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Miss Chen
2017年08月10日
Miss Chen
Any rose gardener knows that proper pruning is vital to the health of the bush and propagation of future blooms. They also know that disposal of the cuttings can be cumbersome and painful. The thorny branches are hard to handle and they don't degrade well in compost heaps. A good alternative is to burn your prunings.
Pruning Your Rose Bush Pruning is vital to the proper growth of your rose bush. Wearing gloves and long sleeves, prune your plant, starting at its base. Use clean, sharp pruners to cut dead and diseased branches, shape the plant, and to foster new growth. Make cuts at 45 degree angles, above new buds. When to Prune Although your pruning season depends on the rose species and the USDA hardiness zone in which you live, the fall is generally considered a good time to cut back growth and ready the plant for winter. Long canes left exposed to the elements can become damaged under the weight of snow and ice and cause the roots to loosen from the safety of their soil. Plants that are at least two to three years old should also be pruned in the spring. If your plant has successfully grown to three or four feet, prune in the spring to hasten new growth, healthy blossoming and hardy root development. Gather Cuttings Collect all the cuttings from your bushes and leave them outdoors, exposed to sun. If you've got a patch of newly budding grass, the cuttings make a great deterrent for birds and pests. Otherwise, find a safe, sunlit spot where people and animals won't bump into your thorny pile. To fully dry your cuttings, expect to wait six months in most U.S. growing regions. Use as Kindling Once the rose cuttings are sufficiently dry, wear gloves and protective clothing and use sharp clippers to trim your prunings to a size that will fit properly to your fire pit. While there is no need to remove thorns, use care when handling the branches. Burn the cuttings outdoors as your community allows, or bring them indoors and use as kindling for woodstoves and fireplaces. Place along with paper below logs as an effective and economical fire starter.
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Miss Chen
2017年08月09日
Miss Chen
Agaves (Agave spp.) are drought-tolerant succulents that have long, sword-shaped leaves that open in a rosette form. While some agaves feature smooth sides, many species have hardened, needle-like tips and curled, hardened teeth along the leaf edges. Agaves with sharp spines should be kept a minimum of 6 feet away from walking areas in the yard because the spines can easily puncture skin and cause serious injury. If you have small children or pets, removing the spines is the safest option. The spines won't grow back and cutting the spines won't kill the plant.
Step 1 Wear heavy protective clothing and eyewear, such as long-sleeved shirt, gloves, pants and safety glasses or goggles to prevent skin and eye contact with the agave plant spines and sap. While the sap of some agaves is consumed, some plant saps can cause irritation upon contact. Step 2 Cut straight across the hardened leaf tips just above the point where the fleshy leaves transition to hardened spines, using a pair of bypass pruners. Cut just above the thick, fleshy portion of the leaves, but do not cut through this flesh because this can attract pests such as the agave snout weevil that lay their eggs in damaged sections of the plant. The weevil larvae burrow into the soft tissue of the plant, introducing a harmful bacteria that rots the plant cells, decomposing the plant from the inside out.
Step 3 Cut the curled, spiny teeth from the margins of the agave plant leaves, using bypass pruners or a pair of fingernail clippers. Clip off the sharp point, leaving a dull, flat surface at each spine. Do not cut into the fleshy portion of the leaf. Start from the spines closest to the leaf tip and work your way down to the base. Step 4 Cut the straight, pointed spines from the tips and the curled spines from the leaf margins as new leaves emerge from the terminal bud in the center of the plant. The outermost leaves of an agave are the oldest leaves; new leaves grow straight up from the center and fan out into the rosette to make room for the next series of new leaves.
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Miss Chen
2017年08月09日
Miss Chen
Shade-loving hostas (Hosta spp.) produce their signature foliage in various colors, patterns, sizes and textures. These plants do best in the cooler climates of U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 8. Slugs are the usual culprits for holes chewed in hosta leaves, although other pests or factors can also cause this damage. Providing the hostas with good care and following excellent sanitation practices around the hostas will help to prevent or minimize the appearance of holes in the hosta leaves.
