Symptoms of Powdery Mildew on Beets The sooner you detect signs of powdery mildew on beets, the easier it will be to control and treat it. An early sign of the disease, which is caused by a fungus that only grows on beet and chard plants, is the formation of small white spots on the undersides of older leaves. Eventually the white, powdery substance will spread to all areas of the leaf and to all leaves on the plant....

How Does Temperature Affect Plant Growth? High temperatures affect plant growth in numerous ways. The most obvious are the effects of heat on photosynthesis, in which plants use carbon dioxide to produce oxygen, and respiration, an opposite process in which plants use oxygen to produce carbon dioxide. Experts at Colorado State University Extension explain that both processes increase when temperatures rise. However, when temperatures reach uncomfortably high limits (which depends on the plant), the two processes become unbalanced....

How to Make a Tomato Cage Making tomato cages is not too difficult. If you’re growing a small, bush-like tomato plant, a small cage (purchased from most garden centers) or even a tomato stake should be adequate. However, larger tomato plants require something a bit sturdier, such as homemade wire cages. In fact, some of the best tomato cages are homemade rather than purchased. Depending on the materials or method used, building tomato cages is relatively inexpensive....

What is Southern Pea Mosaic Virus? Mosaic virus in southern peas may be caused by several viruses which may found alone or in combination with others. Some southern peas are more susceptible to certain viruses then others. For example, the pinkeye purple hull is extremely susceptible to black-eye cowpea mosaic virus. Other viruses that commonly afflict southern peas include cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus, common bean mosaic virus and many others. It isn’t possible to determine exactly which virus is causing the disease based on symptoms alone; a laboratory test must be done to determine the viral identity....

Volutella Blight Symptoms Initial symptoms, which appear in early spring, frequently resemble winter injury. Volutella blight symptoms begin with delayed emergence of new growth and patches of wilted, discolored, yellow, red, or bronze leaves that gradually increase in size before turning black and falling from the plant. Greenish brown, water-soaked cankers girdle the stems, causing the plant to shrivel and wilt as the cankers turn dark black or brown. Pinkish fungal spores often appear during humid weather....

What is a Tree Hydrangea? Hydrangea is a very popular flowering shrub with many different species. Perhaps the best known is Hydrangea macrophylla, offering snowball blossoms that change color depending on the acidity of the soil. Tree hydrangea is another type of hydrangea. Although there are different cultivars, one of the best known is Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora,’ known to its fans as Pee Gee hydrangea. It can grow to 25 feet (7....

Troubleshooting Petunia Wilting Problems Wilting petunia flowers can mean many things. Maybe the most common (and easily fixable) is improper watering. Like lots of plants, petunias respond to a lack of water by wilting. Don’t just water them more though! Wilting petunia flowers can also be a sign of too much water. Always check the soil around your petunias before watering–if the soil is still damp, don’t water it. Lack of sun can also lead to the wilting of petunias....

Diseases of Tulips Most problems with tulips are fungal in nature. One common tulip fungal disease is the Botrytis blight, also known as tulip fire or mycelial neck rot. This problem affects every part of the tulip. It appears as discolored, singed-looking spots on the leaves and petals. The stems may become weak and collapse, while the bulbs become covered with lesions. Gray bulb rot and tulip crown rot cause the bulbs to turn gray and wither, often without producing any growth....

Why Some Plants Smell Bad We like to think of butterflies and bees when we think of pollinators – these insects are drawn to sweet smells and often fill up gardens where fragrant flowers abound. The lesser-known pollinators, like flies and beetles, serve an equally important function for a small subset of plants. These plants emit a horrific odor that may smell like rotten meat or feces. They also bear fleshy flowers that may be covered in hair to give the full impression of decaying flesh to their pollinators....

Is Wintercress a Weed? Wintercress, or yellow rocket, is not classified as a weed in most states. However, any individual landowner, farmer, or gardener may consider it a weed. If you don’t want it in your garden or on your property, you probably would classify wintercress as a weed. Wintercress is a perennial or biennial plant in the mustard family. It is native to Europe and Asia but is now found across much of the U....

