texts: What tool(s) for cutting ivy stems on trees and walls?

texts:
I have some trees and walls which have decades' worth of ivy growth. Some trees in particular have ivy stems as thick as my forearm, and the tree is almost invisible.

I plan to start by chopping the stems so the ivy will die back. But I'm not sure what tools are best. I tried with loppers but they can't get round the whole stem as it is tightly stuck on. I used a pruning saw on the thick ones on a tree trunk but for thinner stems, or those on a flat wall, it doesn't work so well.

I was wondering about a power strimmer or a hand-axe... but I don't want to damage my tools or my walls. However there are so many stalks that I want an efficient approach, not having to delicately attend to each stem. The idea of a single chop from a hand-axe to each stem seems attractive.


texts:
Received this succulent yesterday from a nursery far away. I have put it in water till now.

Plantnet app suggested it's Aeonium arboreum. Is this right? How should I care for it? Since the stem is so long, can I cut it and plant in soil (because if this is Aeonium, then it likes to be a shallow pot, right?)


texts: How do I transplant my English lavender that grew very close to each other

texts: Is it too late to transplant my english lavender? I started them from seed in April, and didn't expect the ones that are gonna survive are the ones that are beside each other. So I am concerned that if I try to transplant it, I might damage some entangled roots. Anyone with a similar experience in the past? Any tips on this would be great. Thanks!


texts: Possible to grow sweet potatoes in towers?

texts:
This year I will be planting potatoes (Yukon Gold and Russet) as well as sweet potatoes.
This coming weekend I will be building so-called "potato towers" for the Yukons & Russets using the designs prescribed in this YouTube video. I purchased actual seed potatoes for both varieties and plan on having one Yukon tower and one Russet tower. Fingers crossed.
As for the sweet potatoes, I bought them at an organic food store and I've been following this Dengarden article for starting the slips. Basically I took a few sweet potatoes, cut them in half, and stuck them in tin foil trays full of growing medium (quality soil & organic veggie fertilizer mix). And I've been keeping them on warming pads for the last few weeks, out of light.
Most of the sweet potatoes have now grown these long, ragged, purple "slips" (or is it chutes? I can never tell the difference!) and these slips have started to grow small green leaves.
The Dengarden article (linked above) wants me to wait until the leaves get a little bigger, and then stick them in mason jars full of water so that root systems have a chance to grow. Then it wants me to plant them into a container or directly into the ground.
But I'm wondering: can I skip the mason jar step and just build a "Sweet Potato" tower and plant these sweet potatoes the same way I'm planting the Yukons and Russets?
My hope here is that I can just build a small tower for the sweet potatoes, where a wooden post keeps a cylindrical wire-mesh container upright, and I fill it with layers of straw, growing medium and my sweet potatoes which now have long purplish slips begin to form leaves.
Is this a possibility or do I need to pick the slips off and place them into mason jars as the Dengarden article suggests? And if so, how do I know when they are ready to be picked off and placed in the jars? Thanks in advance for any-and-all help!


texts: I recently moved and a tree that was blown over in a storm has been growing again for a few years. This is my first summer with the tree and it looks great, until you see the trunk. I think I will have to remove it, but wanted to ask more informed people. Is there any way to save this tree? Or should I remove it as soon as possible?


texts: What are these pests on my Cussonia Bonsai?

texts:
My Cussonia bonsai suffers from these pests which I cannot recognize. I cleaned the leaves with a 90% alcohol solution, but they keep coming back, although I don't know if those are new pests or just eggs that are hatching.

Could you please help me to recognize those pests? I'd appreciate any advice on how to treat them?


texts: Should I take seed casings off newly sprouted cucumber seedlings?

texts: I have planted some cucumbers (forgot what species) and they have all sprouted, however, I have noticed that one still has the seed shell/case thing (not sure how to describe it). I am not planning on doing anything to it but it got me wondering, would taking it off actually do anything?


texts: When should Broccoli seeds be sown indoors for spring planting in Minnesota?

texts: When should I sow my broccoli seeds indoors and when should I transplant outside?


texts: How can I keep mockingbirds off potted plants (ornamental peppers)?

texts:
I have a rectangular pot on the deck full of ornamental peppers ('Poinsettia' and Chile Pequin "bird peppers"). As is typical of ornamental peppers, they're about a foot high and covered with small fruit. At the moment most are green and few seemed to be ripening to the bright red that they are supposed to be. Yesterday I saw the culprit in action: a mockingbird.

I have seen them go after pepper flowers in the past - not usually a concern at this time of year because it is too hot for them to form fruit. However, this time I have fruit (I think the ornamentals like the heat). And the mockingbirds are eating the actual fruit - probably because they are so small. Even a small pepperoncini is going to be pretty big for a mockingbird, but a chiltepin is just the right size to eat whole.

This year we do have a lot of mockingbird chicks around. What can I do to keep them away from the pot? A net would not look good. Wires would merely add more perches (mockingbirds are acrobatic and maneuverable birds).

Although I often take a more pragmatic approach to killing pests, a lethal solution is not appropriate in this situation. Nor is the use of mist nets to catch and relocate them.


texts: Tree Identification. Any ideas what this is? They emerged red. I feel like it's way too early for them to be cherry and way to small for them to be plums? And they don't look like cherry plums either. Will they get bigger maybe? I can't find any pictures or videos of young plums to compare.


texts: Can my lawn be saved or is it time to dig it up and re-sod?

texts:
The majority of the grass in my backyard has turned brown and/or died after what we believe was a chinch bug onslaught that went untreated for way too long.  It is St. Augustine grass in South Florida.

I finally treated the whole backyard with Spectracide, so hopefully that takes care of the bugs.  Now the problem is repairing the damage.  If at all possible, I'd like to avoid re-sodding due to the labor and costs involved, but if there's no alternative, then I'd at least like to make sure I do things properly to ensure the newly planted lawn thrives.

I have maybe 100-150 300-350 sq ft of surviving grass back there... is there any chance that the surviving grass will spread to fill the backyard (relatively quickly?) or that the brown/dead grass will regrow?  Is there anything I can do to accelerate the process?

If not, is it time to just dig everything up and lay down new sod?  What would be the proper way to do so in order to ensure I'll have a thriving, attractive looking lawn for my efforts?

Images below of what happened / what's left in case it helps (click to enlarge):


texts: What's a good way to protect fig trees overwinter?

texts:
A friend of mine has a fig plant growing in the ground in Lancaster, PA, USDA hardiness zone 6b, and it needs protection each year through the winter, to prevent burn. What he does for now is wrap the entire thing in tar paper, which protects it from the wind, and some of the cold, and warms up during the day.

