Panax Ginseng & Root Herbs

Ginseng supplements come from the root of plants in the Panax genius. Many species exist, including Panax quinquefolius -- American ginseng -- and Panax japonicus, or Japanese ginseng. "Panax ginseng" refers to Asian ginseng.

Function

• Some herbs, such as Panax ginseng, contain active chemical constituents in their roots. These chemicals provide the herbs' medicinal value. For Panax ginseng, these constituents are ginsenosides, peptides, fatty acids, polyacetylenic alcohols and polysaccharides. Most of the medicinal value in Asian ginseng comes from the ginsenosides, which mimic the effects of steroid hormones on the human body.

Uses

• Panax ginseng may help people who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, anxiety, gastritis, diabetes, asthma, fever, anemia, nerve and joint pain, and headaches. It may also aid in concentration, memory and stamina. Keep in mind that taking Panax ginseng may cause side effects such as a change in blood pressure, mood changes, rashes, dizziness, headaches, breast pain, insomnia or an elevated heart rate. Before taking any supplement, consult a qualified professional.

Preparation

• Using herbs like Panax ginseng for medicinal or other manufacturing reasons typically requires drying or steaming its root. It is also possible to boil the root for use in teas and tinctures.

Powdery Mildew on a Zucchini Plant

Foliage diseases, such as powdery mildew and downy mildew, plague zucchini plants around the world. Powdery mildew is a fungal infection caused by an airborne spore. It is most severe in hot, humid areas.

Identification

• Plants affected by powdery mildew will develop white spots on their upper and lower leaves that look like talcum powder. The affected leaves will eventually wilt and turn yellowish. The infection can also spread to the blossoms and the fruit.

Prevention/Solution

• The most common and least expensive preventative treatment is to make a solution of 1 percent baking soda and 1 percent horticultural oil, which encourages the baking soda to stick to plant leaves, in water. Spray the solution on the plant every two weeks.

Treating Powdery Mildew

• If you do get powdery mildew, cut off any affected leaves and burn them. Spray the plant with one of three treatments: a commercial fungicide, a solution of 10 percent garlic and 90 percent water, or a mixture of equal parts milk and water.

Whirley Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper Instructions

Many people are turning away from bags of microwave popcorn and discovering the attraction of making popcorn the old-fashioned way. While your parents might have made popcorn in a pan on the stove, they may have owned a classic Whirley Pop popcorn popper. The Whirley Pop's classic design resembles an ordinary pan with a lid, but the stirring mechanism inside creates even heating in the kernels and helps to prevent burnt popcorn. Try making your next batch of popcorn with a Whirley Pop and you'll have a healthy low-fat snack.

• 1

  Place your Whirley Pop popcorn popper on a stove burner. Check to make sure that all three clips holding the lid are secure.

• 2

  Raise the hinged lid half. Measure in 1 tsp. of vegetable oil and 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels. Close the lid.

• 3

  Turn on the stove burner to medium heat. Turn the crank at the top of the Whirley Pop with one hand while holding the pot handle with the other. Continue turning the crank while the popcorn is popping.

• 4

  Stop turning and remove the Whirley Pop from the stove burner when it becomes difficult to turn the crank. This will happen when the pot is full of popped corn and there isn't much room left for the crank. In most instances this should take about 3 minutes.

• 5

  Tip the Whirley Pop over a large bowl and allow the popcorn to pour out into the bowl. Top your popcorn with butter, salt or any desired seasoning.

Hydroponics for Vertical Trees

• Growing plants in a nutrient solution is called hydroponics. Riou/Pixland/Getty Images

  The science of hydroponics is growing plants in a nutrient solution instead of soil. Because the growth medium is strictly controlled, this leads to higher yields from plants. Many vining plants, such as tomatoes or cucumbers can be grown vertically, in essence forming trees. You can further your understanding of hydroponics by exploring how vertical trees can be grown using this technique.

