texts: How can I reuse soil that mixed with crushed stone? (overall moderate content of crushed stone and brownish color)

texts:
I just removed an old shed from my property. It had a base made of layers as following:
-first layer: gravel
-second layer: crushed stone
-third layer: precast concrete slabs

It din not have the landscape fabric and the soil mixed with some crushing stone. The original soil in my yard is closer to clay. After I carefully removed the what I could as crushed stone I started separating the gravel from the mix of soil and crushed stone. The result was two heaps one of crushed stone which I plan to reuse for building a path and another of this mix between crushed stone and the finer particles (almost sandy) of the crushed stone.
I was wondering if there is any way to use this as a base for some rocky garden or something of this sort. I live in Toronto and I often go to visit Edwards' garden where I can see hen and chickens or something similar planted in a sort of wall made from sand and ...bottle bottoms like below

I love this arrangements a lot and I wold like to be able to build something like this in my garden

Questions:
-can I reuse the soil mentioned above to plant something like this?
-are these (chicken and hens) perennials going to survive the harsh weather of Toronto (Canada)? I have seen then in Edwards Garden for years but I have not followed their evolution closely to see if they are actually struggling or thriving...

Edit: here you can see what the soil that I want to reuse looks like (last picture of the three showing soils and limestone crush or screed)


texts: What is the bright green spike on the cactus?

texts: What is this bright green spike on my cactus?


texts: Can I save the berries from a Big Blue Liriope (Liriope muscari) and plant them next spring?

texts: I have a big blue liriope (Liriope muscari) in my yard, and the flowers have changed to berries. I imagine the normal propagation method is to split the adult plant after it grows large enough, but if I don't care about time, could I take the berries and use them in the spring to plant?


texts: Are the roots of cherry trees dangerous to house foundations?

texts: We have a fruiting cherry tree which is 18 months old.  It's planted quite close to the house.  Are the roots dangerous to the property?


texts: Due to other work, I was unable to transplant these roselle plants to smaller containers. Their roots grew tangled and the leaves were very sparse and discoloured/reddish tipped. Though these bore one roselle each on the top. I have harvested them. Now I have two three 6 inch clay pots. Do I plant these in bunches in those? Or do I plant one each? Some of them have immature buds. Are those better or the harvested ones better for planting?


texts: Should I replace an apricot tree that was mowed down to ground level?

texts: My neighbor accidentally mowed down an apricot tree I had recently purchased from a nursery last year.  I didn't dig up the roots and it started sprouting up again.  It's still very small but my question is:  Will it still bear fruit or is it an exercise in futility?


texts: How can I tell when my broccoli seeds are ready to harvest?

texts:
How can I tell when the seed pods of broccoli (assuming thats what these little things are) are ready to be saved for next seasons planting?

Sorry the picture is so blurry, my phone would not focus on the pods themselves. My finger in the bottom left of the picture is holding 1 up. You can also see them in the focused part in the top right.


texts:
There seems to be some white mould growing on top of my vining philodendron soil.
Is this is problem and if so how can I resolve this?


texts:
I was sent this plant labeled 'Aloe kilifiensis'. I looked up some pictures, and didn't seem to find anything even remotely similar. In my eyes it looks more like to Gasteraloe 'Green Gold'.

Can anyone give me a positive identification?


texts: Will indoor-grown strawberries flower multiple times, if grown all year long?

texts:
My parents have a great garden that they started a few years ago with a bed of strawberries and a few other things. My dad built a box to keep out rabbits, but soon enough the strawberries had outgrown the box and then they started out growing the confines of the garden. We figured it was a good enough reason to not mow those parts of the lawn, but now we have an ever increasing field of strawberries. As a very willing member of my family, (and a bit of a scientist) I have decided to take up growing some in my dorm room next year, so they'll be inside, under lamp light from the end of summer until the start of spring. (And in upstate New York, that might be a long time)

My main question is:

Will my strawberry plants, taken from the runners of my family's well-established June-bearing strawberry plants (I'm not certain of a specific variety), flower and fruit over the winter?
How often/recurrently will they flower?
Is there anything I can do to have them flower more often?
What if they were ever-bearing? How about day-neutral?


texts:
I am following instructions (or attempting to) to plant a pecan tree and one of the steps is to add 5-10-15 fertilizer around the tree. I can find no 5-10-15, but readily find 5-5-5, 10-10-10 (and other varieties) If I cannot find the "right" mix, how do I determine what the 'best mistake' to make would be?

At first glance I would think "compromising" to 10-10-10 would be a good solution. However, some initial research suggests "Too Much" nitrogen and "Too Little" potash are both potentially problematic. But I can find no guidance as to what is the "safe range". If 5-10-15 is "just right" is 10-10-10 "too much/too little" or is that within an acceptable 'range' of 'OK'. The author of the article I'm looking at may believe 5-10-15 to be optimal, but plants would never grow in the wild if the "perfect" blend is required.

So, how do I calculate what is "close enough" when dealing with fertilizer?


texts: What is this cactus and how should I take care for it?

texts:
I received my cactus as a gift approximately 10 years ago. I have never known what species of cactus it is and I thought it is time to figure it out.

I am unfamiliar with cactus and I don't know if the shape of the one I have is characteristic to it's species or is mine simply odd looking. I have been browsing cactus pictures on google, looking for tall cactus with somewhat narrow base and fattening up from there. Mine looks like a bat or club to me. It has never had flowers, fruits, or offspring, which really confuses me.

There is nothing specific I know about conditions my cactus likes, like when a bigger pot is needed, what temperature range is optimal. Etc.

This is how it looks, height is 59 cm (1.93 feet):

The closest looking picture I have found so far is of Peruvian Apple cactus. But mine is darker, has narrower base, and grows alone. Species are related, I guess.


texts: I keep on hearing advice about putting mulch around the base of a tree to "help it." What is mulch and how does it "work" to improve/help trees?


texts: How long does Copper sulfate pentahydrate persist in the soil, after application?

texts:
In particular, I am interested in it's effects after it has been applied and the roots affected have been largely removed.  Does it break down over time, and if so what is the time frame?  What will happen if something else is planted where roots treated with this root killer where at previously?   If there are ill effects, is there anything that can be done such as the application of water to dilute the remaining chemical?

Everything I have read says very little about this, and is even somewhat contradictory, e.g. "copper sulfate can be used as an algae and fungus killer and kills some plants but also can be used as fertilizer."


texts: What type of jasmine is this? Will it survive the cold?

texts:
What type of jasmine is this? Will it tolerate the cold, say -5°C?

The seller told me it is evergreen and will definitely tolerate the cold. But I couldn't believe him. I am now not sure if I should plant it in the garden or keep it in a pot to be able to move it in in the winter. He also told me it's a climbing type.


texts: What is wrong with my Mother-in-Law's Tongue/ Snake Plant?

texts:
It's been more than one month since I planted this Mother-in-Law's Tongue/Snake Plant. It was fine in the first few weeks. I had put it near my Wi-fi where less light reached it. It was doing fine until I noticed that a stem (leaf?) died, and I plucked it with ease, so I moved it to my north-facing window, as I thought low light was the cause of the dead leaf.

Now there is a hole big enough to see if the soil is dry or not. I water it once a month, and it's been around 20 days since I watered it. Lately, another leaf is getting yellow and brown:

Another thing I observed is the plant is kind like wilting. They were all straight and tightly packed, like all snake plants are, but now they have gone wilting:

Today, I tried to lift the drowsy stem, and I found that it had gone kaput. At least that's what I think happened. I pulled it with little to no effort, and it came out. Another leaf of the same stem came out easily, like someone just put it there:

Then, there is this young stem that came out completely:

In case it is needed, here is the soil:

What's wrong with this plant? Why so many weird things are happening?


texts: Should I prune double "trunk" of orange tree seedling?

texts:
A few months ago (IIRC around last spring/summer), I planted an orange seed, which sprouted "twice" (as in, two main growths). I left both going, since by the time it had a few leaves, most of the growing season was gone and I feared it might be excessively stressed trough winter without half of its leaves.

Now, however, it's about to start growing again (I noticed a new leaf turning towards the window, the plant was kept under grow light in a cool room the whole winter) and I'm left wondering: Should I leave both sprouts or should I cut one to favor growth on the other? Here's a couple of pictures to hopefully better explain the situation:

Note: The plant was just repotted (roots started poking out of the old pot), which may affect the decision whether to prune it now or wait until it settles in the new pot.


texts: How can I tell if a plant is goldenrod or ragweed?

texts:
My husband suffers from bad hay fever in the fall. We've always thought goldenrod is a major contributor. Recently we were told that ragweed, which looks similar, is more likely to cause the allergy and its related discomfort.

In our yard there are many plants with clusters of bright yellow flowers, which bloom in the late summer, early fall. They're lovely, and the birds, bees and butterflies like them. Assuming that they're goldenrod, and making my husband sick, I usually pull them shortly after they bloom. If indeed they are goldenrod, but not likely to be the allergen, I'd prefer to leave them until they've completely gone by. However, if they're ragweed, I'll know that I should pull them before the pollen flies.

I don't like removing any flowers, so understanding how to tell what they are would help me make an informed choice as to how to proceed next fall.

I'd appreciate a good definition of both goldenrod and ragweed, with some identifying characteristics, and links to pictures.

I'd also like to know if my own are goldenrod, ragweed, or both. Unfortunately, my pictures are very blurry, especially the flowers, so an identification may not be possible. I have a few other pictures with different views, but the quality isn't much better. They went by a number of weeks ago, so I can't get you anything new. Clicking on them will make them bigger and more close-up, in case that helps.


texts: What is the best time and method for planting cauliflowers / broccoli in a southern US climate with frosts?

texts:
Inspired by the various brassicas questions, I was thinking of trying to grow some. Choosing something that I would eat, I'm thinking of either broccoli and/or cauliflower.

From what I have been able to read about growing them in a N.Texas climate, I can grow them as a fall crop (plant a few weeks ago and race against the first frost) or as a spring crop (plant after the last frost and race against the summer heat).

However, this recent question about wind tolerance implies that broccoli has some frost tolerance? Is this true? Could I plant seed in February (say) or even November and over-winter them outside, giving them a head-start when spring comes? Or would I be better off starting seed indoors in seed trays (in February?) and planting them out in mid-March after the last frost?

