What is Redwood Sorrel? Redwood sorrel (Oxalis oregana) is a low-growing flowering plant that is native to western coastal regions of the United States. Hardy to USDA growing zone 7, this perennial plant is ideal for use as a groundcover and in wild plantings like woodland gardens. While the plant is quite small, the unique clover-shaped foliage and white-pink flowers are an excellent way to add visual interest and texture to landscape plantings....

Growing Catnip from Cuttings Cats are gaga over catnip, and it’s probably not the pretty foliage that attracts them. But it is the pretty, heart-shaped leaves growing in an open mound about 3 feet (1 m.) tall that gardeners enjoy. Catnip plants also produce blue flowers throughout the season. This makes catnip a truly ornamental plant to have around. If you or your cat insist on getting more plants than you have, it’s quite easy to grow new catnip from cuttings....

What are Sunpatiens Plants? Sunpatiens is a hybrid bred by the Japanese seed company Sakata. It is a careful combination of wild “traditional” impatiens (from a plant species native to Indonesia) with the larger, heat-loving Impatiens hawkeri, native to New Guinea. The result is a variety of impatiens that thrives in full sun and hot, humid weather, and blooms straight through from spring to autumn. It’s an excellent container and bedding flower for long lasting color....

Symptoms for Sunscald in Tomatoes On tomatoes, sunscald will appear as a yellow or white-spotted area on the side or upper part of the fruit that has been directly exposed to the sun. As the fruit ripens, the affected area may become blistered before it finally turns thin, wrinkly, and paper-like in appearance. At this stage, the fruit becomes more susceptible to secondary fungal problems, like Alternaria. Causes of Sunscald Tomatoes To find cause of sunscald in tomato plants, you should look towards one of the following possibilities:...

Sugarcane Water Needs Sugarcane, or Saccharum, is a perennial grass that requires a long growing season and regular sugarcane irrigation. The plant also requires the heat and humidity of the tropics to produce the sweet sap that sugar is derived from. Providing enough, but not too much, water is oftentimes a struggle for sugarcane growers. If sugarcane water needs are not properly met, it can result in stunted plants, improper seed germination and natural propagation, decreased amount of sap in plants, and loss of yield to sugarcane crops....

What is Tomato Leaf Mold? Leaf mold of tomato is caused by pathogen Passalora fulva. It is found throughout the world, predominantly on tomatoes grown where the relative humidity is high, particularly in plastic greenhouses. Occasionally, if conditions are just right, leaf mold of tomato can be a problem on field grown fruit. Symptoms start as pale green to yellowish spots on upper leaf surfaces that turn a bright yellow. The spots merge as the disease progresses and the foliage then dies....

Symptoms of Botrytis on Roses The botrytis blight fungus is sort of grayish brown and looks fuzzy or wooly. The botrytis blight fungus seems to attack mostly hybrid tea rose bushes, attacking the leaves and canes of the subject rose bush. It will prevent the blooms from opening and many times causes the bloom petals to turn brown and shrivel up. Botrytis Control on Roses Rose bushes under stress will be extremely vulnerable to this fungal disease....

Symptoms of Powdery Mildew of Peas What causes powdery mildew in peas? Powdery mildew in peas often develops quickly when days are warm and dry, but nights are chilly with dewy mornings. Poorly drained soil and restricted air circulation also contribute to development of the disease. The first sign of peas with powdery mildew is small, round, whitish or gray spots on the top of mature leaves. The powdery stuff is easy to rub off with your fingers....

Kapok Tree Pruning Are you wondering how to prune a kapok tree? Trimming a kapok tree can be hard for a homeowner if the tree already scrapes the sky. However, if you start early and act regularly, you should be able to keep a young tree in check. The first rule of trimming a kapok tree is to establish one main trunk. To do this, you must start by cutting back kapok trees’ competing leaders....

Steer Manure Lawn Fertilizer Manure contains a number of nutrients and adds organic matter to the soil. Improving the soil quality of your lawn can result in greener grass and less maintenance. An important consideration when fertilizing with steer manure is its high nitrogen content. While nitrogen is required for strong, green plant growth, too much will ultimately burn plants. Fresh manure is much too strong for use. Therefore, it should be well-aged or composted prior to use....

