texts:
I planted some Fine Wine Weigela shrubs last fall. They seemed to be doing OK over spring then in the summer they took a turn in the wrong direction.

They lost their color and are a light green. Many of the leaves have torn edges. One is doing worse than the other and there's also a siberian iris planted nearby with similar damage to the edges and stunted growth while others do not have that problem.

I first noticed it after a heat spell in the summer. Thought it might be a lack of water but due to the heat but the damaged leaf edges made me think it might be insects. I haven't seen any bugs on the tops or bottoms of the leaves. I sprayed with neem oil just in case.

Here are some pics. I boosted the contrast and sharpness a bit because it's hard to see the plants against the mulch.

This unwanted grass plant was growing right by the stem of the plant. I pulled it out and inspected the roots. There were a few white round things attached to the roots. I thought they might be grubs but I poked them with a stick and they crumbled into powder. The area has been treated with milky spore disease for grubs if that makes a difference. Here's a picture of the grass roots.

Edit: I think I'm seeing things. This is most likely the perlite from the soil the weigela came in.


texts: The leaves on my huge oak tree are being eaten by caterpillars

texts:
If all the leaves on my ancient huge oak tree are eaten by caterpillars, will the tree still survive? What can I do to save it?
At this point in time I feel absolutely helpless. Please, if anybody knows what to do, let me know. I can not watch this tree dying.


texts: Why is my Gunnera walking down the hill?

texts:
I've had this Gunnera for a long time and I haven't really paid much attention to it.  However, it seems to be walking down the slope and now its leaves are draping into my bath of non-areated compost tea.  On the left of the image you can see another smaller plant and I think that's where it started a few years ago. And there's a ground cover of the noxious weed tradescantia that I need to remove one day.

What seems to happen is that each year the plant dies back and then remerges further down the slope as though it's walking.

What's causing this?  Can I get it to walk backwards so that it doesn't climb over my paths, and stays instead under the canopy of my ponga grove?


texts: Plant only flowers after rain, and not from being watered. What plant is it?

texts:
My landlord has this plant in his garden. (See pictures at the bottom.) I water it for him several times a week, using water from a closed well.

It doesn't usually rain here. There's maybe one or two periods of rain each year. The rest of the year we have a dry, tropical climate.

No matter how much I water it, this plant never flowers. I've tried copious amounts of water, frequent watering, etc. It doesn't matter.

However, when it rains, like it did this week, it only takes a few days for the plant to give these beautiful flowers. As far as I have seen, this rule never fails. The plant never flowers after being watered with well-water, but always flowers after rains.

What is the name of this plant?

We are in southern India. The plant may be native to this area, it might be native to somewhere else. I'm not sure. But it does fine here, except for the well-water thing.

As for why it only flowers after rain, that is not the purpose of this question, but people are welcome to mention that. I intend to ask it in a sepreate question once I have ascertained the name of the plant.

With a DVD for size comparison:


texts: Why do sunflowers move only flowers towards the sun?

texts: We all know that sunflower's flowers move so that they face the sun. But the photosynthesis happens in leaves, not in flowers. Why is then so important for a sunflower to move its flower, if its leaves more or less stay put?


texts: What is this pest I found on my chilli pepper?

texts:
Last year, I found some brown spots on some of my pepper plants. I couldn't see any insects so I trimmed the affected parts quite aggressively. The plant survived the operation quite well and proceeded to grow and fruit.

Unfortunately, I've recently started seeing similar scars along the veins on the same plant. I've given it a thorough inspection and found a handful of these critters:

What are they? Can they be the cause of my pepper's scarring? How do I get rid of them?


texts: What is the name of this weed with red/green leaves and little white flowers?

texts: I haven't been able to identify this weed which is prolific on the gravel (and garden beds) on the rooftop of my 10-storey condo building in downtown Vancouver, BC.  Can anyone identify it and let me know what I should do about it?  It has shallow roots, hairy red stems, red/green leaves, and little white flowers.


texts: Do different varieties of a given crop require different types of soil?

texts:
For example, corn has a lot of varieties, namely varieties A-Z. Is it possible that corn variety A requires a different soil type to grow in than corn variety B? Or is it that this sort of thing is trivial and that all varieties can be grown in the same type of soil?

If possible, I'd like to request references, just for verification.


texts:
What are the beads this guy is scooping out in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/3Gjd5DRyeks


texts:
I bout this from eBay last year. The seller had it listed as a Willy Chilli plant. However as the fruit started to grow I noticed they did not grow to what the Willy chilli is supposed to look like. I think it might be a cayenne chilli plant, however the chilies do not seem to be long enough to be cayenne chillis.  I cooked one today and it did not taste spicy. Going to have another one tonight. What is this chilli plant?

Giacomo, It started to grow the buds just after Christmas. I have two photo’s taken close up of the buds. That’s what they looked liked just before I went to Melbourne for about a month on holiday. I did not get a chance to see what colour the flowers are. I will take more pictures when it flowers again.

It has been too wet to take more photos. It the flowers are white. I have been sticking to getting the seeds from Australia. Thank you all for the information. I will look up the two types you have given me to find out more information.


texts: We're trying to flatten chicken wire (for our raised bed fence) that came in a roll originally. Any tips?


texts: Is painting grass green for the sake of making it green for real?

texts:
There's a joke that in the army when the grass has any color but green it is painted so that it has "the right" color.

Now I open Google and search for "painting grass" and there're numerous results for different grass painting solutions. Looks like the joke is not really a joke, but I'd rather check before coming to conclusions.

Do solutions for painting grass green really exist or is it just a mass joke?


texts: I took cuttings of this rosemary plant, and put them into a aquaponic bath. It took several months but they rooted and then a month ago I transplanted then into potting mix. However a month later the transplants leaf tips are yellowing. What might be the issue? Ambient temperature is about 10 deg C in mid autumn, and parent plant is still doing well.


texts: Why does my rosemary stop giving out a fragrant?

texts:
I bought a rosemary plant in a 15cm pot from a nursery last Sunday.  It was enclosed inside a big plastic bag when I cycled it home.
I could smell the fragrance when opened the plastic bag once in a while.  However, when I reached home and placed the plant near my window, I had to sniff it near to smell the fragrance.  The next few days, the fragrance disappeared but it is still there when I rubbed the leaves.  Since bringing it home, I did water it.
My room was recently painted and there was an odor from the enamel paint.  Did the paint fumes destroy my plant's ability to give out an aroma? Or what?
In the first place, how far should one be to smell the aroma?  I am feeling terrible as the whole point of buying it is to enjoy the fragrance in my room.


texts: I have a small garden, about 90 sq.m. I've grown some lychee plants from seed, and I'd love to plant them in my garden, but I don't want the tree to take over my whole yard. If I plant it in a large pot, will it still produce fruit?


texts: Lawn substitutions for yard with active dogs

texts:
We have two active Collies and they are destroying the lawn. I don't like grass that much, and it's not holding up to the abuse, even though it's supposed to be a high traffic grass.
They are not digging, only running and jumping.
Is there a good plant substitution or a special type of grass that will hold up better? I live in North Idaho in zone 5a/6b. We are semi-arid and the soil is hard. Very sloped yard, so losing turf is sliding mud in the spring and fall into the yard.
I am thinking of putting in landscape flexible cells to keep the erosion down, but would like suggestions of vegetation to keep the dirt in place and keep the paws clean.


texts:
Afternoon All,
I was recently gifted two hydrangeas and haven't really taken care of a potted plant before. I was hoping to get some help to make certain that I'm not killing these plants.
I transplanted them about two weeks ago in the DC area and have watered them a couple of times a week using a microspray system. I ran it until I saw water was coming out of the bottom of the pot. The flowers have started to lose their color and die and some of the leaves are getting brown spots. They get some morning sun on the front porch but are mostly in shade.
I don't know if this is just transplant shock or if I'm watering too much/too little/not watering correctly/ or if this is just normal. I'd really appreciate your feedback. Below is a photo of one of them and the same thing is happening with both.
Thank you so much for your help!


texts:
Hi,

I recently bought a blackberry plant (Navaho) and was wondering if any one can help me work out what's going on with it. It has purple edges on all the leaves, one or two have larger purple patches that have started to turn orange.

UK zone 8 if that helps

Editted to include additional info:

I bought it from a garden centre where it was growing undercover but outside. Unfortunately, it's the first time I've bought plants so I didn't check the condition properly, so it may well have been like this before I took it home. It was in a fairly small pot, around 10', and I've since potted it up into a 15' pot

Thanks


texts: What's the environmentally safe way to get rid of worms that eat the vegetable plants?

texts:
We have broccoli, kale and onion in one of our vegetable beds. Some tiny worms are eating the leaves of both broccoli and kale. My question is, what are some of the environmentally safe ways to protect the plants? Not just broccoli and kale but other plants too.

Are there any plants that act as bait for these worms so they will be attracted to those plants? I'm sure there are certain combinations of plants which protect each other. And there are some plants which attract bugs that attack certain plants. I would like to know these combinations. Does anyone know any of these techniques?


texts: Raised Bed Perennials over concrete (Zone 6a)?

texts:
The back of my house is east-facing, and where it meets the yard there is a concrete slab about the width of a sidewalk. (The rest of the yard is grass and beds). To make things even more unsightly, this part of the house--the back patio--is sided in white aluminum. It is not a sight to relax the eye.
If it's not too ridiculous, I'd like to plant a bed of tall-growing and/or climbing perennials along this side of the house, but obviously I can't plant into concrete, and breaking up the slab is not in the budget for this year. So I'm thinking raised beds, that would be home to some shade-friendly plants like viburnium, ivy, and flowering quince. (Open to other appropriate species, but height is a real plus--the more siding I can cover in vegetation the better. I'm even open to espalier.)
My big concern, though, is that I'd be reducing winter-hardiness. I'm in the Chicago area, zone 6a. The bed will get a little ambient warmth from the house, but my understanding is that concrete will not conduct much warmth from the ground below. I've heard you should subtract one USDA zone's worth of hardiness for containerized plants, and these varieties are hardy to zone 4, so I should be ok. But I've lost potted perennials before.
On top of that, I'm not sure if I'll be able to give these plants enough root depth to climb very high. Will shrub roots spead laterally once they hit bottom, or just stop growing?
Am I on the right track here, or destined for a barren wall of shame?


texts: How long does it take for a butternut squash to mature after female flower gets pollinated?

texts: I hand-pollinated a butternut squash and I am curious whether they grow/mature as fast as a zucchini?


texts: Topping (ungrafting?) an ornamental weeping cherry

texts:
We have an ornamental weeping cherry tree that we'd like to remove -- we wanted a bigger tree.

