Planting a Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus) can add a striking focal point in a garden without taking up too much room or creating too much work for a homeowner. This slow-growing, small ornamental tree provides a lot of aesthetic value and wow-factor for its size. Its profuse white blooms and dark purple fruit can be stunning and make this species one to consider adding to your landscape if you are looking for a unique non-native to add. How to Plant a Chinese Fringe Tree While the Chinese fringe tree is ultimately not that fussy, soil is the most significant consideration you need to consider when planting this species. Be sure to test the soil before planting to ensure it is moist, well draining, rich, and acidic. Selecting a Planting Site Picking a planting site for the Chinese fringe tree where the soil is good and the tree will receive plenty of sun. Once those requirements are met, choose a location where it’ll be visible, to take advantage of its ornamental value. Pick a spot where its blooms can be seen during the spring and its interesting bark can be seen during the winter. Spacing, Depth, and Support If planting more than one Chinese fringe tree, the ideal spacing is 15 to 20 feet apart. This distance will provide enough area for each tree to get enough sunlight to achieve its best blooms. When planting, you will want to ensure the depth is twice as wide as the root ball is deep. Once planted, you will not need to support the tree as most Chinese fringe trees on the market are multistemmed. Care As fabulous as it looks, the Chinese fringe tree is surprisingly low maintenance and problem-free if you provide it with the right conditions. Plant Chinese fringe trees in an area that receives full sun. Ensure the tree's soil is acidic and well-draining. Water the Chinese fringe tree often in dry weather. Prune Chinese fringe trees sparingly. Light The Chinese fringe tree prefers full sun to part shade but to guarantee that your tree produces a profuse amount of blooms you must provide your tree with full sun. Soil Providing organically rich, well-draining, and moist soil will give your Chinese fringe tree the best chance of thriving. Aim for soil with a low pH (under 7.0). Water Keeping your Chinese fringe tree well-watered is essential to keep it producing plenty of flowers. This particular species does not tolerate excessively dry weather and needs to be watered more in dry conditions, or its health and ornamental qualities will suffer noticeably. Temperature and Humidity The Chinese fringe tree is not incredibly fussy regarding temperature and humidity. It will be happy if you keep it situated in the recommended USDA hardiness zones of 5 through 9. Fertilizer While not necessary for the tree's health, providing a Chinese fringe tree with supplemental fertilizer will enhance its blooms. A yearly application of flowering tree or shrub fertilizer will support its flower production. Pruning Pruning Chinese fringe tree should be kept to a minimum. Being a multistemmed tree, they look best with a natural, untended look. When there are branches that are dead, damaged, or crowding each other, pruning is recommended. Propagating Propagating a Chinese fringe tree is notoriously difficult, both from cuttings and by seed, and the average hobby gardener is unlikely to succeed. Your best bet at getting another Chinese fringe tree is purchasing it. Common Pests and Plant Diseases Fortunately the Chinese fringe tree does not suffer from many pests or diseases, and its issues usually do not threaten the tree's life. The most significant concern when dealing with pests may be mites, which can easily be treated. You will not run into many disease issues beyond superficial powdery mildew, which can be treated easily with a fungicide available at any nursery or home center. How to Get a Chinese Fringe Tree to Bloom To encourage your Chinese fringe tree to bloom profusely, plant it in full sun and clear away anything that shades the tree during the day. That action alone will elevate your blooms. Provide a yearly dose of fertilizer and provide it with a steady supply of water. Without enough water, its flower production will stall.

