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About Leaf Spot on Japanese Maple The good news is that when Japanese maple leaves have spots it is most often not a reason to be concerned. Leaf spots are rarely so serious that some method of control needs to be deployed. Generally, your tree will be happy and healthy if you provide it with the right conditions. This is a tough tree that resists most diseases. One of the most important things that your Japanese maple needs is rich soil that drains well....

What Makes a Good Potting Mix for Outdoor Containers? With the rise in popularity of container gardening, many growers find themselves interested in gaining more knowledge regarding outdoor potting soil. These soils are essential for the success of container gardens. Specific components of the soil assist with drainage, water retention, and nutrient uptake. Unlike the soil in the garden, it is essential that potting mix for outdoor containers exhibits exceptional drainage qualities....

Mulch and Pet Safety Mulch serves many purposes in the home landscape. It adds an attractive touch to flower beds, provides protection for plants, and helps keep the soil moist. Mulch comes in many different forms and colors depending on your budget and needs. However, if you are a pet owner, particularly an owner of a curious dog, it’s essential that you pick your mulch carefully. This is especially important for pets that spend a fair amount of time unsupervised outside....

Tips on Schefflera Transplant The two main reasons to replant any plant are to grow it larger and to replace depleted soil. Schefflera repotting may see it moved to a larger container to grow it bigger or into the same pot with fresh soil and a gentle root trim. Either should be done in spring, according to houseplant experts. There are several things to consider when repotting a Schefflera. How big it will get and how heavy the pot will be are major issues....

While nemesia plant problems aren’t usually serious, this long period of growth provides more opportunity for disease to develop and pests to attack. These are common nemesia issues for which to keep an eye out. Learn how to spot them in early development so they don’t mar your beautiful flowering plants. What’s Wrong with My Nemesia? Problems with nemesia may include the following: Powdery Mildew: A white powdery substance on leaves and stems is often fungal mold, also called powdery mildew....

Propagating a sand cherry plant isn’t a difficult task, and there are several effective ways to propagate sand cherry trees. Read on to learn how to propagate a sand cherry for your garden. Growing Sand Cherry from Cuttings Take softwood cuttings from a healthy sand cherry plant in early spring. Cut 4 to 6 inch (10-15 cm.) stems, making each cut just below a leaf node. Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting....

November Garden Chores With careful planning and attention to maintenance, growers can easily make use of and enjoy their outdoor spaces throughout the remainder of the year. South Central gardening in November will include many tasks that need to be completed in the edible garden. Both herbs and vegetables are likely to continue producing at this time. While plants sensitive to cold may need to be covered and protected from occasional frosts, hardy vegetables will continue to be harvested and planted in succession....

If you’re new to growing from seed, you’ll find it is a simple process. Avoid common seed starting mistakes for best results. Some reasons seeds fail to germinate are described below and can help you avoid making these mistakes. Common Mistakes with Seed Germination While starting from seed is simple and easy, there are a few steps to follow for optimum germination. Don’t expect each seed to germinate for different reasons, but your percentage should be high....

Does Phlox Need Deadheading? Phlox, with their airy foliage and bright blooms, have an added bonus. A sweet, heavenly scent. Phlox will reseed itself so there need never be a year without these lovely flowers. Deadheading phlox blooms will prevent much of that reseeding. Removing phlox flowers that are spent has this benefit and a few others as well. Some gardeners deadhead phlox flowers to confine the spread of the plant....

Can Beer Be Composted? Those new to composting may have some trepidation introducing anything “out of the norm” to the compost pile. It is true that a compost pile requires a delicate balance between carbon and nitrogen, moisture, and sufficient aeration in order to create enough heat to break down. Too much or too little of one thing can disrupt the balance, leading to a wet, stinky pile or a dry one where nothing breaks down....

Why are My Lemons Soft? Understanding why you may have soft lemons means understanding how lemons ripen. Here’s the thing, lemons may be bright yellow before they are ready to eat, or they may still be green but perfectly juicy and citrusy inside. This, of course, means that the ripeness of lemons isn’t easy to decipher based on color alone. While size is somewhat of an indicator, the best way to tell if a lemon is ready to eat is to taste it....

Summer Squash Types Most summer squash today are varieties of Cucurbita pepo. Summer squash plants differ from winter squash because most summer squash varieties bear their fruit on bushy plants rather than vining or sprawling plants like winter squashes. Summer squashes are also harvested when their rinds are still soft and edible, and fruit is still immature. Winter squashes, on the other hand, are harvested when the fruit is mature and their rinds are hard and thick....

Tomato Plant Allergies Everyone’s sensitivity to plants is somewhat different, and what bothers one person may have no impact whatsoever on someone else. There are several different types of reactions that people can have to plants. A skin rash may develop even if a person has not been previously exposed to a plant. A good example of this happens with stinging nettles. When you brush up against them, they cause a tingling sensation on the skin that comes quickly and leaves quickly....

What are Triumph Tulips? Triumph tulips constitute the largest group of tulip varieties with a number of cultivars and colors to choose from for fall bulb planting. The blooms are single and have the classic tulip cup shape. They grow between 10 and 24 inches (25.5 to 60.5 cm.) tall. These tulips bloom in mid- and early spring. They have very sturdy stems, so they stand up well even in bad weather and are excellent plants for cutting gardens....

Using Coke in the Garden, Really! A Confederate colonel by the name of John Pemberton was wounded during the Civil War and became addicted to morphine to alleviate his pain. He began searching for an alternative pain reliever and in his quest invented Coca Cola. He claimed that Coca Cola cured any number of ailments, including his morphine addiction. And, as they say, the rest is history. Since Coke started out as a health tonic, might there be some beneficial uses for Coke in the garden?...

Why Include Vitamin C in Your Garden? Vitamin C is an essential nutrient as we all know; it is needed for keeping cells healthy and for boosting the immune system. What you might not know, though, is how much of this vitamin is lost when fresh foods are processed. Both canned and frozen vegetables have lost significant amounts of vitamin C by the time they get to your kitchen. Even fresh produce loses vitamin C while stored....

How to Divide Banana Plants According to North Dakota State University Extension, dividing banana pups is the preferred methods of propagation. Before you begin, ensure the main banana plant is healthy and has at least three or four good sized offshoots to anchor it to the soil. The first and most important step is to select a pup that is large enough to survive when separated from the mother plant. Small pups, known as buttons, won’t have sufficient roots to make it on their own....

What are Squash Bees? The humble squash bee (Peponapis pruinose) is a fairly common bee and an important pollinator. It is often mistaken for honeybees, but there are critical differences, including the fact that squash bees pollinate plants in the Cucurbita genus exclusively. Identifying squash bees can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for. As compared to other bees, they are up and active early in the morning through midday when cucurbit flowers begin to wilt....

Many of us start our day with some fruit. Fruit that is yellow comes in many forms and flavor dimensions. Some of our most popular foods are fruits, such as yellow tomatoes. These are common in savory dishes. But most fruits are sweet or tart and used fresh or as part of desserts. Learn about yellow fruit varieties and add this important category of food to your dishes. Which Fruits are Yellow?...

Bedhead Garden Ideas What is a bedhead garden? It is simply a new trend of landscaping with low maintenance, messy garden designs. Bedhead gardens have a careless but not completely neglected appearance. These messy garden designs are generally filled with native plants, such as ornamental grasses and wildflowers. Bedhead gardens may also contain trees, shrubs, and bulbs. Plants are usually selected for their drought tolerance and low maintenance needs. Here some common plants for bedhead gardens:...