Is it possible to buy broccoli/cauliflower "starts" that could be planted in March? Pepper plants purchased in March always have a head start over seedlings during the spring / early summer months, so it seems like this might be a good idea for brassicas as well?


texts: What's the name of this small, round, light green squash?

texts:
This is a small, round, slightly flattened, light green squash. The average size is a bit bigger than a round plum (cirruela in Spanish).

It looks quite distinct from Round zucchini but it might be just a variety of the same group (Cucurbita pepo summer pumpkin group)

The only similar variety that I could find is this Ronde de Nice (AKA Gourmet Globe) but when googling it, I can only find images with Round zucchini.


texts: Why Hasn't my Cactus Grown Deadly Spines?

texts:
I recently purchased a small cactus plant from my local store for about $5.
I've been giving the cactus lots of sunlight and a good watering every week.
I've noticed that since I bought it, the other cactii at the store have sprouted long and deadly looking spikes of at least 2 inches in length. My cactus has extra little clones growing out of it but its spikes are stunted and disappointing.
Why won't my cactus grow spikes?
My cactus is of this variety:

Update
Well it's been about 8 months and my cactus has finally started to grow spines!
I stopped watering it altogether, but instead gave it a good misting every day. Once I increased the frequency of the misting, it grew a new head with spines of the sharp variety.


texts: I received a set of garden tools, and I'm not sure what a couple of them are used for.  Could you help me identify these tools?


texts: I think I may have inherited two of these green wandering Jew plants... but I can’t find any description of the tiny white flowers that it’s putting off... does anyone have any pics of this variety of jew’s flowers?


texts: Rollie pollies - are they harmful to vegetables?

texts: I have a vegetable raised box where I grow various vegetables in spring and summer. I noticed quite a few Rollie pollies in the box. Wondering if they will harm my vegetable crop this year and what if anything I can do to prevent that.


texts: I have a lot of sassafras growing, and they drop a lot of branches. I have been piling them up and burning them, and using the ashes in the garden. Is there a way to use the branches like propagation or flavoring with them instead of burning them?


texts:
I have a Dracaena fragrans (corn plant) which is dying. I originally purchased it just over a year ago, when a similar plant I had (Yucca elephantisis) died in a similar manner. Basically, what happens is that the new growth on the cane starts to turn brown and dry out from the bottom upward. I originally had 3 canes, and now I'm down to a single cane with a healthy growth on it. I just saw yesterday that the growth is now starting to turn brown at the base, which indicates it will soon exhibit the same signs and dry out/die.

I'm not sure what I'm doing incorrectly. At first, I thought I was over-watering the plants. I watered it about once every other week, with enough water to saturate the soil. I then made sure that it could drain by adding a bit of sand to the base of the pot, and putting fresh soil over this, which I did last summer (July, I think), so it was last re-potted in July of 2011.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong with this plant... I can't seem to keep it alive! Could you help me figure out what I'm doing wrong?


texts: Should I remove the flower shoots of shallots?

texts:
I planted some shallots (clumping onions) which I had saved over winter. They are looking really healthy but some started to grow flowering shoots. I wonder if removing these shoots will improve the quality of the shallots since I don't want to save their seed?

This is what they look like:


texts: How should we care for a rosebush in a large container (too heavy to move) over winter?

texts:
With the flat, we inherited a large (150 cm x 50 cm and about 50 cm deep), earth-filled container on the balcony. A rose bush is growing in it. We will get some frosts over the winter but not every day.

I can only find advice about smaller containers. This advice is generally to bring the container into a garage or unheated room. We do not have a garage and the container is much too big and heavy to move.

What should we do to care for the plant now that frosts are due? Can we keep it safe or will it die?


texts: Something's digging in the shredded bark, unearthing our shrubs/roses/perennials.  What is it and what's it after?  It's July in Michigan -- a little late for grubs, right?


texts:
I bought a Yucca in fall 2018:

It was growing so big as I have plenty of sun and was so beautiful:

I google and read it was possible to split the plant, repot, cut the base as well so I did it as I want to make 2 plants, was growing to tall and heavy, taking so much room for the size of the place but unfortunately one of the plant is struggling.
The tall one I cut about 20cm of the root and repotted. The smaller one, just repotted. Both where struggling and foliage was too heavy for stems and flop over.
After a few weeks, the small came back straight up:

But the tall one is dying:

I cut it in November 2020, maybe not the best period as winter was there. I put sticks to keep the stem up for over a month to help the stems stay straight so it could maybe regained energy in the stem but it did not work. As you can see the stems are strong at the bottom but weak and with weird shape at the top. The top stems are so fine and soft that it can’t hold the foliage. I cut one stem to see if it will re-grow around it but I guess it is too early to tell.
I make sure not to over/under water, gave some fertilizer but still struggling.
The plant is alive and I want to save it even if it looks ugly right now. Anyone here to guide me on what to do next and how long it would take?


texts:
and how can I identify different begonia types

enter image description here


texts: Making compost using regular soil or specific soil

texts: I have a garden in my house and some open space which has normal earth where I plant some trees.. To make compost do I have to mix the biodegradable material with a specific kind of soil or can I use any soil to mix.. The soil I have is a bit sandy good enough to grow a mango tree.. While my garden has a lawn which I assume is more compact soil where I plant trees is a bit sandy


texts: Treating AC condensate water to make it good for plant watering

texts:
Late last summer we tested capturing the condensate that is pumped out of our central AC unit, and found it produced ~14 gallons per day when it's hot/humid out.  That would go a decent way towards filing our plant watering needs.
However, I've read that AC condensate can be slightly acidic, and maybe not the best for all types of plants.  Is there an easy way to treat the water with something that would make it better for general watering?
Garden lime seemed like it would be worth asking about in particular, but not sure if it would be able to treat water like that.  If so, any idea how much lime to use per gallon, and how to prepare?  If lime couldn't be used, any other ideas?
I should add that many of our plants are in containers or in a raised bed on our back deck.  So having the water be appropriate for container irrigation is important, if that's a consideration.


texts: How many blueberries are produced per flower?

texts: This seems like an easy answer to find on Google but I couldn't find it when I searched, so maybe somebody here knows.


texts: What is this tan dried wood on my citrus tree?

texts: On my tangelo tree, I have a lot of tan branches that are dried and don't have vegetation. What is causing this and should it be thinned off? I'm wondering if it has any relation to the desired tan branches of grape vines - those are the two year old branches that can grow fruit.


texts: How much swap-space should a leave in my compost tumbler?

texts: My wife and I decided to try composting and after filling a five gallon bucket in three weeks with kitchen scraps we took the jump and bought a two-chamber tumbler (so we can add to one side while the other is composting). After adding in some more leaves and grass and scraps one barrel between half and two thirds the way full. I know I want to aerate it by turning, so I need some room for the food to tumble, but how much? Can I continue filling the active side, or should I move to the other side. I get the feeling I'm balancing between wanting as much mass as possible (to retain heat) with being able to effectively aerate the pile.


texts: Planting a flower plant under a huge mango tree

texts:
I have got this flower tree that i found near a pond. Dunno what it is bit its beautiful, so i have decided to get a small one and plant it in my garden.

But i have about 6 mango trees in an area of about 400sq.m. i am concerned that there's nothing left in the soil for my plants. I wont cut the mango trees. I saw my aunt plant a rose after slightly cutting the root of a similar tree. She made a small "incision" and then put the rose plant in it(few of its roots). It is healthy now. It was a long time ago and so i need details of this can be replicated.


texts: Please help identify this plant - red stem, 7 pointed green leaves

texts:
I have a habit of picking up seeds/pods from wherever I happen to be, and of sticking them along with pits, etc from edibles into pots to see what grows. (one species to a pot) This sprouted last October. The picture is what it looks like now (April)...I have no idea what I planted.
Thank you for your help.

enter image descript[]1ion here


texts: Can I use tap water as an alternative to rain water on my Venus fly trap?

texts:
Can I leave tap water to stand outside in order for the fluorine and other baddies in tap water to evaporate?

Could I boil it for the same result?


texts: Will 3/16 inch spiles significantly reduce the amount of sap I will collect?

texts: Made maple syrup last year for the first time ever, with a mix of 7/16 plastic spiles and a pack of 3/16 inch spiles I bought from Amazon.  Yes 3/16 inch, not a mistake, not 5/16 inch.  As last year was a very poor sugaring off year (even the local sugar bush had extremely low production) I do not know if my low collection amount was also due to the smaller sized spiles.  I used the larger spiles in my biggest trees.  I am tapping Manitoba maples (box elders) which don't generally get as big or live as long as other maples and I am only tapping trees that are in my yard so I do want to keep the damage to a minimum as all my trees are precious.  Should I switch to larger (5/16) spiles or will the 3/16 spiles be okay?  A small reduction in the amount I collect would be all right with me if it is better for the tree.


texts: What is this small eucalypt-like landscape tree in California?

texts:
I would like to identify this tree, and particularly to confirm or eliminate it as a possible host for Thaumastocoris peregrinus recently sighted nearby. The leaves are glossy and have no eucalyptol scent when crushed. The trees range from ~4-8 meters in height and, judging from the area where they've been planted, aren't expected to become very large.

(In the first image, only the two closest trees are the type in question.)


texts: What is this white fuzz on my mango seedling?

texts:
My mango seedling has some white fuzzy fungus-like spot on one of its leaves. What is it, and what should I do about it?
A quick google search suggests powdery mildew, but I doubt that's it as the pictures don't match 100%. However, it has been very hot and I did let him dry out too much recently (which is said to promote powdery mildew).

PS: this is not the same seedling as in my previous questions 1 & 2.


texts: How to keep a tree and the grass around it well watered?

texts:
I am having a problem with keep the grass around my trees green. Half a dozen trees died in the area last year, so I am trying to make sure that doesn't happen to more. I suspect I am not getting enough water to the area despite having almost maxed out my water rationing.

I remembered awhile back seeing a rod that you would stick in the ground that water a few feet below the ground level in order to keep the roots growing deep and not pulling water that the grass needs. Here is an example on Amazon. I wasn't able to find one at my local hardware store and the selection is very small online. This has got me wondering if they really don't work that well.