But first, we were wondering if we were to just top it (cut the tree below the graft), if we could end up with a viable (and bigger) cherry tree.  Maybe even fruiting.

The tree is about 13 years old.  The height is about 6 feet, trunk is 5 inches in diameter.  It might be a dwarf? (I'll add a picture soon.)

What is our best path for success, and what kind of tree could we expect from the rootstock?  Should I wait for Washington's Birthday before taking an axe to it?

We're in California Bay Area .. it is just starting to drop its leaves.

Edit: The graft is at the very top of the trunk.


texts: What is this monster plant with green leaves and thick red stem?

texts:
I suspect this is a weed of some type.  The stem is similar to poke weed (but thicker), and does not have the same leave shape or small flowers. I want to pull it out of my garden, but I am interested in what it could be and if it is poisonous.

This plant has grown from a small cluster of leaves to about 24" tall in about 3 months and now has large single flower blooms on it.
It has a smooth red color stem that is at least 1/2" in diameter at the base.
The leaves are thick and leathery, 10 to 12 " long, spade shaped with 5 pointy lobes.
It you rub the leaves, it has a disgusting sickly sweet smell.


texts: How to keep cucumber beetles/bacterial wilt from spreading when removing infected plant?

texts:
I have some cucumber plants that are very infested with cucumber beetles (mostly striped, some spotted).  The plants are dying from bacterial wilt, and although it's hard to access all leaf surfaces to get an accurate count, there's probably at least one beetle per leaf.

These cucumber plants are near some zucchini and butternut squash plants.  The zucchini seem a bit damaged by the beetles but so far are doing okay.  The butternut squash look undamaged by the beetles so far, but I have seen a few on them.

I want to prevent the spread of the bacterial wilt to my zucchini and squash.  What is the best way to do this? I was thinking that removing the infected plants would be the best way, but I don't know if the beetles that are currently infecting my cucumber plants will then start wandering after the plants disappear and then congregate on my other plants in greater numbers.  If there was a way to kill the beetles as I removed the cucumber plants, I think that would be the best way to prevent the spread of beetles/bacterial wilt.  I don't know though, so please teach me.

Note: I asked a similar question, Cucumber with bacterial wilt, what to do to save other plants?.  This is where I got the suggestion to remove the plants.  Now I'm asking what to do about the soon to be homeless beetles that currently infest the cucumbers.

Another note: I have woodchips down as weed control throughout my garden, including under the cucumbers (with a few bare spots near where the stem enters the ground).  I think the beetles hide under the wood chips during the day, not sure though.  I don't see any on the plants during the day, but see a few crawling around the woodchips.


texts: what is this Yosemite ground cover plant?

texts: I saw this plant on the ground near Sentinal Dome at Yosemite. Can someone please tell me what it is?  I'd like to try growing it.


texts: Could someone help identify these two shrubs?

texts:
I am doing an ecology project for biology and we have to identify these plants (genus and species). We're having a bit of trouble, so any help is greatly appreciated!

and the second plant:


texts: What's this plant that produces fruits or vegetables and have green to black leafs?

texts:
My parents have two of those plants in their backyard.  They forgot what it is. It produces fruits or vegetables. The leafs goes from green to almost black on the outside.  The flowers are purple.

They would like to know what it is exactly.


texts: What kind of tree is this with reddish leaves?

texts: This is a young tree that was planted a couple years ago. Is it possible to id from these pics?


texts: How to promote upward growth after the leader has been pruned back?

texts: I recently purchased a bare root Japanese zelkova tree online. It came with the leader pruned back. The whole tree is barely 2' (60 cm) tall at this point. I've found in some cases that nothing will grow upward from that point. Is there any way I can notch or cut the top at an angle to promote growth upward?


texts: What to do (after two weeks) with a waterlogged pot plant?

texts:
See here for question about what I should have done at the time: What to do (immediately) with a waterlogged pot plant?

TL;DR

What should I do now, given that I suspect that I've created a plant pot that drains poorly?

I recently repotted a bunch of house plants (Edit: 2 pelargoniums & some mint) into larger pots, with new compost.

I mixed into the compost some water-retention crystals - the kind that absorb loads of water and can then release that water gradually. I did this because I struggle with under-watering the plants and was hoping that this would result in the dampness of the soil being more stable over time.

A) If this was a terrible idea from the get-go let me know :)

Perhaps I mis-judged the amount of crystals, or perhaps it was an error to soak the crystal-enhanced pots like I do for the rest of my plants, but the upshot was that the pots became extremely wet for a long period - I would say waterlogged.

There was water seeping out of the pot into the saucer for 2-3 days (which I would regularly empty), and the surface of the soil was definitely wet to the touch.
I then didn't water the pot for a week and a half, and left the plant outside on a South-East facing balcony for a very hot(23-27 degrees) and sunny week. and by the end of that week and a half, the soil is still not particularly dry (although it is at least not actively WET now).

I perceive that the plants definitely suffered from this - several (though not all) of the leaves very suddenly went extremely pale and then died, other leaves have gained a pale halo around their edge, and for the 3-4 days after I did this, the plants appeared to wilt (as though I'd UNDER-watered them) though it has now recovered.

I have multiple questions, so the above set up has been duplicated on multiple posts, but my question here is ...

The leaf-death appears to have stopped now (I've removed the dying/dead leaves and the rest seem OK), and at least one of the plants looks reasonably healthy now (it's opened up new flower heads)

This makes me wonder whether I should just leave it as it is, and be careful not to over water it in future.

B) What should I have do now, given that I'm in this situation?


texts: What to do against my Catalpa rooting in the neighbour's garden?

texts:
I have a Catalpa tree in the center of my yard.  Today the neighbor showed me it's roots are showing in his (vegetable) garden.  He went looking for it after noticing that his crops were smaller at the edge, and that the soil was dryer on that side, too, in the summer.

Knowing that the tree is about 6 years old, and it's crown has a radius of about 3m, and that we barely cut it, is this excessive rooting to be expected?

What can I do to to show my tree some 'manners'?  Prune it?  Cut the roots on one side? Lead the roots elsewhere?...

[EDIT] I have the role of the 'other party' in this question.


texts: Will concrete and clay pavers between raised beds leech any harmful chemicals into vegetables?

texts:
I have four 4 ft. x 4 ft. raised beds with a 3 ft. path between them forming a +. The raised beds are made from 2x8 untreated pine boards. The layout looks like this...

____   ____
|  |   |  |
‾‾‾‾   ‾‾‾‾
____   ____
|  |   |  |
‾‾‾‾   ‾‾‾‾

I have a mix of concrete and clay brick pavers from last year's patio project that I would like to put in the middle to keep the weeds down and provide a nice hardscaped path between the planters but I'm worried they will put harmful chemicals into the soil that will leech into our veggies. Should I be concerned about leeching chemicals off of the pavers? Are there any other concerns to consider such as acidity from the concrete?


texts:
I have an oak sapling, self seeded (or by a squirrel) about 7 years ago. It is now over 2.5 meters (8 feet). It had a pair of leaders at about 1 meter, one of which was removed last year.
In addition to being relatively spindly overall, the top meter is now particularly not vertical. Mostly it has not been staked but it is in a bed with shrubs around, which protect the base from wind. For the past 9 months it was staked vertically with a 1.8m cane, which has now been removed and replaced by the pair of angled canes in the picture (which is almost certainly a mistake).
Any suggestions on how to correct or encourage a better form?


texts: How does one determine when to pick corn?

texts:
Last year I grew a little stand (4x4) of short-season corn.  I hand-pollinated it and everything was growing great.  But I waited a little too long, I guess, and when I picked it, my corn tasted horribly starchy.

What is the best way to know when to pick it?


texts: This is my first time on here but I have been growing a small mango sprout since last month and it has grown well. The leaves that are growing however are a little deformed and crinkled but when I checked the roots they were health and green with small white tips. As for the soil composition it is a mix of gravel and plain soil with orchard mix at the top. I ran out of the plain soil so I decided to create medium layers.


texts: What is happening to my flowers? Brown egg like balls? Flattened from stem

texts:
My flowers were growing wonderfully and in a nice bush form, a few days ago it started to flatten outwards. Thought it may have been due to some animal (my cat), but today I have found these brown egg like balls on the plant. What is this and could this be killing my plants?  I live in SE England, if that helps with identifying what this could be!

Thank you


texts:
I got some lime/linden logs, and I have some lion's mane dowels I made myself.
Any tips for a successful grow here such as number of dowels, depth of hole, moisture etc ?

One thing I've done is to put a ring of dowels around the ends of the log near the sawn surface in the hope of creating a mycelial barrier where it's most exposed to unwanted organisms.


texts: Is my bird of paradise too crowded? Should I divide or repot it?

texts:
I have 3 bird of paradise plants in a 16" pot, and I am worried that they are getting too crowded. I water them 1-2 times per week and fertilize about every 3 months using 19-6-12 Osmocote smart-release plant food. I live in Seattle, WA, so they have been inside about October-April, and I just moved them outside.

I understand they like to be crowded, but I wonder if their current condition is too crowded. Should I divide them, or get a bigger pot? Or should I just leave them as is?


texts: Plant identification - starfish shape flowers

texts:
Living condition:

tropics with 25 - 35 degrees celsius
very high humidity

Any suggestions? I have tried googling like mad and the nearest I have got is Pentas... Which I don't think it is.


texts: How should I improve boggy soil where a pond used to be?

texts: I have just filled in a large pond.I Drained the pond and removed the liner. I used bricks and stones to line the bottom and the bought 4 tons of top soil and a ton of soil improver and rotted horse manure.After all this had work and cost the recent rain has created a muddy bog in the pond hole, what can I do to make this fit for planting.


texts:
I'm growing some organic tomatoes (mostly cherries), and noticed the other day that there were small purple spots forming on the leaves, and they are gradually turning purple and curling inwards.  It doesn't look super fungal to me, and it has been humid but not super wet (though it just rained before I noticed the spots).  I've been watering with a soaker hose, so trying to keep moisture off of the leaves.  Based on my plant-webmd searching, I have thus far considered the following:

Fungal/Bacterial spot (but doesn't seem to be a yellow halo around the spots, leaves seem otherwise intact)
Phosphate deficiency (but hasn't been cold, had added a bit of manure to the soil when planted a couple weeks ago, and also the veins are still green).
Tomato purple leaf disorder (came up in my google searches but seems obscure and only article I can find on it is from Florida, while I am in Southern Ontario..)