But last winter was worse than normal, and the plant died back to about 3/4 the size it was previously. During a bad winter, is there a better way to protect a large fig shrub? The plant is growing in clay, and is about 7' tall, and 8 1/2' wide.


texts: Are low double deer fences effective in keeping deer out?

texts:
Most people with large landscaping investments around here fence their property with 8' deer fence. This can be hidden from view in most cases. In certain situations, however, 8' fencing would detract too much from the view, and I've heard professionals recommend the installation of two parallel 4' fences 4' apart. The outer fence is typically some kind of wire mesh, while the inner one is described as merely two horizontal wires about 2' apart, running from post to post. The theory is not only that the deer can see the horizontal wires and fear that they can't jump across the distance, but that they also will not jump into the narrow space contained between the fences.

I have done some research online on the effectiveness of such a setup, but have been disappointed in how little info I've found.

So, does this setup work, or not? And are there specifications for setting up an effective double fence?


texts: Chili leaves shriveling up, with light-green raised dots on the leaves

texts:
On some of my chili peppers (approx 1 month old, grown under artificial light), the leaves are rolling up / shriveling up, and little light-green raised dots are appearing on both sides of some leaves. The dots seem to be denser along the veins of the leaf, particularly on the underside.

What could be the cause of this, and what can be done to fix it?


texts: Plant with purple blooms that close each night

texts:
The depicted plant closes its blooms at night. It has purple, thin, spidery petals, as well as thick, soft, needle-shaped leafs. I obtained it at a handout 2-3 years ago at a botanical garden here in Central Europe and have planted it outside. It has paid me faithful company ever since.

What is it?


texts: How to prune chili plants to help recover from transplant shock

texts: I have a ghost pepper plant I'm growing indoors, and I just (5 days ago) transplanted it from a 7" to a 12" pot. Not knowing any better at the time, I broke up the roots a bit during transplant. Now my plant is wilting, but the soil feels moist to the touch still. After reading around a bit, I learned the plant is probably suffering from transplant shock because I damaged the roots, and one way to make sure it recovers is to prune it back a bit so it can spend more of its energy on growing out new roots. Everything I found about how to prune chili plants is for overwintering them or seasonal pruning, though - not shock recovery. Can I use the same strategies for where to cut my plant?


texts: What is the type of moss that commonly grows in dirt, trees, and bricks?

texts:
I'm trying to grow moss for my paludarium, and there's a certain type of moss that is very common (especially during fall) that you can see growing in hard-packed dirt, trees, and bricks -- (at least where I'm from, Houston, TX, US). It is very common, and looks like:

Is there a certain name for this? I don't think it's java moss or sphagnum, it looks quite different and doesn't get as big. I've tried everywhere and it appears that this is just "moss", but is there at least some type of scientific classification?

Edit

After doing some research, I found two possible classifications: Bryophyta oedipodium and Bryophyta bryopsida (true moss). Is it either of these? I am by no means an expert on plant life, I'm doing this for my amphibians, so if anyone is familiar with mosses, any help would be much appreciated!


texts: What is this plant with two types of leaves?

texts: Found this in my yard. One type of leaf is needle-like and about 2 1/2" long with vertical veining. The other is like a mimosa or honeylocust with compound bi-pinate leaves. They're growing from the same stalk!!


texts: What's the name of this plant and it's sunlight and water requirements?


texts: Which agave species are small enough for my succulent garden?

texts:
Two years ago, I have made two succulent garden plots, each lies in the bare center of a fruit tree garden bed. The central area receives enough sun for socculents. I have planted cacti, Sansevierias and Echeverias.

The overall outcome was very good, except for one factor - hail.
My Echeverias have fared well the previous winter and new leaves took over and completely replaced the damaged leaves. However, this winter I had a single, yet strong hail storm which was catastrophic to few of them. Though I expect my Echeverias to recover, I plant to move them to a more protected area.

I have considered several solutions. One of them was replacing the Echeverias with small Agaves to keep the same visual effect. Which Agaves species should I use? Here are my selection criteria:

1- Small Agaves only, with top size around 12" give or take. No A. Americana or something of that size. There is just no room for monsters with daggers :)

2- Not too slow-growing: This is to allow Agaves planted in spring to have established a sturdy root system before the hot and dry summer.

3- Pups - Optional. This is a bonus, given that I intend to create a clumping effect, not an oversize effect. Extra pups will be potted and then sold/exchanged with friends. Some will be planted further away from the mother plant.


texts: Killing weeds with vinegar/soap solution

texts:
Hi there a friend suggested that we use a vinegar based recipe to deal with large weeds and brambles in our yard.

The recipe he quoted was

4 cups white vinegar
4 cups apple cider vinegar
1 box of table salt (1 kilo)
1/2 a bottle of sunlight dish detergent

From my research I understand it is indiscriminate (sp?) in killing all plants applied and that it should be applied while in direct sunlight.

Is this a good and safe recipe, and are there any other worries to consider?


texts: I have different types of weeds in my garden, some 50cm (~1½ ft) tall or more. What's the best (and cheapest) tool to remove those?


texts: How to remove alkalinity (calcium carbonate) in water?

texts:
I have a lot of plants that are acid loving and are very sensitive, such as maples.
The tap water in my region comes from the Colorado river and thus has high alkalinity, i.e. high amounts of salts. Adding vinegar doesn't really help because although the water's pH is lowered, it salts still enter the soil and cause the soil substrate to increase in pH.
What are ways I can remedy this?
Some options I've considered:

Adding granular sulfur to the soil. But does the sulfur counteract the salts such as calcium carbonate and remove them from the soil or does the sulfur just balance the pH? I'm worried about adding too many elements to the soil making it unstable
Adding organic material, sphagnum moss, etc. Again, will this issue dissolve and get rid of the salts or will it just counteract the effects of the salts?
Filling a bucket with water and letting it sit outside for a day. I know this rids the water of chlorine and lets the salts settle to the bottom, but not sure if this is that effective if I'm lugging around the bucket and salt just gets mixed in again.

What else can I try?


texts: Can I start fuchsias from root cuttings?

texts: I love fuchsias and am wintering one over indoors for the first time. It's doing great (3 months in), but when I trimmed it I had to prune the roots as well as the leaves and so I was wondering if it was possible to grow fuchsias from root cuttings because I have had more success with root cuttings than stem cuttings in other plants.


texts:
What can cause tomato flowers to drop before blooming even once?