Imagine growing juicy strawberries in your home so you can always have fresh fruit instead of relying on what's sold at the grocery store. It's possible to grow this perennial evergreen plant indoors—even if you have limited space—when you choose the right type of strawberry varietal, container, lighting, and soil mix that will make your harvest a success. Another benefit of growing strawberries indoors is that the fruit is protected from insects and birds that love to eat the ripe berries, leaving more treats for you and your family. Get started to learn how to grow strawberries indoors using our guide. Can You Grow Strawberries Indoors? You can grow strawberry plants indoors and start them from seed at any time of the year or purchase mature plants from a garden center that produces fruit quickly. All you need is a sunny spot or grow lights and a pot. Day-neutral (plants that grow regardless of the length of the day) and everbearing cultivars are the best to use because they fruit readily in their first year, making them easy to grow indoors. Consider these cultivars: Albion: This day-neutral strawberry produces delicious, medium-sized, firm fruit and is a strong, compact plant with sturdy dark green leaves. Cabrillo: The day-neutral overbearing berry produces large, uniform sweet/sour strawberries with a higher yield than Albion. Seascape: The day-neutral strawberry, Seascape, will flower and fruit all season. The berries are large, prolific, and have good flavor when they are ripened on the plant. Ozark Beauty: This overbearing, large plant reaches 12 inches tall and produces large fruit. Alpine: These everbearing strawberries are one of the few types of indoor strawberries that don't mind being grown close together and they may require only four hours of sun while growing indoors. How to Grow Strawberries Indoors Sunlight Strawberries require full sun (at least six hours daily of bright light) to thrive and produce fruit.1 You can substitute grow lights for sunlight, especially when seed starting. Temperature and Humidity Daytime temperatures should be between 68 °F and 75 °F. Lower temperatures at night help produce high-quality fruit. Keep humidity low to prevent powdery mildew from forming but for a few nights a week, increase the humidity to avoid tipburn.2 Watering Strawberries like moist soil, but they should never be waterlogged. The most common problem is overwatering, which causes root rot and powdery mildew. Water strawberry plants about once a week or when the top inch of soil is dry. Water in the morning or afternoon and from the bottom so the leaves stay dry. It's also best to use filtered or non-chlorinated water. Air Circulation Strawberries like to have plenty of air circulation. If they are planted too closely together, they may develop mold problems. Fertilizer Feed strawberries every three to four weeks with a balanced liquid fertilizer. Once the fruit-producing cycle is complete, apply a balanced fertilizer as the plants begin forming new buds within the crown that will become the next crop. Pruning and Maintenance Strawberries do not require pruning but you can remove dead leaves from the base of the plant. Do not damage the crown or center of the plant. Pollination Since there are no bees indoors to help with pollination, you'll get the most fruit if you hand-pollinate the plants. Here's how: Use a small, clean paintbrush or a cotton swab. Gently agitate the pollen from the outer ring of the flower’s center to the inner ring of the same flower. Or, two flowers can be rubbed together to transfer the pollen. Container and Size Containers for indoor strawberries can be plastic, glazed pottery, or unglazed terra-cotta. They should have good drainage holes but do not need to be very deep because strawberry roots are shallow. A 12-inch diameter pot fits three plants or a 6- to 8-inch diameter pot fits a single plant. Potting Soil and Drainage Use an indoor houseplant potting mix of mainly peat moss or coconut coir with added perlite to make a loose, loamy soil with good drainage to keep your strawberries happy inside. Potting and Repotting Strawberries Start with fresh seed, transplanted runners, or new seedlings. Indoor strawberry seeds can be planted at any time of the year. However, seedlings or mature plants are easiest to find in the early spring. Some strawberry plants produce runners or baby plants that can be removed from the mother plant and potted in a new container but you may not see an abundance of runners in day-neutral strawberries. If you have runners, these transplants should produce fruit in five to six weeks. Although strawberries are perennials, they should be replaced after two or three years with fresh plants as their ability to produce fruit will dwindle. Harvesting Indoor Strawberries Harvest your indoor strawberries as soon as they ripen or when the berries are uniformly red. Pick them, keeping the cap and stem attached to stay fresh and firm. Everbearing strawberries will produce two major crops while day-neutral cultivars produce a handful of berries every few weeks.

Dozens of pepper varieties can be grown in the home garden. Once you find your favorites, you may never have to purchase seeds again—turns out, you can save pepper seeds easily to plant next year. Follow our simple steps on how to save pepper seeds for a huge haul of future pepper plants. Which Peppers Can You Save Seeds From? Saving pepper seeds requires a bit of planning to get the best and most viable seeds for next season's planting. If you are growing hybrid peppers (F1 is printed after the name on the seed packet), the seeds will not produce the same pepper next year. When saving pepper seeds, open-pollinated, will produce new plants of the same variety. When Should You Collect Pepper Seeds? Seeds should only be collected from mature peppers. Unripe fruit does not produce viable seeds. The peppers should be mature but not overly ripe, diseased, or beginning to mold. Seeds can be collected from freshly picked peppers or from peppers that have been allowed to dry for several months off the vine. How to Remove Seeds from Peppers To remove the seeds, cut open the pepper and gently rub or shake the seeds from the center of the fruit. You can use a fine mesh or paper towel to catch the seeds. How to Dry Pepper Seeds Dried Peppers If the seeds have been removed from peppers that have been allowed to dry off the vine for three to four months, they may not require any additional drying. If they feel slightly damp, spread the seeds on a baking sheet and dry in the oven at 100 degrees F. for two hours. Fresh Peppers If you have saved seeds from a fresh pepper, the flesh should be rinsed away from the seeds. You can do this by placing the seeds in a bowl of cool water and gently swishing them around with your hands. The loose pepper flesh and immature seeds will float the top and can be skimmed off. You can also place the seeds in a fine mesh colander and rinse them under water. After rinsing, allow the seeds to dry on a paper towel or a mesh screen in a cool location until the seeds are dry enough to break when pressed with a fingernail. To speed drying, spread the seeds on a clean baking tray and dry at 100 degrees F. for about six hours. Where to Store Pepper Seeds When the seeds are dry, they can be stored in small glass jars, paper bags, or any moisture-proof container. Always label the container with the date and the type of pepper. Store seeds in a cool, dark, dry location or a freezer. If they are stored in an area that is too warm or moist, the seeds may begin to germinate or mold and become no longer viable. How to Know If Pepper Seeds Are Still Good Pepper seeds will produce the best results if planted the next year but can be viable for up to five years. You can do one of these tests to predict if the seeds are still good. Germination test: Place 10 to 15 seeds with plenty of space between each seed on several layers of damp paper towels. Fold the towels and place them in a sealable plastic bag. Put the bag in a warm spot for two weeks. Remove the towels from the bag and count how many seeds have sprouted to get a percentage of viable seeds for planting. Floater test: Place the seeds in a bowl of water and remove any that float. Floating seeds are less viable than the dense seeds that have developed a seed embryo. Plant immediately or allow to dry thoroughly if storing longer.

