Posts

Identifying Powdery Mildew on Begonias Powdery mildew is a fungal infection. Begonias with powdery mildew are infected by Odium begoniae. This species of fungus only infects begonias, but it will spread readily between begonia plants. A begonia with powdery mildew will have white, powdery or thread-like growths on the top surface of leaves. The fungus may additionally cover stems or flowers. The fungus feeds from the leaf cells, and needs the plant to survive....

Trumpet Vine Problems Only a few diseases attack trumpet vine, and you can take action to prevent or control them before they become a problem. The diseases of trumpet vines can be counted on one hand. These resilient flowering vines generally thrive with little care across a wide spectrum of climates, including U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 10. Powdery Mildew Perhaps the most prevalent of the diseases of trumpet vines is powdery mildew....

How to Tell Sex in Pawpaw Trees Tasting like a cross between a banana and a mango, pawpaw trees can be fickle with regards to what sex the pawpaw flowers are. Are pawpaws monoecious or dioecious? Well, they are definitely not entirely dioecious or monoecious for that matter. Pawpaw flower sex is something rarer. They are termed trioecious (subdioecious), which means they have separate male, female, as well as hermaphroditic plants....

Container Grown Viburnums Is container grown viburnums feasible? Yes, as long as you know what you’re getting into. Viburnums are sometimes called large shrubs and sometimes called small trees. In fact, some varieties can grow up to 30 feet (9 m.) in height, which is awfully big for a container plant. When growing viburnum in containers, it’s best to pick a small variety that will be more manageable. Mapleleaf viburnum is a good choice, as it grows slowly and usually tops out at 6 feet (2 m....

What is a Little Baby Flower Watermelon? Of the many types of watermelons, Little Baby Flower (Citrullus lanatus) falls under the category of personal sized melon. This little cutie averages 2- to 4-pounds (just under 1-2 kg.) fruit with excellent flavor. The exterior of the melon has dark and light green striping while the interior has sweet, crisp, dark pink flesh that is very high in sugar. High yielders, hybrid Little Baby Flower watermelons produce 3-5 melons per plant that are ready to harvest in about 70 days....

What is Parodia Cactus? Native to the high regions of South America, Parodia is a is genus consisting of about 50 species ranging from small, ball cacti to tall, narrow varieties reaching heights of about 3 feet (1 m.). Cup-shaped flowers of yellow, pink, orange, or red appear on the upper part of mature plants. According to Parodia cactus information, Parodia is suitable for growing outdoors where winter temperatures never drop below 50 F....

How to Grow Red Rubin Basil Plants Red basil plants add beauty and interest to the garden. Plant red basil in containers or tuck a few in a bed along with other annuals. The plant is ornamental, and the leaves can be used for cooking or to make flavored vinegars. The flavor is a bit more pungent than other types of basil, so use it sparingly. Red Rubin basil is easy to grow from seed after all danger of frost has passed in spring, or plant seeds indoors six to eight weeks ahead of time....

What is Syrian Oregano? Syrian oregano is a perennial herb, but not a hardy one. It grows well in zones 9 and 10 and won’t tolerate winter temperatures that are too cold. In colder climates, you can grow it as an annual. Other names for this herb include Lebanese oregano and Bible hyssop. What is most distinctive about Syrian oregano plants in the garden is that they are giants. They can grow up to 4 feet (1 m....

Scab on Willow Trees Willow scab is a fungal disease that causes leaf symptoms, followed by brown spore masses at the base of leaves. The symptoms of scab on willow start with dark spots on the leaves. These can be brown or black, and cause the leaves to wilt, shrivel up, and die. In time, as the willow scab disease progresses, the fungus spreads to the stem tissue at the bases of leave petioles....

What is Wild Celery? Wild celery is the type of plant that grows underwater. It is hardly surprising that a gardener might ask “What is wild celery?” The plant is never grown in gardens and requires a submerged location to survive. Wild celery plant information tells us that the leaves of this plant look like long ribbons and can grow to 6 feet long. This is why it is also called freshwater eel grass or tape grass....