Any ideas?


texts: Why are my cilantro leaves turning brown?

texts: My cilantro are about three inches tall and has been growing for about three weeks. Today, the leaves are wilting? This is on several of the plants, and some of the leaves’ edges are beginning to brown. Is this because of overwatering or overheating?


texts: Why are my orchid’s leaves turning brown?

texts: I’m a new orchid owner, I don’t know much about them, but my orchid’s leaves are starting to turn brown!!! I keep it away from the windows so they don’t receive too much sunlight but I believe it gets the right amount of sunlight from the sliding door. We keep the blinds open during the day. I live in South Florida so the sun here can easily burn plants that aren’t supposed to receive direct sunlight. I touched the leaves and they don’t feel hot and the flowers look healthy. I’m not sure what the problem is, please help!!


texts:
So I just bought this cactus two weeks ago. First cactus or plant I’ve ever had. When I got it the plant was dry af. So I watered it a little bit and every 2 days or so I put it on the window sill slowly introducing it to sun since I have no idea how long it’s been sitting inside the Home Depot section. Now I noticed it’s got there weird brown stem looking things that look like it’s growing out? I have no idea what it is. These additional brown stems (they aren’t like the stems growing thorns) form a ring around the cactus.

Update: here are some photos of a few I managed to remove.

Any idea what it is?


texts:
I live in Sacramento, CA (zone 9b). Winters are mild. Dec/Jan average temps range from 55F - 40F during day/night. However, depending on year, we can get some frost from mid Dec - mid Jan. I would like to start seedlings (marigolds, zinnias, petunias, violas, salvias, vincas, pansies, snapdragons) around early/mid Jan for transplanting by March.

Right now, I am using two seed trays and a Philzon grow light. Results are very good. However, space is limited and I foresee using about 6 seed trays per year to cover all the flowers for the year for front/back garden.

I was thinking of building a small cold frame in my backyard, and putting the seed trays in there in early/mid Jan for sprouting / growing. Is it a good idea and will it work?

Something like this: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/525091637802640544/?nic=1


texts: I have some endive seeds (Endivia 'Crispum'), and I want to know the guidelines on how to grow them. Our weather has been sunny with temperatures reaching low 60's at night and low 90's during the day. I'd like to know the size container I need as seeds and then as plants.


texts: Will an unevenly coloured (green) pumpkin ripen to a nice even orange?

texts:
My experience of cucurbits is mostly courgettes and cucumbers which a) don't matter too much about an even colour and b) don't sit so heavily on the ground.

But with a pumpkin it's all about how it looks. So I'm looking at my best and biggest pumpkin and worrying that it's not an even colour. The underside (which is nestled in grass) is very pale green and the part which gets the air and sun is a strong dark green.

Will it turn a nice even orange all over?

Should I lift or attempt to turn the growing pumpkin fruit so it gets a nice even suntan? I'm not sure this would even be possible without damage. I did try this with an earlier fruit but in spite of my careful handling it came away from the plant.


texts: Can I Till Existing Grass Before Laying Sod?

texts:
I have a small backyard with patchy grass. I killed most of it during a recent project, always with plans of laying sod after.

I've read that just tilling the existing grass isn't suggested when planting seed, but haven't read anything about sod. Instead of digging up the remaining grass, can I just till it into the soil before laying the new sod?


texts: Why is the leaves on my tomato plants doing this?

texts: Downward curl:I planted 8 tomato plants, 3 varieties and 3 of them developed a downward wonky curl to many of the leaves.  They were fine until a few days ago. Watering daily, raised beds, compost and tomato fertilizer at planting. All other plants in the bed seem to be fine. No pesticides used at all. Neem oil applied in case it was a bug. No sign of pests. I’m afraid of losing them all. I’m a rookie but never had this happen before. Any solutions, answers, suggestions are appreciated!


texts: Can multiple arborvitaes be made to grow uniformly to the same height?

texts: Arborvitaes grown in rows often grow unevenly with some growing twice as much as others of the same age and with the same care. Is it possible to prevent this, and make all the trees in one row look alike?


texts: Bag worm infestation on small pine trees

texts:
I noticed that some of my small pine trees (4 ft.) started turning brown and upon closer inspection I noticed 100's of bag worms all over the trees. I spent quite a bit of time pulling off the bags. My questions are:

If I just throw them on the ground will they die or do I need to do more to make sure the bugs in the current bags don't come back?
What is the best insecticide or other method to keep these bugs from coming back?


texts:
What is this weed and how do I kill it without killing the grass?

I've tried different brands of the usual spectrum herbicide that kills everything but doesn't kill grass, and everything - like clover, dandelions, etc - does die, but not this stuff. And I've tried the herbicide triclopyr, made for chickweed, etc., and I sprayed on a few times over a few weeks. The weed appears to die or die back, and then regrows. I've never seen it bloom, so I don't know if it is the wild violet that others talk about not being able to kill. Glyphosate will kill this, as I used that in areas that were solid weeds without grass; but Glyphosate also kills the grass, so I can't use it in the yard.


texts: What is this plant with purple daisy-like flowers and what hardiness zones will it grow in?

texts:
What kind of plant is this and how hardy is it? Can it be planted outside and if so in what zones?

Plant is as seen in attached photo. Do not have any further information. Would also like to be advised about watering? Light and location? Plant indoors or out?


texts:
We have this medium sized magnolia in a pot since a bit more than a year. It survived the winter with us ocassionally taking it inside the house to prevent it from frosting.

When spring came it started to bloom, and in a matter of a week the flower buds that it so slowly grew opened and fell to the ground.

Then the leafs started to appear. In the beginning they had a healthy tone of green and it was leafy. But over the course of the last month, the color of the leafs have changed, they show ocasional black spots, and they tend to dry very quickly (although I think it is not due to underwatering). It has slowly, but constantly, been loosing more and more leafs.

In this period I found green plant louse and later on cobwebs. In both ocassions I have fumigated it, and no insect has ever appeared again.

I am a bit clueless. I'm not sure what it has or how to help it. I appreciate any feedback.

UPDATE: A month later

Following Stephie's suggestions, during the last month I've been watering this magnolia just with distilled water and fertilising once a week with a iron and magnesium rich fertiliser.

The results are wonderful (see pics below). New leafs grew healthy and green, no more burnt/dried points or yellowed. The majority of old, already yellowed leafs, have recovered a healthy green color. The also feel better to touch, more soft and silkier, and less carton like. Overall the tree has increased its foliage drastically.

Here are some pictures 5 weeks after I started treating it.


texts: We live on Long Island in NY (USDA zone 7a) and want to use bamboo in planters near the front of our house. It would need to be cold hardy as we can't bring them in in the winter. Form would follow function here, as we are fairly flexible about what the bamboo looks like as long as it is recognizable as some kind of bamboo.


texts: How to prevent fungus on soil in self watering pots?

texts:
Below is a picture of one of my lemon trees, where the soil is covered with some sort of fungus. When I remove it, it comes back in 2-3 days.

I am suspecting the problem is, that lemon trees can't be in self watering pots, where they can drink all the water they like from the bottom.

Often I see leca pebbles covering the surface in connection with self watering pots. Is that to prevent fungus?

Question

What is recommended in order to prevent this kind of fungus?


texts: Can blueberry bushes survive in clay soil long term with the right help?

texts: Last year I planted three 1-year-old blueberry bushes in my back yard in clay soil and I've added several inches of mulch and soil amendments, but have a feeling that they won't do well in clay soil long term. If I keep adding organic material/mulch and work on the acidity with amendments, could they do well long term? Or should I make plans to transplant them at some point? Is clay soil too compact for blueberries to do well? I was thinking of moving them into a mound of sandier acidic soil? -- I'm in (Minneapolis, MN USA) Zone 4 for reference.


texts: What is this parasitic vine on my trees?

texts:
I have moved to Mobile Alabama and bought a home.  In the yard are three pecan trees and a pear tree.  All three of the pecans and also the pear have some sort of vine growing on them.  It looks like ferns growing along the branches.  In the winter, the area where the growth is turns dark.  It seems to have pretty much killed one older pecan and working on the two  younger trees.  The pear is lightly infested.  Up in the tree, it grows independent of ground roots which I cut when I find them.  Does anyone have an idea of what this might be?

Thank you all for the feedback.  It definitely is not mistletoe.  I recognize that from when I was a child and we  used to go out in the woods for it at Christmas time.  I am going to check out the climbing ferns.  Also wanted to say we had the most damaged pecan tree cut down as it was very old anyway.  The inside of the trunk was not as damaged as I expected it to be which gives me hope that this is some kind of harmless, fern looking vine.  Thanks again.


texts: Can you tell me the garden plant that is popping up all over my 10x10 garden plot in Wisconsin?

texts: I have these plants popping up all over my 10x10ft garden in Wisconsin.  I think it may be some kind of flower. I think the leaves look like potato leaves.   I want to know what this is. Is it a weed?


texts: A visual reference to nutrient deficiencies in plants

texts: Often times we cna look at the leaves of a plant to determine what nutrients are missing in the soil which the plants need.  It would be nice to have a repository of images with accompanying deficiency information.  Is there anywhere I can find such?


texts: Houseplant identifying and growing conditions?

texts:
[![enter image description here][1]][1]Can anyone identify this plant please because it had no information on its tag.
I also would like to know its growing conditions
How much water does it need?
Would it prefer bright and warm areas beacause that's not what it is receiving in its location at the moment?
And is it prone to a lot of diseases?


texts: how to fix soil with too little sand and clay?

texts:
I made a stupid mistake that has ruined my garden which I didn't realize until now.  When moving in to my current house years ago, I tried to "improve" my garden soil by removing lots of soil and adding lots of free sewage sludge "compost" from my county.  My garden has always been non-productive, especially for fruit trees, even though I have supported it with excellent materials from two big compost bins.  I think my soil lacks sand and clay to support the root systems of the fruit trees (about 7 feet tall on average).  I tried the test in the link below, but only observed one layer.  I think the sandy and clay layers are missing!  Does anyone have a good suggestion to fix this problem?  Hope I don't need to hire a company to replace the soil.  Any suggestion or thought is much appreciated.

https://www.todayshomeowner.com/diy-soil-texture-test-for-your-yard/

Jon


texts: Coffee grounds as pesticide or fertilizer (in general and/or for Chinese Evergreens)

texts:
Earlier today, I noticed a lot of small tiny flies emerging from the Chinese Evergreens I purchased last weekend.
At the time, I just had my freshly ground and used morning coffee beans... so I tried dumping the grounds in a layer on top. This seems to have solved the flies problem. (And I do like the smell of coffee!)
Should I just leave it there? Should I try to remove the coffee grounds? Is this actually a good sustainable pesticide and/or fertilizer?


texts: What is this pink flowered perennial found in a garden on Long Island?

texts: The deer don't seem to touch it here, whereas virtually nothing else escapes their attention.


texts:
Hi, this is my first tree and first ever successful plant.
I have pinched the top 2 leaves already.
Question 1 - the bottom 2 leaves (pic. top right)  have dry patches. All the others are looking fine. Shall I cut them?

