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Fungal Trouble with Swiss Chard Fungal Swiss chard diseases are the most common culprits responsible when your plants fall ill in the garden. Cercospora Leaf Spot – This fungal disease tends to affect lower leaves first. It is recognized by brownish-grey or black spots with reddish-purple halos. In humid weather, the leaves may take on a fuzzy appearance due to the silvery-gray spores. Downy mildew – Humid conditions or excess moisture may result in downy mildew, a fungal disease that is unsightly but usually not deadly....

How to Grow a Teddy Bear Sunflower Growing Teddy Bear flowers by seed isn’t complicated. The most important thing is to plant seeds where your Teddy Bear sunflower plants will be exposed to full sunlight. Well-drained soil is also an absolute requirement for any type of sunflower. Plant Teddy Bear sunflower seeds after you’re sure all danger of frost has passed. Prepare the soil prior to planting sunflowers by digging a generous amount of compost, well-rotted manure or other organic matter into the top 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm....

Japanese gardens Chinese gardens Desert gardens Wildlife gardens Butterfly gardens Types of theme gardens vary widely, and when it comes to themed garden ideas, you’re limited only by your imagination. Read on to learn more. Designing Themed Gardens Coming up with themed garden ideas is the most challenging step involved in creating a themed garden. Once you have settled on an idea, everything else will come naturally. The easiest way to devise a concept is to think about what you enjoy – like a specialty garden....

Thorny olive control can be difficult because of the long, sharp thorns that sprout from its branches, and because of the spread of seeds from its fruit. Keep reading to learn more facts on Elaeagnus pungens and how to control thorny olive plants. Is Thorny Olive Invasive? Where is thorny olive invasive? In Tennessee and Virginia it is, but it’s a nuisance in many other states as well. It’s hardy in USDA zones 6 through 10 and is easily spread through the droppings of birds that have eaten its fruit....

What is Overseeding? What is overseeding? It is simply seeding over an area that has or had existing grass that is performing poorly. There are two main reasons to overseed your lawn. First, if the lawn is patchy or thin. Secondly, if you are growing a warm-season grass that goes dormant and brown in winter, you can overseed with a cool-season turf seed so you have year around green grass. Primarily the reasons are the result of aesthetic desires....

When to Pick Lavender If you are just starting out growing lavender, keep in mind that it takes about three years for the plants to reach their peak maturity and to give you the greatest harvest. You can pick some in the first year or two, although leaving the plants alone allows them to grow and develop more. The best lavender harvest time is early in the morning if you are picking them for aromatic uses....

Soil Temperature Gardening Soil temperature gardening involves the placement of thin, clear plastic over the soil, with its edges buried within an outer trench. Large rolls of plastic can be obtained at most home and garden centers. Plastic uses the sun’s heat to raise soil temperatures. In fact, when properly done, the soil can reach temperatures up to 120 F. (49 C.) or more. These high temperatures easily wipe out many soil-borne diseases and other garden pests in the soil....

When to Cut Asparagus Back Ideally, asparagus should be cut back in the fall but it is important that you wait until all of the foliage has died back and turned brown or yellow. This will normally happen after the first frost, but it can happen without frost in areas that do not receive frost. Once all of the foliage has died, cut the asparagus down to about 2 inches (5 cm....

While old-fashioned ground covers such as pachysandra and English ivy are common, why not think outside the box with a prettier alternative that is just as hardy and tough? Flowering ground covers provide all of the above mentioned benefits, along with added color from their blooms. Even when not in flower, many are evergreen and provide interest year-round. Growing Ground Cover Flowers Here’s a short list of 10 of our favorite flowering ground covers (plus one additional honorable mention) for you to consider: Honorable mention: Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) This member of the Dogwood family is best grown in colder regions in a shady, woodland setting....

Newly transplanted lavender requires a bit of tender loving care until the roots are established. Take a look at our tips on how to transplant lavender and when to divide plants. When to Divide and Transplant Lavender Transplanting lavender can be done in spring or fall in mild climates, but spring is the best time for moving a lavender plant in climates with cold winters. Lavender accepts transplanting better when the weather isn’t too hot....