Thin Film Method

• The thin film method relies on just a little bit of nutrient. This is also called the Nutrient Film Technique. This process flows a thin film of nutrient at the bottom of the hydroponic tank. The advantage of this system is that a lot of nutrient mix is not needed, which saves cost. You will have to engineer a system of supports for your trees, since they can grow quite heavy.

Top Feed System

• In the Top Feed System, plants are grown in large pots filled with clay balls, about the size of golf balls. Nutrient solution is fed to the top of the pots, and drained out the bottom. This method is a constant wet process, since nutrient is continuously being fed to the roots.

Top Bag System

• in this method, the tree is grown "upside down." The roots are in a bag filled with growing medium such as coconut husks or clay balls, and are suspended from the ceiling. The plant is allowed to grow down from the bag. Nutrient liquid is fed into the bag, and and timers and a valve release the nutrients into a holding tank when the bag is full. This method must be done correctly. The University of Hawaii states that incorrect root placement results in lower yields.

Ebb and Flow System

• The Ebb-and-Flow System is similar to the Top Feed System, but the flow rates are different. In the top feed system, a constant trickle flow is present. In the Ebb-and-Flow system, the container is filled up to the brim, then the nutrient is drained off. The end result is the roots are constantly being moistened. Experts state that the ebb and flow system is efficient for small plants, but do not recommend it for large plants over 24 inches in length. .

How to Use Dried Flowers in Jewelry

Dried flowers are attractive, but they are so fragile that there aren't many things you can use them for. Make the most out of your dried flowers by preserving them in resin as jewelry. Clear resin is durable and transparent, allowing you to display your dried flowers for years to come. Make a single pendant to wear as a necklace or string several smaller beads together for a dried flower bracelet.

• 1

  Open all the windows in the room and turn on a fan on to exhaust air from the room. If you have a breathing mask, put it on. Resin is toxic, so the less you breathe in, the better.

• 2

  Cut a small piece of dried flower that will fit inside a bottle cap, a breath mints tin or another small container, open on one side. If you are using whole dried flowers, select one or two buds or a small pod. If you are using pressed flowers, cut a small piece slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the container.

• 3

  Use a small brush to lightly coat the underside of the flower with glue. Carefully attach it to the inside bottom of the bottle cap or tin. Let the glue dry completely.

• 4

  Pour a small amount of hardener into one disposable plastic cup. Pour an equal amount of clear resin into a second cup. Measure each to make sure the amounts are equal.

• 5

  Pour one cup into the other and immediately begin to mix them with a disposable stirrer, such as a craft stick or plastic spoon. Stir for a couple minutes until the resin is completely mixed together.

• 6

  Carefully pour the resin into the bottle cap or tin. Pour slightly less than enough to fill it to get a flat or concave look. Pour slightly too much to have a convex surface on top of your jewelry. Throw away the cups and the stirrer.

• 7

  Leave the bottle cap in an undisturbed, clean room until the resin sets completely. Usually, resin will set overnight.

• 8

  Glue a pin to the back of the cap to make a pin. Glue a small metal loop to the edge of it to make it into a charm for a necklace or bracelet.

How to Kill Small Trees

Small trees may "volunteer" on your property or woodlands, showing up unexpectedly in undesirable locations. Cutting a small tree with a saw or ax may not necessarily kill it. Over the course of the following year, the tree's remnants will send out small sucker limbs as the roots continue to grow. There are two methods of killing a small tree -- one mechanical, the other chemical. While the mechanical method takes some work, it is more effective when used in conjunction with an herbicide.

• 1

  Cut a ring around the circumference of the small tree with a handsaw. The cut must be at least 1/2-inch deep.

• 2

  Girdle the tree using the ax. Strike the tree bark 2 to 3 inches above the saw cut in a downward motion with the ax, removing the bark all around the tree. Make sure you fully expose the interior of the tree, leaving a large gap with no bark growth.