They never open at all. So, there's no chance for external pollination. They get to the point to where they're almost about to open before they fall off.


texts: What can be used as plant media except soil?

texts: I am thinking about making myself an office table. I want to put a plexiglass top on the table and then put small plants under it. My concerns are the water hazard and insects. Can we use something except soil to grow the plants?


texts: Potatoes outgrowing bag - too high to hill/earth up

texts:
I've grown some potatoes in foot high bags and have been steadily earthing them up as they grow. The stem has now reached about two feet so any earth I put on top simply falls off.

Is it best to repot them in a larger container or leave it to grow to avoid damaging them?


texts: Help identifying a bug that's attacking my Mimosa pudica

texts:
I have a sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) that has gotten infested with tiny  black bugs. They're roughly 0.76mm (3/100ths of an inch) long. I'd like some help identifying what they are and how to treat them. I've sprayed them with Neem Oil. That seems to kill them, but then they appear again. Something is wilting the leaves on the plant, turn them brown, and making webbing (similar to a spider) on the leaves--especially the new shoots. When I poked the black bugs with a pin, some of them would disappear (jump, perhaps?).

I've circled one of the bugs with a ballpoint pen for size comparison:

Here's the little bugger under a microscope:

I found this in the webbing:

I also found this mite on one of the dead leaves:

Also on the dead leaf was this (an egg?):

All the microscope images are at the same magnification.


texts: Will my avocado tree produce fruits in my non-tropical climate region?

texts:
I have successfully germinated an avocado seed and am now willing to bring it outside and plant it in the soil.

I live on the coast in Northern Portugal, so we never get negative temperatures. Minimum would be 4°C (40°F), on an extremely cold night. Also, abundant rain.

Q. Can I expect it to give fruits in a non-tropical, moderate climate such as the one found in Northern Portugal? (It should, as apparently we gave the avocado to the world :P )

Q. And if so, is there any special care I should have for the tree to thrive?


texts: does anybody have an idea about these small black spots on a lower leave of Fatsia japonica?


texts: What kind of plant is this, I never seen this plant before

texts: A friend of mines has given me a plant. However, it came without any instructions and no name. Does anyone know what type of plant this is and how to maintain it?


texts: How do I actually "pinch out" a pepper plant?

texts:
I've been given a few peppers plants a few weeks ago, which I'm now trying to grow inside, on my sunnier window ledges. While trying to find out how to care for them, most advice I've found seems to indicate that I should "pinch out" the top when the plant is ~30 to 40cm tall (the tallest is current;y about 30cm now, so I'll need to do something with them soon).

I understand why we do this, and think I know approximately what I should be doing, but I'm a complete novice and have never tried to do this before, and would rather not accidentally kill them early on.

So, exactly how do I pinch out a pepper plant?


texts: What plant is this? Green/reed succulent like leaves

texts: I've searched but I can't find what plant is it.


texts: I've planted Basil (from a pot) outside and it's been very wet in the last few weeks. The plant has now got these grey spots on it. What is wrong with it?


texts: Unidentified euphorbia turning yellow, how can i rescue it?

texts:
This is my first post and I have been looking on several forums where I can discuss plant queries.
I have a couple of questions regarding a euphorbia cactus so please bear with me.
I recently purchased and a euphorbia cactus (If anyone can ID, that'll be great! I don't know what type it is.) I repotted it in a terracotta pot from the plastic container it arrived in.

It hadn't been a week and I noticed one of the stems (the one on the right in the photo above) was turning yellow and shrivelling up. I dug to discover what I would call a bruise. Didn't seem like it had been overwatered. Anyway I sliced off that section and applied some rooting powder and have left it to scar. Attached a photo; can it be rescued?

Just today, I dug a bit further today and found another stem turning slightly yellow. I plan to wait another day and if I see the yellowness spreading I will do surgery on it and perhaps on all the other stems, similar to the one I did above.

Please let me know what all I should be looking into and how can I rescue this. Where I live its considerably hot, sunny, and humid in an otherwise arid region. However I dont think the climate has got to do with it since the plant is locally grown and purchased.
Appreciate any feedback!!


texts: I was at the nursery looking for a good wall cover and this little fellow caught my eye. The nursery guy said that it's called a euonymus but didn't know which type. He said that it'll do the job of covering my 10 ft wall but would take a few years to get there. I googled the plant and in the pictures, it appears to be a small to medium size growing shrub. Not something that would hide my wall but of course perhaps this variety may. Idk. Did i make a mistake buying this plant? I live in a semi arid climate with a south facing wall that gets sun all day.


texts: Name of this plant So i can propagate it

texts: I purchased this plant from Market there was no mention of it's name but i liked it very much. Any one know whats the name of it and whats the best way to propagate it.


texts: My garden soil is devoid of nutrients, how should I improve it this winter?

texts:
The garden area in my yard has soil that even the weeds don't particularly love to grow in during the summer. They will make a half hearted attempt in the winter, but it definitely isn't as lush as the rest of my yard. I think decades of gardening by the little old lady who lived there before me, without taking care of the soil, has depleted it.  I have had some success gardening in it, but only with silly amounts of fertilizer. So I want to improve the situation this winter.

I have a horse ranch near me that gives away free manure that has been reasonably composted already. I was thinking of acquiring enough for a few inches of coverage through the whole garden. I was planning to do this basically as soon as I till my summer garden into the soil.

I was then thinking of growing a cover crop like peas and beans to till into the soil in early spring. I live in the CA Bay Area, so growing winter plants shouldn't be overly difficult.

Are there other techniques I should be thinking of? The garden is already even with the rest of the yard, so I don't want to bring in enough dirt/compost to end up with a raised bed.


texts: Is this a Jacaranda or a Silk Tree or something else?

texts:
Back in March, I bought a baby Jacaranda tree from Ebay. Well, they claimed it was a Jacaranda.  Just recently I discovered Silk Trees which look remarkably like the Jacaranda.  Everywhere I read, articles said the best way to tell them apart is by their flowers.  Well either tree won't flower until a few years old. So is there any other way I can distinguish between the two? Is what I purchased a Jacaranda or a Silk Tree...or even something else?  Here's some helpful info which may help identification:

I purchased the tree as a tiny little sapling for $10 on Ebay.
It was not bare root nor was it grafted. Def grown from seed.
The seller was growing them in Florida.
I live in Southern Texas.
This tree has thrived in my clay soil with only watering once a week.
Just came out of a drought too so the tree had no real rain water.
The tree grew from about 1 inch tall to over 5 feet in about 6 months!
Has one main trunk, though started sprouting a secondary one at ground level

Plethora of pics:


texts: Do Pine Bark Nuggets stop weeds from growing in a lawn?

texts:
I have a bare area in my lawn where weeds grow fast. I want to buy many bags of nuggets to cover the area to stop the weeds.

