Why is My Loquat Tree Dropping Fruit? Loquats (Eriobotrya japonica) are lovely little trees native to mild or subtropical areas of China. They are evergreen trees that grow to 20 feet (6 m.) tall with an equal spread. They are excellent shade trees thanks to their glossy, tropical looking leaves. Each leaf can row to 12 inches (30 cm.) long by 6 inches (15 cm.) wide. Their undersides are soft to the touch....

It has a nice, sweet flavor and will stand in the garden for weeks without splitting, so you don’t have to harvest it all at once. What is Ruby Ball Cabbage? Ruby Ball cabbage is a hybrid variety of ball head cabbage. These are cabbages that form tight heads of smooth leaves. They come in green, red, or purple varieties. Ruby Ball is a pretty purple cabbage. Horticulturists developed Ruby Ball cabbage plants for several desirable traits....

Blue Chalk Succulent Info Attractive and easy to grow, this plant thrives happily in many landscapes and containers, reaching 12 to 18 inches (31-46 cm.) and forming a dense mat. Growing blue chalk sticks as a groundcover is common in warmer areas. Various hybrids of the plant differ slightly in appearance and may perform differently in the landscape. Most varieties grow as an annual plant in places with cold winters, but might surprise you and return depending on the microclimate and the location in the landscape....

Spirea Bush Transplanting Spirea bush transplanting from a container is easy. Pick a sunny, well-drained spot in your garden. Dig a hole that’s a couple of inches (5 cm.) deeper than your container and twice as wide. It helps to set the container in the hole as you dig to get a feel for the size. Fill the bottom of the hole with a couple of inches (5 cm.) of compost....

Can you plant trees in the summer? The answer is yes for some species and some presentations. Read on to learn about the best trees to plant in summer. When to Plant Trees The general rule is that the two best tree planting times during the year are spring and fall. Spring is considered a good season for planting deciduous shrubs and trees since they are just coming out of dormancy and warm weather is just around the corner....

How to Keep Houseplants Warm There are a few ways that you can warm indoor plants during the chilly winters. One way is to add a space heater to your room. Just be careful not to place the plants too close to the space heater as this can burn them. Houseplants in general do not like drafts of any sort, especially very cold or very hot drafts. If you’re having too much trouble warming houseplants or don’t want to bother, simply place your houseplants in another room....

Gardening in Zone 7 When you are gardening in zone 7, you live in an area with a moderately long growing season. The typical growing season generally lasts about eight months in zone 7 and the annual low temperature is about 5 degrees F. (-15 C.). With the first frost around November 15th and the last one about April 15th, planting a garden in zone 7 is a snap. Many crops and ornamentals will grow well in this zone....

Butterfly Bush Diseases Downy mildew is a relatively common problem that can occur when temperatures are cool and the plant’s leaves are wet for a long period of time. It looks just like the name suggests, with furry patches of mildew appearing on the undersides of leaves. The opposite sides of the leaves don’t grow mildew, but they may turn yellow or brown, and the whole leaf may become misshapen. The best way to prevent it is to keep the bushes far apart for airflow and to keep the ground around them clear of leaves....

Fruit Tree Grease for Insect Control Insects use fruit trees as a place to lay their eggs as well as get some lunch. They can damage your precious fruit trees in the process. Applying fruit tree grease or fruit tree grease bands is one way to stop this kind of insect damage without spraying pesticides in the garden. It is easy and the resulting produce contains no pesticides. You can buy fruit tree grease bands, also known as gel bands, in your local garden store....

Hydrangea Fertilizer for Proper Hydrangea Care and Feeding Hydrangea care and feeding is fairly simple once you learn some basic rules. Specially formulated hydrangea fertilizer is available but isn’t really necessary. A good all-purpose 12-4-8 or 10-10-10 composition will provide all the fertilizing hydrangeas need. Either a chemical source or organic matter can be used successfully. Applying a once a year slow-release chemical formulated for shrubs and trees is the simplest solution to hydrangea care and feeding....