• 3

  Mix the 2,4-D herbicide in the garden sprayer, according to label directions.

• 4

  Spray the herbicide on the girdled area on the tree, so it is dripping from the area. It may take a couple of herbicide applications over the next two days to effectively kill the tree.

What Are Other Animals & Plants That Live by Wolves?

• Wolves exist within a wide range of habitats. Winfried Wisniewski/Photodisc/Getty Images

  No matter where they live, wolves (Canis lupus) are the apex predator of their ecosystem. Throughout the Northern Hemisphere, numerous regional variations of wolf exist, each sharing their range with a wide variety of diverse plant and animal species. From the cold taiga to the subtropical desert, wolves adapt easily to a wide range of habitats and face few threats apart from mankind.

Gray Wolf Habitat Plants and Animals

• Gray wolves (Canis lupus) once enjoyed the largest habitat range of any predator, but are now mostly confined to the boreal forests, or taiga, of the Northern Hemisphere. In Canada, gray wolves range over vast forested territories rich in tree species such as white spruce (Picea glauca), subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) and American larch (Larix laricina). A variety of animal species coexist with the gray wolf, including the brown bear (Ursus arctos), caribou (Rangifer tarandus) and snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), one of their preferred prey animals.

Red Wolf Habitat Plants and Animals

• Named for their distinctive copper-tinged coat, red wolves (Canis lupus rufus) once roamed throughout the southeastern United States before being hunted to near extinction. It is a small species with a limited territorial range, holding an area of between 20 and 50 square-miles within the dense coastal forests of the southeastern United States. It occurs mainly within the longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) and wiregrass (Aristida stricta) ecosystem, where it shares its range with numerous animal species, among them the American black bear (Ursus americanus), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and racoon (Procyon lotor), which is a favored prey animal of the red wolf.

Arctic Wolf Habitat Plants and Animals

• Arctic wolves (Canis lupus arctos) roam throughout the northernmost reaches of the tundra, from Canada to Greenland. It is a small species known for its snow-white coat and shorter, less-pronounced muzzle. The tundra environment in which they live is known for its vast tracts of low-growing shrubs, lichens and wildflowers, among them dwarf birch (Betula nana), tundra willow (Salix arctica) and crowberry (Empetrum). Along with polar bears (Ursus maritimus), arctic wolves are the top predators within their environment, hunting smaller animals such as northern collared lemmings (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus), arctic hares (Lepus arcticus) and ptarmigan (Lagopus muta). When hunting in large packs, arctic wolves even hunt muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus), a large bovine species named for its pungent musky odor.

Mexican Wolf Habitat Plants and Animals

• Mexican wolves (Canis lupus baileyi) hold a small range within the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It is the smallest and rarest species of wolf in North America, occurring in the dry subtropical forest and high-desert areas of the Sonoran Desert. Their range overlaps several distinct ecosystems, each home to a variety of plant life. Mountain forests rich in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica) comprise the largest portion of their habitat, where prey animals such as elk (Cervus canadensis), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and the white-nosed coati (Nasua narica) exist in great abundance.

Fast Growing Trees and Bushes

• The weeping willow is among the fast-growth tree species. Design Pics/Valueline/Getty Images

  Trees and bushes can help screen out noise, provide privacy and add an element of beauty to your home. A wide variety of fast growing shrubs and trees exist to help you achieve just the look you want, quickly.

Shrubs

• Fast growing for a shrub or bush may mean 2 or more feet of growth per season. Popular fast growth shrubs include lilac, red osier dogwood, forsythia and Nellie Stevens holly. Each of these provides growth, privacy and relatively easy maintenance. The leyland cypress, suitable for USDA zones 6 through 10, provides superior growth, up to 4 feet per year. Various types of butterfly bush can thrive in zones 5 through 10 and grow very quickly. However, they provide little privacy.

