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What is a Tarantula Cactus? There are thousands of varieties of cacti and each has its own unique aspect and habit. The tarantula cactus plant (Cleistocactus winteri) is one of the most distinctive in appearance. It produces numerous stems that trail down from the crown of the plant, covered in golden hairs. Also known as the golden rat tail cactus, the plant is easy to grow in the home and relies upon little care from its keeper....

Symptoms of Colletotrichum Eggplant Rot Colletotrichum eggplant rot occurs when leaves are wet for a long period of time, usually around 12 hours. The causal agent is a fungus that is most active during warm, wet periods, either from rainfall in spring or summer or from overhead watering. Several Colletotrichum fungi cause anthracnose in a variety of plants. Learn the signs of eggplant anthracnose and what you can do to prevent this disease....

Common Lima Bean Diseases Butter beans (or lima beans) are susceptible to several diseases, both fungal and bacterial. Some of these diseases are specific to bean plants, while others may affect a wide array of garden plants. Below are some of the most common causes of lima bean sickness and its symptoms. Fungal Lima Bean Diseases Leaf Spot Disease – Caused by the fungus Phoma exigua, leaf spot disease may start as a small reddish-brown spot the size of a pinhead on the foliage....

Tips for Removing Common Reeds Naturally If you have a small patch of reeds and want to take care of them before they take over the entire lawn, physical methods for common reed grass control might be your best option. Start by using an electric hedge trimmer to cut down the reeds below their bottommost leaf, leaving only the stem stubble left standing. Remove the cut reeds and cut them up to put in the compost pile....

Primary Apple Tree Types Most domestic apples come from two primary apple tree types. In fact, according to the New Sunset Western Garden Book, most apple tree types are natural hybrids of Malus pumila and Malus sylvestris, native to two overlapping areas in southwestern Asia. Some apple tree types tolerate cold weather as far north as Alaska, while other apple trees prefer milder climates, including coastal climates and low deserts. However, most apple tree types need at least 500 to 1,000 hours of chilly weather to produce healthy, flavorful apples....

Autumn Color Changing in Conifer Plants Do coniferous plants change color? Quite a few do. Even though evergreen trees don’t lose all their needles in the fall, they don’t have the same needles for their whole lives. In autumn, most coniferous trees will shed their oldest needles, usually the ones closest to the trunk. Before dropping, these needles change color, sometimes impressively. The old needles of red pines, for instance, will turn a deep copper color before falling, while white pines and pitch pines take on a lighter, golden color....

Cucumbers for Pots Some varieties grow better than others in containers. Excellent options in selecting cucumbers for pots are the bush varieties such as Hybrid, Salad and Picklebush. These will still require some staking but have a more robust plant that adapts well to containers. Cucumbers need a male and female flower to pollinate unless they are parthenocarpic, which means they set fruit without pollination. A small parthenocarpic variety perfect for container grown cucumbers is Arkansas Little Leaf....

Can Radishes Grow in Containers? It is possible to grow many vegetables in pots and containers. Container gardening radishes allows you to control disease, pests, moisture, and other conditions more easily than planting in the ground. Planting radish seeds is also a fun project for kids and helps them learn about how plants grow. Radish Seed Germination Radishes are cool-season vegetables that produce the smaller, sweeter vegetables in spring. There are early season and late season varieties of radish....

About Snapdragons in Containers Snapdragons have pretty, bell-shaped flowers that grow in clusters on a tall spike. They are cool-weather flowers, so expect them to bloom in spring and fall, not summer. They come in a range of colors including white, yellow, orange, pink, purple, red, and more. Snapdragons also come in different sizes, from 6 to 36 inches (15 cm. to almost a meter). A bunch of snapdragons of approximately the same height, but in a mix of colors, looks stunning in any kind of container....

What is Cool Grass? Most cool season grasses are turf grasses. The plants do best in spring and fall when there is a plentiful supply of water. The most common types of cool season turf grasses include: Perennial ryegrass Annual ryegrass Tall fescue Creeping fescue Kentucky bluegrass Bluegrass Bentgrass There are also some cool season ornamental grasses, suitable for beds and containers. Cool season ornamental grasses come in many varieties but a few are:...

