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Buttercup Weed Information Creeping buttercup is in the Ranunculus family and known for its lovely flowers. However, buttercup is considered by many to be a weed due to its invasive and prolific nature. Buttercup control is particularly difficult in large scale infestations unless you wish to resort to an herbicide. Chemical control is one option, but there may be better ways to minimize the plant’s impact on your landscape. The saying, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” may have the sting of truth in regards to buttercup....

Butterfly Container Garden Ideas One of the most important things to think about is choosing the right plants. If you really want to create a butterfly haven, you should arrange a mix of host plants and nectar plants. For butterflies, nectar is a prime food source. Nectar Plants for Butterflies Flowers that are especially nectar-rich feature big bloom clusters like the following: Mums Yarrow Butterfly weed Coneflowers These big, open nectar sources are easily accessible to butterflies’ proboscises....

About Beetles on Camellias If you see holes in your camellia leaves, the likely suspects are twofold: the black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus, or the cranberry rootworm beetle, Rhabdopterus picipes. The adult beetles feed primarily at night while their larvae feed on the root system, making them difficult to identify and control. The black vine weevil is most detrimental in its larval stage. It feeds on a variety of broad leaf evergreens as well as greenhouse specimens....

What is a Camellia Blueberry? Blueberry lovers across the globe have to be very specific on the variety they grow. That is because many types are cool season, while others can be grown in warm regions. Additionally, each plant has a slightly different flavor, height, and form as well as berry size. The Camellia southern highbush blueberry is suited for the warmer regions. These blueberry plants produce midseason. They were developed by the University of Georgia and bred to show tolerance for high heat and produce large berries....

What is Leaf Scorch? Leaf scorch is a physiological condition that results from poor environmental conditions. It is not an infectious disease. Leaf scorch looks like burned, brown, and dead areas of leaf tissue. Does Watering Grass in the Sun Burn it? This is an extremely persistent myth. There is no evidence that water on a leaf surface in the sun and heat will burn or scorch it. And yet, people notice a correlation, but it is coincidental or indirect....

Hand pollinating stone fruit trees is not as unusual as you might think. Some gardeners self-pollinate trees that can pollinate themselves just to be sure of getting a good crop. Read on for information about how to hand pollinate stone fruit. Understanding Stone Fruit Hand Pollination Gardeners rely heavily on honeybees, bumblebees, and mason bees to pollinate their fruit trees. But, in a pinch, it’s entirely possible to fertilize the blossoms of some types of fruit trees yourself....

What is Gooseneck Loosestrife? Loosestrife is in the family Lythrum. Loosestrife comes in pink, yellow, white, and purple. The purple loosestrife varieties are considered slightly invasive in some zones and gooseneck loosestrife can also be very aggressive in certain regions. It is wise to check with your extension service to see if your variety is appropriate for your area. There are several loosestrife gooseneck varieties, but the garden loosestrife variety is the most recommended for growing....

You receive a bonsai as a gift for Christmas or for your birthday. You love it and want it to care for it well and keep it growing strong. However, despite your best efforts, it begins to yellow and/or the leaves begin to fall off, and pretty soon all you have is a dead plant in a pot. Here is a bit of information that may help you avoid this scenario, or in the least, help you to make a more successful second attempt....

Fragrant Champaca Information For gardeners unfamiliar with this small garden beauty, the tree is in the magnolia family and native to Southeast Asia. Fragrant champaca trees don’t get larger than 30 feet (9 m.) tall and wide. They have a slender, light gray trunk and a rounded crown and are often trimmed into a lollypop shape. If you are growing champaca magnolias, you’ll love the yellow/orange flowers. They appear in summer and last through early autumn....

Recognizing Cherry Leaf Spot Disease Cherry season is a cheery time of year with pies and preserves the result of a good harvest. Leaf spots on cherry can signify a disease that could compromise that yield. What causes cherry leaf spots? Most commonly a fungus called Blumeriella jaapii, once known as Coccomyces hiemali. It is prevalent in periods of intense rainfall. The disease first appears on upper parts of leaves. The spots on cherry leaves will measure 1/8 to 1/4 inch (....

