What is Crumbly Berry? Raspberries are actually a fruit composed of numerous clustered smaller fruits called drupes and include blackberry plants as well. When your berry has only a portion of the usual number, it is misshapen and devoid of juice and flavor. This is usually because the plant has contracted tomato ring spot or raspberry bushy dwarf viruses. As soon as you try to pick the affected fruits, they break apart....
Knockout Roses Turning Brown Developed by William Radler for its ease of growth, knockout roses are known for their supposed resistance to disease, pests, and environmental stressors. While the beauty of roses without any special care may sound like an ideal scenario, knockout roses are not without problems. The presence of brown spots on knockout roses may be particularly alarming for growers. Learning more about brown leaves on knockout roses and their cause can help gardeners to return their bushes to optimal condition....
Bay Tree Information In Florida, there are several types of bay, but they are not of the same genus as L. nobilis. They do, however, look remarkably similar with their large, elliptical, evergreen leaves. They also grow in overlapping habitats leading to confusion. These different kinds of bay tree are bay in name only, such as red bay, loblolly bay, and swamp bay. Luckily, they have certain features that make them identifiable....
Pothos with Yellowing Leaves Yellow leaves on pothos is never a good sign. That doesn’t necessarily spell the end for your plant though, or even a serious disease. One of the primary causes of yellow leaves on pothos is too much sunshine. The pothos plant prefers moderate amounts of light and can even thrive in low light. On the other hand, it will not tolerate direct sunlight. Yellow pothos foliage can be an indication that your plant is getting too much sun....
Cyclamen need not only be enjoyed in the home. Hardy cyclamen lights up the garden with showy mounds of silvery-white foliage and heart-shaped leaves that appear in autumn and last until the plant goes dormant in late spring. Deep rose-pink blooms appear in late winter and early spring. Fall-blooming varieties are also available. Although this woodland plant looks delicate, hardy cyclamen is vigorous and easy to grow. The plant pairs well with other small woodland plants such as hellebores, ajuga, or trillium....
Sweet Alyssum Plants Sweet alyssum flowers (Lobularia maritima syn. Alyssum maritimum) are useful in alpine rock gardens, borders, planters, hanging baskets, and dry zones. They are small plants that may get 3 to 6 inches (7.5 to 15 cm.) tall and produce clusters of tiny flowers in clumps. The blooms come in pink, salmon, purple, white, and yellow. Flowers arise from June to October and can be encouraged to rebloom by cutting back spent flowers....
Cedar Trees and Winter Damage Cedars are evergreen conifers with needle-like leaves that stay on the tree all winter long. The trees go through “hardening off” in the autumn to prepare them for winter’s worst. The trees close down growth and slow transpiration and consumption of nutrients. You need to think about cedar trees and winter damage after you experience a few warm days in winter. Winter damage to cedars occurs when cedars are warmed all day by the winter sun....
What is Chinsaga? African cabbage is an annual wildflower that has been introduced in many other tropical to subtropical parts of the world, where it is often considered an invasive weed. Chinsaga vegetable can be found growing along roads, in cultivated or fallow fields, along fences, and irrigation canals and ditches. It has an erect, branching habit that usually attains heights of between 10 to 24 inches (25-61 cm.). The branches are sparsely leafed with three to seven oval leaflets....
Sotol Plant Information An almost ferocious-looking plant, sotol is drought tolerant and a wild desert treasure. It has traditional uses as a fermented drink, building material, fabric, and cattle fodder. The plant can also be tamed and used to elegant effect in the garden as part of a xeriscape or desert-themed landscape. Dasylirion can grow 7 feet tall (2 m.) with a flowering spike an astounding 15 feet (4.5 m.) in height....
What Not to Plant near Hops As you contemplate starting hops rhizomes, you should consider what to plant with hops and what not to plant near hops. The hop vines will likely crowd out many other plants, as they rapidly develop. Hops companion plants will need to be at least a foot (30 cm.) away and vines should be kept pruned to avoid smothering the other plants. Any plant that likes full sun, plenty of water, and doesn’t mind being clambered over can be grown with hops....