So, are these actually helpful to use? If not, is there any approach I should be taking to try to get enough water to this area?

My current water rationing allows me to water 2 days a week for a total of 10 hours during each of those days. Split this across 10 zones and I am maxed out at an hour per zone, 2 days a week. Currently I am watering this area for 45 minutes, 2 days a week.


texts: What happens when you grow your plants in essentially worm castings?

texts: I've heard of people adding worm castings to their garden soil, but what happens if you're on the worm casting extreme, and plant directly into worm castings?


texts: Why are the leaves of my orchid turning brown?

texts:
My orchid's leaves have turned into a reddish/brown color recently. Is it receiving too much direct sun (spring has started here, but is was also in this location last summer and had no problems) or is something else going on?

The only pictures of "burned" leaves I could find had a more yellow color than mine.

The leaves were a bright-green color in the past (like the color in the center of the leaves). It is normally in front of a south/west facing window. It has been flowering for quite a while now.

Update in June: The newer leaves have turned back to green. New leaves are appearing. Fertilizing definitely helped. Here's a picture of how it looks now:

Source


texts: What is this plant? Is it a lavender, russian sage, or something else?

texts: I had 4 plants near my front door. One of them died and I was trying to replace it. I bought a lavender from Home Depot and it was totally different as you can see (the small one in the middle of my larger ones (around 2 feet high 3 feet wide)). Can you help me identify what my plant is? What type? Where to buy it from? Any other suggestions (alternatives that will be about similar size and looks nice with mine)? Thank you in advance. I live in Phoenix (can get real hot) and this will receive the afternoon sun.


texts: Identification of a tiny, worm-like insect/parasite

texts:
I noticed small insects in my flower pot that I would like to know more about.
They are usually extremely small (1-3mm); slightly resemble either minuscule caterpillars/worms of a greenish-yellowish tint, but the smallest ones resemble moving pieces of hair, grey or translucent - not longer and bigger than a hair clipping from someone shaving a two-day beard.

I tried to capture a yellow one - the biggest one I could find, here (in the middle of the image):

some of the others, smaller ones look like this (sorry for the low quality, I would need a microscope to get a proper image!):

Although they kind of remind me of a horror film ("Body Bags", 1993), I am not particularly scared.
But I would nevertheless like to know:

-what these insects are called

-whether or not they are parasites and will hurt the plants

-if they present a danger for humans in general and near food in particular (the flower pot is in the kitchen 60cm away from a fruit cup)

EDIT: The pot was bought at Whole Foods in California, originally had Mint in it. The mint died and I placed poppy seeds in the pot which started to sprout. I also recently tried to plant some fennel I picked in a field, but I don't know at what time these bugs appeared.


texts:
This 2.5m tall plant (southern Canadian Rockies)

looks similar to parsley:

and the seeds taste similar, but I can't find any mention of such  a tall variety.


texts: Recently I discovered these spots on some of my succulents. It had been raining heavily a week back, and now it's quite sunny. I haven't watered it since the rains fell. The spots are raised, and don't move. Some of the bumps have turned brown while some are just the color of the leaves. I thought they might be edema but not very sure.


texts:
I noticed that the wire named Twist tie is also named Garden wire. But I can't find such wires used in gardening when searching "Garden wire" on Google images.

What is the typical use for this kind of wire in gardening? For joining plants? Or for making small fences?


texts:
My indoor snake plant seems to be losing more leaves than it's growing. It started off as a pretty crowded pot, now it has reduced itself to this. I have another one in my office that's doing perfectly, the only difference is it's in a clay pot. Both get indoor lighting, the dying one probably gets a little more light reflected from the front door window. Same infrequent waterings. I punctured holes in the plastic pot to help the soil drain better, but it was dying before I did this. Should I transfer to a clay pot and resoil?

Click for a larger version


texts: I have a Dracaena cutting that has taken very well and there is good upwards growth but it is just a single stem at the moment. Is there any way to promote braching is this type of plant?


texts: Bonsai Ficus, recently repotted now roots growing from surface

texts:
I repotted a Golden gate Ficus bonsai about a month ago and just noticed something today I'm not sure about.

It appears 5-6 root tips have hit the sides of the pot, growing on the surface and some are trying to climb over the side!

I hadent seen this happen the last two times I repotted so I wanted to ask if I should be concerned.

Something different this time I repotted is I used an unglazed clay pot. Could that be bad? I also used a slightly different soil mixture due to running out of bonsai soil, about 35% bonsai soil, 35% cactus soil, 15% sand, 15% vermiculite.
Maybe the soil isn't right? It was in 100% bonsai dirt before.

Maybe it's not a problem and will make some beautiful looking surface roots?

I'm uploading some pictures. The far shot shows the tree in it's current pot on the left, the Jade on the right is in the pot this tree was in before I repotted this spring.

Thank you!!


texts: I need some help please, I grow my own chilies and I am struggling to identify them and not sure what they should look like for picking, what colour should they be?


texts: Can I start Cannabis sativa out of edible husked seeds bought in grocery store

texts:
Recently I bought in grocery store edible husked Cannabis sativa seeds
Can I start a plant out of eadible husked seeds? If no then why?

I'm asking if a plant will actually start out of husked seeds, not if it's legal to grow Cannabis.


texts: Planting Meyer Lemon in shade from fence until the tree grows taller

texts:
I am in Oakland, CA. I have a Meyer Lemon that I purchased from a nursery that is about 3' tall. I want to plant it in the corner of my yard between two eight foot fences. The plant will get some morning sunlight and a bit of light filtering through the fences in the afternoon, but mostly afternoon shade.

My hope is that the tree grows taller than the fences, where it will get lots of sun and full afternoon sun, but I'm not sure if the tree will survive to get tall enough for this to work.

Should I go ahead and plant the tree in the ground now, or should I leave it in a container in a sunny spot for a year or so to let it grow taller?

Thanks!


texts: What's the name of this flower? We live in the Caribbean.


texts: Help with identifiying tree with deciduous maple like leaves

texts:
This shrub/tree is growing in an old pasture that I use for holding stock.  I've always wondered what it is.

It appears to be spreading with its root system.  Growth rate medium. No fruit seeds or flowers that I can recall. If we don't have any ideas I'll update in the spring with some new pics.

Size is about 2 meters high and 4 meters in diameter.

Soil is clay alkaline.

Location is Utah.

Under the Köppen climate classification, It has a continental climate (Dsa)

USDA zone 7


texts: My White pine (about 100 ft tall with a diameter of 2 ft) has had root damage. 12' away from the base of the trunk a one foot deep trench on the west side was dug to bury an electrical line. The trench was then back filled. I have been reading a lot about this tree and I'm worried it will die. Can anybody help me with information about this situation?


texts: Zone 7 fruit trees that will thrive in wet soil

texts:
I'm looking to get a line of fruit trees growing at the edge of my property, which:

is in Zone 7, Northern Virginia
is not well drained / is often moist
gets full sun
is about 100ft of linear space (E.g. I want to plant X number of trees in a 100ft straight line on the edge of the property, but I would also be open to doing a "checkerboard" pattern, so two rows of trees, staggered, along the 100ft line.)

Interested in:

pear (I've read that the P. betulaefolia rootstock is good for wet soil)
apple
others?

Please share your suggestions!


texts: I keep reading about sea buckthorn in sandy soil, can I plant them in rich black soil for better results?

texts: I have a part of the yard that is incredibly rich top soil, can I plant them in the soil to give them the initial boost for a few years?


texts: what is this white thing that is attached to the small stems and leaves of this guvava tree?

texts:
Location is southern parts of india. They have a white wedge like appearance and black spot on the center.

I would like to know what these are and how to get rid of them?


texts: It has been like that for quite a while it looks like something upset her. What is wrong with it?


texts: Small Nectarine plants - Leaves turn yellow

texts:
I planted some nectarine seeds a while ago and they have been growing slow but steady for the past few months. I have 4 smaller (approx. same-size all of them) plants and I've seen that lately the leaves of two of them are turning yellow. Even with a redish tip. What could be the cause of this? I can't see any bugs or attack of any kind. These plants are placed indoors with a constant temperature or 18-20 deg C. During the previous months (winter here in France) they have received limited amount of sun.

What could be the cause? Too much water? Too little water? Nutrient deficiency?

Thanks in advance!


texts: Entertaining, privacy producing, driveway bed plants

texts:
I'm looking for a small tree or shrub recommendation for the bed on the side of my driveway. I live in Providence, RI (zone 6, maybe zone 7 since we're in the middle of the heat island that is our city.) The bed is ~2 & 1/2' wide by ~25 feet long, raised, in full sun and has good (perhaps somewhat acid) soil. I'm looking for something that'll give us some privacy from our neighbors: I think that means evergreen or something deciduous with a dense branching structure, and grows to at least 8' (as large as 20'.)

I'd also love something that flowers: Elderberries might work there but I'm not sure if it fits the description (bonus re: this plant, I can make wine from the fruit and, double bonus, it's native to RI.) What I definitely don't like is juniper/arborvitae/hemlock/cypress. As far as I'm concerned those plants just sit there and do nothing. C'mon, do something to entertain me, plant. At least have foliage that changes, or flowers, etc.

It would also be helpful to be able to hedge/train/prune the plant into an upright form so our car can get by.

What would you suggest!?


texts: Do I need to/should I till up lawn before putting raised beds on top?

texts:
I have a lawn that I am considering turning into more garden space.  (roughly 25' x 25')

I've done raised beds on top of an existing garden in the past, but never on top of lawn/grass without ripping up the sod/grass.

