Avocado cotton root rot is bad news for avocado trees. Often, the best recourse is to remove the diseased tree and plant a palm or another more resistant tree. Certain management practices may help minimize the impact of avocado with Texas root rot. Many are prohibitively expensive, but none have proven to be highly effective. Recognizing the symptoms of avocado cotton root rot may be helpful. Read on to learn more....
What is Chesnok Red Garlic? Those growing Chesnok Red garlic rave about it. It is an exceptional garlic from the Republic of Georgia in the former USSR. Chesnek red garlic bulbs store well and retain their shape and flavor when cooked. The bulb is a very lovely shade of red that presents well. Some gardeners term Chesnok Red garlic bulbs the best all-round garlic available. Each large bulb is wrapped in a purple-striped, papery covering and contains some ten cloves....
How to Grow Flowering Spurge Flowering spurge grows best in poor, dry, well-drained soil. Full sun is ideal, but a little light shade is okay, too. Purchase flowering spurge plants at a nursery that specializes in native plants. If you can’t find any, you may need to order seeds or save your own by gathering a few seed pods in late summer or early fall before the pods burst. Spread the pods on a pan or tray to dry, then separate the seeds from the dry husks....
What is Soil Conditioning? Soil conditioning means improving several aspects of the quality of soil: Tilth. This refers to the soil’s physical condition and larger-scale structure. It includes whether the soil has aggregates (clumps) and what size they are, whether it has channels where water can enter and drain, and its level of aeration. Soil with good tilth has a structure that supports healthy root growth. Water holding capacity. This is partially a function of the soil type, but there are other things that alter it....
What is Tomato Little Leaf Disease? Little leaf of tomato plants was first spotted in northwestern Florida and southwestern Georgia in the fall of 1986. The symptoms are as described above along with interveinal chlorosis of the young leaves with the stunted ‘leaflet’ or “little leaf”– hence the name. Twisted leaves, brittle midribs, and buds which fail to develop or set, along with distorted fruit set, are some of the signs of tomato little leaf syndrome....
What is Wild Simulated Ginseng? Growing ginseng can be divided into two categories: wood grown and field grown. Wood grown ginseng can be further divided into ‘wild simulated’ and ‘wood cultivated’ ginseng plants. Both are grown in forest soil and planted in tilled beds with leaf and bark mulch, but that’s where the similarities end. Wild simulated ginseng plants are grown for 9 to 12 years while wood cultivated ginseng is only grown for six to nine years....
Alrighty, so now that you know it’s doable, there are some things to “bare” in mind before you strip off those outer garments and jump right in. What is World Naked Gardening Day? World Naked Gardening Day was established in 2005. Mark Storey began the event with his friends following a survey in which people answered the question, “What do you like to do while nude?” Of course, swimming (skinny dipping) came in at the top of the list but, surprisingly, gardening came in at a close second....
What’s Wrong with My Mayhaw? Since they are not often grown commercially, there’s a lot that’s still unstudied about mayhaw problems and how to fix them. We do, however, know a decent amount about issues gardeners encounter and how they deal with them. For example, there are a few diseases that frequently strike mayhaw trees, such as fire blight, brown Monilinia rot, and cedar-quince rust. Fungicides have been found to be effective against rust and Monilinia....
What are “Full Sun” Vegetables Simply put, full sun veggies are those that require a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Direct sunlight is not shaded or filtered by buildings, trees, fences, trellises or other garden vegetable plants. And while 6 hours is considered the minimum, the best full sun vegetables may require 8 or more hours of sunlight in cloudy or northern climates. You’ll find the list of full sun vegetables includes many garden favorites....
Can You Mow Wet Grass? Yes, you can mow wet grass, but it isn’t generally recommended. Mowing wet grass isn’t inherently bad for turf, but there are good reasons to avoid it as much as possible. One reason is that the mower wheels are more likely to slip, spin, and slide through the wet dirt, pulling up grass. Mowing over wet turf can also cause a lot of soil compaction, which isn’t ultimately good for grass....