Question 2 - Am I supposed to completely cover the stone with soil?


texts: Can I prune conifers in the dead of winter?

texts:
Is it a bad idea to prune conifers when the ground is frozen solid?

I'm thinking about going up about 7' on a 30' tall tree.


texts: Is this invasive plant, with medium green-colored leaves and serrated edges, a Sweet Joe Pye Weed?

texts: I'm trying to identify if this is a Sweet Joe Pye Weed


texts: Why does the ginger wither at the top/tip?

texts: I have been growing culinary ginger quite successfully however there are times when one or two stems start drying out at the top/tip and I don't know what could be the cause. The ginger are planted near the window and not exposed to direct sunlight. Would be great if someone could advice, thanks!


texts: What is this pink flowered plant with 3- and 5-lobed leaves?

texts:
I live in the Pacific North West (Victoria,BC) and these have been in flower for about a week.  They grow to about 18" and from a distance they could be mistaken for geraniums.  Up close the petals don't look like any geranium I've ever seen.  Basal leaves have 5 lobes, those on the flower stems have 3.

[


texts: How do I contain the roots of a ficus tree to prevent damage to plumbing?

texts:
I have a 30' ficus tree whose roots are starting to be invasive to plumbing.  I'd like to cut down the roots and stunt their growth. How can I achieve this?

If cutting down and killing the tree is the only viable option, what is the best way to go about doing this for a tree this large?


texts: What are the odds of getting shea nuts to grow in south africa? I am interested in growing shea nuts while living in South Africa.


texts: I think that I am having problems with watering on my lemon tree as well. Unfortunately, I don't know if I am overwatering it or under-watering it...It looks like it is underwatered as the new branches do not look healthy. However, when I touch the soil it is moist and the branches start to look healthier at the evening. I have re-planted the tree in a new pot recently and I have used a different soil. Could it be that the soil from the previous container has better drainage and does not hold water (the tree is underwatered)? All the fruit have fallen, but now it is blooming. Please help :)


texts:
How to tell with great certainty if an Acer is platanoides or pseudoplatanus, if we are sure it is one of the two?

Here are the pictures of my five maples' leaves:

First, all together:

Acer 1:

Acer 2:

Acer 3:

Acer 4:

Acer 5:


texts: Which Aloe Vera plant has the most healing property?

texts: I look for the Aloe Vera plant(s) for exercise-induced (EI) hypersensitivity such as allergic rhinitis. Which Aloe Vera plants has the most healing property?


texts: How do I free a stuck ball bearing on a garden hose quick connecter?

texts:
I never had this happen but one of the 3 ball bearings on the female end of a Nelson quick connect is stuck.

I have tried soaking it in vinegar, and lubricating it with oil.

Any tricks or tips to freeing it?


texts:
I had some pansies and similar flowers in a horse trough outside on a balcony in San Francisco. They were doing well, and had done for around six months. Then it got very windy, and also very rainy, and my flowers shortly died (see photo).

Is it more likely that it was the wind, or the rain? What could I do to help in the future?

I used standard potting mix, and fertilized the flowers pretty regularly.

(Sorry the photo isn’t very good; I can try again tomororw.


texts: Why is my apple seedling shriveling up after like 15 min, every time I remove the plastic dome?

texts:
Around 7-9 weeks ago (maybe more) I planted a sprouted apple seed in a cup of potting soil that I placed on top of a low heat pad, and covered it with a plastic bag. I also have a full spectrum fluorescent on it, and both are on a timer for 12 hours per day.

It grew fast and well so a while ago I decided to remove the bag to slowly get it used to the room, which has a temperature of 72 degrees with 45 percent humidity. Shortly after I removed the bag the leaves shriveled up and died. I quickly re-covered it and the next day I saw that it had continued to grow. Being scared it would die off, I left it covered and it grew bigger. It's now 7 inches tall and has 8 big leaves. Yesterday, thinking it must be a lot stronger now, I again removed the plastic bag, but, sadly, in an hour (maybe less) the leaves shriveled up again.  Not wanting it to die again, I quickly covered it and added a little water, and my fast action saved most of the plant.

I want to know what I am doing wrong here.
Why is it shriveling up under the light? Is the light too strong for the seedling to be exposed under it?
Do I have to add fertilizer?
Is it going into shock?
Do I simply have to wait until it’s bigger?

I will add pictures later today. Thanks for all your help :)

This one is from the Apple seedling I have this uncovered for 10 min when I started to see the newest leaves start to curl:

This one is a pear seedling:

This one has 2 the closer one is a papaya and the other one is a peach:

Last but not least is a mango and as you can see I left it out a tad to long and some leafs started to curl:


texts: 'Climbing' black mulberry (morus nigra), is this real?

texts:
Ran in to this plant a the supermarket. It was only 3 bucks so I picked it up out of curiosity. I've started growing mulberry trees a while a go and did quite some youtubing and reading about them. Never have I seen or read about a climbing black mulberry. Google gives me 0 hits when searching for one.
The picture on the label is definitely a mulberry, the plant in this stage look more like a blackberry to me.

Question: does this exist? can you train them as climbers (what would happen to the trunk size???), or is this a fake?


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  How should I use corrugated cardboard for mulch?
  Cereal boxes for mulch?
  Which inks which can safely be added to vermicompost bins?

I've been shredding and composting my junk mail, to get rid of the damn stuff and also get carbon into the compost.  But recently it occurred to me that the inks could have toxic stuff in them and that this could get into food in the garden.  Does anyone know anything about this?


texts: Is there any way to prevent vole lawn-destruction during snow-cover?

texts:
The open area behind our back fence is home to hundreds of voles. The hills look like this:

During the summer, I can successfully restrict their intrusion into my yard by putting poison into the holes.

But, nearly every winter we get significant snowfall that ends up sticking around for months.  By the time it melts, much of the lawn has been torn up with vole runways, which do grow back eventually but often leave the lawn significantly lumpier.

Is there any way I can prevent the voles from running around under the snow cover undetected, eating my lawn?


texts:
I've had a Aloe plant for many years, mostly indoors. I finally repotted it a couple of months ago and split most of the pups off. All of the plants seem to have some sort of disease since then, possibly initated by minor overwatering whilst trying to get the pups to establish roots.
The symptoms are reddening of the tips, black spots, weird brown spots, and leisons on the underside of leaves.
I've attached a couple of examples of leaves I've just pruned off the mother plant.

Edit:
I can confirm the former pot was glazed, new pots are a mix of glazed, terracotta and plastic. Soil is loose store-bought multipurpose compost (there was nothing but solid roots in the old pot as it was so overdue a re-pot), and shards of the old pot (had to smash it to got the plant out!) were placed in the bottom of the new ones to assist drainage. All pots have drainage holes so water can't build up.
I initially was watering them with a tiny amount of water daily, and I quickly backed this off to a tiny amount a couple of times a week until they seemed established and I saw new growth. I now only water them when the soil feels excessively dry, which naturally varies by the weather. The mother is outside, and we've had a few heavy wet spells of late. I'm confident the drainage is sufficient to keep her happy and dry though.
My concern about the black spots is that they seem to progress to brown holes, which given I can't see any parasites, I suspect to be something fungal and/or bacterial. I don't know how to treat that if so, hence my post. These plants are descendants of the originals my deceased granddad grew in his old garden, and my mother grew in our old home, so I don't want to let anything take hold that becomes untreatable!


texts: How to save my Crepe Myrtle bonzai from expected death during next winter?

texts:
I had the hardest time making a seedling Crepe Myrtles this spring. One died because I touched it like a noob then it bended an died -_-. The other one had not enough sun so it dried out and died, another one died because I tried inside and I think it was too cold...

Then I finally manage to save one from death by putting it outside under the morning sun and inside a small greenhouse to keep humidity. It had now like 4 pair of leaves and it's still pretty small. I don't know what to do with it during winter since I don't have a lot of sun in my apartment and it's pretty cold (20-21 Celsius)

I live in Quebec City, Canada where winter are long and very cold. So, I don't think I could let it outside, but at the same time, I can't really bring it inside since it won't be in a dormant state...

Would it be safe if I buy an hydroponic lamp with a timer during winter? I read that it's not an Indoor Plant... Do you have any other suggestion ?


texts: What are some fast-growing, voluminous vines that are suitable to be grown in containers?

texts:
I have a large terrace in New York City, and am looking to fill it with some greenery without spending a fortune.  In the past I have had good luck with morning glories in containers - they grow quickly, are very cheap of course, and have nice flowers.

However I'd like a little variety and also flowers that didn't only bloom in the morning would be nice.  I've tried moon flowers but could never get them to bloom.

I also tried passion flowers but they did not grow that quickly, and the vines did not branch out much so there was not much volume to them.

So can anyone recommend some others?  I guess I'd prefer to plant seeds, but I'm not too picky about that.


texts:
We have avocado trees which sometimes attract rats.  There are also rabbits in the realm.  Before we got a dog in our backyard, rabbits used to be seen coming out from under our shed.  Are there any ways to know what pest is harming the plants just by observing the damage?