Step 1 Space plants well at planting or transplant or divide hostas so that there is good air circulation around the hosta foliage. Crowded hostas that are constantly damp are prone to fungal problems like anthracnose. Anthracnose appears as white to tan leaf spots with a dark border that often lose their center before the entire leaf develops a torn or tattered appearance. Step 2 Keep debris, like excessive mulch, leaf litter, boards, stones and bricks, away from the hostas and thin out any dense ground cover plants near the hostas. Slugs feed on hostas at night and need a damp environment to hide in during the day. Holes caused by slugs are irregular but have a smooth edge. Cutworms chew long, oval holes between hosta leaf veins. Step 3 Inspect the hosta plants and surrounding area at night with a flashlight, looking for slugs and cutworms. Pick off any pests you find and drown them in a bucket of soapy water.
Step 4 Sprinkle diatomaceous earth over the ground around the hostas. Reapply this material regularly and after each rainfall to ensure it remains effective. Diatomaceous earth will scratch the outer or protective layer of slugs and other pests, causing the pests to dry out and die. Step 5 Drape a fabric sheet or similar material over the hostas whenever hail or out-of-season frosts are expected. Prop the cloth up with sticks, stakes or boards, so it is not directly in contact with the hosta. Hail damage to hosta leaves appears as holes with jagged edges and an overall torn or tattered appearance.
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Miss Chen
2017年08月09日
Miss Chen
The prized trees in your yard are little more than playgrounds, shelters and food sources for common garden pests, such as squirrels, rats and raccoons. Rats like to hide in the dense clusters of dead palm fronds that hang below the healthy canopy. Squirrels gather leaves and sticks and build their own nests in trees. Raccoons are sneaky bandits who are most problematic for stealing fruit from fruit trees. The rough texture of bark coupled with their tiny claws make it easy for these garden pests to climb trees, but they can't gain footing on slick sheet metal collars. Step 1 Measure the circumference of the tree trunk. Cut a piece of sheet metal about 2 to 3 feet wide and 6 to 8 inches longer than the trunk circumference. Use thin, easily flexible sheet metal, such as 26 gauge, that bends easily around trees. Draw the lines with a permanent marker and use a pair of tin snips to cut through the sheet metal. Wear thick leather gloves and long sleeves so you don't cut yourself on the sheet metal. Step 2 File down the sharp sheet metal edges and round the corners, using a flat file. Cut sheet metal is razor sharp, so you might also apply duct tape to dull the edges and corners. Step 3 Mark one edge of the sheet metal with two marks for pilot holes; place the marks about 2 inches in from the edge with one positioned 2 inches from the top and the other mark 2 inches from the bottom. Mark along one of the 2- to 3-foot edges and not along the edges cut to the length of the circumference. Step 4 Drill a 1/8-inch pilot hole through each of the marks, using a power drill and a high-speed titanium drill bit. Mark through the holes to indicate the location for pilot holes on the opposite end of the sheet metal. Drill two more pilot holes at each mark. Step 5 Reposition the sheet metal around the tree with the pilot holes at each end lined up. The top of the sheet metal should rest at least 5 feet off the ground; if you have a tree without low branches, position the sheet metal with the top as far as 8 feet off the ground. Enlist a helper to hold the sheet metal in place while you push a piece of aluminum tie wire through the holes, wrap the wire to the front of the sheet metal and twist with pliers to tighten. Secure the wires tightly to ensure the metal collar stays in place; this method spares you drilling damaging holes into the tree trunk. Step 6 Remove the wires and the sheet metal collar as the tree trunk grows. The extra 6 to 8 inches added to the sheet metal length allows you to adjust the size of the collar rather than using a new piece of sheet metal. Reposition the collar and insert a marker through the pilot holes to mark the location for new pilot holes. Reattach the sheet metal with new tie wires.
