My Crown of Thorns Has Spots Crown of thorns is a semi-evergreen plant that produces small leaves, a lot of spiky thorns, and pretty little flowers throughout the year in warm climates. In colder climates, crown of thorns makes a good houseplant. Unfortunately, it can be impacted by a disease called bacterial leaf spot, caused by bacteria called Xanthomonas. Spotted crown of thorns plants may be suffering from this bacterial disease, but spots can also be caused by fungal infections and injury....

How to Store Iris Rhizomes Before we look at how to keep iris over the winter, we need to make sure that it is understood that we are talking about storing iris rhizomes in this article. Irises that grow from rhizomes typically have flat, sword-shaped leaves. Proper iris rhizomes storage starts with making sure that the iris rhizomes have been properly dried. After digging them up, trim the leaves back to about 3 to 4 inches (7....

Flowering Vines That Bloom in Summer There are a huge number of vines, and nearly as many summer flowering vines. If you just want vines for summer color, you’re almost certain to find something in the color you want for the climate you have. If your goal is vines that flower all summer long, however, the list is noticeably shorter. One very good option is the trumpet vine. While it won’t bloom in the spring, a trumpet vine will be covered in bright orange flowers from midsummer to early fall....

Tips for Growing Love Lies Bleeding Love lies bleeding care is minimal after the seeds sprout. Until seedlings are actively growing, they should be kept consistently moist. Once established, the love lies bleeding plant is somewhat drought-resistant and needs little looking after until seeds develop. Love lies bleeding plant should be planted in full sun after the soil has warmed. Gardeners with short growing seasons may want to start seeds indoors or purchase seedlings, as growth and flowering in maturity may take the better part of the season....

About Watermelon Powdery Mildew The presence of powdery leaves on watermelon plants is the most common sign of this fungal infection, and it is likely the first symptom you will notice in your garden. These are colonies of fungus, and they infest the leaves but rarely grow on the actual fruit. In addition to the white, powdery substance, you may also see yellow spots on your watermelon leaves. While the fungus that causes watermelon powdery mildew does not attack the fruits, the damage it does to leaves can impact your fruit harvest....

Should I Trim Agapanthus? Agapanthus is a nearly indestructible, summer-blooming plant that will likely survive even without regular maintenance. However, dedicating a few minutes to deadheading, trimming and cutting back agapanthus will pay off with healthier plants and bigger, more impressive blooms. Trimming Agapanthus Plants: Deadheading Deadheading – which involves simply removing blooms as soon as they wilt – keeps the plant neat and tidy throughout spring and summer. More importantly, it allows the plant to produce more blooms....

About Madagascar Palm Pruning Madagascar palm is native to southern Madagascar where the weather is very warm. It can only grow outside in the warmer areas of the country, like those found in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. In cooler zones, you have to bring it indoors for the winter. Madagascar palm plants are succulent shrubs that grow trunks or stems up to 24 feet (8 m....

Spring Cinquefoil Plants in Gardens These plants are evergreen in mild climates. They grow 3 to 6 inches (8-15 cm.) tall, with each leaf made up of five leaflets. Potentilla gets the name “cinquefoil” from the French word “cinq” which means five. In spring, cinquefoil plants are covered with flowers that are one-quarter inch (6 mm.) in diameter. The buttery yellow to bright yellow flowers bloom over a long season if temperatures don’t climb too high....

Weeping Peashrub Info Walker’s weeping peashrub (Caragana arborescens ‘Walker’) is a cultivar that has to be grafted into a particular shape. A regular Caragana arborescens (also called a Siberian peashrub) has a traditional upright growth pattern. In order to achieve Walker’s distinctive weeping structure, stems are grafted at right angles from the top of a single upright trunk. The result is a unique and remarkably uniform weeping shape as the stems grow out from the trunk and then straight down to the ground....

Watermelons with Cucurbit Yellow Vine Disease Cucurbit yellow vine disease is a bacterial disease caused by the pathogen Serratia marcescens. It infects plants in the cucurbit family such as melons, pumpkins, squash, and cucumbers. The symptoms of yellow vine disease in watermelons are bright yellow vines, which seemingly appear overnight, foliage that rolls up, runners which grow straight up, and rapid decline or dieback of plants. Roots and plant crowns may also turn brown and rot....