I'm in Ventura, California.  The dog has also killed opossums, so I know they're also in the area.


texts: Are red cedar posts a viable option for freshwater dock pilings?

texts: We are installing a platform/dock on a newly built freshwater pond. The property has a great amount of red cedar available for our use. How long could we expect red cedar posts to last if used as pilings? How much longer would black locust last?


texts: What is this plant with dark leaves and a red flower?

texts: Can you name this plant which has quite dark leaves and a red flower:


texts: It is possible to keep blueberry bushes as a house plant?

texts: I'll be going moving soon from my house to an apartment, and most likely a studio at that, so I was wondering if it was possible to grow lowbrush blueberry bushes as a houseplant and expect it to bear fruit


texts:
I have grown castor in 5 acres, Castor is not traditionally grown in our area, but in the last two years my father has been growing this crop, because its price is high in the market.

Last year's crop was very good, but this time a new disease has occurred, the leaves of the plant have wilted. Flakes of fruits are very weak.
What kind of disease is this, which is ruining my crop. Which medicine(salt) should I use to get rid of this?


texts: How far away should I plant new citrus tree?

texts:
My two 12-year-old orange trees did not recover from the hard freeze in the Houston area earlier this year. I have given time for new growth and cut a couple branches to check for green wood. Nada. The trunks are starting to turn black.
I would really like to replace them with new citrus, possibly Satsuma.  How far from the site of the dead/removed tree should I plant the new ones? Is there anything I should do for the soil before planting new trees?


texts: Big hole on young Gemini apple tree trunk

texts:
The hole was much smaller before. It's getting bigger & more bark areas around it are cracking now. The hole & around areas are dry to the touch. Tree is 9 or 10 years old. It grows slower for it's much smaller than other trees, which are different types - a cherry and a crabapple, all similar size when planted years ago together.

Anyone has any idea about the causes, effect, and any solution that can stop it from getting worse?


texts: Dying Lawn - brownish/white with moss and clumps

texts:
I am trying to figure out what is killing my lawn. The pictures below were taken a few days ago.There is only the one area of this occurring and the yard is about 1/2 acre. The dead area has been growing since last year. It seems to have grown most over the winter and once the snow melted the moss started to appear as well. I have a lawn maintenance company (TruGreen) treat the lawn regularly. They planted seed in the prime growing season last fall, but it did not take.

UPDATE
At the request of @bamboo I added some pictures from further away as well as picture of a "clean" area of the yard.


texts: How to know when grass is completely dead

texts:
I have some grass that I want to clear out to make way for a garden. I covered it in black plastic and have waited for a number of weeks. How do I know when the grass is dead? See below for a photo of the current state. And what do I need to do to adequately clear it out for the garden?
enter image description here


texts: Red Anthurium leaves are dying. What should I do?

texts: Can anyone please give me information on how to take care of this Red Anthurium.


texts:
I prematurely decided to propagate a Dracaena! My plant was growing rapidly as the weather was nice for a few weeks so I thought it would be a good time to propagate... 1 week later and it began snowing and the plant has gone back into hibernation
It looks like the severed stem is beginning to die? Is there anything I can do to try and encourage foliage to grow on this stem?
Would pruning the foliage on other stems encourage growth?


texts: I have a question regarding mint plant. As you can see attached image, in which mint leaves are having very light color. Normally, mint leaves are in dark green. Is there any deficiency?


texts: Indoor Avocado plant leaves are drying up with dark brown spots

texts: My year old avocado plants leaves are drying up. I raised my avocado tree from a pit. When it became larger we moved it from a window sill to our master bathroom. He gets sunlight through a block window over the bathtub. The bathroom stays warm and a bit humid. I give him diluted plant food about every week. What is wrong with it?


texts: How should I grow a Bower Vine, especially in a climate that gets hot in the summer?

texts:
Bower Vines are on sale at Home depot. I can't seem to find info on this vine when I google around. I was thinking of buying them all and trying to get them to start covering our fence.

It's in the 90's in Colorado and I'm wondering if anybody has had any experience with this species or knows what my chances are of getting these to grow during the summer months.


texts: I'm just hoping for clarification on what the green shoots are coming out on the lower stalks of my bamboo palm houseplant.  The upper part of the plant did not care for the trip home from IKEA and has died back with brown leaves that I've been trimming. These green shoots are coming out in the lower part of the plant and I hope it's a sign that the plant will survive and recover because it was gorgeous when I purchased it.


texts:
At the end of Spring I planted a grape vine along our trellis/fence. In the early summer, it grew about 6 inches and got a ton of leaves (and even some tiny little grapes). In the past month though, it has been getting more and more brown spots, as visible in the picture. It also hasn't grown noticeably in the past month.

There are a few environmental factors that may be at play here:

It has been very hot. We have had a few weeks in the 90s all week and I don't think the high has been below 85 all month.
We've been light on rain. We have had a few storms, not not as frequent as usual. I have tried to compensate with more water though.
Our soil is garbage (outside of Denver, CO). I did follow the instructions and dig a hole about twice as big around and about 6 inches deeper than the root bundle and filled it in with high-quality planting soil.

My questions are:

Does this plant look dangerously unhealthy?
Is there anything else I can do to help it?
Did I make a bad choice planting grapes in this environment?


texts: I moved into this house last year, so I've only seen this tree with leaves once and I do not know what kind of tree it is (I live in Iowa). I noticed this spring that the leaves didn't seem to come in very strong this year, and I noticed some suckers at the bottom that I trimmed. At this point there are no leaves on the branches, and it appears that there are new green branches coming in which look a lot like the suckers I cut out. I need to know if these new branches should be removed (the tree would have zero leaves if so) and if I should do anything else for the tree.


texts: Will glyphosate directly harm Monarchs or other butterflies?

texts:
A large portion of my yard is infested with (non-native) Japanese knotweed, which is nearly impossible to remove without herbicides.

I have been waiting until late summer/early autumn to begin an eradication campaign using glyphosate. In general I am very careful with how I use glyphosate/Roundup, only using it when dry weather is predicted and only in cases where manual removal is impossible.

I noticed a few Monarchs flying around my yard today, and I am worried that this could kill them if they light upon a treated plant. Most of the literature I was able to find points to an indirect impact of commercial-scale eradication of milkweed, which is the sole food source for larvae. However I do not plan on spraying milkweed (if I even have any in the yard) and I cannot find much about the direct impact of glyphosate on Monarchs or other butterflies.

Is this something I should be worried about? Ironically, I am planning to plant a butterfly and pollinator garden once the knotweed has been eradicated. If I wait a few more weeks for the Monarchs to migrate south, will it be too late for the glyphosate to be effective?


texts: Raised bed on tile floor, covered veranda?

texts:
We live in an apartment with a huge veranda. I'd like to build a simple raised bed out there to grow some herbs and a few veggies (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers).

If I put in a layer of gravel at the bottom, I believe drainage will not be an issue, but should I build some sort of a drainage chute to take the water to the gutter? I don't really want it seeping all over the veranda where we eat dinner, the kids play, etc.

I'll also have to water the bed myself since the veranda is covered by a roof (high enough that the veranda gets plenty of early morning and late afternoon sun). Will there be any problems or a benefits to that?

The veranda is approx. 50m2 (which I believe is around 500ft2) and the floor is concrete with porcelain tiles on top. I was thinking of building just a small bed, around 1x3 metres or something like that. I'm flexible. Depending on the positioning, it can either get direct sunlight from around 8am-11am, or from around 3pm to 6pm. Both times the sun is low (rising or setting).

I'm in the southern hemisphere, "Yearly temperatures average between 9 and 35 °C (48 and 95 °F). The Köppen climate classification of the region is tropical savanna climate (Aw) and it borders on a humid subtropical climate (Cwa)".


texts:
Every guide to growing vegetables will have an early section on rotating roots, brassicas and legumes. There might even be a little diagram with neat evenly spaced and sized areas marked out for each group.

It always sounds so simple in theory.

But the guides are frustratingly silent on practical questions.

What if you don't tend to grow the three groups in even quantities (say you grow very few brassicas)?
What if your vegetable plot isn't uniform in its distribution of warmth, light and soil quality? For example I always want to start off early salads, radishes and carrots up the warm end of my little rectangle in Feb/Mar. But that's crop rotation immediately messed up.
Where do salads fit in?


texts: New to houseplants - what's wrong with my chilli plant?

texts:
I'm currently growing a few chilli plants from seed in my apartment, but the largest one is having some problems. Some of the leaves are curling, whilst others have a dusty, salty substance on the bottom and light green patches on the top. Parts of the stem have started to brown.

(Photo gallery here: http://imgur.com/a/IPvEI)

As I'm really new to growing plants in general, I have no idea of the cause - I've been watering them fairly frequently recently (around once a day/once every two days) as they live in a sunny windowsill (well, for the UK) and the soil appears dry. None of the plants it lives alongside (also chilli plants) are having the same issues, though it is the largest of the plants and may possibly require repotting? I've spent a long while Googling, but haven't been able to find anything that matches the exact symptoms.

Any ideas?


texts:
I've read other questions on this and other forums on Jade plants, and haven't quite found an answer.

My Jade plant is 20 years old and about 3" in diameter at the base and 4' high. It seems to never have been sick, except for a sunburn 10 years ago. A few months ago, leaves down the branches from the tips started to wrinkle and brown - more than the normal old age shedding. Now most leaves have wrinkled and are dying. The plant's trying hard to survive - it has grown new leaves that I thought would "save" it, but now they are wrinkling and turning brown too.

All I've read on over-watering has led me to reduce watering, then increase some after a month of low water didn't help.

An 18" tall tree next to this one is doing great. Sunshine in Colorado isn't a problem. I'm wondering if a house sitter over watered and cause the roots to rot, but I don't know what to do now.

Can I repot a tree this large? (maybe there is no choice).