Do pine bark nuggets stop weeds from growing?


texts: Is late April too late to plant herbs from seed in the US Pacific Northwest?

texts:
I am trying to plant an herb garden in the Puget Sound region (USDA Zone 7b) of Washington state. I wanted to get some perennial herbs going from seed, but I am wondering if it is too late now? (late April/ early May) I have access to a heated greenhouse and would be growing starts in a 72-cell seed tray, rather than direct seeding.

The herbs I was planning on incorporating into the garden are listed below. Can anyone tell me if there are certain herbs on here that I should not grow from seed at this time? Which of these would I have to get going from starts now? (I'm hoping that the herbs that can survive as perennials in this area would be able to survive the winter outdoors).

Anise
Anise Hyssop
Arnica
Bee Balm
Black Cumin
Calendula
Caraway
Catnip
Dill
Echinacea
Evening Primrose
Feverfew
Horsemint
Lavender
Lemon Thyme
Marjoram
Motherwort
Mugwort
Pennyroyal
Salad Burnet
Sorrel
St. John's Wort
Sweet Cicely
Tansy
Tarragon
Thyme
Valerian
Wintergreen
Winter Savory
Wormwood
Yarrow


texts: How aggressively can you prune chilli plants?

texts:
I recently pruned my chilli plants after watching some videos on topping.

I was more aggressive on plants where there were signs of new growth further down the stem. In other places, I left some side branches.

After seeing some overwintering videos, how aggressive can I be with pruning in the spring? I'd essentially like to keep the plants, but for some of them, I want to "start over" because I don't like how tall and thin they have become and want to avoid staking.


texts: Which organic fertilizer should I use to encourage flower growth?

texts:
I heard that some plants need fertilizing every two weeks in order to encourage flowering. I prefer organic fertilizers because I feel they provide better nutrients, however they are in granules and are slow releasing.

What is the best way for me to provide a clean, fast, organic way to fertilize the soil to encourage flowering? Should I use the inorganic fertilizer?


texts: Is "legginess" due to distance from a grow lamp a real thing?

texts:
I'm starting Common Milkweed seeds indoors under an LED panel grow lamp, and I've found this tutorial to be a useful reference, and my seeds have just started to sprout. One thing it says is:

  If you’re using a grow light, make sure to lower the bulb closer to the pots, or your seedlings may become leggy as they stretch to find the light.

Is this a real thing? I'm a physicist, and I'd like to understand this issue. Wild plants grow under sunlight, which on a clear day comes from a compact source 93 million miles away. The grow lamp is a diffuse source (or, rather, a collection of many point sources spread over a large solid angle, compared to the sun) a few inches away. How do plants "know" the distance to the source of illumination, and why does it matter if it's 3 inches or 12 inches? If this is a real effect, what is the biophysical mechanism behind it?


texts:
What is this funniest-shaped flower?

The plant is 3ft high and growing. Unknown origin.


texts:
I have 4 gardenias and 3 different issues, that im trying to identify. Please help, any feedback or how to bring back the health of the plant is greatly appreciated.

I live in central florida and its been pretty cold lately, with some rain.

1) yellow leaves (im assuming low acidity, use fertilizer)

2) black leaves, looks like mold

3) yellow spots (i cant figure this one out at all)


texts: Where can I find credible information about companion planting/intercropping

texts:
If you do a search for "companion planting", you get millions of hits. However, it's hard to separate out the real legitimate information from the muck. There's a lot of misinformation based on pseudoscientific methods of divining which plants "like" each other.

The academic community seems to prefer the term "intercropping" to distinguish the real science from the hocus-pocus. Unfortunately, most of the legitimate research I've stumbled across seems geared toward disproving what doesn't work rather than finding what does work. So there's far less information available from academia.

Does anyone know of some credible sources that are actively researching this field?


texts: Wood chips instead of rock mulch for a cactus garden

texts:
I live in a Mediterranean climate. My soil is light in clay, so it is somewhat sandy. Still, when it's low in organic matter it hardens when dry, since it has some clay in it. The said area has: Parodia Leninghausii, Sansevieria Cylindrica, Echeverias and Aloe hybrids.

My plan: use wood chips mulch, which has some advantages over stone mulch:

1- degrades slowly by fungi, which release some nutrients to the plants and enhance microorganism activity,

2- Less hassle while doing maintenance work, like moving or introducing plants. Easy to rake the work area,

3- porous, allows air and water, though aeration is slow. Chips that were left after raking do not block air and water, because they degrade, while stones accumulate over the years.

4- slugs may feed on the decaying chips, leaving my succulents alone.

So, would my succulents do better with chip mulch than with stone mulch?


texts: How do I add height to an existing asparagus bed?

texts:
A month or two ago I planted (1-year old) asparagus in a 6" high raised bed. Now we want to raise it to 30", or more, (easier for my mum to pick).

Would it be a problem? How best to go about it?


texts: Is stratification necessary for aquilegia seeds?

texts:
We had bought a variety of aquilegia seeds. Of more than 100 seeds only one developed into a plant flowering in the second year. They weren't all sown on the same soil, so it is not very likely that the selection of the soil was wrong.

We think this is a very bad yield. We did not stratify them, because the instructions of the seller didn't tell us so.

But there must be something which can be optimised. Could stratification or late sowing be necessary?

Update according to questions

The seeds were sown into trays for our balcony railing.
They were sown in spring (Apr) and very shallow to let some light onto them. Besides two seeds none of them had germinated until fall.
We had 6 or more sorts (e.g. Aquilegia caeruela, A. glandulosa, A. flabellata...)

They were sown 5mm deep. Soil was rather moist.


texts: What is the term for this pruning technique that causes stubby, clublike branches?

texts: These Platanus × acerifolia trees (London Planetree) were pruned to have this short, stubby branch structure. What is this called, and how is is done?


texts: .   Is this a picture of any flower. Please let me know


texts: I'd like to grow a hibiscus plant and wonder if that's even possible during the winter in Oregon. I assume I'll need to keep it indoors to keep it warm, but I have a very small space with limited sunlight. What are some growing options I could try to get a hibiscus going?


texts: What could cause my coriander plant to start browning?

texts:
I grew coriander from seeds and the plant has done marvellously well until the last week or two where it appears to have stagnated a little. I noticed that some leaves have began to brown entirely, while others have brown tips.