Would I run into issues just putting soil on top of the lawn and putting in beds, or should I rip up the grass?  I suspect it might work ok, and want to avoid tilling (400 sq feet or so) but I am not sure. (Especially as someone else pointed out issues with root crops)

I'm curious if anyone has had experience or definite knowledge about this

EDIT - after a request for a little more detail

The goal is to have veggies and likely a greenhouse over them for parts of the year (plastic tunnel ala Eliot Coleman).

beets
carrots
spinach
peppers (sweet and habanero)
tomatoes
herbs (rosemary, dill, basil)
cucumbers
squash
beans
peas
onions
etc

I might even try artichokes


texts: The only place that I can find a reference to goji berries having thorns is on a reputable sellers website, but none of the big vidiographers mention anything about it. Do they have thorns?


texts: Need help determining all possible locations for growing plants

texts:
I am creating a social media website for gardeners. One of the features is that gardeners can create their own garden journals.
A user can indicate in the garden journal where he or she is growing the plants that are the subject of the garden journal. For instance the location could be the balcony, a cold frame, a field etc. Other gardeners who want to grow something in a similar location and are looking for inspiration on what they can grow there will then be able to search for all the garden journals that are based on the same location. I have made this list so far:
INDOORS,
BALCONY,
PORCH_OR_VERANDA,
PAVILION_OR_GAZEBO,
ROOFTOP_TERRACE,
PATIO_OR_DECK,
PERGOLA_OR_ARBOR,
GARDEN,
FIELD,
COLD_FRAME,
POLYTUNNEL,
GREENHOUSE,
CONSERVATORY;

Is this list exhaustive enough or did i miss some locations?


texts:
Just in the past week, just as my grapes are ripening, this powder is showing up on some of them, and some of the green stocks are showing some brown.
What’s wrong and how do I fix it?
The vine is about 4 years old and we are in the Pacific North West.
Edit, the leaves are not really affected yet, just the stocks.


texts: Dracena Marginata has new leaves growing white

texts: I've had this dracena plant for almost 2 years now and today I noticed that the top growing leaves are white. Is this normal? I looked at the top leaves a while ago and didn't notice the white colours.


texts: Is it normal for Pak Choi (Bok Choy) seedlings to come up so varied in colour and leaf shape?

texts: It's my first time with Pak Choi (Bok Choy) and so I don't know what seedlings normally look like. But should they be this varied in shape and colour?


texts: What is this bug skeletonizing some of my tomato leaves?

texts:
This insect is causing minor damage to tomato leaves in my garden.

Critter is mostly black with tan wing suit around the periphery. The wing suit is not between the legs which it extends as required to move. Body about 5mm diameter (it is quite round) and nearly 10mm long including the antennae. It is quite hard and resists a press with thumb pad but yields to a thumb nail. Quite easy to catch, but can move quite rapidly when disturbed and given time to extend legs. It resembles in many ways a scale insect but does not feed like a scale insect on sap, rather it munches down on the thin leaf tissues between the veins leaving fairly large round holes and leaves skeletonized. It does not appear to be in the usual published lists of tomato bugs, so maybe it normally feeds elsewhere and for this season is holidaying in my tomato patch or it is just a juvenile stage of some more familiar pest.

I'll see if I can find it munching down on anything else locally. Located in Ontario, Canada.


texts: Is it ok to bury concrete rubble under my garden?

texts:
I'm knocking down a garage in my garden.  The builder has broken up the concrete slab but is stating the it should be ok to bury the rubble.
I'm less certain.  A broken up concrete slab will contain a lot of alkaline. I'm also concerned about drainage.
If left, the rubble will be ~ 40cm below ground level.  Part of the buried area will be turfed, part will be planted with flower beds.
Advice appreciated!


texts: What ate the leaves of my bell pepper plant?

texts:
I planted a sweet orange bell pepper plant last week in my garden bed, which was converted from a fire pit. It's only half a foot tall and hasn't flowered yet. One day, an entire leaf was chewed off. On the next day, almost all the leaves were chewed off.
The neighboring tomato plant and strawberry plants are untouched. I looked for worms but didn't find any. Last week, I did kill a white caterpillar shaped worm though. Today, I did squash some slugs that I found on my strawberry plants, but they didn't seem to be doing major damage to those plants.
Yesterday, I saw a squirrel gnaw on the leaves of dandelions. Last year, I noticed that the squirrels were fond of weeds, but they never touched my real plants. Could they have changed their attack plan this year?

Update April 12, 2015
This morning, I discovered that the last leaf of the orange bell pepper was chewed off. Also, my Sugar Baby Icebox Watermelon seedlings were also attacked in a similar manner. I had neatly piled cedar mulch around the watermelon. I see that the mulch was disheveled and the soil was indented. An insect would not be able to move mulch around like that. It must be the squirrel by process of elimination.


texts: Should we help seedlings recover from a bent shape?

texts:
Young seedlings are susceptible to bending caused by external force such as heavy wind or flood. The seedlings just lie on the soil and cannot lift up by itself.

Should we help them?

I have been growing a pepper chilli. It was bent to the ground because of lack of support. I forgot to help it recover (usually with a stick and a string to tie them). It continued to grow and grow straight up from the bending point, in a 90 degree turn. The bending point was hardened and I don't think that it is hurting the plant.


texts:
I grew some green pole beans (variety unknown) this year from commercial seed, and I'd like to harvest some seeds from the plants to regrow for next year.

How do I do this?

I tried just picking some beans, pulling the seeds out of the pod, and starting them in a wet paper towel in a baggie in the window, which is the same way we started the commercial bean seeds. They just rotted.

Do they need to grow longer than for eating, and if so, how do I know when they are ready? Is there any treatment or preparations required before planting?


texts: I have a young (2-3 year old) redbud tree that has some low branches that are sagging and need to be pruned. I know the preferred time of year to do so has already passed (early summer, just after flowering). Is it still safe to do it now, in mid-summer? Or should I wait until winter? What's the risk/downside if I do it now?


texts:
My Chinese elm suffers from an infestation that I am having a hard time diagnosing & treating. About a week ago, I noticed tiny, rod-shaped white spots, mostly on young leaves, which spread rapidly. Some close up images (complete set including videos here):

Other possibly relevant information:

Afflicted leaves suffer quite a bit, particularly the young ones.
I've not noticed any other stadium of those insects, in particular no winged forms. That seems to exclude Whiteflies & Thrips. My googling skills have not turned up any other common pests that match those in appearance.
I've submerged the tree in soap water for ≈ 30 minutes on two consecutive days: That seems to curb their population a bit, but it unfortunately quickly rebounds (within ≈12h).
I am based in central Europe.

So, my question is: What could this be and how can I treat it?


texts: How can i improve drainage in my containers if potting soil or the components that make up potting soil aren't available in my city?

texts: I have quite a few container plants and most take about an hour (some even more) for the excess water to drain out completely. I raised the issue with my local nursery and they tell me it's fine, no need to worry. The internet however says not more then 15 mins. The pictures below are from the nursery showing how container plants are sold here. It's just topsoil with no amendments other then a little compost. Should i be worried? I hear adding sand helps alot but then again, i also hear that doing so will further compact the soil so, not really sure what to do here.


texts:
I love the idea of edible landscapes, and asparagus is a nice early season treat that can wind up looking great in certain areas. BUT I don't want to waste time planting it all over if the deer are just going to eat it.

Does anyone have experience with this?


texts:
I had planned to start some plants indoors for the vegetable garden this year to try more disease resistant varieties but between being busy and the weather being cold for so long I completely forgot.

I'm going to buy transplants but still want to want to do some plants from seeds. Namely some tomatoes and hot peppers.

A few days ago I planted some seeds in peat pellets and yesterday I noticed the tomato seedlings have already come up and are  now sitting by a south facing window with some artificial light to help them get a better head start.

Can anyone give me advice for late starts?

Things like:

Only doing a few. Should I not bother and just buy plants?

Can I start to harden them off early since the weather will be warmer or should I stick to the normal schedule?

Should I just direct sow? I have already sown some other seeds in a covered raised bed where I plan on putting some of the tomato and pepper starts.

Basically what would you do if you were in my shoes and you normally plant transplants out in the next week or two.

I'm in Zone 6.


texts: Hi, I bought a mint plant from Walmart, figuring I can repot it and make it grow bigger. However it just keeps growing taller. I have 6-7” of just stem, with leaves on top. How/where should I trim it to make it bushier/fuller please?


texts:
First I must say, I am not quite sure the plant is really a Dracaena…

Well, I see lot of similar plants growing a "multiple" head with several stems but mine is only growing straight up.

I have been researching a little bit about growing but my native tongue isn't -English and the translator doesn't help me that much when searching for the terms.

So far, I see I have to cut the top of the plant and seal it so it has to start growing from the laterals. Is this the only way?

Can I just cut some leaves and insert them to the main stem and they will grow from there?


texts:
Soon my tomato harvest is done and I wonder whether I can leave the roots in the ground for rotting or whether I should get them out.

I heard that for some other annuals leaving the root in the ground as adding nitrogen to it. Does this apply to tomatoes as well?

Are there any risks? Are there any benefits?

UPDATE: Thanks to a comment I forgot to mention that I assume that the roots won't survive my -10 °C winter.


texts: This thing is growing at the edge of my back yard. What is it? (It has a sort of leathery looking bark, if it matters.)


texts: Over the years of planting tomatoes I have had a problem with a lot of the fruit cracking. I need some advice as to how to eliminate that.


texts: How to Separate or Propagate Limonium Perezii aka: Statice?

texts:
I have an overgrown limonium perezii that I want to propagate it to the nearby areas. I tried cutting a branch (without any root) and planting it into moist soil. That didn't work. I also tried just spreading the withered flowers (seeds) onto bare soil. That didn't work either.

Can anyone suggest the most effective ways to separate or propagate it?

Picture reference:


texts: I have a lot of what I think is Clover in my garden. Should I be concerned?


texts: Is it a bad idea to put a pot over a bucket to mimic a water table?

texts: I have a black walnut establishing itself in a hanging basket pot on top of a 5 gallon bucket so it can get all of the water it wants. Is this a good, or bad idea? Why?


texts: How do I get rid of the sucking bugs eating the leaves in my garden?

texts: I have a permaculture garden which is overrun by these red/black bugs which are killing plant leaves. How do I get rid of them, preferably without spraying pesticides?


texts: Could someone please identify this plant?

texts: I need help identifying this plant, it may have made my dog sick.


texts:
In my recent backyard (since 1.5 year), I have been clumsy (and lazy). This not so young lavender (Lavandula) was blooming last summer, and I neglected cutting the flowers at the right time. I just let it go. During Fall, I looked at garden for dummies' advices. I tried to pruning branches on "green" parts only, as suggested. And circled it by a wired to keep the shrub straight.