Rhubarb Plant Types Here are some popular varieties of rhubarb for the garden: If you prefer red rhubarb varieties, you’ll be delighted with ‘Holstein Bloodred,’ a vigorous plant that produces juicy, deep red stalks. ‘McDonald’s Canadian Red’ is another deep red rhubarb that works well for canning, freezing or rhubarb pies. ‘Canada Red’ is a type of cherry-red rhubarb with a sweet, juicy flavor. Most rhubarb varieties aren’t pure red inside and out, but ‘Colorado Red’ is an exception....

When to Plant Bulbs in Zone 8 Gardens Bulbs that are designed to be planted in the autumn can be planted in zone 8 any time between October and December. The bulbs need the cool weather of autumn and winter to become active and begin to grow roots. In mid to late winter, the bulbs should put up growth above ground, and the flowers ought to appear in late winter to spring....

What is a Lilly Pilly Plant? Australians are very familiar with the lilly pilly shrub (also spelled lilli pilli). It is native to that country, where it grows in the wild up to 90 feet (27.5 m.) tall. However, it is smaller in cultivation. Those planting lilly pilly bushes report that cultivated plants stop at 30 feet (9 m.). The lilly pilly plant is a fairly large fruit tree with a weeping crown....

What is Biophilia? Biophilia is a term coined in 1984 by the naturalist Edward Wilson. Literally, it means “love of life,” and it refers to the way we are naturally drawn to and benefit from living things like pets, and of course, plants. While walking through a forest is nice, you can reap the natural benefits of biophilia from the simple presence of houseplants in living and work spaces. The Biophilia Effect of Plants Humans benefit psychologically and physically from biophilia, and plants are a fantastic and low maintenance source of it....

Citrus Scab Symptoms Raised, spongy pustules start out a pinkish color and become grayish, then brown. Citrus scab affects virtually all citrus types and also appears on leaves, stems, and twigs. According to citrus scab info, warts are more raised on some fruits and flattened on others. Fruits are only vulnerable during the first few weeks of their development. A similar disease, called sweet orange scab, may affect fruits in combination with citrus scab....

Crispino Growing Information Crispino iceberg lettuce matures in approximately 57 days. However, expect full heads to take at least three weeks longer in cool weather. Look for Crispino lettuce plants to mature about a week earlier in consistently warm weather. How to Grow Crispino Lettuce Caring for Crispino lettuce plants in the garden is an easy endeavor, as Crispino iceberg lettuce is hardy and can be planted as soon as the ground can be worked in spring....

What is Fusarium Canker? The fusarium fungus causes cankers in walnut trees in the Midwest and parts of the east. It enters the tree when the spores splash onto the tree during a heavy rain. It usually enters on the lower part of the trunk, but it can also infect branches and upper parts of the trunk. The disease causes cracks on the bark and dark, depressed, elongated scars. Trees with fusarium canker disease usually have sprouts around the base....

What is Japanese Ginger? Japanese ginger, which is also called myoga ginger or just myoga, is a perennial, herb-like plant native to Japan and the Korean peninsula. It has not been common in the U.S. but is now easier to find in nurseries. You can grow myoga outdoors in partially shady beds or in containers – indoors or outdoors. They will grow to about 18 inches tall (46 cm.) but may grow twice as tall if you use fertilizer....

What is Polish Hardneck Garlic? If you are familiar with Northern White garlic, you know how large and lovely the bulbs are. Polish hardneck garlic bulbs are just as ample and attractive. The Polish hardneck variety of garlic has a rich, musky flavor with a deep heat that has staying power. In short, Polish hardneck garlic bulbs are strong, long-storing garlic plants with heat. They harvest in summer and stay fresh until the following spring....

What is Possumhaw Viburnum? Possumhaw viburnums (Viburnum nudum) are native to the southeastern United States. This viburnum is often confused with winterberry (or winter holly), which goes by the same common name. It is important to note the difference between possumhaw and winterberry. Though winterberry plants grow in similar conditions, these plants do not belong to the same family, nor are they related in any way. Found in low lying areas, possumhaw plants do well when grown in soils that are consistently moist....