This is a potted plant in heavy soil. I was very generous with fertiliser, and I do water on most days save for overcast and rainy days. I notice that the water takes a while to be absorbed into the soil. The soil is constantly wet too. I'm afraid I might have planted it in too heavy soil.

There is drainage below the plant. I used a bed of stones in a plastic pot with two holes. But I think the sand might be too heavy.

This plant gets at least five hours of sun, maybe more, on on sunny days, and the weather is sunny and mild year round (São Paulo, Brazil).


texts: I found a very large branch in my yard.   Looking up, I was surprised to see a a bare tree amongst the leafy ones, from which this branch had fallen.  Not a tree expert but I'm guessing this one is dead/dying and will eventually damage my house.   Based on the photos, can anyone confirm this tree is a goner (I don't know if it's dormant or why it would in May in the southeastern US)? I'd like verification before I call a tree service to have it removed.  Is there any way to tell from the photos what disease is affecting this tree? I also would appreciate suggestions for what I should look for in a tree removal service.


texts:
For our wedding favors, we ordered a variety of mini succulents in 2" pots. As one would expect, some of them were slightly damaged during shipping, with a few leaves broken in the middle. For these broken succulent leaves, is it better to clip the broken leaf off at the base, or leave the broken leaf attached?

I'm mainly asking about what's best for the health of the plant. I know with other leafier plants we have (peace lily, for example), it's better to cut off dying leaves so that the plant doesn't waste nutrients on a leaf that is going to die anyway. I wasn't sure if broken succulent leaves were doomed as well, or if they would heal and survive.

If it matters, most of the damaged plants appear to be some variety of Echeveria.


texts:
Two nights ago I lost my beloved dog, Heidi. I buried her in my backyard, and plan to get a plaque to mark the location, and plant some flowers. It was suggested to me today that I plant a small plant that might not grow very big, and will be easy to transplant in the future. That way if I ever sell my house, I can take the plant with me, and it will be like I'm taking the plant that she gave life to.

I think it's a really good idea, so I would like to try it. Can anyone give me suggestions on a plant? I don't know the first thing about gardening. I'd like something small that preferably is very pretty.

I live on Long Island in NY, so whatever is planted would need to be able to survive winters with snow.

Is there such a thing as a red fern? I read the book "Where the Red Fern Grows" as a child and I would love the idea of planting such a plant for her, if one exists. I searched Amazon and didn't find anything though.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions


texts: What is the right way to pick peppers so the plant keeps producing?

texts:
Does it matter where on the stalk you cut or remove the fruit off the plant so that you don't suck away its future earning potential?

Let's take the photo here, of a Cayenne pepper (Capsicum annuum), where the chilli is now ripe and ready to burn up the dinner plate.

Usually from the store, this type of chilli comes with some of the stem at the end of the red.

In order to make sure the plant keeps on keeping on, can you just pluck out the red part and leave the nub? Or do you have to cut it off the plant somewhere along the lines where the sun doth shine?


texts: Transplanting young oak trees into buckets

texts: I have about 100 oak trees. I took the 100 oak trees out the ground and planted them into 5 gallon buckets. The trees were very healthy when i took them out the ground and about 3ft tall.  I used a soil sand mix i bought at a local nursery to use to replant them in the 5 gallon bucket. After about a week the trees in the 5 gallon bucket looked as they were dying.  I used a root simulator about 2 weeks in. So its now been about 2 months and the trees look almost dead. I notice at the base a sprout is coming up. What should I do altogether?


texts: Is there a tree database or tree suggestion engine out there?

texts:
I have a dead tree on my HOA grounds that needs to be replaced. I love trees but I'm far from an expert. It would be awesome if there was a database I could search against, where I could specify things like location, light amount, root spread pattern (deep vs shallow), and branch spread pattern, and get recommendations from that.

Does anyone know if such a resource exists? I tried a few Google queries without success.


texts: Does cauliflower produce secondary growth after the main harvest?

texts: Will cauliflower do anything after you pick the main flower like broccoli or should I just pull the whole plant out when I'm harvesting?


texts: Can you save seeds from Zolushka potatoes grown from true potato seed (TTS)?

texts:
I'm wanting to grow potatoes that don't have any genes for cytoplasmic male sterility. In other words, I'm wanting potatoes that fruit like tomatoes (they actually do exist), productively, so I can grow them from seeds instead of tubers.

I know you can buy Zolushka potato seeds (TTS: true potato seed—not the same thing as seed potatoes) at Park Seed. However, I don't know if the resulting plants have a chance of having cytoplasmic male sterility or not. Do they? Do they fruit? That's my question. I mean, buying the seeds is worth much more to me if I can save my own seeds every season or two.

Additionally, if you know where I can get some other kinds of TTS that don't carry a cytoplasmic male sterility gene, feel free to let me know. I see that Joseph Lofthouse has a landrace he's working on, with TTS. I don't know if he sells seeds, though, but I could ask him. It sounds promising, anyway.


texts: Very few needles on lower spruce branches

texts: I have what I believe is a 30 ft Norway Spruce that looks very healthy, except for the bottom three feet of branches which have almost no needles.  This bottom portion of the tree is shaded out by some large shrubs for a good portion of the year, is this the likely cause?  Is there any way to encourage growth on these lower branches (with or without removing shrubs), or is all new growth on the top of the tree?


texts: When, and how far, to prune down a massive overgrown rhododendron?

texts:
Our new home has several rhododendrons that look to have gone unmanaged for many many years. The largest, in the pictures below, has grown well over the roof.

When should this get pruned? How far down should it get pruned at a time? What's the ideal height for a plant like this?


texts: What to do with a this tree which has become too big for its current position?

texts:
I've got an tree (see this question for ID) which has been planted by the previous owner in a position where it now has outgrown.

I would like to remove it from there and like know what are my options.

Three years ago, when I moved in, the tree was more like a shrub. About 1m high. The first year the winter was quite hard and most of the branches and leaves had died. I thought for good. Then in spring it came back to life. New growth showed up. The last two years the winters were quite mild and thus it grew on and on.

Now it is 3-4 meter high and the main stem is about 8 cm thick at the bottom and it doesn't fit anymore in the place where it is now.