Native gardens are a smart, low maintenance choice. A natural garden design uses less water, less weeding, and no fertilizer. And if you downsize the lawn, there’s less mowing, too. A native plant garden can help perpetuate the species. Native perennials have deep root systems that improve the soil, redirect rainwater, and resist pests. Naturally acclimated to the environment, native gardens shouldn’t need protection in winter, saving you time preparing for weather events....

Growing Creeping Zinnia Plants Use creeping zinnia in the garden if you have a sunny spot with well-drained soil that needs some color. Where summers are mild, this Mexican native will spread up to 18 inches (45 cm.) and bear beautiful little orange or yellow sunflower-like flowers from summer through fall. Creeping zinnia ground cover does best when sown in a sunny garden spot in early spring. Use light, loamy potting soil with plenty of drainage if using the plant in a container garden....

When to Plant Crocus Why does it matter when you plant your bulbs and corms? It would seem that as long as they get in the ground they will grow when it is time, but actually, bulbs, tubers, and corms require certain conditions to break dormancy. The plant will not emerge if it doesn’t get this combination of correct conditions. The best way to achieve this is to plant them just before they will experience those circumstances....

About Powdery Mildew on Cucurbits Powdery mildew that infects cucurbit is caused by one of two fungal species: more commonly Erysiphe cichoracearum and less commonly Sphaerotheca fuliginea. While any kind of cucurbit could be susceptible to these fungi, most varieties of cucumbers and watermelons are now resistant. Unlike some other types of fungal infections on plants, powdery mildew does not require standing water. The most favorable conditions for an infection are medium-high humidity and temperatures between 68 and 80 degrees F....

Is My Cyclamen Dormant or Dead? During the cyclamen dormant period, the plant may seem to be dead. First, the blossoms shrivel and drop off, and then the leaves yellow and fall. This is a normal part of a cyclamen’s life cycle, and you shouldn’t be alarmed. There are two things you can check to make sure your plant is still alive. First, look at the calendar. When it’s time for the plant to go dormant, nothing can stop the decline....

Dahlia Mosaic Symptoms Mosaic virus in dahlias cause large scale disfigurement of the plant. It is found worldwide and is spread by inoculation of the sap, either through human intervention or by the 13 species of aphids that serve as its natural vectors. Dahlias with mosaic virus can exhibit a multitude of symptoms. The severity and type of dahlia mosaic symptoms can depend upon the particular variety or cultivar: Chlorophyll loss resulting in light-colored, pale green to yellow streaks along the branch veins and midveins of the leaves....

Reasons for Staking Dahlia Plants Dahlia growers are familiar with the signs. Muddy blooms pasted to the earth and bedraggled flowers with bent, broken stems. Dahlias are prolific producers after a few years. These tuberous plants have slender, erect stems which are not always capable of supporting the larger blooms. Staking dahlia plants is important during the season to keep the leafy stems rising to the sun and prevent damage to the flowers....

Should I Water Dahlia Tubers? Unlike many other garden flowers, which are grown from seed or transplant, dahlias are most commonly grown from tubers. Similar to bulbs, tubers are planted into the ground after all chance of frost has passed in the spring. Though some growers choose to pre-sprout the tubers, others may plant the dormant tubers directly into the ground. When conditions are right, growth points (“eyes”) on the tubers signal the development of leaves and roots....

Should You Deadhead Lily Flowers Deadheading is the term given to removing the spent flowers from a plant. With some plants, deadheading actually encourages new flowers to bloom. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for lilies. Once a stem has finished blooming, that’s it. Cutting off the spent flowers isn’t going to make way for any new buds. Deadheading lilies is still a good idea for a couple of reasons, though. For one thing, it cleans up the appearance of the plant as a whole....

Delicata Squash Information All winter squashes are members of the Cucurbit family, which also claims cucumbers and zucchini amongst its members. Most varieties fall into three species groups: Cucurbita pepo Cucurbita moschata Cucurbita maxima Delicata winter squash is a member of C. pepo and is a relatively small variety of winter squash. Additional Delicata squash information tells us that this heirloom variety was introduced in 1891. As with most winter squash, the Delicata’s fruit is grown on a vine most commonly, although there is also a bush variety....