About Crown Gall on Peaches What causes peach crown gall? Crown gall is a bacterial disease caused by the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Typically, the bacteria enter the tree through wounds in the bark, which can be caused by insects, pruning, improper handling, or other environmental factors. Once inside the peach tree, the bacteria transforms healthy cells into tumor cells, and galls begin to form. The galls appear as small, wart-like masses on the tree’s roots and crown, though they can also develop higher on up the trunk and branches....

False Dandelion Info What is a cat’s ear plant? As suggested by their other name, false dandelion, cat’s ears are very similar in appearance to dandelions. Both have low rosettes that put up long stems with yellow flowers that give way to white, puffy, wind-borne seed heads. Cat’s ears do have their own distinct look though. While dandelions have hollow, unforked stems, cat’s ear plants have solid, forked stems. Cat’s ear flowers are native to Eurasia and Northern Africa, although they have since become naturalized in Oceania, the eastern half of North America, and the Pacific Northwest of the U....

What is a Granny Smith Apple? The original Granny Smith was discovered by Australian Maria Ann Smith. The tree grew on her property in a spot where she tossed crabapples. One little seedling grew into an apple tree with beautiful green fruits. Today, no one is certain of its parentage, but apple experts suggest the Granny Smith resulted from a cross between a Rome Beauty and a French crabapple. Granny Smith is now among the most popular of apple varieties....

How to Grow a Rice Paper Plant Consider your climate and growing zone before planting. You can grow rice paper plants year-round with no worries if you live in the warm climates of USDA plant hardiness zone 9 and above. Rice paper plants grow in zone 7 and 8 (and maybe even zone 6) with plenty of mulch to protect the roots during the winter. The top of the plant will freeze, but new shoots will grow back from the rhizomes in spring....

Jerusalem Sage Information What is Jerusalem sage? Jerusalem sage is a shrub that ranges natively from Turkey to Syria. Despite its name, it is actually a close relative of mint. The misnomer comes from the appearance of its leaves, which are pale green and soft, like those of a sage plant. The shrub is evergreen in USDA zones 8 through 11, though it can be treated as a perennial in zones 7, 6 and, sometimes, zone 5....

What is Minette Dwarf Basil? The basil cultivar ‘Minette’ (Ocimum basillicum ‘Minette’) is an adorable dwarf basil that grows into a compact little shrub perfect for knot gardens, edging, and container growing. Plants grow into 10 inch (25 cm.) globes rife with succulent, aromatic, small basil leaves. Tiny this basil may be, but it still packs all of the anise-like sweet flavor along with the fragrant clove scent of the larger basil cultivars....

Southern and Northern Hemisphere Summer In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs when the North Pole is tilted closest to the sun, on June 20th or 21st. It is the longest day of the year and marks the first day of summer. The seasons are the exact opposite in the Southern Hemisphere, where June 20th or 21st marks the winter solstice, the beginning of winter. Summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere occurs on December 20th or 21st, the beginning of winter here in the Northern Hemisphere....

Don’t Cut Grass at This Time of Day The correct time to mow the lawn is indeed crucial. It isn’t more crucial than the height of the grass, or how often it’s mowed or whether you mulch, but it is one of the more important aspects of healthy lawn maintenance. When to cut your grass depends on a few factors. You don’t want the grass to be too wet from dew or irrigation for one thing, but how about the heat factor?...

When Do I Plant Bok Choy? Bok choy is a cool weather, cabbage-like vegetable that is grown for both its thick, crunchy white leaf ribs and its tender, green leaves. Since it thrives in cooler temperatures, the answer to “when to plant bok choy,” is either in the spring or fall. This allows you to extend your fresh supply of greens throughout much of the year. Spring Bok Choy Planting Time Since bok choy tends to bolt once the warmer temps of summer arrive, plant it early in the spring, close to the date of your region’s last frost....

What Trees Have White Bark? White bark on a tree is not as rare as you might think. The natural white color provides sun protection. Darker bark absorbs heat from the sun, while the white color reflects it. You can find white trees among birches and aspens in moderate and colder climates as well as in gum trees native to Australia. White Birch Trees For many northern regions, a birch tree is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of white trunk trees....