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When to Start Sweet Potato Slips Growing a sweet potato plant starts with producing slips from a sweet potato root. The timing is important if you want to grow large and tasty sweet potatoes. This plant loves warm weather and should be planted when the soil reaches 65 degrees F. (18 C.). The slips take about eight weeks to mature, so you should be starting sweet potato slips about six weeks before your last frost date in the spring....

Suncrest Peach Tree Info Suncrest peach trees are a heavy producing, large freestone peach. First introduced in California, Suncrest peach fruit is firm with juicy yellow flesh. Though generally easy to grow, there are some requirements in which growers must take into account when choosing to plant peach trees. Thriving in USDA growing zones 5 through 9, these trees will require at least 500 to 650 chill hours to ensure a beautiful springtime bloom....

What is Sweet Corn Seed Rot? Sweet corn seed rot is a fungal disease that can result from various species of fungi including but not limited to Pythium, Fusarium, Diplodia, and Penicillium. All of these fungal pathogens affect the way the seed germinates, thus seedling development or lack thereof. Infected tissue color reflects which type of pathogen has infected the seed. For example, white to pink tissue indicates the presence of Fusarium, bluish color indicates Penicillium, while water-soaked striations indicate Pythium....

BBQ Herb Garden Since the major player at most barbeques is the meat, an herb garden is a must. Just think what kind of tasty marinades you can come up with when you have a garden filled with basil, rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, oregano, and marjoram. For those who prefer fish on the grill, plant dill, chives, and tarragon. All of the above may be useful with barbecue plant based side dishes....

Mississippi Growing Zones for Plants, Trees, and Shrubs Mississippi enjoys a rather temperate climate and according to the Mississippi USDA planting map, the state includes zones 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, and 9a. Many plants, trees, and shrubs thrive in these zones and gardeners tend to enjoy a longer growing season. The 2012 USDA plant hardiness map takes into consideration average annual extreme winter low temperatures for the past 30 years. Some changes have been made to the map that also takes into account the general winter warming trend....

Orchid Air Roots So what are orchid tendrils? As noted above, orchids are epiphytes, which mean they grow on other plants – often trees in their native tropical rainforests. Orchids don’t hurt the tree because the humid air and the surrounding environment provide all the plant’s necessary water and nutrients. That odd-looking orchid root or stem assists the plant in this process. In other words, orchid air roots are perfectly natural....

What are Stunt Nematodes? Stunt nematodes are not big bugs that you can readily spot on your veggie vegetation. They are tiny worms, microscopic, termed Tylenchorhynchus spp. by scientists. Stunt nematodes are parasites that damage the roots of vegetables in your garden, exposing the plants to various destructive pathogens in the soil. They are not limited to backyard gardens. In this country, these pests cause almost $10 billion in economic loss....

What Causes Little Cherry? If you are wondering what causes little cherry disease (LCD), the pathogens have been identified as three different viruses. They are believed to be spread from tree to tree by mealybugs and leafhoppers. They can also be spread by propagation and grafting. All three pathogens of this disease occur in the Pacific Northwest, among other locations. They are identified as: Little Cherry Virus 1, Little Cherry Virus 2, and Western X phytoplasma....

What is Poisonous to Pigs? The list of plants harmful to pigs is a long one. Many plants that are toxic for pigs kill them quickly. They are so very poisonous to porkers that eating one leaf will kill them. Many will look similar to poisonous plant lists for humans like: Hemlock Nightshade Foxglove Angel Trumpet Others are common ornamentals you probably grow in your flower garden such as camellia, lantana and flax....

Petunia Companion Planting One of the great things about petunias is that they are so diverse. Some varieties like “Wave” and “Surfinia” will trail out of a basket or creep along as a groundcover. Many grow straight up, but some get so top-heavy when they do this that they’ll cascade over the edge of a pot. Companion planting with petunias is often about picking a plant whose shape accents its shape....

When Should I Prune Hops? Hops plant pruning starts very soon after the plant emerges from the soil. Hops grow from rhizomes that put out a bunch of vines over the course of the growing season. In the spring, you should have several vines coming out of the same spot. Once they’re between 1 and 2 feet (31-61 cm.) in length, pick three or four of the healthiest vines to keep....

About Onion Leaf Variegation As with most any other crop, onions are susceptible to their fair share of pests and disease as well as disorders. Most of the diseases are fungal or bacterial in nature, while disorders may be the result of weather, soil conditions, nutrient imbalances, or other environmental concerns. In the case of onions with streaked or variegated leaves, the cause is most likely a disorder called chimera in onions....

How to Clean Garden Tools for Winter A good first step in preparing garden tools for winter is to thoroughly clean all your tools. Use a coarse metal brush, like one used for cleaning grills, to scrape dirt off of the metal parts of your tools. Follow up with a dry rag and, if necessary, a damp rag. Rub any rust away with a piece of sandpaper. Once your tool is clean, wipe it down with an oiled rag....

Plain red wiggler worms eat through piles of compost in record time, making worm composting a smart addition to your gardening activities. If you live in a northern climate, though, winter worm composting will take a little more effort. Taking care of worms in winter is a matter of making sure they have enough heat to get through the season without freezing. Winter Worm Composting Worms thrive when the outside temperature is between about 55 and 80 degrees F....

Amur Maple Facts Amur maple trees (Acer ginnala) are native to northern Asia. They are considered to be both large shrubs and small trees, usually topping out at 15 to 20 feet (4.5-6 m.) in height. They have a natural shape of many stems grown in a clumping manner (resulting in a much more shrub-like appearance), but they can be pruned at a young age to have a single or multi trunk tree appearance....

Trees Hit By Lightning Lightning damage in trees is instantaneous. When lightning strikes, it turns the liquids inside the tree to gas instantly, and the tree bark explodes. Some 50% of trees hit by lightning die immediately. Some of the others become weakened and susceptible to disease. Not all trees have an equal chance of getting hit. These species are commonly hit by lightning: Oak Pine Gum Poplar Maple Birch and beech rarely get hit and, because of that, suffer little lightning-struck tree damage....

Purple Ash Tree Facts White ash trees (Fraxinus americana) are native to eastern North America. They are the tallest of native ash trees, growing up to 80 feet (24 m.) in the wild. While the trees have a pyramid form when young, mature trees have rounded canopies. The white ash cultivar, ‘Autumn Purple,’ stays somewhat shorter than the species tree. It is admired for its beautiful deep mahogany foliage in autumn....

Cuphea Plant Info Cuphea is perennial only in the warm climates of USDA plant hardiness zone 10 and above, but you can grow the plant as an annual if you live in a cooler climate. If you have a bright window, you may be able to bring the plant indoors for the winter. Growing a Bat Face Cuphea Flower The easiest way to grow cuphea flowers is to purchase bedding plants at a nursery or garden center....

About Spinach with Blue Mold Managing downy mildew, or blue mold, on spinach can be difficult, as wind-blown spores develop at 48 degrees F. (9 C.). Once downy mildew of spinach appears, it quickly infects the entire crop, with leaves showing damage in as little as four to five days. New strains of the disease have severely infected spinach crops the last few years. For instance, Arizona and California, which are top spinach producers in the U....

What Causes Watermelon Belly Rot? When the bottom of watermelon is rotting, the fruit is probably suffering from a fungal infection. There are a few species of fungus that can cause this problem, including Pythium aphanidermatum, Rhizoctonia and Sclerotium rolfsii. These fungi are more likely to cause a problem during hot weather, humid weather, and after a lot of rain. You may also be more likely to see it in your watermelon patch if your soil doesn’t drain well....