I understood dead branches  won't bloom again. I probably pruned too much, this is the present look. The front looks quite dead. It has a lot of rosemary bugs that I handpick, but I cannot blame them, honestly.

What should I do, and when  to revive the plant, and have it grow away from the bottom and not the back and  top only?
Would one  suggest me to leave it a little time, and try for instance propagation by cuttings?


texts:
I shifted to new house last year and garden is a mess, now the time is good and sun is good. I wanted to find out how can I make my garden a lush green which is habitat to sitting in the sun/playing. I.e play down compost and plant grass but don’t know where to start.
Typically in my last house I would take the weed out (here I don’t know what is weed n grass) and fill in compost with putting grass plants around. Is that still the right way? Following are my garden picture

The last picture has a bed of wood. That was a shed but due to mice and rats no one is touching the base. My wife told me to cover/bury in under compost but I wanted to find out what is the best solution.


texts:
As I drink quite some tea, I often wondered what to do with the remaining leaves. Googling around, I found that I could use them to fertilize plants. But from different sources, one even suggesting to let the leaves ferment in water for a couple of weeks before using the water. That leave me to some related questions:

can I simply lay the used leaves at the bottom of plants? Or should it be dried, or fermented?
is it good for both house plants and outside plants?
does green or black tea makes a difference?

I think that those questions are related enough to be combined.


texts: What is this plant with red growths on its leaves?

texts:
This plant or tree is in front of my house.

Can somebody identify this one? Its height is around five feet, and it has cherry-like red growths on the leaves, like in these photos:

Further to my question, I dissected this red thing and Mr. Dan Sorensen is right. I could see small insect in side.

This plant is from Bangalore, India. I just want to know what plant is this and how useful is this plant.


texts: Does anyone know what’s wrong with my Areca Palm?

texts:
I’m quite new to this, honestly should have done this earlier. I got plants to keep me company in this lonely place as I’m in uni, I’ve had my plants since September and to be honest it’s been a long winter I’m glad they were doing well until maybe early December late November. The roots stopped absorbing water. I didn’t water them too frequently, I thought it might have been because there wasn’t enough sun or that it was cold. (I’m currently making plans to find an alternate source of light.) I had realised that they weren’t taking in water until it was too late.

The leaves started dying, turning brown at the tips. Then there was almost like a fungus growing on the base of the soil. So I looked it up and it said it’s cause I overwatered and I hadn’t to act quickly or else they’d die. So I went out, bought new bags of fresh soil. Repotted then and started monitoring them. 80% of the leaves are still green. They’re absorbing water now but still they seem to be dying. I went out and bought anti fungus stuff and things that promote growth. And they started to look a bit better. I pulled out the dead leaves and kept the healthy ones and there were signs of new life!! But still, the white dots persisted. Now they’re dying again and I honestly don’t know what to do anymore I’m so stressed.

Currently:

1.The leaves have brown spots on them, almost black.
2. The bottom of the stems have this white dot/ almost powdery substance on them.
3. I opened up one of the stems and it was almost like there’s were being eaten from the inside, the roots of the stems are hollow.
4. Fungus still reappears sometimes on the soil.

I don’t want to give up since they’re fighting so hard. I can’t take them outside cause I live in an apartment complex. It currently still freezing cold/winter if that helps. I’d really appreciate any help whatsoever, I’m desperate.

Thank you in advanced


texts: When is the earliest I should put out roses in Illinois?

texts:
I'd like to surprise my partner and buy some flowers for our patio in Chicago. I've read online that roses are relatively allergen friendly and do well in our zone (5b). After checking around I also read that Oso Easy roses are relatively easy to grow.

Assuming all of that is the case, and I buy two small rose bushes and put them in bucket planters, do I have to wait until summer before putting them outside? If so, when is best? (And is there anything else I should know?)


texts: What is wrong with this tomato plant with yellow and black spotted leaves? [picture]

texts: What is wrong with this tomato plant? The yellow with black spots has been spreading through the plant. I am hoping someone knows exactly what this is and how I can treat it or prevent it.


texts: Will top dressing over moss kill the moss?

texts:
I have some very mossy areas in my lawn, I began to address this with soil samples, aeration, branch removal for more sun and of moss killer last summer/fall.  This spring I plan to top dress areas of my lawn.  Specifically the really poor areas where the moss has taken the biggest foothold.

Do I need to kill the moss first, or remove it before top dressing?  Will a new healthier soil promote moss growth?

My intention is about 1.5 to 2 inches of soil over the very poor areas. So the moss would be covered.

I am interested in specifically what the effect of covering the moss with soil will do.  Will it kill it? Make it stronger? Do nothing?


texts: What is Aussie Native Potting Mix made of?

texts:
My question is about Australian Native potting mix. Most of the species of Aussie natives do NOT need high nutrient soil but it needs only the low phosphorus fertiliser + the normal garden soil.
I have seen such potting mixes available in nursery stores but that's very expensive considering the size of potting mix bag vs price. Hence I was thinking to make my own.
If I just use normal garden soil and put some chicken pellet manured fertiliser then does it mean that it satisfies the requirements mentioned (low phosphorus fertiliser + the normal garden soil)?
Thank you for your help...


texts: Bird of Paradise leaves dying/drying out with central pallor

texts: Photo 1 was presumably from a spider mite infection that was (hopefully) resolved, but this past week a newer leaf started to deteriorate (photo 2). I water it when it completely dries out in the winter and keep it damp in the spring/summer months. It was recently repotted to a cloth pot but don't know if that would cause any issues. I haven't fertilized it since September. So far no other leaves have had any issues. What am I doing wrong here?


texts:
I've got some old tools (shovels and pitchforks) that were my grandparents. The metal parts look like they were painted (a lot has worn off), I want to sharpen them and fix them up following the advice in Rodales Garden Encyclopedia - sand and reseal the handles and all (they're already in OK shape, but I want to keep them for my kids).

But, I'm just wondering if it's a good idea to repaint the bare metal because I think it would make them dull (not to mention leech into the soil).

How could I make them look good either way?


texts:
I've got these citrus trees in my back yard but they're surrounded by weeds (5 foot high). The garden bed is elevated and hard to mow.

I also have this old carpet just waiting to be thrown away.

I'm thinking about weed whacking the weeds and then laying the carpet over them to stop them coming back, then covering it with pine bark.

Long term, is this a good way to deal with weeds?


texts: Getting a grapefruit tree to bear fruit in Phoenix, AZ?

texts: We planted a grapefruit tree in our yard about 3 years ago. It was probably about 2 feet at the time. It is now about 6 feet and looks healthy, gets plenty of water and hubby has fertilized it some, but it has not flowered or bore any fruit. We are obviously not gardeners! But we would like to bring this tree to fruit-bearing. Any suggestions? Thank you!


texts: The dry conditions caused the leader on the tree to drop its leaves this summer. Do I need to prune it or wait to see what happens next spring?


texts: Monstera with tiny white flecks (spores?), large brown spots, small white dots

texts:
I thought this might be under-watering but have just noticed these small white flecks (first photo) - they can be brushed off but are covering the entire plant, even the healthy leaves and stems. They seem too small to be scale insects and I can’t see any spider mites. There are dark brown patches on a lot of the leaves, and one of the stems has started turning brown too (second photo). There are also small (approx 0.5 mm) brown/white dots that are discolourations of the leaf itself (third photo). I've had this monstera for around three years and it's been completely fine until the last few weeks.
My flatmates monstera has had a similar issue. It has deteriorated over a few months and is now completely covered in large brown patches. I'm not sure if it also had the white flecks/small dots. Wondering if could be a bug that has spread.
Very grateful for any help!


texts: What is this large tree with many suckers growing from the trunk?

texts:
Can anyone help me identify the following tree? It has large leaves and a number of new sections (suckers) growing from the trunk.

Any help would be gratefully received.

*Note: This may be a similar (or identical) species to another tree I am trying to identify. See this question.


texts:
Upstate New York is experiencing a severe drought that I never even thought was possible in what I have always known as a permanently wet and cloudy region.

I have left my lawn unmowed for over a month and in my neighborhood, more ground is brown than green, which is a first for me.  We have some trees providing shade so certain areas are better than others, but overall things are pretty dry.

Should I leave the lawn as it is and wait a while until we get more rain, or should I mow it sooner rather than later?  And for either action, is there a significant downside?


texts:
I purchased a Monstera from a coworker. She said it’s grown new leaves nonstop but I don’t know what conditions it lived in before. I now have it next to a large east facing window (unfortunately, my apartment doesn’t get enough light in the winter for my plants to be overly happy) and water it when the soil feels dry. The largest of the leaves split in a few places, but it’s certainly not spectacular.
I’d really like to make the plant more attractive looking. Right now, it sort of looks like a plant explosion. All the leaf stems cross cross and tangle, and masses of tiny leaves keep growing making it look bushy and scraggly.
Don’t get me wrong, I still love him, but how can I make things tidier? Is it best to trim Monsteras, or should I be tying it to stakes to make it look more upright? I took a couple trimmings to experiment with propagation, but I’d be afraid of over doing it. I just feel like something should be done to help maintain the quality and health of the plant as well as making it look less... chaotic.


texts: Is making wild garden giant (wine cap) spawn similar to making bread?

texts:
I saw a video on youtube on making mycototes, and was wondering if I can make the spawn by just making a loaf from flour, coffee grounds, water, sugar, and blended wine caps then put it in a 5 gallon bucket to propagate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDilzpuLB-8


texts: What is this tree with ovate-elliptical, serrate leaves, and racemes of small berries?

texts:
Asking from northeast New Jersey. Sorry I couldn't get a better picture of it - I'm hoping this is enough to identify it. These pictures were taken from below the tree branches. The tree is in the front yard, is a little taller than the one-story house it's in front of and I think is wider than it is tall (hard to tell because a portion of it is getting crowded out by a large pine tree). It currently has small round berries growing on it that are various shades of green and yellow at the moment.

