How to Get Honey From a Bee Hive Almost every beekeeper looks forward to the day when they can reap the prize from their hives – honey! One of the best aspects of setting up a beehive is the local honey produced by bees. For beekeepers who have never extracted honey from their hives, the…
Ladybugs Are Beetles, Not Bugs Basic work first Ladybugs live all over the world. There are about 5,000 species and more than 450 of them are native to North America. Also known as ladybugs or lady beetles. It is part of the coccinelid (scientific name) or beetle family, which means small beetle. Beetles live on…
What Is Vermicomposting? First, the definition of vermicomposting is using sludge to make fertilizer! These environmentally friendly animals can help reduce waste. I keep the red wobblers indoors in a vertical stacking box. The area I currently live in does not recycle unless someone pays a private company several hundred dollars a year to pick…
Butterflies Are Important to Agriculture Like most agricultural states, Oklahoma relies on butterflies and other insects for pollination. Drought, wildfires, climate change and humans have affected butterfly ecosystems in some places (butterflies that prefer swampy areas have been particularly affected). The effect of moth damage can be observed when crops decline due to insufficient pollination….
One of my favorite houseplants right now is donkey’s tail. Unlike succulents that grow along the ground, Donkey Tail likes to cascade over the sides of its pot, adding drama to my plant rack. What is Burro’s Tail? Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum) is a succulent plant native to southern Mexico and Honduras. In its natural…
What is String of Pearls? String of pearls (Curio rowlyanus) is a succulent vine native to the arid regions of southwest Africa. In its native habitat, it grows as a ground cover, creeping along the ground to reduce an area’s exposure to extreme heat. Outside of its native area, it is usually grown in a…
What is Lipstick Plant? The lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus spp.) is a genus of tropical plants related to the African violet. They belong to Indonesia and Malaysia. The most common type grown as a houseplant is A. radican which grows like a vine and is the type I know of. In their native lands, they grow…
What is Chinese Money Plant? The chinese money plant (Pilea Peperomioides) is a flowering plant that belongs to the nettle family. It is native to southern China, especially Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. It has been “discovered” several times by Europeans. However, it was a Norwegian missionary who brought it to Norway in 1946, who started…
Are you looking for something that will attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden? Consider planting Mina lobata, an annual vine with brightly colored flowers that resemble exploding fireworks. What is Mina Lobata? Mina lobata (Ipomoea lobata) is a vine native to Mexico and Brazil. It is related to the morning glory, but unlike its…
What are Red Hot Pokers? The red hot poker plant (Kniphofia uvaria), also known as torch lily, is native to South Africa. Here in the United States, they are hardy in Zones 6-9. You can grow it as far north as Zone 5 with winter protection. Red hot poker plants grow from rhizomes that spread…