Here are the options I'm currently thinking of and I hope to pick the right one with your help.

Cut - shred - compost it If this option turns out to be the best one I'd like to know what to with the roots, leave or dig it out?
Cut and cultivate as a shrub When to cut, how much and what are the risks?
Dig it out and put it into another place My favorite. What do I need to take care of if this is a possible way? My soil is relatively heavy clay, how will this have influenced root-growth regarding spread and deepness? I surely will harm some roots, how much do I need to cut back the tree in its new position and when to cut back? What is the right position for this tree? Will it work on the south-east-border of a wooden area?


texts: What is this weird growth on my cucumber?

texts:
It is about 8cm tall and used to be green but is now slowly going white...

Is it some form of tumour?

Edit

Here is the picture of the whole cucumber (for you disbelievers). The growth can be found on the top left and you can find a growing cucumber on the bottom of the same plant:

Split up into the segments, it looks like this:

I have cut up the segments. While cutting, there was a distinct smell of cucumber - the same as when slicing a normal example of the fruit. You can also see some of the wet interior has some shared features with that of a cucumber.

I have also found a hole that could possibly be evidence of an insect being present at some stage of development of this growth, suggesting that Giacomo Catenazzi's answer may be right:


texts: Why is my bonsai losing brown/yellow leaves and developing white dots

texts:
I was recently given this beautiful bonsai and I water until the soil is moist nearly every day. But recently it has started dropping leaves and these little white dots are appearing. Why is this happening and what can I do? This was given to me for my birthday (25th August ) but this has only just started to happen.
Any help is appreciated! Thanks


texts: I found this log in the woods any idea what it is?


texts: Why does watering a plant cause temperature changes?

texts: When watering my sunchokes I notice they get as cold as the water going on the plants. Why is the water cooling the plant so quickly instead of over time, and not staying at about the same temperature of the air, or the surface of the soil?


texts: Why is my mature mulberry tree not fruiting this year?

texts:
I've had a mulberry tree for the past forty five years. It was fruiting heavily with almost a carpet of fruits falling. This year there were only a few fruits.
Can it be due to any disease of the tree or any chemicals in the soil?


texts: Yard Grading. Moving dirt from one side to another?

texts:
On the side of my house I have a slop that I want to grade.i attached a quick mock up of what it looks like: At the top of the slop is my fence. At the bottom of my slop is a retaining wall (approx 4ft in height) of loose rocks. The rocks outline the property line.

If I want to grade this slop,  all i have to do it move dirt from one side to the other, right? Anything else i should consider besides drainage? (i have outlined in green what i want to change it to)

Answers to Q:
I didnt build the retaining wall.
I dont know what the slop is. i cant drive a mower on there without flipping. The height diff. between the bottom of fence and the rocks is approx. 6ft.
I added some Pics and updated mock up.
I will be doing the grading with a skid steer
The rocks range in size. 8-12 inches at its smallest, and 16-24 at the largest.
I live in Rockland, NY
I dont know the type of soil i have, but there is rocks everywhere i dig - hence the name rockland county.
I plan of replanting the slop. right now its just grass and weeds.

Thanks.


texts: What is best to use for mulch in a garden?

texts:
I bought some natural cypress mulch for my tomatoes and then I was told not to use it because it would steal nitrogen.

What is the best mulch and is there one that you can till in after the garden is gone?


texts: What is the Name of this Plant and is it succulent or Sansevieria

texts:
I bought this plant from Ikea atleast 2 months back, and shifted it to a slightly bigger pot and now i see new "leaves" are starting to come.

But what is the name of this plant and category


texts:
I purchased some onions to plant in a small planter on my apartment balcony. The planter also contains some lettuces/greens, parsley, basil, and sage. The onions came in a little box as nursery plants do, sprouted with long green stems, with perhaps 15 onion plants packed in very tightly, one next to the other. So far, I have transferred the onions from the little box directly into my planter as-is, but I feel this might not be right and wanted to get some advice.

My hope is to continuously harvest the greens of the onions, for use in salad, eggs, whatever, and occasionally harvest young onions when I want a bit more kick. If a few make it all the way through to mature onions, great.

What would be the best way to lay out these onions? Should I leave them in a clump, separate them out a little, spread them through the planter as singletons?


texts: My cactus has small white bugs in its soil

texts:
I watered my cactus today and it had some small white bugs on it. What can I do to stop him from being killed. Please help me fast because my cactus is my best friend and I don’t want him to die.
He also has turned yellowish and squishy.
I water him once a week.
Please help.

It first looked like fungus then a watered it and after a few minutes I looked at it and there was small wight bugs


texts: How hard or easy those Haworthias are to cultivate?

texts:
Those Haworthias are sold in the range of $40 to $50 equivalent, while standard ones are marketed in the range of $3 to $5, depending on size. This is from a local grower in my country, not an online purchase, but still too expensive. Money issues left aside, I am reluctant to buy at such high prices (even if the quality justifies that) following my bitter experience with few of the potting mixes which did not meet my expectations. My cultivation method is growing them outside, in the open. Shade, if needed, is provided. There is no frost and they can be left outside. My climate is a warm Mediterranean: No winter frost, but there are heat waves in the summer and erratic but high rainfalls in winter.

So, should I buy them, or would they have any special needs?


texts: My friends have these flowers on their kitchen windowsill and they have been there in not too much direct sun for at least a year now. Does anyone know what flower this is? The purple has stayed around for a long time.


texts: Why are my ginger falling over and drooping?

texts: They started drooping during winter while it was raining and the soil if anything was too muddy. Now that it's drying up a bit I've turned the irrigation on for 30 minutes every 48 hrs. The soil is nice and damp at the root zone. There are healthy new shoots coming now also. Just planted all of these late last autumn. Totaling 8 5 gallon plants.


texts: Is a grow light sufficient for an indoor olive tree over the winter?

texts: I have two small olive trees which I would like to grow indoors. Olive trees need a lot of light. Winter is coming and it will be fairly dark here, especially indoors. Will an ordinary grow light be sufficient to keep the olive tree healthy over the winter?


texts: Testing for nitrogen after applying blood meal?

texts: In preparation for refreshing a garden box for a winter season, I tested for nutrients and found it was very low in nitrogen.  I added more soil and amendment (for other reasons -- neither has many nutrients) as well as blood meal (to add nitrogen).  If I were to test it again for nitrogen, should I expect it to be improved?  I did test again and it showed almost no nitrogen -- much less than before.  But is that just because the nitrogen in the blood meal takes time to become available?  Or could it be I've done something wrong?


texts:
Can you use certain consumer-lights for simulating sunlight?