EDIT: Here are pictures of the bark and trunk as well as the top of the tree. When I went out to take these new pictures, I realized this isn't the tree I thought I was talking about - this particular tree is growing next to the side of the house, and there appears to be an identical one growing right next to it. It has some ivy and virginia creeper climbing on it as you will see.


texts: English ivy - Leaves and branches drying and very minuscule insects of white color

texts:
I recently bought english ivy from one of the flower/plant shop in the healthy state. It has been almost a month since then, it was not doing bad however recently noticed that leaves are drying and falling down.

This plan is kept in hall and has some indirect sun-light, not direct though. Since, the drying was increasing, I checked the plants for the disease or any other issue. Found out that it is attached by some very small minuscule insects of white color. I saw them moving within their web/net. Kind of spider web is formed by these insects.

I am thinking of spraying some soap water to get rid off this. Appreciate any expert advice on this.

Below is image:


texts:
I am wanting to grow some Goji Berry bushes.

A few months ago I soaked some (regular dried store bought) Goji fruit, then cut them open, used the baggie method to germinate the individual seeds and transplanted them.

The plants started growing, but all of them (and there were more then a dozen) died after transplanting them - I suspect I transplanted them way to early, and also the environment was wrong.    I want to try again now that Spring is on its way - but want to avoid the mistakes I made.

[ At the moment New Zealand is going into Spring its still quite cold - most days are 10-15 degrees C outside, but a lot of sun, and nights between 3 and 15 c.    I can keep them indoors in an artificial environment, but I suspect my growing light is not great for them.  I also have a polytunnel - this seems to be nice and warm during the day, but cut out a lot of light and probably only marginally warmer then outside at night ]

Questions:

Should I remove the Goji seeds from the Goji Berry when trying to germinate them or am I better just planting the whole Goji Berry fruit in the ground ?
Does the temperature of the ground need to be consistently over 22 degrees for germination to occur ?
Once germination has occurred how do I get the seedlings to a point where I can plant them in the ground outside without them dying ?


texts:
It has been months since I put the worms in my pot. A bug ecosystem has been established and I bet those worms are reproducing fast. The bugs mostly come for the food I give them. Only a few like a red queen ant(which shouldn't be a fire ant but still, why red and not black?) would bother the worms and even then, I am sure the worms eat those as they are eating soil.

Every time a batch is close to fully decomposed(so about every 2 weeks, longer for leaves), I take a sniff of the soil to make sure there isn't too much nitrogen. If it doesn't smell earthy(In my case I don't get an ammonia smell, thank god), I add more carbon along with the nitrogen or if it is too strong, stop the nitrogen. These past few times I fed them, I gave them carbon and only carbon in the form of leaves(both dry from last year and fresh from fallen branches) because the nitrogenous smell was too strong. Thankfully it is getting back to an earthy smell so I should be able to put fruit and vegetable scraps in there soon.

Anyway, I have been keeping the large branches that fall off near my pot but haven't actually put any in there. I was wondering if I could safely add those branches if I break them into reasonable size sticks. I mean the wood could add some good nutrients and high carbon at the same time. Plus, there has to be a way to decompose them(not all of them of course, I will be keeping some of the bigger ones for making fires).

I don't have a wood chipper so that is out. Is it safe for me to add sticks of reasonable size whole and allow the bugs and worms to decompose them or is it too risky(mostly dead wood I am collecting if you need to know that with a tiny bit of young green wood)?

I have looked it up and can't find anything on the safety or risks of giving sticks to worms.


texts: I'm looking to put some yellow roses in a 2' long planter, and my local garden center doesn't have any yellow roses. Perhaps they are out of season? And I see there are a bunch of different kinds of roses (climbing and bush). I'm wondering what sort of roses would be suitable for planting in a pot, and any recomendations about where to acquire them (website?)


texts:
Why is my peace lily flower turning black?
It's the white flower not the green leafs that are turning black.


texts: Dry spots on Acer Platanoides (Norway Maple “Crimson King”))

texts: I planted this acer about a month ago, it was about 6ft, it recently started showing dry spots on leaves (tan colour). We had high winds last week and this week the weather has been warm and dry. I’d appreciate any comments as concerned if it’s a disease or weather impact.


texts: What is this 4" to 5" long, light red chili?

texts:
Can you help me identify this chili plant I'm growing? The chilis are 4-5 inches long and not that hot (without the seeds, I can eat one raw without much pain, and I'm not a big spice eater).

Click on any photo for full size

They turn into a light red hue when ripe and get a bit wrinkly in the fridge. In the first picture, the leaves of the chili plant are those on the right, the one above my thumb is from a gardenia (just in case it looks confusing).


texts:
I've been trying to grow some lemon trees from seeds. Everything went mostly fine: out of a dozen germinated seeds I got 5 seemingly strong & healthy saplings growing. These are the saplings after about half a year:

However, after a few more months they started to gradually lose all their leaves. This is how they look now:

Presumably, some of them are almost dead by now. I initially thought that temperature might be the problem, but I'm not so sure about it now: weeks of warm (+20°C - +25°C) weather didn't stop the leaves from falling off. So, my main ideas for what caused this are:

Hard water. I used water from a regular tap, which might have too much minerals in it. You may see some sediments on the soil. The most sediment appears to be on the soil with the most up-to-day healthy plant, - presumably it got less minerals dissolved inside the soil.
Bad soil. I used some general soil from local gardening market, nothing special.
Bad lighting conditions. I have one table lamp (something like the one on the picture below) lighting the lemons directly from above, roughly 16 hours a day.

So, my questions are:

What is the most probable cause of the saplings losing their leaves? How to prevent this in future?
Is there any chance I could save the two saplings that still have some leaves on them and haven't dried out yet?


texts: My Air Plant (Kalanchoe Pinnata) is attacked, how do I save it?

texts:
My  Air Plant (Kalanchoe Pinnata) is attacked by little green worm like insects which are eating its leaves.

Slowly one by one, all of the leaves are dropped by the plant, now it is left with just two leaves.

To save it, I had sprayed  a pest shield solution(diluted with water) that contains Polyoxalate Phenol (80%) and Anionic Surfactant (20%) but no improvement so far.

Images for diagnosis of the problem:


texts:
My sister bought a new house this year.  There's a tree in the yard that we can't identify.  It's located in Mid-Michigan in zone 5a.  The soil is mixed with rocks and sand.

The tree has shaggy bark similar to Shagbark Hickory, but the tree produceds a catkin and not a nut.  The leaves (4 or 5 inches long) are pointed ovals with serations.

What is it?

Pictures taken in mid Sept, 2018.


texts: Should I expect multiple weeks of tree shock if I plant bare root?

texts:
Linda Chalker Scott (The Informed Gardener, and "The Great Courses" teacher for The Science of Gardening) suggests clearing off as much of the material from the roots of a tree before planting.
I've been doing this; but my trees universally have a 2-4 week rough period after planting (and one hasn't survived.) On the plus side, I'm not bringing in most of the potting crap into my soil, and if I understand correctly, these trees will end up growing stronger.
Any thoughts -- is the transplant shock to be expected?


texts: What LED light should I choose for a specific PAR watt need?

texts:
I wish to design an LED lighting system suitable for growing plants in the absence of natural light. I do NOT wish to just buy available specialised horticultural LEDs - I want to build my own using standard LEDs.

According to literature I found on the net, Lumen or Lux is not an appropriate measure of light for plants because the spectral range of plants is much wider (400 nm to 700 nm), and called Photosynthetic Active Radiance or PAR. Plants would need a minimum of 75 PAR watt to be healthy.

However, starting with required "PAR Watts", nowhere I can find information to understand the given LED bulb specs (wattage, kelvin, lumen). Hence I am stuck trying to determine the specifications of LEDs expressed in usual parameters which would meet my need. Could you help?


texts: Why are the leaves of my Lemon sprout turning yellowish?

texts:
I successfully sprouted a lemon seed but after a month it stopped growing and its leaves started turning yellow. I was using heavy nitrogen fertilizer, so that can't be the problem. Then I tried some fertilizer with magnesium, since I thought that was the problem, but still no luck. Have any ideas?

Here is the photo of the sprout.


texts: What causes curled leaves in ctetanthe pilosa?

texts: I have recently purchased a small ctetanthe pilosa, about 6 inches tall. I have it inside with morning sun through glass window. Temp outside is cold winter between 3 degrees and 10 degrees at the moment. The leaves are curling up in last couple days. Not sure whats going on. Could you help me out as this was noy cheap.


texts: Removing top layer of front lawn for landscaping. Should we do it when the lawn is healthy or after we kill the lawn?

texts:
We want to get rid of our front lawn, which is not a very well maintained lawn. It's basically full of wild grass and weeds. There's also a big tree amongst the grass. We have very dense soil because we live in Los Angeles and we rarely water the lawn.

We know that we need to kill the grass and then remove a number of inches of the top before we can start our landscaping project.

We've been doing research and some sources say that it might be easier to remove the top layer when the grass when is actually healthy. Initially we were planning on just cover our lawn with some large tarps that we have to kill everything and then remove the top.

For our landscaping project we are going to plant some ground cover, inset some stones for a path, add some flowers, native plants, and succulents.

Should we kill the lawn first before we remove the top layer?


texts:
How can I tell if I am over watering flowering plants?  One of the flower plants I have looks either over watered or sick.

I will add I have small children so I am not sure if this is also an unknown small person problem too.


texts: I have three mature citrus trees.  One orange, one tangelo, and one really productive lemon tree.  These trees produce a ton of leaves as you might imagine.  Will composting so many citrus leaves "taint" my compost or will it not matter all that much?  What about composting the fruit itself?  I want to use everything I can.  The rest of the material is mostly vegetables from food prep and compostable paper products.


texts: I was wondering if I were to plant a seedling in one end of a rectangular container, as pictured below, would it affect root development, or would the plant develop roots where there is space?


texts: Can I keep this (Celosia) plant outside?

texts:
(Note: I'll update the title if possible when I know what plant this actually is)

I have a plant outside but I'm starting to wonder if that's the best idea as they are starting to grow/survive in different ways. I tried finding out what kind of plant this is, but I have no tags on it and not enough knowledge to find out otherwise.


texts: What is this familiar-looking exotic-shaped gentle-yellow flower?

texts: This is the only flower of this kind in my yard. I hope it is not a weed, since it looks non-invasive to me. It is looking familiar to me, but I can't figure the species. I've never seen it in the yard before. From where did he come, and what is he doing here? Please help me identify him.


texts:
Does anyone have any plant recommendations that could deter mosquitoes? The location is North Texas, and I am looking for something that could be used on or around the deck. This might make the deck more comfortable in summer, but it may also deter them coming in the back door when it is open for the dog (we don't have a dog flap and it is a glass door).