How large a branch can I start in a separate pot? How would I start a fairly large branch?


texts: I've had these orchid for about a month and it was doing really well but now it  looks like its dying.What type of orchid is this? How do I make it bloom again?


texts: I have this Peace Lily which recently got this black spots on its flower, and also some leaves are becoming yellow. Do you guys have any idea of what may be happening? I water it regularly and the temperature here stays between 18-28 Celsius (64F-82F). I leave it indoors in my bedroom and I let it next o the window in the morning to get some light, and then I take it back to a shady area. There is a chemical industry near my house, not sure if this is related to it somehow. Thanks!


texts: Can the top of a tree be trained to form an espalier-line?

texts:
I have planted 2 apple trees and 2 pear trees into espaliers (horizontal lines, simple shape). I picked the perfect branches for the first bottom lines.

However, two of the trees have long flexible tops and I was wondering: can I bend the top of the tree onto the top espalier line?

I don´t want to cut it if I can use it. I have always seen and read that people cut off the tops, but is this absolutely necessary?


texts: Is it fine to use insulation rockwool in hydroponics

texts:
I would like to know if there is any difference between hydroponics rockwool and the one used in house insulation.

Where I live hydroponics rockwool is 50 times more expensive (it has to be imported due to no hydroponics culture in the country).
But I can easily get cheap local insulation rockwool.

Is it safe to use it for hydroponics, or should I stick to the expensive imported one?


texts: What is this wildflower with 4 petals, white with purple spots?

texts:
What is this wildflower with 4 symmetrical petals, white with purple spots, lanceolate leaves? The plant is about a foot high.

I live in the middle Himalayas (about 1600m above sea level) and it's just entering autumn here.


texts: Are there any non-aesthetic benefits to planting grass?

texts:
I have a small patch of soil (let's say 4x4 meters) which passes as my front garden. Right now it has a small tree and a couple of tomato and pea plants, but the rest of it is essentially bare soil.

I'm not planning on planting anything for the rest of the year (though I am planning on growing a number of things when the weather cools enough). I was wondering whether there is any benefit to planting grass in it. When I say benefit I mean for the actual garden, not for aesthetic purposes - or will it simply serve as extra competition for when I actually put the vegetables in?

If it makes any difference it's a south Mediterranean climate, so it's always various degrees of warm or hot.


texts: Is shovel made of spring steel really worth it?

texts:
A local shop offers a shovel made of spring steel (specifically - steel used for leaf springs) which is like twice as expensive as a regular one. The implication is that using special steel makes a more durable and reliable shovel.

Is such shovel really more durable and reliable?


texts: How to revive the grass of a small garden that is completely beige dry grass?

texts:
We live in desert climate. The lawn was neglected for a long time and is not completely dry grass.

I have never done garden work. What do I need to do and how long can I expect until my kids can run bare foot on the grass?

Thanks


texts: Will I get lemons from a tree grown from a lemon seed?

texts: I have planted seeds of a lemon and want to know, if I have to graft the lemon plant so I can get lemons?  Or will they in time grow without grafting?


texts:
I have a new succulent that I'm taking care of, but over the past couple of weeks it has been picking up some fluff that looks a bit like mould but that I believe is cobwebs of tiny spiders. I've read about spider mites, and so I'm wondering:

What are these cobweb things, and do they appear dangerous to the health of the plant?
How can I get rid of them without harming the plant (it's about 2 inches across)?


texts: I left Car. Reaper seedlings in the tray for 51 days, did I leave them in too long?

texts:
I left my carolina reapers in the starter tray for 51 days, the bottom of the stems are starting to get woody, and they have about 5 sets of true leaves and are still growing more. They are ~2.5 inches tall.

If I transplant them into pots now, will they grow bigger or did I wait too long? Can I still wait longer? I am growing them indoors only, so I have plenty of time to wait for them to get large.


texts: Where should I get my garden soil tested?

texts: This spring, I plan on growing vegetables on land that is new to me. How do I find a lab to test my soil? Will some labs give me information that others might not? Also, how much can I expect to pay for a soil test?


texts: Is sun burning my Rubber plant? Or is this something else?

texts: Looks like sun damage to me. Or is it something else?


texts: Sterilise or pasteurise oyster mushroom substrate, why not microwave?

texts:
From what I've read, when you grow oyster mushrooms you can either sterilize or pasteurize the substrate, and pasteurization is supposed to be better because it preserves micro organisms that help reduce contaminants.

Recommendations for pasteurization seem to require heating for a long time, why is this - don't things die quickly in heat ?

I didn't have a thermometer to get the proper temperature so I decided to sterilize instead.

I experimented with microwaving my substrate in a jar to sterilize it, which people I've read on forums say isn't a good way to sterilize.

If I microwave substrate until it's sizzling, which I did, what is going to survive ?
Why isn't this a sure fire way to sterilize anything ?

thanks.


texts:
I have a small area of Bermuda grass in my lawn, roughly 30 square feet or so. I had a plan of getting rid of it by digging the area up in the fall, right before my yard is aerated and reseeded with a normal fescue type grass. I would then use Turflon Ester next growing season to spray and kill any remaining Bermuda grass.

Or would it be better to start spraying the Bermuda now with the Turflon to start killing it, and then dig up the area prior to aeration/reseeding?


texts:
I have a few herbs growing hydroponically (basil, chives, cilantro) that are about 4 weeks old.  Right now they are about 4-5" tall and have a health glow and smell to them.  The herbs are being held at a continuous temperature, light, and nutrient level indoors, so essentially the "season" never changes for them.

Assuming that I always have a need for fresh herbs and therefore want to keep my plants alive as long as possible for continuous harvesting, when is it OK to start harvesting them and how often should I?  Is there a certain height/number of leaves recommendation (harvest a quarter of the leaves at a time, half the leaves at a time, etc.)?  Is there a general rule for most leafy herbs that apply for harvesting?


texts: When buying plants I sometimes see info about the plants hardiness described as "Hardy in zones 3-8". From what I understand this means that the lowest temperature this plant can withstand is -40? But what about zone 8? Is that the highest temperature it prefers during winter? Or why doesn't the label just say "Hardy from zone 3 and higher"?


texts: Is this plant with spikes of pale purple flowers creeping bellflower?

texts:
Recently a friend of mine informed me that some lovely flowers we have in our yard, may in fact be creeping bellflower, which (at least where I am) is an invasive species. Now, today while I was doing research I came across another flower that looks similar (but, I can't find the link now that I'm home to actually write this post).

From what I have read the plant does look at least similar to the one in the images here.

That said, the leaves on this specimen...don't quite jive with the descriptions found on line.

Can any of you help me in identifying this is it a "burn it with fire plant" or a pretty plant that simply needs to be reigned in a little.


texts: What can cause the leaves of a rose bush to turn black and fall off?

texts:
I bought a small rose bush on Mother's Day this year and planted it in my flower garden. The area probably has too much shade for a full sun plant, but I don't think that is the issue here.

Shortly after planting, its leaves began to develop black splotches and fall off. The leaves are mostly gone at this point. What happened, and is there anything I can do to help it recover?

EDIT: I noticed last night that all of the leaves had fallen off and some new ones were starting to show up. What can I do to prevent these leaves from developing the same mold? Is now the time to apply manure tea or should I wait?


texts: Can anyone please identify the flowers around this cake?

texts:
I apologise that my first question is asking for identification!

Thanks :)


texts:
I was thinking about sifting the soil of my garden, going from this:

To this

Are there any benefits in doing so? My goal is to grow vegetables in that soil


texts: How should I prune a large indoor avocado plant?

texts:
I have an avocado plant indoors that is seven feet tall, and that has never been pruned. The top two feet which have most of the growth are now bending over. The ceiling is at nine feet, and the plant must be cut back.

How much can I cut it back to reduce its height?


texts: How to Get Rid of Aggressive Ground Bees

texts: What is the easiest and safest way to get rid of very aggressive ground bees?  I am not able to mow the lawn or doing any gardening around my flower bed at the front of my house, as these bees will sting and there are many of them.


texts: Identification request - iris on San Francisco peninsula

texts: This iris volunteered in our garden on the bank of a stream.  Can anyone identify it?  The flowers are brown above and yellow below.


texts: Is it normal to have a white fuzzy substance on the seedling of my pepper plant?

texts: I found this on my orange sweet pepper plant seedling. It's kind of like a fuzzy ball. Is it normal?


texts: What is this pink flowered volunteer plant that appeared this spring?

texts:
This plant showed up in our garden this spring. It just began blooming a couple days ago.

Here are buds, getting ready.

Is this some kind of phlox? The plant itself is about 2 1/2 feet tall and looks quite civilized.


texts:
I have a grape vine in southern California (only rains in winter).

How much water does it need?

I have seen advice ranging from nothing to several gallons a day. Does anyone have any concrete numbers?


texts: What happened to these healthy jade plant leaves which turned black?

texts:
Couple days ago my Jade plant suddenly shed some of its healthy leaves. The plant itself looks pretty good, no sign of over/underwatering. So I was a bit puzzled when it shed quite a lot of its healthy leaves. The cuts are clean, though.
I kept the leaves to be used for leaf propagation. So I kept it indoor, in my room (air-conditioned but not very cold), away from the sun, waiting for them to callous.
However, after few days, the leaves turned out like this:

I usually see this on severly sun-burnt Jade leaves. So I am a bit confused as to why it happened when stored indoors.
Or is this completely different problem?
The place I live has very high humidity. The mother plant was stored in shadier place on West-facing balcony with hot afternoon sun (no direct sub, but still bright). Tropical climate.
Thanks.
Pic of the mother plant:


texts: Anyone could give me a tip about what´s happening with my tomato plant

texts:
Hello (: i am a beginner in this matters, could anyone give me a hand by helping me find what´s wrong with my tomato plant. Principally the symptom, which i hope you can see by the picture, is that the new leaves are really wrinkled and weak. What you think it could be?

Thanks(:


texts:
I have a really simple and maybe stupid question...

Term top soil appears very often in almost any gardening subject - but what exactly is top soil?


texts: What can I do with unripe tomatoes when prepping a bed for winter?

texts: I have about 12-14 healthy tomato plants that I have uprooted and chopped up to till back in for their nutrients, but I'm wondering if I can do anything with the 20+ green (unripe) tomatoes that happen to fall off as the cages were removed.


texts: What is this plant with rosette leaf arrangement that grew beside my palm?

texts: What is the name of this plant with small leaves? Is it bad for my palm? Should I keep it or remove it? Or can I replant it into another pot?


texts: String drip system while summer away for 1 month

texts:
Is it suitable to string drip while summer? I am away for 1 month in April. I have 10 pots in my garden. so I decided to create string dripping. But is this suitable? If not, then what is the best option for self watering ??