I know not any light will suffice, since they do not contain the same wavelengths as sunlight and whatnot.

Or are there special lights available for this purpose?


texts: Is it safe to add compostable plastics to my compost pile?

texts: A couple stores I frequent now use, or are starting to use, plastic bags and cups that say they're compostable. Are these safe to add to my compost pile or are they just more environmentally friendly for landfills?


texts: Ants and white/gray/brown spores all over my gardenia

texts:
I planted my gardenia four or five months ago.

I noticed, recently, that (a) growth has stunted, and (b) there are ants all over the plant (base, leaves, etc.).

There are also white little dots (spores?) on some of the leaves.

To help with the stunted growth, I've started fertilizing with a more-acidic fertilizer as opposed to the more general-use plant food I had been using.

Couple details about environment:

I live in South Florida
It's rained 3-5 days a week for the last couple months
Plant gets plenty of direct sunlight

So, a couple questions wrapped together:

What are the white dots, and how can I get rid of them?
Are the ants all over the plant a bad thing, and, if so, how can I get rid of them without harming the plant?


texts: What is the name of this apricot and yellow rose?

texts:
I am looking to id this rose:

Click photo for full size

I am no rose expert, and did a search for apricot yellow rose and there are a million of them. I could just root one, but I would like to pay my dues to whomever developed this very pleasant rose.


texts: What are these pests that are eating my pomegranate roots, and how can I control them?

texts:
I'm not sure what pest this is, but it is eating the roots of my pomegranate shrub. I saw it once on the top soil, and, when digging into the soil, I unearthed around 15 of these pests. I need to know what this is, so that I can apply the proper pest control.

I live in the Philippines, and a friend of mine said that it is common in their place, and loves to eat rhizomes and members of the potato family. She said that in their province, they call it "batag." Another friend said they call it "cutter" since it cuts the roots of the plant and sometimes the stems. Another said that it is "ulalo." I'm really confused, so any identification would really help. Here are the pictures:


texts: Why are my tomato leaves yellowing and withering?

texts:
I have two tomato plants and two peppers in a hydrocultural system, going on a month and a half. The tomatoes initially grew really fast. Two weeks or so ago they  started to wither away, leaves turning yellow. I have been feeding the plants in accordance with the user manual that came with the hydrocultural system. Water is also abundant. Could it be the water pH? I have been using tap water as the user manual suggests.

I have been trimming some yellow leaves off. They don't seem to be getting any better...


texts:
If I take a tree cutting for propagation, will the plant live as long as if it were a new plant from seed or does it inherit the age tree which it was taken from?

After a few years of growth, will it be indistinguishable from a tree of the same size grown from seed, or will it always be noticeably different?

Thanks


texts:
Can kitchen wastes (like potato peels, onion skins, orange rinds, egg shells, tea inside tea bags etc) be used as manure? If so, how to use them?

Right now, I'm just dumping them in soil, which I feel is a wrong way to do this. Apart from looking like garbage, it takes a long time to degrade. I wonder whether they degrade at all, or just get buried in mud while watering.

Will it cause any damage to the plants? Is dumping them on soil considered okay? Or should they be treated in some way before dumping them on soil?


texts: How do I eradicate Pseudoperonospora cubensis on roses?

texts: I have some roses that look like they are infected with Pseudoperonospora cubensis. I currently do not know how to treat this disease and would like a course of action. I have not applied any pesticides/fungicides as I do not know which one to use.


texts: Is there an organic way to remove wild strawberries from a lawn?

texts: We have a variety of areas in our lawn where the wild strawberries are consistently killing our grass. Is there an organic way to control these? We have been fairly successful at tackling other weeds (Dandelions/Crab grass) by letting the grass grow longer and using pre-emergents, but this has been a bit out of control.


texts: What plant does this seed pod shaped like a bulb with tendrils come from?

texts: What is this plant or flower? Does anyone know what sort of seed/bud this is? I have not seen it before and it's not ringing any bells.


texts: Crassula ovata/Jade plant: leaf tips shrunk in

texts:
I have several crassula plants, and the leaf tips on some of them started appearing shrunk in, as if something chewed them of or sucked them out (see image). I can't see any bugs on the plants. They're near an east-facing window, and I've been trying to keep them rather dry than wet.
Any ideas what this can be?


texts: My indoor basil plant has developed some scarring and has some pretty deformed leaves. Could it be due to the caterpillar that chewed up quite a few leaves a few weeks ago, or is something else the matter? The undersides of the leaves look healthy.


texts: Help me treat a chili plant against white fungus/insect

texts:
My chili plant is getting white fungus on its stem. Two days back I saw it. Another plant also seemed to be in same situation and it died today.
Today I watched it carefully and it was a white bug sitting on stem. I didn't take a pic but I pulled the plant out in order to save the others.

Kindly guide me because one other small plant is getting infected in the same manner, so What should I do? I got a growing tomato plant but it's not infected yet.


texts: What are these weeds and how to get rid of them?

texts:
Just moved into a new house and the previous owners didn't take care of the yard AT ALL. Weeds everywhere. 90% are simple weeds that will probably go away after I dig and relay a couple inches of soil ready for sod, but there are a cluster of 5 really large weeds that I can't identify and don't know how to properly kill.

My plan was to dig them right out, roots and all, to completely remove them. But the roots are huge and go very deep - I dug a couple feet down and they're still going. I have a feeling I will be digging forever to get them out.

How would you recommend I properly kill these weeds? I was thinking of cutting the roots a couple feet down, spraying weed killer in them, covering them in thick plastic and then filling the holes with the soil I dug out.

Images of the weed and how far down the roots go below (I kept digging the roots more than in this photo - but it gives you an idea).


texts:
I have a threesome of tomato plants planted in on my porch. All three have some leaves that seem to be a bit white and powdery. One of the leaves has even started to turn a bit brown.

I don't think this is blight, I'm pretty sure I know what that looks like and it doesn't seem to be a watering deficiency/too much water as they are in self watering containers and I really only ever water from the bottom.

My biggest of the 3 plants seems fairly unaffected although a couple of its lower leaves seem to have some of this discoloration.

However the other two (on either side of the first) seem to have the discoloration on the leaves. Its mostly the lower leaves. Is this something to be worried about or is it normal? (pics to come if needed)


texts:
So I am having difficulty sprouting my chili seeds using the ENO method (wet cloth) because I believe the temperature at my place fluctuates too much between 16°C during the day when I'm working and 21°C when I'm home.