Yellowing green bean leaves are not always cause for concern—they can sometimes be a natural sign of aging in bean plants. But if you see leaves on green beans turning yellow mid-season, or if your plants are becoming less productive, it could be due to fungal, bacterial, or environmental stressors. Here are 6 common reasons why bean leaves turn yellow, plus simple, organic solutions to help your plants recover. Watering Stress Underwatering and overwatering can cause yellowing bean leaves, making it difficult to know exactly what’s going on with your plants. The best way to determine if your plants receive too much or too little water is to insert your finger into the soil. If the soil feels soggy and you haven’t watered recently, your plants are likely overwatered and root rot may be settling in. How to Fix Beans should receive about 1 inch of water per week. If you often forget to water, apply a layer of mulch around the base of your plants to keep the soil from drying out too quickly, and consider installing an automated drip irrigation system. If your plants are overwatered, adjust your watering schedule, scrape the mulch away from around your plant, and allow the soil to dry out before watering again. Lighting Issues Beans need at least 8 hours of direct light daily to grow. In low-light conditions, beans may develop yellowing leaves, but too much bright light can cause yellowing leaves, too. How to Fix Beans are difficult to transplant once established, but you can avoid lighting stress by choosing a growing spot that receives 8 to 10 hours of daily light. Nutrient Deficiencies Although beans fix nitrogen, they can still suffer from nutritional deficiencies in poor soil. Nutrient deficiencies produce different symptoms depending on what nutrients are missing; however, most deficiencies result in stunted plant growth and yellowing leaves with visible, green veins. How to Fix Testing your soil every few years and adding an annual application of compost is the best way to avoid plant nutrient deficiencies. You may also want to fertilize beans with an all-purpose fertilizer, adjust the pH of alkaline soils, and apply a legume inoculant to bean seeds before planting. Inoculants boost nitrogen fixation and make it easier for beans to absorb nutrients. Plant Diseases Diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses can produce yellowing bean leaves and other symptoms. Bacterial blight usually produces brown leaf spots with yellow halos. Bean mosaic virus may develop cupped or puckered leaves with a mottled yellow mosaic pattern. Fungal issues, like white mold and bean rust, may also produce leaf spots and yellow lesions, especially in overcrowded gardens. How to Fix Purchasing disease-resistant seeds from reliable seed companies can keep some plant diseases out of your garden. However, you can also reduce diseases by rotating crops, watering beans at the soil line, weeding regularly, following proper spacing guidelines, and destroying infested plant material at the end of the season. Pests While pests can cause yellowing leaves through the spread of plant diseases, sap-sucking pests may also directly cause yellowing leaves by feeding on plant sap. Pest damage typically presents as tiny dots or speckles on affected leaves, but pests may also skeletonize or chew holes in bean leaves. How to Fix Aphids, thrips, bean beetles, and spider mites are some of the most common bean pests, but these pests can be controlled with handpicking, organic soap sprays, and companion planting. Strongly scented herbs and flowers, like marigolds and nasturtiums, are especially good companion plants for natural pest control. Natural Processes While pests, diseases, and environmental stresses can cause bean leaves to yellow, aging bean plants may also develop yellowing leaves at the end of the growing season. Yellowing leaves caused by natural aging usually occur towards the base of the plant, and leaf yellowing may be exacerbated by cool temperatures. How to Fix Yellowing leaves that occur late in the growing season are a part of the natural aging process of bean plants and they signal that bean plants are reaching the end of their life. There is no need to address yellowing leaves caused by natural aging; however, you may be able to extend your bean growing season a little longer by installing season extension products, like row covers. 3 Additional Tips to Grow Great Green Beans If you want your bean plants to be even more productive, try out these quick and easy bean care tips! Trellising. Bush-type beans don’t need trellises, but pole and vining beans grow better with support. Cattle panel trellises are one of the best solutions if you want to grow lots of beans together, but you can also make DIY bean supports with bamboo poles or upcycled tomato cages. Spacing. To avoid fungal issues and other plant diseases, space bean plants at least 6 inches apart in rows that are at least 18 to 24 inches from each other. Harvesting. Regularly harvesting beans will make plants more productive, but don’t tug on bean pods when you harvest. Instead, pinch or cut bean pods off the plant so you don’t accidentally damage tender stems.