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What Causes Apricot Phytophthora Rot? Several species of phytophthora cause crown and root rot of a wide array of trees and shrubs including members of the Prunus genus like cherry, peach and apricot. Apricot phytophthora rot is fostered by orchards planted on poorly draining soil. Phytophthora root rot of apricots is a fungal disease that kills tiny rootlets and progresses to larger and larger roots until it reaches the crown of the tree....

Growing a Calico Kitten Plant Calico Kitten crassula requires plenty of sunlight but should be planted where it isn’t blasted by direct sun on hot afternoons. You’ll find that Calico Kitten succulents are especially pretty in dappled or filtered light where their colors can shine through. Like all succulents, Calico Kitten plants require fast-draining soil. Indoor plants do well in a potting mix formulated for cacti and succulents, or a blend of regular potting mix and sand....

What is a California Pepper Tree? If you don’t live in southern California where these trees have naturalized, you may ask: “What is a California pepper tree?” For those looking for a fast-growing evergreen shade tree for a Mediterranean style garden, the California pepper tree might be the perfect choice. It shoots up rapidly to its mature height, usually about 40 feet (12 m.), and often grows branches as wide as wide as the tree is tall....

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....

The botanical name by which you can truly identify this plant is Kalanchoe tomentosa ‘Chocolate Soldier.’ The plant grows in a loose rosette with mostly oval shaped leaves. These are an attractive pale to medium green, edged in brown stitching, hence the name of chocolate soldier. The paleness varies with lighting, as do the color of the stitches (borders) on the leaves. How to Grow Chocolate Soldier Succulents Growing a chocolate soldier is simple once you’ve learned the conditions it prefers and how to water the specimen....

What is a Clove Pink Plant? Gardeners with tiny spaces to fill and sunny locations would do well to try growing clove pink flowers. Not only do the plants have a dense tufted form, but the attractive, heavily scented flowers have a long herbal history – both in medicine and as edible garnish and flavoring. Clove pink herb plants are also tolerant of a wide range of soil situations and marine regions, as well as mildly polluted zones....

What is a White Willow Tree? White willows are lovely, fast-growing trees that can shoot up to 70 feet (21 m.) in your garden. White willows are not native to this country. They grow wild in Europe, central Asia, and northern Africa. White willow cultivation began in the United States in the 1700’s. Over the years, the tree has naturalized in many parts of the country. Once you read up on white willow information, you’ll know why the tree has many fans....

Building Living Willow Structures A willow dome is a teepee or dome-shaped structure made from living willow whips or branches. These willow whips can be purchased online in bundles or kits. Many of these lots also come with willow dome instructions. You can also try to use strong sturdy willow whips taken from your own dormant willow trees. Be sure to use only long, sturdy whips that are pliable enough to be arched in to a structure....

What is an Asian Citrus Psyllid? The Asian citrus psyllium is an insect pest threatening the future of our citrus trees. Asian citrus psyllid feeds on citrus tree leaves during its adult and nymph stages. While feeding, the adult Asian citrus psyllid injects a toxin into the leaves. This toxin causes the leaf tips to break off or grow curled and twisted. While this curling of the leaves does not kill the tree, the insect can also spread the disease Huanglongbing (HLB)....

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....

What is Bluebell Creeper? Semi-hardy warm season plants that grow rapidly and create a screen or groundcover are hard to find. Bluebell creeper is a native to parts of Australia but has become invasive in southern Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, and certain other tropical to semi-tropical areas. However, it won the Royal Horticultural Series Award of Merit as an outstanding landscape specimen. Australian bluebell care is very minimal once established and it has the ability to withstand drought once mature....

What is Cherry Phymatotrichum Rot? Cherry root rot, also known as cherry cotton root rot, cherry phymatotrichum root rot, or simply cotton root rot, is caused by the fungal organism Phymatotrichum omnivorum. This disease is soil borne and spread by water, root contact, transplants or infected tools. Infected plants will have rotted or decaying root structures, with visible brown to bronze colored woolly strands of fungus. A cherry tree with root rot will develop yellowing or browning foliage, starting with the plant crown and working down the tree....

What is Chinese Rhubarb? You’ve likely heard of rhubarb but may not be familiar with its uses. Rhubarbs are of the buckwheat family and are a diverse group of plants. There are several rhubarb varieties, but this one is botanically called Rheum palmatum var. tanguticum. It is related to the edible rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum), sometimes referred to as R. xhybridum or R. xcultorum. Can you eat Chinese rhubarb? No. This rhubarb variety is largely ornamental....

What is Graywater? So what is graywater and is it safe to use graywater for vegetable gardens and other plantings? Graywater is water recycled from household use. It is collected from sinks, tubs, showers, and other safe sources for use on lawns and gardens. Black water is water that comes from toilets and water that has been used to clean diapers. Never use black water in the garden. Watering plants with graywater may introduce chemicals such as sodium, boron, and chloride into the soil....

Symptoms of Beet Mosaic Virus Like other mosaic viruses, beet mosaic virus causes plants to develop mottling and speckling on their leaves, along with other symptoms. In addition to beets, the virus also infects Swiss chard and spinach, which are all members of the plant family Amaranthaceae. Fortunately, mosaic virus on beets causes less severe symptoms than many other beet viruses and will not cause loss of the entire crop. Mosaic virus symptoms on beets usually appear on younger leaves first....

How to Use Ring Culture for Tomatoes Tomato plant ring culture allows roots access to a large volume of water and nutrients with being grown in a soil medium. Simply put, the tomato plant is grown in a bottomless ring or pot that is partially submerged in a water retaining base. Because tomato plants have strong root systems with an ample tap root, tomato ring culture growing is an ideal method for cultivation in the greenhouse....

What is Tree Girdling? Tree girdling for fruit production is an accepted practice in commercial peach and nectarine production. Girdling involves cutting out a thin strip of bark from around the trunk or branches. You have to use a special girdling knife and make sure you don’t cut deeper than the cambium layer, the layer of wood just under the bark. This type of girdling interrupts the flow of carbohydrates down the tree, making more food available for fruit growth....

Catnip for Cats Catnip, Nepeta cataria, is an herb from the mint family that has long been known to be attractive to cats. A common myth is that all cats react to it. In fact, only about two-thirds of cats will be drawn to catnip, exhibiting behaviors like licking, rubbing catnip toys, rolling in the herb, and drooling. Even some wild cats react to catnip. For use with cats, catnip can be provided as a fresh plant indoors in a container or outdoors in a bed....

As the weather begins to warm, many gardeners wonder what fertilizer to use in spring, and when to fertilize garden plants. The best fertilizer for spring can be determined accurately by using a soil test. This will tell you what nutrients and minerals might be lacking in your soil. Each plant’s needs vary, so it is also important to know the nutrient requirements of specific varieties. When to Fertilize in Spring As soil temperatures begin to increase, plants start to actively grow after a dormant period....

How to Transplant Salvia in the Garden If you are wondering how to transplant salvias, the answer varies. Choose a day that is not too hot or too cold. In other words – transplanting salvia plants during a heat wave is not a good idea. Transplanting salvia plants during winter is hard on them too. Your salvia plant will need to re-establish its roots in new soil. Excessive heat makes it difficult to keep those roots moist....