Small Trees

• Smaller trees may grow anywhere from 3 to 15 feet per year and reach maturity at or around 50 feet. For example, the Muskogee crape myrtle, Arapaho crape myrtle and summers red maple each grow up to 5 feet per year and mature between 15 and 25 feet. Red mulberry, quaking aspen and October glory have similar annual growth and stop around 40 to 50 feet. The weeping willow, eucalyptus tree, lombardy poplar, and empress tree grow even faster -- gaining anywhere from 8 to 15 feet per year. While prevalent throughout the country, each of these trees covers slightly different growth zones. For example, the weeping willow grows in zones 3 to 9, while the eucalyptus tree grows in zones 7 to 11. Always check a zone chart prior to selecting trees.

Large Trees

• Many trees that reach heights of 60 or 70 feet do so quickly. The common pin oak, suitable for growing zones 4 through 8A, grows 3 feet a year, while the sycamore and tulip poplar may grow 5 or 6 feet. The hybrid poplar can grow in zones 3 to 9, while the nutall oak tree thrives in zones 4 to 8. Both of these trees offer superior growth among larger species, growing as much as 10 feet per season.

Seapurslane Seeds

• Seapurslane is a member of the Portulaca family. It is a fleshy, herbal perennial with tiny white or pink flowers. It also is called sea pickle and is used in salads. Its seeds can be eaten raw or sauteed. This plant, which spreads and creeps along the ground, has a medicinal history as an herbal treatment for scurvy and kidney problems, according to the University of Florida website.

Fruit

• Seapurslane produces a thick, oval fruit after flowering. The fruit is about 3/8 inch and is filled with black or brown seeds. The fruit is the part of the plant used as an edible. It looks a bit like okra and the pod can be split lengthwise like a pea pod. The seeds are shiny and have an aril or covering over the seed. The aril needs to be removed by soaking or rubbing before the seeds can be planted.

Edible Seeds

• Seapurslane has an entirely edible skeleton and the seeds are no exception. Eat them raw or saute them first. They resemble peas and the flavor is lightly lemony. The plant is not commonly used today in the U.S. but it is used in China and Greece. Ancient Greeks made a flour out of the seapursulane seeds and baked bread with it.

Growing Seapursulane

• Seapursulane grows wild as a weed in many areas; it is found along beaches and coastal ditches from New York to Florida. You easily can grow it as a food crop or ground cover. The seeds are small after they have been rubbed clear of the aril and can be mixed with sand so sowing is easier. Till the soil well then broadcast seeds on top of the bed. Keep seeds wet to enhance germination and sow in warmer spring weather or indoors. Soon there will be seapurslane for your dinner table.

What Is a Sedum Roof?

A sedum roof is also known as a "growing roof," a "living roof" and a "green roof." The roof is generally made up of a waterproof membrane, the drainage layer, and a blanket of sedum. Sedum plants are a shallow-rooted, low-growing, perennial succulent.

Features

• Sedum's hardiness makes it the ideal option for a green roof system. Benefits of using sedum include tolerance to drought, frost, salt, heat, wind, disease, insects and sun.

Function

• Storm water runoff is reduced when a sedum roof is installed. Installing a sedum roof will also eliminate the "urban heat island" effect. The heat island effect is caused by normal roofing materials which absorb heat from the sun during the day, then radiate it back at night. This, in turn, heats up the area around the building. Plants and soil absorb less heat.

Significance

• Sedum plants are durable enough to be walked on and require minimal maintenance. Oxygen produced and the carbon removed from the atmosphere are benefits to the environment. Additionally, the sedum roof filters pollution in the air.

Considerations

• Initial cost of installing a sedum roof is costlier than a traditional roof. However, energy savings and a longer roof life amortize the additional expense, according to the Modie Park Conservancy website.

Are All Heirloom Seeds Open Pollinated?

The terms "heirloom" seeds and "open-pollinated" seeds can be used interchangeably to describe the same seeds in slightly different ways. Both terms correctly establish a distinction to hybrid seeds.