It is Mid Summer In Maharashtra.

I had chilly, tomato, rose, lemongrass, and like plants and had enough water source.

Any suggestions accepted.


texts: Is this Rose Rosette or just new growth?

texts:
So I am a new gardener, I just have gotten into it in the past three years or so and I finally got in my garden to look the way that I want it to! Obviously, it is a never ending work in progress, but it is my sanctuary and I love it! Recently, I learned about Rose Rosette when I found out that one of my roses was completely eaten up with it. I'm afraid that I am incredibly paranoid now and I'm seeing it everywhere and I'm going to rip all of my roses out in the process!! Can anyone help me determine if I need to get rid of these or if it is just normal new growth?! I'm so devastated, I love my roses!

These are the bushes I'm concerned about.. the bottom right is the one I pulled out


texts: Can I cut my pineapple (Ananas?) leaves?

texts: I have been growing a pineapple in my house. Maybe for 5-6 years. Now my pineapple is too tall and sharp. Unfortunately I can not grow it in outside. So I wanna cut it for safety. Can I cut my pineapple leaves? I really worry. Will it die, after I cut it.


texts: Choosing and finding a good wine grape rootstock

texts:
I'm interested in planting about 5-10 vines of wine grapes from a mature (3-5 year old) rootstock.

Any suggestions on the particular varietal.  I'm located in the Texas Hill Country near Austin.  I'm currently focused on Lenoir (Black Spanish).


texts: What are the effective home based pesticides?

texts:
Sometimes my plants gets infected by different insects, unless I notice it, it gets very late to save the plant.

Chemical based insecticide works well, but I am fearful while using\spraying and storing it, as they are very poisonous.

So, I am looking for the home based solution which should be effective and safe.

It will be ok for me if home based solution take some more time to heal the plant as compared to chemical based pesticide.


texts: I want to put in some trees along the rear fence line of my property. I live in a small rural community and the town is on a common effluent program, theres a bit of a shallow ditch at the rear of the property and I think theres some sort of pipes under there or its a drainfield or something. I don't know much about it at all. My problem is the hot western sun bakes my property and I am not sure if I should grow any vegetation there. None of my neighbors grow much garden or seem to be very helpful with knowledge in that respect. I wanted to put in some trees or large shrubs to at least give some protection from the weather and some privacy as well. I tried asking the septic tank emptying guy who works for the council when they came around with the pump truck, but he didn't know anything about it either. Does anyone know what I am talking about out there?


texts: Where to air layer relative to the nodes

texts:
Where is the correct position for air layer propagation relative to the leaf nodes? After watching a dozen Youtube videos, they all have different suggestions. Which position is truly the best?

This video suggests to strip the bark below the node.
This video suggests to strip the bark right on the node
This video makes no suggestion on relative positioning.


texts: Can I use water from the clothes dryer to water plants?

texts:
My clothes dryer produces a few liters of water a week and rather than throwing it down the drain, I thought it might be put to better use by watering the plants with it.

I think it should almost equate to distilled water, however there might be some residues in it, such as soap or maybe mold.

Is water from a clothes dryer known to be safe for plants? Should I take any precautions with it, such as cleaning out the tank first to ensure there are no risks?

When it comes to storing the extra water that I won't be using directly, are there steps necessary to avoid contamination due to the water standing for long periods of time?


texts:
I've had these in my garden for years but only saw the inside of one today. I remember seeing something like this in a salad once.

What is it, and is it edible?


texts: Groundcover that will thrive in (Zone 9A) in Sierra Pine forest environment?

texts: I am looking for practical suggestions for an aggressive groundcover that will  discourage Manzanita and will not require more than one or two annual trimmings to keep less than 12 - 16 inches in height?


texts: What are some low maintenance plant choices for apartment (indoor) living?

texts:
I'm not an expert on plants, but would like to add some plant life to my apartment. I'm looking for good choices that:

don't require direct sunlight
require minimal watering
survive for at least a few months at a time
have low risk of attracting pests

Bonus points for "interesting to look at". Cacti seem low maintenance and resilient, yes? What other choices are there that I might consider?


texts:
I have a relatively small area of lawn that surrounds my property and I'd like to take some steps to try to revive it this spring. I don't know the exact size, but generally machinery like gas-powered aerators feels like it might be overkill. I've included a photo below of one of the worse spots which gets some sun in the morning, but is mostly in shade.

The amount of maintenance performed on the lawn is relatively small, mostly just cuttings with a couple of feedings.

I've watched some of the videos from This Old House and read a few of the top hits on Google. It seems like the basic strategy is:

Trim grass uniformly and ensure all clippings are bagged.
Remove the thatch from the lawn with a rake, or powered dethatcher.
Aerate the lawn, ideally with a mechanized core aerator.
Spread compost.
Spread fertilizer.
Spread grass seed.

We moved some flower beds around so steps 4-6 are something I have some familiarity with. I used a fall seed mix, but didn't really consider the type of grass. At that time we had rented a tiller so the ground was well broken up and we had compost on hand.

Given the current state of the lawn with the grass not very long, I feel like I should be doing some additional work like targeting weeds, such as crabgrass. Is applying a lot of chemicals really going to do much for me? Would it be much of an improvement to just perform 3-6 using a spike aerator?

I feel like this is a manageable project for me, but wonder if I'll be better off in the long term hiring someone to get the grass in order.


texts:
We have a plant that looks like it belongs to the mint family, but it doesn't fully fit in as one single type. It smells similar to lemon balm, but sweetly grassy.otherwise it looks similar to some pictures of catnip I've seen as its edges are round, and its leaves are shaped like a heart and fuzzy. I would appreciate if someone could help.

Edit: this is the best picture and even then for it to fit I had to crop it a lot.

This one is to see the stem.


texts:
Generally seed packets have some kind of expiry date on them. I've got "sow by" dates on my packets of Suttons seeds and "best before" on Unwins.

Is it worth sowing seeds which have passed their expiry dates? And would the answer vary from plant to plant (e.g. can I be more relaxed about expiry dates for plants that are "easy" to grow, like salads and radishes)?

Also, if I persist with out-of-date seeds, will the results consist of:

a) fewer successful germinations

or

b) weaker, less productive adult plants

or both?

Is there any evidence seed companies apply these expiry dates cynically, in order to generate extra sales of newer seeds?


texts: What should I do with blackberry bushes that only produce a small number of berries?

texts:
I purchased  thornless blackberry bushes from the local (Wayne County, Pennsylvania) Conservation Department about 8 years ago.  They look vigorous and are in good, loamy soil and have good drainage with full sun. They have never produced more than a handful of berries.  I prune them back in the spring and they grow back vigorously, but again no berries.   They don't look diseased, but they don't produce.
Do I need another variety?  Should I dig them up and start from scratch?   Suggestions?


texts: Jabily/elephant tree (Operculicarya decaryi) bonsai

texts:
I have an Operculicarya decaryi. I got it about half a foot long, and now it has grown quite a bit.

It seems reasonably healthy and not in danger of dying, though I don't know much about these trees and can't say if this counts as prime health. It is about 2.5 ft long and 1.5 ft high. I like the plant but I'd like to improve its appearance. My issues are:

Branches are too long and wild, looks like a bramble and not a tree.
Leaves are too spaced out, looks "unhealthy" like a desert tree in a barren environment, not like a thriving plant pampered with active care.
Trunk (as well as branches) curving in strange spiral way, makes the tree look crooked and unstable.
The bulb looks too small.

I'd like to make it more compact and bushy by trimming and pruning. Ideally I'd like a lush, bushy, nicely rounded appearance like these:

https://mestrebonsai.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/operculicarya-bonsai-1.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a0/d4/b7/a0d4b7a42cdeeda5498e0a0e29f7698c.jpg

Although alternatively, a more "stylized" look like these would also be fine (if it is easier):

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l47/ttermine/DSC_1952_edited-1.jpg
http://www.gondwanalandtradingcompany.com/images/thumb/elephanttree1.jpg
http://www.bonsaiboy.com/catalog/media/k2550.jpg
http://images.bidorbuy.co.za/user_images/651/390651_101024214826_Operculicarya_decaryi2_thumb.JPG

I have no bonsai experience - I realize that the pictures I posted are probably the result of years of work and extensive skill. However, even small improvement would satisfy me. In particular, I would really like to improve leaf density (if even a little) and make the leaves more evenly distributed with less long, naked branches everywhere.

Are there any simple principles I can follow when pruning to slowly move in the direction of my goal? How frequently should I prune? Should I start cutting only the tips of undesired branches and slowly work my way in, or just cut the branch at the trunk? How do I encourage leaf growth in the middle of a long, bare branch? How do I avoid pruning too much and stressing the plant? Should I plant in a bigger pot to encourage more robust leaf growth?

EDIT: After looking at this question about bonsai styles, I think I probably want either a moyogi or chokkan (whichever is easier), hokidachi or kabudachi style. I definitely don't want any slant, windswept or cascade appearance, and more complicated styles like incorporating rocks or sharimiki would probably be beyond my ability.


texts:
I planted zinnia seed like 1 - 1.5mo ago and now it's quite tall, 10" or so
The leaves look rather small. And one is showing flowering.
Is this normal? Is it lacking sun? Because I live in Pacific Northwest.


texts: Cactus in hydroponics: Keep water levels up at all times?

texts:
I've read a bit online about growing cacti in hydroponics, and basically every site I found agrees that it's possible, and it should basically work like any other hydroponics: Set the plant (in an inner pot) in some substrate, like expanded clay, put that inner pot in an outer pot, fill the outer pot with nutrient solution until it reaches the roots.

However, if you grow cacti in soil, the rule seems to be that the soil must really dry out from time to time. Now I wonder: If I keep the nutrient solution filled up at all times, the cacti's roots will never be dry. Do cacti like that? Or do all the "cactus in hydroponics"-websites forget to mention that you should let the outer pot run dry every once in a while?

Thanks a lot!


texts: How long does it take for King Stropharia to colonize cardboard?

texts:
I recently put in a cardboard bed of King Stropharia, and was wondering what growth rates I'm looking at to get successful colonization to rip it apart, and get more material going.

