a day. When they are dehydrated, their leaves will start to droop, which you don't want at all. Fortunately, water will for the most part perk them up almost instantly.2 Mums Are Looking Untidy and Wilting Another common issue for mums is them looking disheveled and not as neat from when you first bought them. Mums can quickly go from looking perfect, to many blooms looking out of place, disorderly, and wilting. Luckily, this common issue is so easy to fix. Make sure to trim back any flowers that are looking depleted, and be sure to prune any dried up leaves or broken stems.3 Mums Aren't Blooming The last common problem is the worst of all: noticing your mums aren't blooming at all. This could actually be because of the kind of mum you purchased. There are thousands of varieties of mums and some are best for early season of fall versus the late season of fall. If your mums aren't blooming, you may have picked the variety of mums that require a longer period of darkness. Then, if the temperatures plummet, there's no way they will survive the cold. Another possibility is that the dark period your plants are being exposed to is being interrupted. This happens a lot when mums are planted or placed near street or front porch lights. These lights interrupt the darkness that your mums needs to thrive and can delay flower production.