Significance

• "Heirloom" seeds are defined variously as either seeds from lines that have been in circulation for more than 50 years or more precisely, those that predate World War II or the creation of hybrid flowers and vegetables. Open-pollinated seeds are those fertilized by wind, insects or simply the proximity within the flower of stamen and pistil. All heirloom seeds are indeed open-pollinated.

Time Frame

• Hybrid seeds arose as the result of seed purveyor David Burpee's field trials in the 1930s, fertilizing tomatoes and other plants by hand to create hybrids with superior traits to each parent. Industrialized agriculture in California and other states undertook a widespread adoption of hybrid vegetables after the 1950s, leaving heirlooms to languish until the sustainable agriculture movement began in the 1990s.

Features

• Heirloom seeds often produce tastier vegetables and fruits because hybrids may be bred for traits useful for shipping long distances or mechanical picking rather than taste. You can save your own heirloom seeds for later seasons, given that the offspring of the open-pollinated plant will resemble its parent, whereas second-generation hybrid seeds behave unpredictably.

Do Plants Grow Better With Lake Water, Tap Water or Distilled Water?

Plants are irrigated with various water sources, including as tap water, lake water and distilled water. Water from some sources, however, may not be good for plants and some may harm them.

Tap Water

• Tap water from municipal sources is treated with chemicals such as fluoride and chlorine. These chemicals may produce excessive salt buildup in the soil, altering the amount of nutrition available and injuring plant tissue. Hard water, normally associated with wells, contains calcium or magnesium, both of which may harm plants.

Lake Water

• Lake water is natural, but most lake waters have microscopic organisms living in the water as well as parasites. Lake water is not always pure because of pollution and should not be used on plants.

Distilled Water

• Distilled water is the recaptured steam from water vaporized by boiling. The process eliminates impurities and none are reintroduced. Although it is free of salt and has no contamination, it is expensive to use. Distilled water, however, is the best choice for plants.

Pest Control for Plants Brought Indoors

When during cooler weather you bring indoors those plants that spend summer outdoors, you run the risk of bringing pests in with them. There are ways to prevent these pests from becoming established inside your house.

Significance

• Many pests may be controlled with the simple application of an insecticidal soap. Bugs that may be controlled with this method are spider mites, aphids, thrips and mealybugs. If insecticidal soap doesn't work, try a botanical insecticide, such as pyrethrins or neem.

Alternatives

• If you do not want to apply an insecticide on your plants, there are other, natural alternatives. Washing your plants with soapy water and a soft brush may control aphids. Hanging blue sticky cards above your plants will kill some thrips.

Considerations

• Routinely misting your plants with water may help eliminate thrips, which do not tolerate humidity, and the spray may knock other pests off the plants. Introducing ladybugs to your plant is another way to control pests. Ladybugs eat many insects, including aphids, that infest houseplants

How to Cut Away Bad Leaves on a Bromeliad

Bromeliads encompass a large range of plants, from the pineapple to Spanish moss. They are mostly native to the American subtropics, and grow everywhere from the deserts in the southwest U.S. to the Andes. Most bromeliads are grown as houseplants, since they need warm temperatures to survive. Many produce thick, leathery foliage and large flowers.

• 1

  Place the bromeliad in a sunny window so it will get enough light. Check the soil around the bromeliad's roots. If the soil is dry, add water to the planter.

• 2

  Cut off the bad leaves on the bromeliad as close to the crown as possible. Do not let the bad leaves stay in the planter; dispose of them in the trash can.

• 3

  Wipe your scissors with alcohol to prevent spreading the disease to any other plants in your home.

Why Do Plants & Animals Need Iron?

Iron is the 26th element of the periodic table. While iron is best known for its strength and durability, it's also important in biology. Nearly all known forms of life require iron -- including plants and animals.