You can always let nature take its course but trimming wildflowers can promote healthier plants and more blooms. It will also keep your wildflower garden looking neat and tidy. Read on for tips on wildflower pruning and learn when to cut back wildflowers. When to Cut Back Wildflowers Some people choose to cut back wildflowers in the fall. Timing for mowing wildflowers is a matter of personal preference, but there is something to be said for waiting until spring....
Boston Ivy Vines in Winter In fall, Boston ivy leaves begin a color transformation that goes from red to purple. The leaves cling to the vines longer than most deciduous plants, but eventually drop in early winter. After they fall, you can see the dark blue fruit. Called drupes, these berry-like fruit keep the garden lively in winter because they provide food for a number of songbirds and small mammals. Boston ivy winter care is minimal and consists primarily of pruning....
Kiwi Winter Care Before we discuss winter care of hardy kiwi, a little information on the fruit is in order. Although related to the kiwis we purchase at the supermarket, the fruit of A. arguta and A. kolomikta are much smaller with smooth skin. Most varietals have male and female flowers born on different plants, thus you will need both a male and female, in a 1:6 ratio of males to females....
Yucca Growing Outdoors As it is a native of the southwestern United States, yucca thrives in soil that drains well and can be in full sun. It is also able to withstand temperatures as cold as 10 F. (-12 C.), so you can grow a yucca plant in many different climates. The creamy-white flowers bloom best in full sun, during mid to late summer, with some yucca growing as tall as 10 feet (3 m....
Growing creeping phlox over a rockery or in tough soil conditions provides a nearly carefree ground cover or cascading plant. Consider growing it in between pavers, in a planter or just as a part of a bright spring bed as well. About Creeping Phlox A perennial nature and semi-evergreen habit are important facts about creeping phlox. These plants have needle-like foliage with small starry, five-pointed flowers in red, lavender, pink, white or bluish-purple....
Amaryllis Seed Propagation If your amaryllis plants are growing outside, they may be naturally pollinated. If you’re growing yours inside, however, or you just don’t want to leave things to chance, you can pollinate them yourself with a small paintbrush. Gently collect the pollen from the stamen of one flower and brush it onto the pistil of another. Amaryllis plants can self-pollinate, but you’ll have better results and more interesting cross-breeding if you use two different plants....
Spraying Apricot Trees for Pests Do you need to spray apricot trees? Basically, yes. Pest infestations can devastate a tree or an entire orchard, and the best way to fight against it is to nip it in the bud. When do you spray apricot trees? A few times a year, starting in the winter. Before the buds on your tree have started to swell, spray it with dormant oil. This will kill off any overwintering eggs before they get a chance to hatch and wreak havoc....
Pests on Apricot Trees Below are some of the most common insects that cause apricot tree problems. Sap-Feeding Insects An important keystone to successful apricot tree bug control is recognizing the sap-feeding insects, an overwhelmingly common group of pests. These insects hide on the undersides of leaves or disguise themselves as waxy, cottony, or wooly bumps on stems, shoots, and twigs while feeding directly on plant juices. Aphids, mealybugs, and a variety of scale insects are some of the most common apricot tree insects, but you may see signs of their feeding like yellowing and dropping leaves, sticky honeydew on leaves, or ants on your trees long before you notice sap-feeding pests....
Does Artificial Turf Harm Tree Roots? People often consider using artificial grass around trees because they can’t get real grass to grow there. Dense tree canopies can make an area too shady for grass to grow. Tree roots can hog all the water and nutrients around them. The other benefit of artificial turf is all the money saved by not having to water, fertilize, mow, or treat the lawn for pests, weeds, and diseases....
By selecting flowers that do well in your region, preparing a seed bed, and planting at the right time in the fall or winter, you can create a beautiful flower border that will reseed itself year after year. Depending on your location, you may also be able to enjoy tasty veggies late in the season too. Choosing Plants for Fall Sowing Selecting plants for autumn seed planting will depend on the region where you live....