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Miss Chen
2017年08月09日
Miss Chen
When you cut a tree down or pull a stump out of the ground, roots remaining the soil are often still alive and may produce new shoots. Certain trees including willows (Salix spp.), some maples (Acer spp.) and Populus species such as cottonwood tend to produce new sprouts very vigorously. Treating a stump with herbicide immediately following cutting the tree down can kill the tree's root system. Where the bulk of the stump and tree crown were pulled out or ground up and there is no cut surface remaining, you will have to address the remaining root system by treating new sprouts as they emerge.
Step 1 Grind out as much of the remaining stump and root system as possible. This will greatly decrease the number of sprouts that appear. Step 2 Drill holes into the remaining stump and root system, pour a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer into the prepared holes and cover the area with mulch or soil. This will accelerate decay. Step 3 Monitor the site for new sprouts and cut them off at or below ground level as soon as they appear. Constantly removing young sprouts or mowing them off at ground level will eventually deplete the root system's reserves.
Herbicide to Kill Roots Step 4 Cut any remaining stump down to as near as possible to ground level, exposing living tissue, and make the cut as level as possible so herbicide will not run off of the surface. Brush any sawdust or dirt off of the cut surface, as debris will interfere with herbicide absorption. Step 5 Prepare a herbicide solution that contains 8 to 10 percent glyphosate or triclopyr. Look at the active ingredients list on the product's label and observe the percentage of glyphosate or triclopyr in the material. Blend this product with water so that the new solution contains 8 to 10 percent active ingredient. Specific manufacturers may offer different directions for product preparation and use with cut surface treatments. Always follow manufacturer recommendations to ensure safe and effective use. Step 6 Brush the prepared herbicide solution onto the cut surface using a foam brush or applicator. For small stems, coat the entire surface. For larger stumps, you only have to paint the chemical onto the outer three inches of the cut surface, as this is where the living tissue is located. Alternatively, you can use a small hand or garden sprayer to apply the product, coating the cut surface thoroughly, though not to the point of runoff. Step 7 Monitor the area regularly for any emerging suckers. Cut the suckers down at or just below the soil surface as soon as you notice them. This will gradually deplete the root system's reserves. Alternatively, wait until the leaves on the sucker have fully expanded and spray the foliage on the sprout with a solution that contains 1 to 2 percent glyphosate or triclopyr unless otherwise directed by the product manufacturer. If the sprouts are located in a lawn area or where there is desirable vegetation, use triclopyr or another herbicide that will kill broadleaf plants without injuring grasses or apply the chemical very carefully.
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Miss Chen
2017年08月09日
Miss Chen
Two pests that many gardeners encounter at one time or another are the stinkbug and the ant (Lasius alienus). Ants can also be an indicator of a potential aphid problem because they like to feed off the honeydew produced by aphids. Stinkbugs can contribute to a challenging garden experience, especially if you are growing cabbage (Brassica oleracea). The harlequin bug (Murgantia histrionic) is one such stinkbug that can devastate a cabbage patch.
Natural Pesticides for Stinkbugs For those who prefer to battle pests naturally, there are options. Organic gardening expert Andrew Lopez suggests natural pesticides such as citrus oil, coconut oil, peppermint oil, sabadilla and rotenone. These may also work against ants. The oils can be mixed with natural biodegradable liquid soap for spraying. Avoid using detergents since they tend to be chemical. Adding an organic or natural hot pepper sauce to the soap mixture can enhance its effectiveness. The Environmental Protection Agency approved the organic pesticides azadirachtin and pyrethrins for use on stinkbugs in 2011. Chemical Pesticides for Stinkbugs Deltamethrin, cypermethrin, bifenthrin and beta-cyfluthrin — these are active ingredients in some of the leading brands of pesticides effective against stinkbugs. Deltamethrin is effective against many different insects besides stinkbugs, including ants, spiders, roaches and wasps. It can kill stinkbugs for up to three months and can be used indoors or outdoors. Cypermethrin is a powerful insecticide used by professionals but available to nonprofessionals. Bifenthrin kills more than 75 insect pests and can be used in the yard or inside. It can also be used in food handling areas and won't break down in rainfall. Beta-cyfluthrin is another broad-spectrum insecticide effective against the stinkbug. In the summer of 2011, the EPA made an emergency exemption and allowed the insecticide dinotefuran to be used against an infestation of brown marmorated stinkbugs (Halyomorpha halys) in the eastern United States. The exemption allowed growers of stone and pome fruits two applications per season.