Features

• Like many transition metals, iron can exist in multiple oxidation states, which basically means that it can form compounds where it has "lost" or "gained" a different number of electrons. Depending on what other atoms are bound to it, iron can also have varying redox potentials, where the redox potential is a measure of how readily it gives electrons to other atoms. These features make iron a useful component of many biological systems.

Function

• Iron is used primarily as an enzyme cofactor, meaning an atom that binds to an enzyme to help it accomplish its task. About two-thirds of the iron in your body is found bound to a protein in your red blood cells called hemoglobin, where it serves to help bind and transport oxygen.

Effects

• Some of iron's most important biological roles are in metabolic processes like cellular respiration. All plants and animals have mitochondria in their cells that help produce the chemical energy the cells need to survive; mitochondria contain cytochrome proteins that play a key role in these processes. Cytochrome proteins have iron atoms bound in a structure called a porphyrin ring; since cytochrome proteins need iron to perform their function, plants and animals cannot survive without iron. Iron is also an important cofactor for many other enzymes that perform essential functions.

Vegetable Planting Depth

When determining planting depth for your vegetable garden, each vegetable has its own specific depth requirement. Before you plant seeds, make sure you understand the proper depth needed for each vegetable.

Fertilizer

• Before you putting vegetable seeds into your garden, fertilizer should be applied to your soil. Till it into the soil to a depth of at least 3 or 4 inches.

Deep Planting

• According to North Carolina Cooperative Extension, asparagus and potatoes require the deepest depth when planting. While most vegetables should be planted no deeper than 1 inch, asparagus should be planted at a depth of 6 inches and seed potatoes should be covered with 5 inches of soil.

Shallow Planting

• Some vegetables require a planting depth of only 0.5 inch, or just the below the surface. These vegetables include beets, kale, eggplant and all types of pepper plants.

GE CFL Bulb Specs

• The GE CFL light bulb saves energy. Buena Vista Images/Digital Vision/Getty Images

  GE compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs use lower wattage while providing the same light intensity. They also last significantly longer and use up to 75 percent less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs. They are relatively new to the market and GE will likely offer a greater variety as consumers become more aware of their benefits.

GE Daylight Energy Smart Spiral T2 (Mini Bulb)

• This bulb screws into most U.S. light fixtures. It uses 10 watts and has a rated life of 12,000 hours. The initial lumens rating is 580; this means the initial light output of the bulb is equal to 580 candles. Color temperature is 2700 Kelvin; this a measure of the balance of color emitted by the bulb. Color rendering index is 82; this is a measure of the quality of light. The bulb is Energy Star qualified, meaning it is proven to save energy. This bulb is equivalent to a 40-watt incandescent bulb, and as of October 2010, it retails for around $7 per bulb.

GE Soft Daylight Energy Smart Spiral T3 (Equivalent to 60w)

• This bulb firts most U.S. light fixtures. It uses 15 watts and has a rated life of 10, 000 hours. The initial lumens rating is 580---the equivalent to 580 candles. The color temperature is 2700K and the color rendering index is 82. This bulb is Energy Star qualified and is rated to last 12 times longer than a 60-watt incandescent soft light bulb or up to six years. As of October 2010, this bulb retails for about $15 per eight-pack.

GE Soft White Energy Smart Spiral T3 (equivalent to 100w)

• This bulb screws into most U.S. light fixtures, uses 26 watts and has a rated life of 12,000 hours. It has an initial lumens of 580, its color temperature is 2,700K and it has a color rendering index of 82. The bulb is Energy Star qualified and rated to last 10 times longer than a regular incandescent 100-watt light bulb, or up to five years. As of October 2010, it is priced around $16 per six-pack.

GE Double Tube 4-pin Base CFL Bulb

• This bulb has a four-pin fitting and is designed for use in especially high-output lamps and appliances such as those used in laboratories; it is not spiral. The color temperature is 4,100K, which is the feature that makes this bulb's high light output. Other features are much the same as the spiral bulbs---it has a color rendering index of 82, uses 13 watts and lasts for up to 12,000 hours. The bulb is priced around $7 each as of October 2010.