So pots might be the most convenient, but there's a bed below the longest length of the deck, and there's additional space for new (small) beds if need be. It should not smell bad to humans, and ideally be decorative (edible works too!).

None of the botanical solutions seem to work. Citronella never seems to work, and those candles have a low melting point - ie. They can get messy if left out in the Texas summer heat. I've heard of aromatic wood chips being used, but it seems we'd need a lot and they'd require regular replenishment - ie. expensive over the long term.


texts: What to do with Autumn sown peas now they're showing?

texts:
I've made Autumn sowings of peas for the first time this year.

I planted the seeds in small pots in the (unheated) greenhouse like I'd normally do for spring sowings. It was a bit speculative as I wasn't sure anything would show up.

However every pot now has a small but strong looking pea poking out. They're 2-3cm high.

It this was spring I'd let them grow on a bit longer and then get them transplanted outside.

But what about these Autumn sown shoots? Do I leave them where they are (presumably they'll shortly stop growing as winter sets in so won't outgrow their 8cm pots till spring? Or transplant outside shortly and cover with fleece/plastic? Or something else?

Location is UK south coast and we're just getting our first frosts about now.


texts: I bought a packet of seeds that comes with 250 seeds! There's no way I have the space to plant 250 Silverbeet plants in my backyard, 10 plants maximum. What should I do with the 240 leftover?


texts:
I put squash seeds in with my compost at the end of last year, and apparently it didn't get heated up enough to kill everything. I now have Delicata plants with dinner-plate sized leaves growing out of it.

One of the plants has nice, healthy, 4 and 6 inch squash hanging off of it.

Another of the plants has produced a 10-foot runner with a little squash every foot or so, but every one of those squash has shriveled up after the flower closed up. I had always thought they only did that when they didn't get pollinated, so I went as far as going out there with a small paintbrush and transferring pollen from the male flowers to the female flowers, and the squash still did that.

Could it still be a pollination issue, or would a nutrient imbalance cause the squash to shrivel up?


texts:
This is my first year growing chili peppers in my hydroponic setup and I didn't have very good luck in terms of fruit. Most of my super-hots only dropped flowers, though I did get one singular ghost pepper, which I named Gary.

One of my major problems was not understanding pruning, so I ended up with these really leggy plants. Now I have a much better idea of what I should have done, so I decided to cut my losses and cut back the plants, most of them to below the Y, but I'm wondering if starting them over will be effective.

They have great roots, and they seem to be growing a lot of new shoots, but seeing as I don't really know what I'm doing, I was hoping to get some confirmation that I'm not wasting my time here. Some of the less hot ones did produce some fruit - does that make a difference? Should I just take the time to start from seed again?


texts: Does an Eastern Redbud tolerate partial shade?

texts:
I'm thinking of replacing an ugly evergreen shrub in my front yard with a flowering tree of some kind. The location on which I'll be placing the tree is overshaded by some very large old oaks, so I'm looking for something which:

is relatively short (ideally 10-15')
has attractive spring and/or fall colors
tolerates shade well
grows in hardiness zone 4

Based on my own searches I'm looking at an Eastern Redbud, but I'm worried that my location is too shaded for the redbud to thrive. The surrounding oaks shadow the potential location for all but a few hours of the day, and if the redbud really needs "full sun" as described, I don't think it will do well.

Does anyone have experience planting redbuds in shaded locations? Is there another tree that meets my requirements that would do better?


texts: It has reddish green leaves.. And long stems that protrude above the leaf area with little seeds or flower buds on the end.. It pretty much looks like this year round in a northern climate (Indiana) It does get browner in the winter.. This picture was taken moments ago in August.. The entire plant is only about 18 inches high.


texts:
I ordered 4 raspberry plants from burpee and they came today.  I was expecting just bare roots and a bare cane, but instead they came as a single stem with leaves and the roots in a ball of dirt.  Just a single stem maybe 8 inches tall with 10ish leaves each.  Is this considered a bare root plant?

How should i plant them so they start building roots this fall and winter?  Should i cut the stem leaving no leaves?  I want to put them in the ground in the next couple of days, should i let them get some sun before then?  Any other advice?  I live in Baltimore Maryland.


texts: Will tulips survive a winter in USDA zone 5 when planted in a boat?

texts: Will tulip bulbs survive if I plant them in a boat in USDA zone 5? This boat sits in my front yard and I plant annuals in it every year.  It was my mother's boat and holds sentimental value.  I was not sure if the bulbs could survive  during the winter.


texts: What is this tree? Please help me identify this tree

texts: We have multiple of this tree growing on my college campus and I cannot figure out what type of tree it is. I've never seen anything like it. It has a light green leaf that always grows on top of a darker green one with a flower/fruit forming on top of that. Thanks for your help!


texts: What are the best practices for keeping trees healthy in a construction area?

texts:
I frequently see trees that are in construction areas where roots have to be pruned or grade changed.  What practices are most likely to keep trees healthy in the long term where there is root or branch pruning or grade changes?

I am looking for answers backed up by references from University/College/Trade organizations as I found a lot of conflicting information based on hearsay.


texts: Why are the furled leaves on my Philodendron Hope Selloum brown?

texts:
I bought a Philodendron Hope Selloum a couple of weeks ago. Its mature leaves are very healthy, but I've noticed that two of the newer still-furled leaves have dead brown areas.  I've been misting with distilled water every morning, and have set my plant on pebbles in a moisture tray, elevated so it's not in the water.  The top of the soil felt dry when I bought it, so I watered it when I brought it home, and watered again today.  The woman at the shop where I bought it said to water it every 10-14 days, but the resources I've read say this plant should be watered when the top of the soil is dry, and that brown leaves are a sign of over or under watering.  I'm really not sure which is the problem.  I should also mention that I bought it on a cold day when the temperature was below freezing, but the woman at the shop wrapped it in plastic and it was only outside for a few minutes.

[Edit 2 months later] I never found a definitive solution, but since my plant has thrived since I removed the stalks with browned leaves, I think the problem must have been cold exposure. The furled leaves are very thin, and probably couldn't stand the winter air in New England, even for a minute. That's the last time I buy a plant in February.


texts: Should mulch be mixed with something else?

texts:
I've noticed that when professional landscaping services put mulch in an area, it smells. However, mulch by itself doesn't smell. I'm wondering what do they mix mulch with and why?

I just moved into a new home and cleared the ground by removing a lot of leaves. Now I'm planning to mulch the area. That's why I was wondering whether it is a good idea to mix mulch with something else. This area has couple of trees, shrubs, and a few lilies.


texts: Can anyone help me to identify this plant?

texts:
I have this mysterious plant in my back garden. Seems like it might be a tree, can anyone have any idea what it might be?
If it help, I live in eastern part of UK. Plant was always in a pot outside, and is around 2 years old.
I'm happy with answers  which gives me rough ideas what is that.

Edit
As requested I added close up on leaves.


texts:
There are several big pine trees between my house and neighbor’s. We want some privacy so instead of fence, we are thinking planting some 4-5 feet privacy trees in between (red line).

Would something like Emerald Green or Arborvitae survive under pine trees like that? Any suggestion?


texts:
I have an elevated garden bed with some citrus trees. The problem is that the whole area is full of weeds (mostly a mix of crabgrass and dandelions) that are nearly as high as the fruit trees. Because it's elevated it's hard to mow. I've tried pulling them out, but they just grow back. I don't want to use herbicide near my fruit trees.

How should I get rid of these weeds?
How should I stop them coming back?

I've thought about laying carpet over them but apparently that can contaminate the soil. I'm interested in planting something to prevent regrowth, but I don't want to have to mow it.


texts: We have 2 Bradford Pear trees out front. This spring the one on the right was full of blooms, the left one was very scarce of blooms, the right tree is full of leaves, the left one is almost bare. We are very worried about our tree. Are there any suggestions you can give us to save our tree, and hopefully not have the one on the right catch whatever is wrong with the left.


texts: Best way to rescue overgrown lawn that sat all winter?

texts:
The Problem:

Lawn grew very long last year, perhaps 8 inches (broken mower)
Lawn has wintered in New England, only mild snow, but is brown and pressed down
What is the best strategy to get it back to a manageable height?

What I know I should do:

Mow it down in stages

but not until it starts growing in the spring

What I know I shouldn't do:

Mow it all the way down at once

Specific questions I know I have:

Should I try to get a top-mower-height mow in before it starts greening, to open it up for air/light, since it's brown and packed down?
How often to mow once it's greening?

1x week, lowering height each time?
2x week at same height, then drop height for the next week?
Other?

Should I fertilize or perform any other non-mowing steps?

The questions I don't know to ask:

What other advice would you suggest for helping the lawn not die?


texts: What kind of seed is most suitable for my lawn?

texts:
I am trying to figure out what seed is best for my lawn.  I need to over seed -  really, really bad.  And I am unsure what the majority type of grass I have I believe it is Fescue and Centipede (A lot of weeds ton include white clover, dandelion, henbit, and crab grass type weeds).  I live just North of Charlotte, NC in Mooresville, NC.  I am in Zone 8 of this map - http://hancockseed.com/seedinfo/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14&Itemid=60

I have attached some pictures to help explain my situation.  Not to mention I have the NHOA on my back - 'Nazi Home Owners Association' on my back.

I love fescue, but it dies in the heat and the majority is becoming centipede, so how to rid my yard of fescue and just let the centipede take over?  Pictures coming soon.

