I recently received a ponytail palm as a gift.  How do I care for it? 
The ponytail palm or elephant-foot tree (Beaucarnea recurvata) is an easy to grow, low maintenance houseplant. Plant characteristics include a swollen, bulb-like base and long, strap-like leaves that arch out from the stem creating a fountain-like effect. 

The ponytail palm should be placed in a brightly lit location in the home. A site near an east or west window usually is a good location. The ponytail palm is a type of succulent.  Don’t water it as often as you would most houseplants. Allow the potting soil to dry out between waterings.  Fertilize once or twice a month with a soluble houseplant fertilizer in spring and summer. 

How do I propagate my indoor hibiscus? 
The hibiscus (Hibiscus spp.) can be propagated by stem cuttings. Late spring or early summer would be the best time to take cuttings. 

Begin by filling a pot with perlite or coarse sand. After the container has been filled, apply water to the perlite or sand and allow the material to drain for a few minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut off 4- to 6-inch-long shoots from the hibiscus. Pinch off the leaves on the bottom half of each cutting. Then dip the cut ends of the cuttings in a rooting compound. Make holes in the rooting medium with your finger or a pencil. Then place a cutting in each hole. Insert the cuttings to a depth of 1.5 to 2 inches. Firm the sand or perlite around the base of each cutting. After all the cuttings have been inserted, water the medium again and let it drain for a few minutes. 

To prevent the cuttings from wilting, cover the pot and cuttings with a clear plastic bag. Secure the plastic to the container with a rubber band or tape. Then place the cuttings in bright, indirect light. The cuttings should root in six to eight weeks. When the cuttings have developed good root systems, remove them from the perlite or sand and pot them up individually. 

Why is it necessary to plant two different apple trees (varieties) in the home garden? 
In the flower, pollination is the transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma. After pollination and fertilization, fruit set occurs. There are two types of pollination. Self-pollination occurs when the pollen is transferred from the anther to the stigma on the same flower, from another flower on the same plant, or from a flower on another plant of the same variety. Self-pollinated plants are said to be self-fruitful. Many plants cannot produce fruit from their own pollen and are considered self-unfruitful. These plants require cross-pollination for fruit set. Cross-pollination is the transfer of pollen from one plant to the flower of a genetically different plant or variety. 

Apples are considered to be self-unfruitful. At least two different apple varieties (cultivars) must be planted in the same general area to ensure cross-pollination and fruit set. 

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