Starting Seeds Indoors vs. Direct Sowing Outside Depending on the particular crop planted, gardeners can go about sowing seeds directly in the ground or starting them inside. Typically, plants that transplant well are the best candidates for vegetable seed starting indoors. These normally include the more tender varieties and heat-loving plants too. Sowing seeds indoors allows you to get a jump on the growing season. If you start your vegetable seed planting at the right time for your area, you’ll have strong, vigorous seedlings ready to go into the ground once the regular growing season begins....

Understanding the Washington USDA Planting Map The coastal regions of Washington State enjoy a very temperate climate with average extreme winter lows of 20 degrees F. (-7 C.). The central and westerly portion of the state, however, could dip down to as low as -30 degrees F. (-34 C.). For the past thirty years, the USDA has collected data from weather stations around the country to use for zone determination on their new 2012 plant hardiness map....

What is a Tomtato Plant? The TomTato plant is the brainchild of a Dutch horticultural company called Beekenkamp Plants. Someone there must love fries with ketchup and had the brilliant idea to graft the top of a cherry tomato plant and the bottom of a white potato plant at the stem. The TomTato was introduced to the Dutch market in 2015. Additional TomTato Plant Info Amazingly, this quirky invention didn’t require any genetic modification because both tomatoes and potatoes are members of the nightshade family, along with peppers, eggplant, and tomatillos....

Elodea Waterweed There’s no doubt that elodea pondweed is a useful plant for those with cool water aquariums and water elements in the garden. The plant absorbs nutrients and, by doing so, it limits algae growth. Elodea waterweed’s roots are branching and tangled stems, growing over three feet (1 m.) long in cultivation and three times that long in the wild. The roots are packed with drooping green leaves in swirls of three, and the tiny flowers appear in summer and early fall....

What is Witches’ Broom of Cherry? Witches’ broom on a cherry can be caused by many things. The prolific stunted or distorted shoots known as witches’ broom can be a symptom of fungal, bacterial, or viral infection. Witches’ broom can also be caused by insect, animal, or human damage to a tree. For example, if you accidentally nick a tree trunk with the mower or weed whacker, it may produce witches’ broom from the wound....

What are Woolly Aphids? Much like other types of aphids, these sap-sucking insect pests are small, only 1/4 inch (0.5 cm.). However, woolly aphids, which are green or blue, also appear fuzzy due to the white, waxy material that covers their body. These pests generally use two hosts: one for overwintering and laying eggs in spring, and one for feeding in summer. Woolly Aphid Damage Woolly aphid insects generally feed in groups....

Ali Baba Information If you like your watermelons big and sweet, think Ali Baba watermelon plants. They have been winning praise from home gardeners and watermelon lovers alike. The thick, tough rinds on these melons make them easy to store and easy to ship. But what home gardeners rave about is the taste. Many term these the best-tasting watermelons available today. Watermelon plants are warm-season annuals in the same family as cucumbers and squash....

What is Apple Cork Spot? Apple cork spot disease affects an apple’s quality and visual appeal. It is a physiological disorder like that of other apple fruit disorders, such as bitter pit and Jonathan spot. While it renders the look of the fruit less than appealing, cork spot in apples does not affect their flavor. Cork spot in apples afflicts York Imperial and less often Delicious and Golden Delicious cultivars. It is often mistaken for damage from insects, fungal disease, or hail injury....

Signs of Powdery Mildew on Avocado Trees Avocado powdery mildew is caused by a type of fungus called Oidium. The disease only affects the foliage of an avocado tree, not the fruit. However, if the infection goes untreated and becomes severe, it can weaken the tree. In general, powdery mildew is not considered a serious disease impacting avocado trees. You are most likely to see it during the drier months of the year....

Buckwheat Hull Information What are buckwheat hulls? Buckwheat is not a grain as some people believe, but rather a seed that can be harvested and eaten (odds are you’ve heard of buckwheat flour). When buckwheat is milled, the hard outside of the seed, or the hull, is separated and left behind. These hard, dark brown, lightweight casings are sold separately, sometimes as pillow or craft stuffing, but often as garden mulch....