(If I am wrong about the type of grass please let me know)

Fescue

Fescue with dormat centipede

More centipede

Centipede


texts:
I want to place some plants in the borders of my terrace garden. The house has a large amount of ivy running up the side of the terrace. When tilling the soil, I've discovered that it's completely full of tiny, fine roots, spreading out from the thicker ivy roots. I've cut out some of the clumps of fine roots and some of the thicker ones too that have grown throughout the soil. However, am aware that it will all rapidly grow back as the main source has been left untouched.
Is it possible to actually plant anything in this soil or will the profusion of ivy roots prevent anything from growing?


texts: Should I buy a lawn mower with or without a cord?

texts: The land I have to mow on is rough and rather large. I must decide if I should buy a corded lawnmower or not and I am looking for help making the right purchasing decision. I was hoping someone with first hand experience would care to weigh in on the matter? In truth, any help would be appreciated.


texts:
I happen to have an adult cherry-tree which gives a lot of cherries but they are tiny and basically consist of the kernel and the skin.

One of my neighbors will prune his cherry-tree soon. As I'm helping during the harvest I know that its cherries are great.

I'm now wondering whether I can graft my tree with his branches.

If so, which kind of branches I should choose?
Which method of grafting I should use?
Is it the right moment, if not, is it a really bad moment?


texts: What plants will grow successfully in an outdoor patio with non-direct light?

texts:
I have an outdoor patio (two, actually) that don't get direct sunlight. They face towards the east (which means they should get direct sunlight) but the apartment I live in is directly adjacent to a somewhat thick, albeit small line of trees. Sunlight barely penetrates this line, so I don't have consistent direct sunlight. The area is well lit during the morning and afternoon, though during the evening it's average outdoor light.

What plans can I grow successfully? I have hooks that can hang from the ceiling of the patio area, and I can also put floor potted plants on the patio. I would prefer plants that bloom, though I'm not particular on the style so long as it's relatively low-maintenance. (I am very likely to forget to water it morning and evening, so I'd prefer plants that only need water once daily or every other day, et. al.)

The climate is a general midwest climate, it's in Toledo, OH, United States.

  Toledo, as with much of the Great Lakes region, has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa), characterized by four distinct seasons. Both temperature and precipitation vary widely seasonally. Lake Erie moderates the climate somewhat, especially in late spring and fall, when air and water temperature differences are maximal. However, this effect is lessened in the winter by the fact that Lake Erie freezes over in most winters (unlike the other Great Lakes), coupled with prevailing winds that are often westerly. During the summer, southerly and westerly prevailing winds, combined with warm surface waters of Lake Erie, negate the lake's cooling effect. In addition, the lake increases local humidity, adding to discomfort on hot days.

The patio extends no further left than that beam. The portion towards the tree-line is the east side of the patio, and is the part that is the source of the very spotty direct sunlight.


texts: How do I straighten a tilting Spider Plant without repotting it?

texts:
I recently repotted a spider plant, but it has recently started sagging, probably due to its weight and lack of support in the soil. I want to straighten it back up, but I would like to do this without repotting if possible. The spider plant has multiple stems and they're all tilting in the same direction.

Here's a picture of the plant in its current state. You can notice that all of the leaves fall to the back.


texts: What is this weed in my lawn and how do I control it?

texts:
I have this stuff growing throughout my yard.  I live in Southern NJ, USA.  It seems to only appear Mid/Late July - August.  It grows in patches and if I don't pull, can spread pretty rapidly across the lawn.

It can be sort of "sticky" when I manually pull it from the yard. How do I control/remove it?


texts: Giving Miracle Gro fertilzer to prayer plant

texts: The instructions on the Miracle Gro package says "Mix 1/4 tsp in 0.5 gallon water". Yet, the prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura) needs very little water every day (if at all) and fertilizer once every two weeks. So how much of the Miracle Gro fertilizer should be used?


texts: How far can water travel through garden hose and soaker hose?

texts:
The back left of our house and back right of our house has water spigets. We want to run a regular hose back left of house to back left of yard, about a 100 feet. That would then connect to a soaker hose that would be 100 feet and cover half of the back property line that will be lined with arborvitaes. The on the back right side of house 100 foot hose would go to back right corner of property and then attach to a soaker hose that would go 100 feet cover the right half of back property line with arbs.

We have a relatively new house with good water pressure and won’t have any other water running when running the hoses. And we can do the left side one day abs right side the next day. And flat surface, if anything going slightly down hill which should help? First question is, will water be able to travel that far? That is I know water can travel 100 feet in a normal house and 100 feet in soaker hose, but is it going to be able to travel 100 feet throug normal and then 100 threw the soaker and water everything evenly? I can run as long as needed if that makes a difference. Also would a smaller or larger diameter soaker hose and or smaller or larger regular hose work best? If no difference I assume should buy which ever hose is cheaper?


texts:
I've had a pepper plant for about 2 years now, which was sold to me as a ghost pepper plant when it was a seedling. Lately I've been starting to doubt this identification, as the peppers don't seem all that hot. How can I determine what type of pepper plant I have?

I've attached some photos of the flowers, leaves, and fruit. It's grown to a couple feet high, producing a lot of flowers but only a few fruit so far... but that could be a function of the fact that it's been growing in a container with less than ideal growing conditions.

Based on this guide I think it's a frutescens, but I that doesn't narrow it down too much.


texts: How to encourage a Dracaena marginata to grow for its trunk?

texts:
We have a Draceana marginata for 3-4 years now that is generally growing well and happy. We have cut it back last summer, propagated the cuttings and planted them back to the mother plant's pot to get a more bushier, more full pot.
We also did it partly because we have seen images of older specimens that had very thin and long trunk and branches which we find less desirable. This is how the plant looks like now:

trunk
the full plant

The trunk is around 1.5 cm wide while the branches are less than 1 cm. Will the cut back encourage the plant to grow for its trunk? Is there anything else that could be done to get wider/thicker trunk and branches over the years?


texts: Does mold on a seed always mean the death of that seed?

texts:
I recently germinated some coffee beans (soaked in water until a root appeared), and planted them in sterilized soil.  I only lightly covered them in soil (based on this answer), so the tops of the beans were visible.

A mere three days later, a coating of white fluffy mold appeared most of the beans!  The soil remains clear, presumably since it was sterilized.

My question is: Once mold has grown on a seed, does the seed have any chance of surviving?  Or are these doomed?


texts: Caterpillar/Worm/Moth Larva eating my Petunias

texts:
Will I be able to take care of the issue by vigilantly hunting these creatures (which manages my snail problem fairly well), or do I need chemicals, mantises, Wile E. Coyote style traps, etc.?

Most of the damage is confined to the flower part of the plant.  A few leaves have a few bites taken out, but they dont seem interested in eating the green part.  They tend to hide in the.... shaft?-of the flower.  They are visually similar to the worms in this question.  Size is roughly .5cm to 1cm.  The plants are planted in the ground, not a hanging basket.    Located in New Mexico, USA.  This question doesn't really help.  Some Photos:

It's sort of hard to see in this photo, its holding onto the... Stamen?  Pistol?  Growy part with seeds on the end.


texts: What is this fungus/mushroom on my oak tree?

texts:
I've got an oak tree. Within the last 2-3 weeks I've observed two growths on the base of the tree that started from nothing to what you see below. They're a fungus or mushroom of some sort. They're solid structures, but if you look closely you can see fuzz on the tree itself where they meet.

My plan was to call someone on Monday, but I'm not entirely sure who. An arborist? Before I do call though, I'm trying to get as much information on this as I can, because I know it can range from being treatable to being dangerous.

Any ideas? Thanks!


texts: Shiitake Cultivation on Wood Pellets: Toxicity Concern

texts:
I am planning on indoor growing Shiitake mushrooms on wood pellets normally used for heating.

Is there a concern for toxic contamination through the pellets? After all the wood has been cut or shredded by blades, which might have leaked heavy metals and machine oils to the material.

Is there cause for concern? What substrate do commercial growing operations use? Can I somehow have the end product tested for certain contamination?

This is what the pellets look like:

There are no additives listed on the packaging and it says "environmentally friendly".


texts: What is this plant with almost round leaves with radial veins?

texts:
Okay so I went away for Summerfest and I was under the impression that I was growing parsley and cilantro, but then I googled pictures and It doesn't look like either.

What did I grow?


texts: I have a cedar that's been thick and beautiful for 25 years. This year, and for the first time ever, the neighborhood squirrel decided it wanted cedar branches for it's nest. Within one day, the squirrel had chewed off half the cedar's green ends leaving just the stems. Can green grow back from these stems?


texts: How can I turn my gravel driveway into a green driveway?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  What ground cover would be best for my old stone driveway?

Any ideas for what I could either seed directly onto gravel or plant for reasonable quick growth (ground cover).  This is an area which gets a little bit of car passage but mostly people.  I'm in southwest france (reasonably mild).  We are tired of adding hundreds of euros of gravel each year, and the weeds just get through anyways, so why not turn the whole thing green?


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I've seen this argument go back and forth, but I love the look of ivy covered walls and I've heard it's great "natural insulation".

Will English ivy destroy the stucco and if so, is there one that will climb that won't destroy the stucco?

FWIW: I'm in zone 11


texts: Transplanting Tulips from Northern to Southern Hemisphere

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I want to buy Tulips in the Northern hemisphere in bulk and plant them in the Southern hemisphere.My main concern is that this will mess up their internal bio clock and result in big losses of bulbs. When would the ideal planting time of the year be to achieve this? Should I perhaps let them rest for a season to get them in sync with the climate here?
Any advice would be appreciated.


texts: What are the different ways you can level a yard?

texts: Our new house has a backyard that's very pretty "bumpy" and not very level.  What are our options for leveling it?


texts: How often should I fertilize my lawn? Should I follow a certain schedule? I have heard of people fertilizing on around holidays [US: Easter (sometime in April), Memorial day (last week of May), fourth of July, Labor day (first week of September)].


texts: I have a 3ft x 3ft compost bin and have been putting garden and vegetable waste into the compost on a regular basis.  I have also been turning the pile every week.  I have started to measure the temperature of the pile but wanted to find out what is the temperature I should be maintaining at the center of the bin?  Also, how can I control the temperature if it is not in the recommended range.


texts: Can I still use the mint leaves after the plant has flowered?

texts: I have been gone a few weeks. Now my mint has all flowered. Can I still use the leaves? I want to make a batch of mint jelly.