When is a Good Time to Transplant? Experts agree that fall is one of the best times for transplanting, but spring is also considered good. Each season has advantages that the other lacks. Many claim that fall is the best time to transplant trees and shrubs. Fall transplants can benefit from the months of cooler, moister weather ahead. Thanks to autumn rains, the plant’s roots get a chance to grow before summer’s heat dries up the earth....

Common Chestnut Tree Problems Blight – One of the deadliest diseases of chestnut trees is called blight. It is a canker disease. The cankers grow fast and girdle branches and stems, killing them. The noble U.S. native, American chestnut (Castanea dentata), is a huge, majestic tree with a straight trunk. The wood is beautiful and highly durable. Its heartwood can be counted on in any situation where decay is a potential risk....

Do I Need to Stake a Tree? If you watch a tree in wind, you see it swaying. Swaying in the breeze is the norm, not the exception, for trees growing in the wild. In yesteryear, people routinely staked trees they planted in order to provide support for newly planted trees. Today, we know that most newly planted trees do not require staking and can suffer from it. When you are trying to decide whether to stake a tree or not, keep the overview in mind....

What is Wound Dressing? Wound dressings are petroleum-based products used to cover freshly cut or damaged wood. The intent is to prevent disease and decay organisms and insects from infesting the wound. Studies (as far back as the 1970s) show that the disadvantages far outweigh the benefits of wound dressing. Wound dressings prevent the tree from forming calluses, which are its natural method of dealing with injury. In addition, moisture often gets beneath the dressing, and sealed in moisture leads to decay....

Container Culture for Chinese Hibiscus Tropical hibiscus thrives in warm, humid climates. The plant performs best when it receives at least six to eight hours of sunlight per day, however, afternoon shade is beneficial in hot climates. Move tropical hibiscus to a sheltered location or bring it indoors during the winter if you live in a climate with chilly winters. The shrub doesn’t tolerate temperatures below 45 degrees F. (7 C....

What is Tropical Soda Apple? Native to Brazil and Argentina, tropical soda apple weed is a member of the Solanaceae or Nightshade family, which also contains eggplant, potato, and tomato. This herbaceous perennial grows to about 3 to 6 feet (1-2 m.) in height with yellow-white thorns on the stems, stalks, leaves, and calyxes. The weed bares white flowers with yellow centers or stamens, which become green and white stippled fruit resembling that of tiny watermelons....

Tutsan Plant Info If you are looking for an easy-to-grow, showy plant with several seasons of interest, look no further than Tutsan St. John’s Wort. The plant is fast growing and can even be sheared severely, giving it a refreshed look in spring. It is a high groundcover that may get 3 feet (1 m.) tall with a similar spread. Mass plantings of Tutsan flowers evoke woodsy appeal in even the most manicured of landscapes....

Aralia Plant Information There are various types of Aralia to choose from. Some of these include: California spikenard (A. californica) is one of the most popular types of aralias. Also known as elk clover, this West Coast native reaches heights and widths of 4 to 10 feet (1 to 3 m.). This species is marked by its spiky white blooms and long, divided leaves that turn a warm golden-yellow in autumn....

How Many Types of Beans are There? While there are far too many specific bean types to name, the majority of bean plant varieties can be divided into a few main subgroups. One very big distinction is between pole beans and bush beans. Pole beans are vining and need a structure to climb up, like a trellis or a fence. Some varieties can get quite long. However, these plants offer the added advantage of a small footprint; so, if your space is limited, any vegetable that can be grown vertically and still produce high yields is a great choice....

What is Inorganic Mulch? The most common types of inorganic mulch are rocks or gravel, plastic sheeting, landscape fabric, and rubber mulch. Inorganic mulches do not decompose, or they slowly break down only after a long period of time. The benefit of inorganic mulch is that they may initially cost more, but they are more cost efficient because they do not need to be reapplied or topped off as frequently as organic mulches....