Light Requirements for Tomatoes to Grow The simple answer to questions on light requirements for tomatoes is that you need a minimum of six hours to produce fruit, but eight or more hours of sun will produce the best results in terms of how many tomatoes you get. The reason that light for a tomato plant is so important is that tomato plants convert sunlight into energy. Tomato plants need energy to make their fruit....

What Causes Carrot Leaf Blight? Leaf blight in carrots can be grouped into three different categories: alternaria leaf blight, cercospora leaf blight, and bacterial leaf blight. Bacterial leaf blight (Xanthomonas campestris pv. carotae) is a very common disease that thrives and spreads in moist environments. It begins as small, yellow to light brown, angular spots on the edges of the leaves. The underside of the spot has a shiny, varnished quality....

How to Recognize Stem Pitting on Plum The symptoms of plum stem pitting may not be noticeable at first. The disease takes a while to take hold and causes puny trees. It most likely lives in the ground and needs a vector to transmit the virus to the tree. Once there, it travels in the vascular system and causes cellular changes. Plums with stem pitting show signs of root problems but they may be confused with such things as mouse girdling, nutrient deficiency, root rot, herbicide damage, or mechanical injury....

According to folklore, this fascinating plant was thought to have great powers, both positive and negative. What do you do with mandrake? Let’s explore the many uses for mandrake. What is Herbal Mandrake? The mandrake plant consists of a rosette of floppy, oval leaves. White, yellowish-green, or purple, bell-shaped flowers are followed by large, fleshy, orange berries. Native to warm Mediterranean climates, Mandrake doesn’t tolerate cold, wet soil; however, herbal mandrake is sometimes grown indoors or in greenhouses....

Butterfly Weed Characteristics Butterfly weed plants are milkweed cousins with tall, clumping perennials that reach heights of 12 to 36 inches (31-91 cm.). The blooms appear atop fuzzy, green stems, which are adorned by attractive, lance-shaped leaves. Butterfly weed plants spread by way of seeds, which are released from large pods in early autumn. Butterfly weed grows wild in a variety of environments, including open woods, prairies, dry fields, meadows, and along roadsides....

What is a Camarosa Strawberry? Camarosa is one of the most common varieties of strawberry grown in southern California and shipped to grocery stores around the country. It produces a big yield of berries, and the berries are large with good form and stand up well to storage and shipping. They have a nice flavor too. These strawberry plants grow between 6 and 12 inches (15-31 cm.) tall and wide. Depending on where you live, they will ripen and be ready to harvest between February and June....

What is a Champion Tomato? Champion tomatoes are an indeterminate or ‘vining’ type of tomato plant. The fruit is sweet and meaty and predominantly seed-free. Tomatoes are large and early, earlier than ‘Better Boy.’ A hybrid, Champion tomato plants can be grown in USDA zones 3 and warmer and is especially suited for the warm southern regions, as they tolerate both heat and dry conditions. And if that isn’t enough of a recommendation, Champion tomatoes are resistant to verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt, nematodes, tobacco mosaic virus, and yellow leaf curl virus....

White Ratany Info What is Krameria grayi? Also known as chacati, white krameria, crimson beak, and Gray’s kameria, white ratany is a low growing shrub that tends to reach 2 to 3 feet (0.5-1 m.) in height and spread. The leaves are very small, ovate, and gray, and they tend to blend in with the stems of the plant. Much more impressive are the long, branching stems and spines and, of course, the prolific, reddish-purple flowers....

Lorz Italian garlic plants are easy to grow in nearly every climate, including regions with very cold winters. It also tolerates hot summers better than most types of garlic. The plant is so prolific that a single pound (0.5 kg.) of cloves may produce a harvest of up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg.) of delicious garlic at harvest time. Read on for more Lorz garlic growing info. How to Grow Lorz Italian Garlic Plants Cultivating Lorz garlic is easy....

What is Oleander Leaf Scorch? Oleander leaf scorch is a disease that kills oleander shrubs. Gardeners first noticed the lethal disease in southern California some 25 years ago. It causes scorched leaves on oleander plants. This disease doesn’t kill the plants immediately, but it does kill them. Experts say that more than 90% of infected trees will die over the next three to five years. What Causes Leaf Scorch on Oleander?...