What are Oak Leaf Mites? Oak tree gall mites are tiny parasites that attack gall larvae on oak leaves. When we say tiny, we mean tiny! You may not be able to spot one of these mites without a magnifying glass. The female and male oak tree gall mites mate. Once the females are fertilized, they enter the gall and paralyze the larvae with their venom. The female mites then feed on the larvae until their offspring emerge....

Worm Tube Information Worm tubes consist of 6 inch (15 cm.) pipes or tubes inserted into the soil. Believe it or not, that’s really all there is to making a worm tube! Once the tube is installed in your garden bed, you can drop fruit and vegetable scraps directly into the tube. Worms from the garden will find and eat the goodies prior to leaving rich worm poop (castings), extending to a 3 to 4 feet (1 m....

Bladder Senna Info Bladder senna shrub is woody and deciduous and grows very rapidly. It tops out at 11 feet (3.6.m.) tall by 9 feet (3 m.) wide. Native to the Mediterranean region of Europe, you see quite a lot of it in the southwestern and northeastern parts of the United States. Bladder senna bushes bear little, pea-type flowers in summer, pollinated by bees. Some are bright yellow, others pink or orange....

Firebush Information Firebush, also known as Hamelia patens, is a native to the southern U.S. and is a large, woody shrub. It can grow as tall as 15 feet (5 m.), but firebush can also be kept smaller. It grows quickly, shooting up several feet (1 m.) in its first growing season. Hamelia is a favorite plant in many southern states, like Florida, because it is native and easy to grow, but especially because it produces gorgeous flowers from spring all the way through the fall....

What is Lilac Mist Sedeveria? Sedeveria plants are hybrids of sedum, a diverse and large group of drought-tolerant perennials, and echeveria, a large group of stonecrop succulents that also has a lot of diversity of color and shape. By crossing these two types of plants, you get a whole range of new succulents in exciting colors, textures, growth habits, and leaf shapes. Sedeveria ‘Lilac Mist’ gets its name from the color, which is grayish green with a lilac blush....

What is a Red October Tomato? Red October is a variety of tomato plant that produces large, about half-pound, fruits that store well and have a long shelf life. If you love tomatoes, you can design your garden to produce different varieties that ripen early, mid-season, and late. For those late tomatoes, you want fruit that will store well and keep well into late fall or early winter, depending on where you live....

Spur Bearing Apple Info On spur bearing apple trees, fruit grows on small thorn-like shoots (called spurs), which grow evenly along the main branches. Most spur bearing apples bear fruit the second or third year. The buds develop in mid-summer to late fall, then the next year it flowers and bears fruit. Most spur bearing apple trees are dense and compact. They are easy to grow as espaliers because of their compact habit and abundance of fruit throughout the plant....

Trellis Support for Plants Trellising in gardens does, indeed, allow and encourage the upward growth of bountiful blooms or attractive foliage. A trellis is often attached to a pergola. Using them together provides upward growth on the sides and spreading growth on top. That said, they’re most often freestanding. A trellis is used for more than ornamental greenery and blooms though. It can be a great support for many fruits and vegetables that grow in your edible garden....

Orient Charm Eggplant Info So, what is an Orient Charm eggplant? These plants are a hybrid cultivar of Asian eggplant. The oblong fruits are generally pinkish purple in color and reach sizes of around 8 inches (20.5 cm.). Maturing in as little as 65 days, this variety of eggplant is an excellent choice for gardeners with short growing seasons. How to Grow Orient Charm Eggplants The process of growing Orient Charm eggplants is very similar to that of growing other varieties....

Desert Hyacinth Growing Info Desert hyacinth thrives in climates that receive as little as 8 inches (20 cm.) of water per year, usually during the winter months. Soil is usually sandy and salty in nature. Since desert hyacinth is unable to synthesize chlorophyll, the plant displays no green parts, and the flower extends from a single, whitish stalk. The plant survives by sucking water and nutrients from saltbush and other desert plants via a thin root extending from an underground tuber....