I love mathematical formulas.


texts:
I hate mowing. Is there a nice looking, economical ground cover I can put in my yard that I can replace my grass with in NE Indiana that doesn't get very tall, ideally something that would propagate well enough to outdo the local flora?

I'm on a quarter acre, mostly full sun with maybe 1/10 of an acre in shade.


texts: What are these small flying insects? Are they bad for my lawn or trees?

texts:
It's the dog days of summer in Central Texas, and for the last few weeks I've noticed a lot of these tiny, winged creatures in my back yard (disregard the cicada shell at top right):

They seem to be everywhere, seeking shelter in shady areas such as the bottom side of leaves, blades of grass, and under awnings or overhangs.

What are they? Are they doing damage to my lawn or trees? If so, how do I control them?

Incidentally, some of the leaves on my trees are already yellowing and falling even though we're still in the middle of summer. I can't be sure, but I suspect that these insects are at least partially responsible, as they appear to be more concentrated on yellowing leaves that haven't yet fallen. Here's an example of a yellow, damaged leaf that I picked up off the ground (from a common Cedar Elm):

I'll post a separate question about the leaves if it seems unrelated.


texts: Can I use a clear glass as a container for houseplants?

texts: I have a quite large clear glass vase, that I would like to transform into a plant pot. What are the problems that may occur? Are there any houseplants that I can grow inside the house, which won't have a problem with the clear glass?


texts: Are my peppers underripe or just a different variety?

texts: I'm growing what I was told was banana peppers; however, it's now fall and starting to cool off, but the peppers are not yet yellow. Rather than ripen yellow, they appear to be turning red. Is this an intermediate stage between green and yellow, or do I have a non-yellow variety?


texts:
A young leaf of a snake plant's tip at the top of the leaf broke off.

will it continue to grow, or just not grow at all?


texts: Am I pruning my pepper plants optimally?

texts:
I usually prune my pepper plants at the start of winter, just above the second set of nodes. I have been doing this for about eight years now and I'm interested to see if there is a better or more correct way that it should be done.

Once the first few weeks of winter set in, I chop the plants just above the first set of leaves (the topmost set). I then remove each set of limbs all the way back to the second set of nodes from top to bottom, making sure to leave the nodes themselves so that they regrow the next year.


texts: Is the plant "Hens and chickens" edible?

texts: Is the plant Hens and chickens edible, or will it poison you if you eat them?


texts:
I've tried looking but I can't seem to find the name of these weeds (in Australia):

The leaves don't grow any larger than in the photo. It is vine-type and can spread for metres. Vine-root stuff is is just below the surface. Gets a small red flower.

The weeds always grow in a clump. They don't get any larger than they are but spread like the plague and kill any grass it covers.
Anyone have any idea what they are?


texts: What zones can I grow Chinese Artichokes aka Crosne in?

texts: I heard about Crosne from growing your greens, and thought I would try growing some, so I was wondering where/how I should grow them.


texts: What are the solid chunks in the top my carrots?

texts:
I've been getting through my home-grown carrots lately. I've had a few raw, and twice now I've noticed solid chunks in the top of the carrot. The first time when my teeth crunched on it I figured it was a piece of plastic the carrot had grown around. It was a piece about 5mm², solid, and a translucent whitish colour.

It happened again just now, so I'm thinking maybe it's not plastic. And if it's not, then what else might it be? Some kind of crystallization?


texts:
My Ficus developed black spots (see image), and lost some leaves. When I removed the pot from its ornamental pot, I spotted some white maggots, around 1-5mm (see bad image).

Do the maggots have anything to do with the spots or are these two independent issues?

notice the few bigger ones and the many many tiny ones:


texts: What are the best deciduous shade trees for Phoenix, Arizona?

texts: I'm looking for a medium sized deciduous shade tree to plant in Phoenix, Arizona to shade part of my house. It needs to be deciduous so that it will let the sun through in the winter and provide shade in the summer. The tree does not need to be indigenous but will obviously need to be able to withstand harsh summers. Also, preferable would be something that grew fast so as to provide maximum benefit as soon as possible.


texts: Help identifying a tree in Southwest Florida

texts:
Chances are this will be a duplicate, and I can't post photos yet, so apologies in advance...

We have a small tree in our new backyard in SW FL. It's partially hidden behind a sea grape plant that will be removed as soon as I can. The tree in question is maybe 10 feet tall, fairly stringy (for lack of a better word). There are two main trunks, but each is only a couple of inches (if that) in diameter. The branches are long and thin, the leaves about 1 1/2" long, smooth and shiny. At the end of many branches is a single red flower. From a distance, it looks like a parachutist hanging around - there is a single long stamen (I think) about 3 inches long, and the petals are feathery, and curving back up towards the sky. There have been flowers since I think at least around June when we moved here.

Many thanks!

Thank you, Niall C, for the photo tip. Here's a photo of the flower and the main trunk of the tree:


texts: Please help me ID this apple or apple-like bush/tree in my yard - Small green apple with no stem and thorns

texts:
I have lived in this house for many years.  I have always had a bush behind the shed that I couldn't identify.  I always knew it was green most of the year and that it had thorns but that was about it.

Well a couple of days ago I was looking at it and low and behold there was an green apple or an apple like fruit on it!  I was excited but it wasn't like a normal apple.  There was no stem, it was directly attached to the branch, and I have never seen an apple with thorns that are an inch or so long.

I'm not sure what it is or if it is native or a non-native ornamental plant.  I live in New Albany, Indiana which is in southern Indiana near Louisville, KY. Also on my property here in town I have dogwoods, an ornamental cherry, a holly, some catalpa trees, a white pine, and some miscellaneous other bushes/hedges. It is an old property and I think most of the trees were placed here by a previous owner. My dad and I are very curious as to what it is.

Leaves are dark green and look very similar to an apple's.  The fruit is very apple shaped, even has a dimple on the bottom, but like I said no stem.  It is a little more round than most apples and about 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter.

See photos below, and more on flickr:


texts: Very important peace lily not growing at all

texts: My boyfriend has a peace lily from his 12 year old daughters funeral that was 6 years ago (we have been together a little over a year now) I have cut brown spots off, I need to again. I water 1-2 times a week. It doesn't grow at all. I also just placed it by the door for some light today. Any suggestions would be helpful.  I thought of re potting it but if I kill it , it would really bother me. Hoping I can add pics


texts: Please find attached picture of my pumpkin shoot. The leaves show a whitish appearance. I am growing it with vermi compost and cocopit mix. Can somebody tell what has been happening with the plant lately? I am very much worried. I am staying in india and currently its a rainy season.


texts:
I just bought a home in the CA bay area.  My front yard is dominated by a large redwood tree that seems in good health.  I really love the way it looks.  By large I mean 5-6 stories in height, planted most likely in the late 40s.  The tree is somewhat close to my front porch in that eventually some of the branches will probably grow out to touch the roof.  I assume I'll need to have those trimmed back.

I don't know how much tree trimmers know about redwoods specifically, so I want to be knowledgeable myself.  A trimmer recently recommended thinning out the branches and getting rid of the lower hanging branches.  I kind of like the lower branches (still above my head) as it feels more forest'y.  I worry about thinning reducing the shade.

What kinds of trimming should I be doing regularly other than keeping branches away from my roof?  Are there any other things I need to worry about with an old redwood: watering, pests or anything else?


texts:
I've got some spare wood from a downed pine tree that's been around for a year. I've asked the local garden labourers to cut the rounds up and stack it on the boundary so I could plant it out.

Should I just dump everything except invasive weeds, tree branches, leaves etc, and then cover it with a huge amount of soil, before planting? Was this a big mistake and should I burn it instead ( cut into firewood and sell) as I read somewhere that pine resins inhibit roots.  The pile is currently 5 foot tall and growing, with more native bush to be levelled and added. Is it too tall?


texts: What to call this latex material used to tie trees?

texts:
I got some special hollow (rope/wire/string/tube - I don't know how to call it) - it is green and made of latex about 4 or 5 mm in diameter and used to tie young trees to prevent wind damage.

Can anyone tell me what this is called and maybe where I can buy some more of it?

Or alternatively what other good materials can be used for this purpose?


texts: What is this bush/tree that has clumps of little green berries but also sometimes apples?

texts:
I've lived in my house many years and have always enjoyed this bush/tree plant in the front that looks a lot like an apple tree (blossoms, leaves).  It has clumps of little green berries (I'm sure not edible) but also every so often produces a couple of apples.  what the heck?  I've (carefully) eaten one or two of the apples and they seem just like regular old apples.  But why are there clumps of green berries (multiple, on little stalks, like cherries grow, only much smaller than cherries). I was just pruning it today and noticed there are a couple of apples on it.  But the little green berry things are confusing me.  Is this thing grafted?  I live in the Pacific Northwest.  Any idea what this shrub is?

Additional photos are at http://imgur.com/a/pwBaG.

Click on photos for larger view.


texts: Why do we kill store-bought vegetables? Why not store them so they can keep growing?

texts:
I just pulled some radishes from the fridge. I forgot they were in there and the stems and leaves had turned to mush. The radishes themselves were fine, but it made me think: why didn't I just plant them instead of putting them in a cold dark drawer?

Many people have seen and enjoyed this trick with romain lettuce:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTsSVQYezeM

I do something similar with lemon grass.

It makes me wonder: why not have a growing zone in the kitchen for keeping fresh produce sold in whole plant form? Couldn't lead to better taste, longer lasting and maybe even more abundant food?

Are there any resources that list some of the methods for doing this with produce?

How did all of our food end up in the fridge, which works well for some foods, but seem to kill others?


texts:
Who can help me with identifying the plants shown in the picture below (on the left).

I grew them from large brown seed contained in a "Flower Seed Mix"

Click photo for full size


texts: What is the problem/disease that causes bobbly peach tree leaves?

texts:
What is the likely cause of the bobbly forms on the leaves of a peach tree? Does it matter or is it just some natural anomaly that doesn't affect the tree's health? If is it a concern how can it be treated?

The tree in question is about 1m (3 ft) tall, so not very close to maturity yet.

On the left is a bottom view of a bobbly leaf; on the right is top view.

UPDATE: Further to the question, can anyone give information about how leaf curl is different when cause by a virus (e.g. Begomovirus) instead of the Taphrina deformans fungus which is apparently the much more common cause? And how would treat it differently?