What is RBDV (Raspberry Bushy Dwarf Virus)? If you’re seeking raspberry bushy dwarf info, you’re not alone. Many raspberry growers are shocked by the signs of raspberry bushy dwarf disease when they first appear, especially the fruit symptoms. Instead of setting healthy fruits, raspberries infected with raspberry bushy dwarf virus have fruits that are smaller than normal or crumble at harvest time. Yellow ring spots may appear briefly in the spring on expanding leaves, but soon disappear, making detection difficult if you’re not in the brambles frequently....

About Glowing Plants Do you have solar lights in the backyard or garden? If glowing plants were available, you could do away with those lights and just simply use the plants themselves. It’s not as far-fetched as it sounds. Fireflies and some kinds of jellyfish glow in the dark, as well as certain types of bacteria. Now scientists have worked out a way to transfer this glow-in-the-dark quality to living things that usually don’t glow, like plants....

Zone 3 Plants for Shade Growing shade-tolerant plants in zone 3 is more than possible with the following selections: Northern maidenhair fern may look delicate, but it’s a shade-loving plant that tolerates frigid temperatures. Astilbe is a tall, summertime bloomer that adds interest and texture to the garden even after the pink and white flowers have dried up and turned brown. Carpathian bellflower produces cheery blue, pink, or purple flowers that add a spark of color to shady corners....

Variegated Abelia “Miss Lemon’ Reaching upwards of 4 feet (1 m.) in height, abelia shrubs make a stunning addition to sidewalk borders and plantings near foundations. Abelia plants thrive in full sun to part shade locations in USDA zones 6 through 9. While the plants may keep their foliage in warmer regions, plants grown in cooler zones may completely lose their leaves during cold winter temperatures. Luckily, growth quickly resumes each spring and rewards gardeners with beautiful foliage....

Algerian Ivy Information Algerian ivy (Hedera algeriensis or Hedera canariensis) is also commonly called Canary Island ivy, Canary ivy, or Madeira ivy. It is an evergreen vine native to western regions and islands of Africa. Algerian ivy is hardy in zones 7 through 11. It will grow in full sun, but it may be stunted and will need frequent watering in full sun. It prefers to grow in part to full shade....

What is an American Bladdernut Tree? If you aren’t familiar with this shrub, you may ask “what is an American bladdernut?” It is a plant native to eastern North America, from Ontario down through Georgia. Bladdernut is especially common in bottomland forests and can often be found along streams. You can grow an American bladdernut as either a shrub or a small tree, depending on how you prune it. American bladdernut information tells us that the shrub can grow to a height of 12 or 15 feet (4-5 m....

How do you grow an umbrella plant in water? What about outdoor umbrella plant care? Read on to find out more. Growing an Umbrella Plant Growing an umbrella plant outdoors is possible in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 and above. This tropical plant will die down during chilly winters but will regrow. However, temperatures below 15 F. (-9 C.) will kill the plant. If you live north of USDA zone 8, you can pot aquatic umbrella plants and bring them indoors for the winter....

Ideas for Broken Pot Planters The key to making cracked pot gardens is realizing that not all plants need a lot of soil or water to survive. In fact, some thrive with very little. Succulents, in particular, work very well in those weird, hard-to-fill places that don’t hold soil very well. If one of your pots is missing a big chunk, consider filling it in with soil as best as you can and packing that soil with small succulents – they’ll probably take off....

Growing Pindo Palm in a Pot If you’re looking for a tropical pinnate palm, pindo might be your plant. Pindo’s graceful curving branches are attractive, and the plant requires little care. Pindos are evergreen trees that thrive in USDA plant hardiness zones 10 through 11. The flowers are exceptional – yellow or red and grow long flower clusters. These flowers develop into sweet, edible fruit that taste a little like apricots....

Growing Cannas While typically grown as annuals in cooler regions, given the proper conditions canna lilies can color the garden year after year. They like plenty of heat, so place them in full sun. They can also tolerate partial shade. Cannas like moist conditions too, but will tolerate nearly any well-draining soil that is either neutral or slightly acidic. They appreciate bog-like conditions as well. The soil should also be rich in organic matter....