Wavelengths of Light That Are Most Effective for Photosynthesis

Plants have several types of pigments that allow them to absorb light for photosynthesis. Each pigment absorbs different wavelengths, so that the best wavelengths for plants depend on the type of pigment it has the most of.

Chlorophyll A

• Chlorophyll a, which is present in all photosynthetic organisms, absorbs blue light with wavelengths of 430 nanometers (nm) and red light of 662 nm. It reflects green light, so that the plants that contain it appear green. Compared to other pigments, chlorophyll a exists most abundantly in plants.

Chlorophyll B

• Chlorophyll b, which is similar in structure to chlorophyll a, exists in green algae and plants. It absorbs light of 453 nm and 642 nm. Chlorophyll a helps plants absorb a more extensive range of light wavelengths.

Carotenoids

• All organisms that conduct photosynthesis have carotenoids. They absorb green light between 460 nm and 550 nm best. Plants that contain mostly cartenoids appear red, orange or yellow.

How to Transfer Grapevines

Gardeners in many parts of the United States grow grapes for fresh use as well as the production of wine, juice or jelly. Transferring, or transplanting, grapevines requires some planning and a basic knowledge of the plant. Properly done, the transplanted grapevine has a good chance of survival and yielding fruit in a couple of years. This process is most effective if done in the early spring.

• 1

  Dig out the grapevine from its current location. Remove and keep intact as much of the root system as possible.

• 2

  Loosen the soil around the new site for the grapevine. Work an area about 1 foot or more around the intended plant location. Dig a hole for the plant large enough to accommodate the root structure.

• 3

  Place the plant in the hole and back fill the hole with the previously removed soil. Water the grapevine immediately to help the soil settle and naturally compact. Mulch the area around the plant with wood chips or other material to conserve moisture and prevent weed growth.

• 4

  Prune the grapevine to a single cane or stem above ground. Tie this cane to a stake, keeping the plant off the ground.

• 5

  Continue watering through the first growing season. This is especially important if the area experiences dry or hot weather.

White Chilean Strawberry Plants

• White strawberries are native to Chile. Win Initiative/Photodisc/Getty Images

  White strawberries have been in existence for hundreds of years in the central and southern regions of the South American nation of Chile. The colorless and translucent fruit is commonly cultivated between the Pacific Ocean and the Cordigliera areas of the country, and is also known as "pineberry." The fruit, which is called "frutillas blancas" in Spanish, is notable for its taste, which is closer to that of a pineapple than a standard red strawberry.

Description

• Chilean white strawberries have a texture and shape similar to a normal strawberry, but a fragrance and flavor that matches pineapples closely. The flavor also has a floral undertone. The round fruit is characterized by its pale flesh, tiny points and red seeds. The glossy flesh, although translucent, is occasionally touched with a hint of pale pink. However, it is usually ivory white with either red or rosy red points. The fruit is slightly smaller than a red strawberry, and is usually just under 1 inch in width across.

Cultivation

• The short harvest of Chilean white strawberries starts towards the end of November, and goes up until the middle of January. White strawberries are commonly consumed as festive foods during the holiday season in Chile, particularly at Christmas and on the New Year. In the town of Puren, within the Nahuelbuta Mountains, an annual white strawberry festival is held in the middle of February.

Background

• Almost three decades ago, a fruit was crossbred with a tiny red berry that is native to the state of Virginia. As a result, all of the strawberries that are found in grocery stores in the United States is marked by DNA from Chile. Chilean white strawberries are often said to be the "grandfather" of modern day strawberries. The strawberries, however, cannot be purchased anywhere other than Chile, where they are sold during the summer months on terraced and steep hillsides by a small group of farmers. It is also very rare to find white strawberries in Santiago, which is Chile's capital city.