Natural Pesticides for Ants Natural pesticides are also available for ants. Lopez writes, "Any organic biodegradable soap, or scented mixtures such as mint extract, garlic oil extracts, or Tobasco sauce can be used to spray on ants." For the outdoors, he recommends a recipe of ½ tablespoon of pyrethrum, ½ tablespoon of diatomaceous earth, 5 drops of any natural liquid soap, 5 drops of sesame oil and a tablespoon of Tobasco sauce. Add water slowly until the mixture becomes slurry. Stir mixture until you get a paste, and then slowly add the paste to a quart of water, stirring until ingredients are dissolved. Once ingredients have settled, pour them through a strainer into a quart sprayer and spray the ants directly. If the ants are inside your house, he recommends adding 1 capful of biodegradable soap per quart of water. For increased effectiveness, citronella oil may be added at a few drops per gallon. Citronella interferes with the ant's ability to make markings and signal to others. Using pine oil is another option. When mixed half and half with water, pure pine oil will kill ants. Just don't spray it on plants directly. Phenethyl propionate is another natural, botanical insecticide that is also available. Chemical Pesticides for Ants The list of chemical pesticides for use on ants can be lengthy, but some of the more common active ingredients in the ones on the market include deltamethrin, pyrethins, piperonyl butoxide, amorphous silica gel, cyfluthrin, and fipronil. Deltamethrin, which is used for stinkbugs too, is described as the world's first 100 percent waterproof insecticide when used as a dust. Applied properly, it will kill ants for up to eight months. Pyrethins, piperonyl butoxide and amorphous silica gel are used together to form a nonstaining, odorless insecticide dust that kills ants and other pests for up to six months. Cyfluthrin is another insecticide dust that kills not only ants but a number of other pests including, but not limited to, bed bugs, roaches, crickets, beetles, ticks and fleas. Fipronil, an insecticide spray, is effective against termites as well as ants. These chemicals should always be used with care.
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Miss Chen
2017年08月09日
Miss Chen
Since 1974, when it was first introduced by the Monsanto Company, Roundup has been a leading weedkiller, and its active ingredient, glyphosate, has become the world's number one herbicide. Glyphosate inhibits the formation of certain enzymes in growing plants, thus causing the plants to wilt and die within a few hours to a week of application. If glyphosate freezes, it goes back into solution upon thawing, according to the University of Maine Extension. Description of Glyphosate Glyphosate is a post-emergent, nonselective herbicide, which means it is effective only against plants that have broken ground, and it kills any plant with which it comes in contact. The only plants that are safe from it are those that have been genetically modified to resist it. Roundup typically is applied by spraying. The active ingredient migrates through the leaves and into the phloem, which carries it to areas of new growth, where it reacts with the plant enzymes and kills the plant. Roundup also typically contains surfactants to facilitate absorption of the active ingredient by the plant. Storing Roundup The University of Florida Extension cautions that many herbicides can coagulate in cold weather, and when they thaw, they may no longer be effective. This isn't the case with glyphosate, according to the University of Maine and Cornell University. Glyphosate freezes at minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and when it thaws, it goes back into solution and, although neither source specifies this, should remain as effective as it was before it froze. This suggests that you can store glyphosate outside in the winter, as long as the container holding it won't suffer damage by freezing. For its part, Monsanto offers no information about storage temperatures on the Roundup label. Applying Roundup in Cold Weather Plants absorb Roundup most readily in moderate to warm temperatures, ideally above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, when they are experiencing peak growth. Freezing temperatures shouldn't have any effect on the efficacy of the herbicide simply because glyphosate doesn't freeze until the temperature falls below minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit. That's low enough to kill the weeds whether or not you spray them. Even if they manage to survive the cold, they still will absorb the herbicide when temperatures rise, and it will circulate, albeit sluggishly, to do its job. Precautions Roundup may not be effective in cold weather, even if the weather isn't cold enough to freeze. Plant metabolism may be too slow to allow the plant to absorb the active ingredient before it evaporates from the leaves. Moreover, cold weather often is rainy weather, and while Monsanto claims that 30 minutes is a safe interval between spraying and a moderately heavy rain, that interval may increase in cold weather. Consequently, you may need to spray more than once. Store Roundup in plastic, fiberglass or stainless steel containers only. It is caustic and corrodes iron or galvanized steel.