Looking for a few winter gardening challenges? Read on for fun ideas on gardening in winter. Growing Challenge in Winter: Leafy Greens You can’t grow a full garden indoors, but you can raise a hearty crop of nutritious, tasty, leafy greens. These fast-growing plants are a cinch, and all you need to get started are seeds, potting soil for seed starting, a small watering can, and a seedling tray (you can also use an old bread pan, the bottom of a plastic milk jug, or something similar)....

What to Do with Wintercress Of course, you don’t want the spreading plant invading your landscape, but before you get rid of it, consider its uses. The wintercress genus (Barbarea) includes 20 different types and, according to wintercress information, these belong to the mustard family and considered a wild herb. Young leaves on 6 inch (15 cm.) wintercress plants in early spring are edible and best for adding to salads in limited amounts....

Problems with Invasive Plants in Gardens What are invasive plants and where do they come from? Invasive plants are almost always transplants from other parts of the world. In the plant’s native environment, it’s part of a balanced ecosystem where certain predators and competitors can keep it in check. When it’s moved to a totally different environment, however, those predators and competitors are suddenly nowhere to be found. If no new species are able to fight against it, and if it takes really well to its new climate, it will be allowed to run rampant....

About the Zulu Prince Daisy Plant Also known as cape daisy and monarch of the veld, this is a truly stunning, regal flower. The flowers are classic daisy in shape, and about 3 to 4 inches (8-10 cm.) across. The petals are mostly white with rings of purple and orange close to the black center of the flower. Zulu Prince flowers grow up to 2 feet (61 cm.) tall with pretty silvery foliage....

When Should I Be Harvesting Anise Seed? Anise flowers are white and wispy and very similar in appearance to Queen Anne’s lace. It takes them quite a while to develop seeds, and about 100 frost-free days of growth are required before anise seed harvest can take place. In late summer or early autumn, you should notice the flowers developing small, green seeds. Some gardeners insist that you should leave the plants alone until the seeds dry out and turn a muddy brown color....

Why are Birds Digging up my Lawn? It’s not hard to identify bird damage to lawns. If you see a lot of birds in your yard and you find small, one inch (2.5 cm.) holes in the turf, it’s most likely bird-related damage. What are birds digging for in your lawn? The phenomenon of birds digging holes in lawns has an easy explanation: food. They’re looking for tasty snacks, so if you’re seeing a lot of bird damage, it means you have an insect problem....

Black Ethiopian Tomato Info What is a Black Ethiopian tomato? At first glance, Black Ethiopian might seem like a bit of a misnomer. This tomato variety is sometimes reported as originating in Ukraine, sometimes in Russia, but never Ethiopia. And while the tomatoes can achieve a very dark shade, their color is usually more of a burnished red to brown to deep purple. They do have a very dark, rich flavor, however....

Can Bread Be Composted? Among many compost enthusiasts, whether or not to compost stale bread is a topic of debate. While those against it will insist that adding bread to compost will needlessly attract pests to your pile, other composters disagree. Choosing whether or not to compost stale bread will require research and consideration to each grower’s unique compost preferences. Adding Bread to Compost When adding bread to compost, there will be some considerations in order to obtain the best result....

About Cape Marigold Water Needs Cape marigolds are small, low-growing flowers that bloom even in arid growing conditions. Planted in spring or in fall (in mild winter areas), the small flowers range in color from white to purple and orange. Cape marigolds differ from many other varieties of flowers in that the appearance of each bloom and the overall shape of the plant improves with decreased watering. While the plants should receive some water each week, too much water will cause the plants to produce leggy green growth....

Cherokee Purple Tomato Info Cherokee Purple tomato plants are heirloom plants, which means they have been around for several generations. Unlike hybrid varieties, heirloom vegetables are open-pollinated so the seeds will produce tomatoes nearly identical to their parents. These tomatoes originated in Tennessee. According to plant lore, Cherokee Purple heirloom tomatoes may have been passed down from the Cherokee tribe. How to Grow a Cherokee Purple Tomato Cherokee Purple tomato plants are indeterminate, which means the plants will continue to grow and produce tomatoes until the first frost in autumn....