Most important among these is the need for proper climate, include chilling. Choosing the correct variety and growing location will be key in establishing a thriving peony planting. Peony Chill Hours Peony plants grow best in regions with periods of cold weather during the winter months. Before planting peonies, examine the specifics of your growing zone and determine whether or not it is suitable. Most peonies will grow well in USDA growing zones 3 through 8 where they will receive the required amount of “chill hours....

Citrus Tree with Thorns Citrus fruits fall into several categories such as: Oranges (both sweet and sour) Mandarins Pomelos Grapefruit Lemons Limes Tangelos All are members of the genus Citrus and many of the citrus trees have thorns on them. Classified as a member of the Citrus genus until 1915, at which time it was reclassified into the Fortunella genus, the sweet and tart kumquat is another citrus tree with thorns....

What are Cleistocactus Cacti? Some of the more commonly planted cacti are of the Cleistocactus genus, like Silver Torch (Cleistocactus straussii) and the Golden Rat Tail (Cleistocactus winteri). These may also grow in large containers. “Kleistos” means closed in Greek. Unfortunately, when using this as part of the name in the Cleistocactus genus, it is referring to the flowers. Multiple blooms appear on all varieties in this genus but don’t fully open....

Growing clematis successfully depends on the type chosen, however, most plants share the same basic growing requirements. Keep reading to learn more about clematis care. How to Grow Clematis For proper care of clematis, clematis vines prefer sunny locations (at least six hours of sun needed for blooming) but the soil should be kept cool. An easy way to accomplish this is by planting some type of ground cover or shallow-rooted perennial plants around the clematis....

Gage Tree Information Coe’s Golden Drop plums were bred from two classic plums, the Green Gage and the White Magnum, a large plum. The plum was raised by Jervaise Coe, in Suffolk at the end of the 18th century. The Coe’s Golden Drop plum has the ubiquitous sweet, rich, gage-like flavor but is balanced by the acidic qualities of the White Magnum, allowing it to be sweet but not excessively so....

About Colorful Houseplant Foliage Nearly every color imaginable is available through foliage plants alone, without the brilliant blooms of accompanying flowers, though these make exceptional additions too. From yellows, golds, reds, and oranges to silver, creams, purples, and various shades of green, there’s a foliage plant that will easily blend into your indoor decor. Popular Foliage Plants for the Home There are a number of plants with colorful foliage, far too many to name....

About Sick Bottlebrush Plants Gardeners love bottlebrush plants (Callisteman spp.) for their brilliant, blood-red flowers, evergreen foliage, and easy-care ways. These shrubs are so vital that they can become invasive if left to their own devices. But that doesn’t mean that you won’t have to deal with a few diseases that attack these bushes. If you know the signs of different bottlebrush diseases, you’ll be able to jump right into a bottlebrush disease treatment....

Difference Between Loam and Topsoil Most often planting instructions will suggest planting in loam soil. So, what is loam soil? Simply put, loam soil is a proper, healthy balance of sand, silt, and clay soil. Topsoil is often confused with loam soil, but they are not the same thing. The term topsoil describes where the soil came from, usually the top 12 inches (31 cm.) of soil. Depending on where this topsoil came from, it can be made up of mostly sand, mostly silt, or mostly clay....

Rabbit Manure Fertilizer Rabbit dung is dry, odorless, and in pellet form, making it suitable for direct use in the garden. Since rabbit dung breaks down quickly, there is usually little threat of burning the roots of plants. Rabbit manure fertilizer is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, nutrients that plants need for healthy growth. Rabbit manure can be found in prepackaged bags or obtained from rabbit farmers. Although it can be spread directly onto garden beds, many people prefer to compost rabbit manure prior to use....

Plums with Bacterial Spot Plums are not the only fruit susceptible to bacterial spot. The disease also affects nectarines, apricots, prunes, and cherries. Severe infection can result in poor quality fruit and even devastating fruit loss. Ornamental trees can also get this disease. Bacterial leaf spot on plums is caused by Xanthomonas, a bacterium that thrives in rainy summer weather– typical summer weather in many regions. Currently, there is no effective plum bacterial spot treatment....