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Miss Chen
2017年08月09日
Miss Chen
The lush growth of your flower and vegetable gardens attract wildlife to your yard. Your carefully cultivated plants are an exotic delicatessen, free for animals' eating enjoyment. Although you can take precautions to discourage the animals from eating your flowers and vegetables, you may still end up sharing some of your harvest when food is scarce for the wildlife.
Fence Them Out A fence discourages marauding critters from decimating a garden patch. Even though a deer can leap over an 8- to 10-foot obstacle, a 6-foot-tall fence often discourages its incursions into a garden. Cyclone welded wire and black propylene deer fencing are effective barriers when used in combination with other animal-discouraging techniques. Solid fencing, such as a board or reed fence, hides a garden from view. Also add a row of rabbit wire fencing to the bottom of your fence to prevent rabbits from squeezing through its holes. Peg the bottom of the rabbit fence to the ground or bury it several inches of it underground. Fill all low spots with large rocks or boards. Rabbits naturally dig under fences, but deer also can crawl under a fence to reach a garden's gourmet delights. If gophers are a problem, consider lining planting holes with wire mesh baskets. The mesh prevents gophers from burrowing under flower and vegetable plants and eating the tender roots. Scare Them Away Deer, rabbits and other animals that eat plants are nervous creatures, always watching for potential predators. Take advantage of their skittish natures by adding items such as motion-activated sprinklers to your gardens. Also, metallic, shiny ribbons or small wind socks tied to the top of fencing randomly flutter in wind, making deer nervous enough to discourage them from leaping into the garden. Although predator urine and other smelly solutions discourage deer and rabbits, a yapping dog is also an effective deterrent -- if it doesn't dig holes in the gardens or disturb neighbors. Cats are also efficient predators, catching gophers and other rodents that snack on plants.
Hide the Goodies Use row covers to protect tender seedlings from both cool weather and wildlife. When the weather warms, trade the row covers for tulle or other lightweight fabrics that hide plants without blocking air circulation to them. Avoid attracting wildlife to your gardens by removing nearby vegetation, dead grass and brush piles, which provide hiding and nesting places. Enclose and cover your compost pile. Burying scraps in it is not effective; deer dig up a compost pile to reach peelings and other vegetable scraps. Manage the insect population in lawns near your gardens by using beneficial nematodes and Bacillus thuringiensis galleriae. Insect larvae, including beetle grubs, attract moles and skunks. Plant Items Less Attractive to Them Select that brighten a garden but are the last choices on deer's, rabbits' or other wildlife's menu. The less tasty or deer-resistant flowering plants that are perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9, depending on the variety, include: Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), perennial in USDA zones 3 through 9. Daffodil (Narcissus spp.), USDA zones 4 through 8. Russian oregano (Origanum vulgare subsp. gracile), USDA zones 4 through 8. Red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria), USDA zones 5 through 9. 'Winnifred Gilman' Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii 'Winnifred Gilman'), USDA zones 8 through 9. Vegetable choices less attractive to animals vary with the wildlife's taste buds. Among the vegetables that deer and rabbits generally avoid are corn (Zea mays), garlic (Allium sativum), potato (Solanum tuberosum) and squash (Cucurbita spp.). While most garden vegetables are grown as annuals, garlic is a bulb plant that is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9.
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Miss Chen
2017年08月09日
Miss Chen
Even though gnats and ants are not harmful to humans or pets, they can quickly turn your once peaceful environment into a stressful situation. If not controlled, gnats and ants can make their way indoors, feasting on your food and infesting your houseplants. Thankfully, you can use several techniques to get rid of gnats and ants before they invade your home.