Can You Compost Hair? At its heart, compost is nothing more than organic materials that have broken down into their most basic components. When mixed into garden soil, compost adds needed nutrients to the soil. It will help retain water in sandy soil while adding drainage to dense clay soil. The basic formula for creating compost is to layer green or moist ingredients with brown or dry ingredients, then bury them in soil and add water....
About Creeping Junipers Creeping juniper is a low-growing, evergreen shrub that is often used as a ground cover. It features plume-like branches that extend horizontally. The foliage often has a blue-green cast in spring and summer and plum-colored tint in winter. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants, and the female plants produce berries. Neither the flowers nor the berries are particularly ornamental. The height varies depending on the cultivar....
Symptoms of Cucurbit Fusarium Fungus Fungal diseases come in many forms. Fusarium fungus appears as both a wilt and a rot. It is almost a case of the chicken or the egg, as to which develops first. Fusarium rot of cucurbits primarily affects melons and cucumbers, and there are numerous species of fusarium which cause the disease. Cucurbits with fusarium rot often don’t show symptoms until they are harvested. The initial disease invades the fruit most often at the stem end....
Cucurbits with Alternaria Leaf Blight Cucurbits are plants in the gourd family. These include gourds, melons, squash, pumpkin, cucumber and many others. A fungal disease known as alternaria leaf spot, alternaria leaf blight, or target leaf spot is known to affect several members of the cucurbit family, but is especially a problem on watermelon and cantaloupe plants. Leaf blight of cucurbits is caused by the fungal pathogen Alternaria cucumerina. This fungus can overwinter in garden debris....
Growing Cyrtanthus Lily Plants If you’re planning a spring blooming garden, or maybe just adding to the one you’ve already planted, you may include some types of the Cyrtanthus lily bulb. Tubular flowers form in clusters on scapes that rise above arching foliage on some of the 60 species. Other types of Cyrtanthus lily bulbs produce bell or star-shaped flowers. Foliage may appear before blooms or at the same time. Foliage varies by cultivar as well....
Forsythia Winter Damage Since forsythia is a deciduous shrub, it loses its leaves and goes dormant in winter. However, that doesn’t mean that it can’t suffer from winter cold. Forsythia shrubs are hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 8. The shrubs can survive cold temperatures down to -20 degrees F. (-29 C.). Expect forsythia winter damage if zone 5 winters are colder than usual. Roots are not the first thing to be damaged, since they are insulated by snow....
Can You Compost Diapers? The first question most people have is, “Can you compost diapers for use in the garden?” The answer would be yes, and no. The inside of disposable diapers is made of a combination of fibers which will, in normal conditions, break down into effective, usable compost for a garden. The problem is not with the diapers themselves, but rather with the contents deposited on them. Human waste (as with dogs and cats) is filled with bacteria and other pathogens that spread disease and the average compost pile doesn’t get hot enough to kill these organisms....
Making a Corn Husk Wreath Begin with a straw wreath from a craft store or hobby shop. You’ll also need plenty of dried corn husks. If you don’t have a corn crop, you can buy husks at a farmer’s market or pick up tamale wrappers in the ethnic section of your supermarket. Soak the husks in lukewarm water for a few seconds or until they’re pliable. Pat them dry with towels....
Do Pomegranate Trees Need a Pollinator? Most pomegranates are self-fruitful, meaning they do not require another tree to cross-pollinate with, as the bees do all the work. That said, planting another pomegranate nearby can increase fruit production on both plants. A little cross-pollination doesn’t hurt, but it isn’t necessary. That answers the question, “Are pomegranate trees self-pollinating?”. What might be the issue if your pomegranate does not set fruit or fruit drops before it is mature?...
Learn how to make an earwig trap and keep your plant’s young shoots safe from the insect’s voracity here. Earwig Trap Ideas In most cases, earwig damage to plants is minimal. However, if you have an infestation, throw together a flowerpot earwig trap or other snare. Earwig trap ideas are not only quickly assembled but usually made from common items in the home. If you have ever had a piece of wood or plastic laying out in the soil overnight, you will likely see earwigs on the contact side in morning....
