Ornamental Plants – Page 2 – Homestead on the Range

Potassium in Plants

Potassium ions are found in every living cell, probably because they are necessary to activate enzymes controlling so many crucial processes.

Phosphorus in Plants

Phosphorus is associated with fruit production in the minds of gardeners because it is the most important element for germination and growth.

Insects as Indicator Species in the Garden

By paying closer attention to what nature is telling us, we have an opportunity to bring our gardens back into balance.

Manganese in Plants

Manganese is an important micronutrient. It helps to activate some of the key enzyme systems in plants. But it has many other roles, too.

Iron in Plants

Did you know that plants need iron? No iron, no chlorophyll, and therefore no photosynthesis.

Chlorine in Plants

You may be surprised to know that chlorine is an important nutrient in plants. It plays a key role in splitting water to produce oxygen.

To say that boron is important to plants would be the height of understatement. To put it more plainly, plants simply would not exist without boron. The reason boron is so crucial to plant health is that it is involved in ion exchange and the movement of other nutrients across cell membranes. Without boron, plantsContinue reading “Boron in Plants”

Aluminum in Plants

Most people probably don’t think of aluminum as a key nutrient for field, garden, or orchard crops, and indeed scientists don’t consider it essential for plant growth. Nevertheless, it appears to have an important role in keeping pathogens in check. In particular, we know that aluminum helps prevent late blight in potatoes, and it appearsContinue reading “Aluminum in Plants”

Broad-Leaf Wood-Oats

Broad-leaf wood-oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) is a very unique plant that goes by many names: spangle grass, Indian wood-oats, wild oats, river, oats, northern sea oats, and inland sea oats.