Gnats Step 1 Mix of 1 to 8 teaspoons of Bacillus thuringiensis for every 1 gallon of water. Bacillus thuringiensis is a safe insecticide that targets species of pest including fungus gnat larva. Use this mixture as a soil drench in your lawn to control gnats. Step 2 Avoid overwatering outside plants and lawns. Gnats thrive in damp organic matter such as soggy mulch, fertilizers and overly saturated soils. By eliminating these moist conditions, you will greatly reduce the gnat population in your lawn. Step 3 Drain gutters, containers, jars and other outdoor receptacles regularly to discourage annoying insects -- such as gnats, flies and mosquitoes -- from laying their eggs in the standing water. Ants
Step 4 Remove grass, organic mulch and plants about 1 foot away from your home's foundation. This reduces the chance of ants nesting and foraging. Step 5 Sprinkle a thin layer of a dust insecticide containing carbaryl over a slightly dampened lawn. Repeat the process no more than once every 14 days. Step 6 Create homemade ant bait stations by mixing 4 teaspoons of table sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of boric acid and 4 ounces of hot water in a small glass jar. Place two or three cotton balls inside the jar and secure it with the lid. Poke several holes in the lid to allow ants to enter the station. Place the bait station out of direct sunlight but in the path of the ants' trail. The ants will take the bait back to the nest killing the rest of the colony.
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Miss Chen
2017年08月09日
Miss Chen
Canine, or dog, urine can cause evergreen trees' and shrubs' low foliage to turn yellow and then dark brown or black. In most situations, dog urine doesn't kill evergreens. If, however, the plants are subjected to dog urine frequently, then eventually the urine can affect their health. Certain measures, though, can prevent or reduce dog urine's damage to evergreens.
Dog Urine's Effects Dog urine contains urea, which is produced as a waste product when protein is metabolized in the body, and it is excreted along with other salts in the dog's urine. Urea is a nitrogen compound that is used in fertilizers because in soil it is converted to nitrates, which are the primary form of nitrogen used by plants. The urea in dog urine isn't beneficial to plants because its concentration is too high, which creates an environment in which water is drawn out of plant cells. Prevention Other than installing a fence, not much can be done to prevent a neighbor's dog from urinating on your plants. If your dog is the source of the urine, then modifying its diet may prevent the urine from damaging your evergreens and other plants. Feed the dog low- to moderate-protein foods instead of those labeled as high in protein; less protein reduces the amount of urea in the urine. Also, high-quality proteins are easier to digest, which means less urea is excreted in the urine. Typically, dog foods labeled as premium and super premium and that are available at pet stores and veterinarian offices have higher quality proteins than most brands available at grocery stores, but consult your dog's veterinarian before making changes in the dog's diet.
If you can't change your dog's food, dilute the dog's urine by adding water to the canine's food, using canned dog food or increasing its daily water intake. Your dog may need to go outside to urinate more often than previously, but its urine will be less likely to burn your evergreens and other plants. Repair Urine-damaged evergreens are not a lost cause, although their discolored foliage may not regain its green color. If you see the dog urinating on the plants, immediately rinse the plants with water to dilute the urine, which can prevent damage. If damage has occurred, water the ground around the plants, which leaches the salts from the soil. You may have to repeat watering as the soil dries to leach heavy salt buildups caused by frequent or long-term urination on the plants. Salt-Tolerant Evergreens Plants that have a high salt tolerance may be able to withstand dog urine's salts better than other plants. Salt-tolerant evergreen trees include Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis), which is hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zones 2 through 8, blue spruce (Picea pungens), which is hardy to USDA zones 2 through 7, and mugo pine (Pinus mugo), hardy in zones 2 through 7. Evergreen shrubs that have a high salt tolerance include serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis), which is hardy in USDA zones 3 through 7, Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), hardy in zones 4 through 8, cottoneaster (cotoneaster spp.), hardy in zones 4 through 8, and Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia), which is hardy in zones 5 through 8.
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