Now I was wondering what temperature the radiator gets when it is on and if it would - for example - be better idea to plant the seeds in soil, cover the container with foil and put those directly on the radiator to get the ground to warm up? Since I believe the ground will stay warm longer during the day and night when the radiator is off. And it won't get the direct heat from the radiator itself so it won't "cook" the seeds being on there directly.

What are your thoughts?


texts: Do Bloomerang and Josee lilacs rebloom as well as advertised?

texts:
Looking through catalogs, I see pictures of lilac bushes in full bloom with sunflowers blooming nearby, illustrating how well they rebloom during the season. If I bought one, should I expect that or should I expect them to be like my reblooming day lilies, and bloom once in spring and have a few dotty reblooms through the summer?

The two varieties I'm considering are Bloomerang and Josee.


texts:
I'll be moving home in June and I would like to take my cherry tree with me.
What's the best way to do it?

I'm in the UK.

Here is a picture of my tree last summer.


texts: What are tiny, size is the size of a tip of a needle, black flecks on squash and okra plants?  What needs to be done to save the plants?


texts: Help me identify this small plant and how to take care of it

texts:
Please help me identify this plant. It was a gift and I don't know what plant it is.

I want to know what plant it is so that I can take care of it properly. It's starting to brown and some leaves are starting to fall, I think the way I water it is wrong.

Size: The plant + the pot, has a size comparable to a small mug or creamer pot.

Color: initially all green, but it's turning brown from the node and the stem :'(

Smell: it has a subtle smell i can't describe.

Leaves: i think you can say that it's scaly??? I'm not sure how to describe it.

I searched in google, and some plants with scaly leaves and with similar appearance are conifers. Is this a juniper? Hmm..I don't know. Im kinda lost, really. Please help me out. Disclaimer: I haven't seen a juniper in my life.

TIA


texts: How to nurse a plant damaged from shipping back to health?

texts: I ordered a Peperomia Argyreia (Watermelon) and it arrived today. 5 out of 7 of the leaves have some or a lot of browning/blackening on the underside of them, with the 3 biggest ones all having some bad damage. the stems are drooping a bit as well, and I'm not quite sure if it is due to shipping stress, water (the soil is a little but not very moist), or just not having enough light. Shipping took about 4 days. I want to nurse this plant back to its former health but I'm not quite sure what the best way is to go about doing that? Should I cut the leaves, should I repot it, etc? Thank you for reading!


texts: Lettuce - DLI recommendation day 1-14 with full spectrum led

texts:
Im looking for a recommendation of the DLI for lettuce in a hydro setup for the first 14 days using a full spectrum led

i would figure it at 8 -12 mol/m2/day what do you think?
greets


texts:
This tree is growing out of my unused compost bins. It's been growing for a few years, and I should probably remove it before it damages the foundations further.

Update: It seems to be growing from the top of the compost bin so the roots may not be a danger after all. It's over 12 foot tall, and can't be more than 2 years old in retrospect.  The stem is green all the way from the bottom to the top, and there are no flowers.  The leaves alternate on the branches, and their maximum length is about 6 inches.  The leaves are not serrated, and are glossy.

I'm in Wellington, New Zealand and the temperature rarely goes below freezing.


texts: Tilling soil around a tree for a raised bed. How much is safe for tree?

texts: The trees are Northern Arizona cedar trees about 1'-3' in diameter at trunk base, have a canopy of 15'-25' in diameter and I wanted to to put in trunk-surrounding raised beds that are 5' in diameter, 1' deep above ground.  But when I do this normally (with no major tree involved), I dig rocks up out of the native soil, and essentially till it.   What do I need to do or not do to keep these trees' roots damage-free ?


texts: New paver walkway - grass popping through

texts: My husband and I had a paved walkway installed last year. Yesterday we noticed grass growing through the pavers. Is this normal? The same company is supposed to be putting in a back patio but now I am hesitant to use them.


texts: Peach tree bark splitting and Brown rot prevention

texts:
My peach tree(s) which are about 5 years old, started developed "whitish" growth on the stem over the last two years. Great to hear some opinion on

How to prevent and avoid issue spreading and maintain a healthy tree

Tree Bark Splitting

2) How to prevent brown rot on the fruit - This happened for even fruits that were fine when harvested and subsequently developed brown rot on storage. What are some management techniques during off-season.

Fruits rotting on the tree itself

Thank you


texts: How do I keep the leaves on my Fukien tea bonsai from turning brown and/or falling off?

texts: This is what my poor little bonsai looks like. What can I do??


texts: Can a mature pine trunk curve in a few months?

texts:
I am in the "piney woods" temperate rainforest of east Texas. Three months ago I had a large oak (18 inch diameter, 70 feet tall) removed. It was about 4 feet south from the patio and 12 feet from the house. There is a large shortleaf pine (24 inch diameter, 100 feet tall) six feet south of where the oak had been, so 10 feet from the patio and 18 feet from the house. (Yes, I made a big mistake saving too many trees when the house was built.)
I just  noticed the pine has curved to the north, toward the house. The trunk leans a little to the south, but now I notice it curves about 15 feet to the north, starting at about 50 feet up. I did not notice it three months ago when I looked up to watch them cut out the top of the oak. These southern pines are basically straight power poles, so a curved one looks all the more peculiar. How could this happen in a few months? It is curving away from the sun.


texts: My pecan tree has hundreds of holes, apparently made by a woodpecker. What is the best treatment to assure that no other damage from fungus or other infestation is incurred on the tree?


texts: My crabapple tree that was planted in 1987 has the same thing on the base of the tree and then it is losing a lot of branches on one side of it

texts: My crabapple tree has dying branchs with bark falling off, green mossy patches and the bottom of the trunk has a large mushroom on it.  What can I do to prevent this huge tree from dying.  I will remove the dead branches and what should I spray and what do I put at the base of the tree where the mushroom is?


texts:
I have planted a prune tree last year and today when I looked at it, I saw it was made of 2 kinds of plants. I am not even sure which one is which.

So my questions are:

What are these plants?
Should I remove them?


texts: How to block line of sight while vines grow?

texts:
Our garden backs onto a playing field for a school, with a ~15 foot chainlink fence separating the two. We have some vines growing up the fence, but they will likely take a few years to grow sufficiently to block someone seeing from the field into the garden and vice versa.

While we wait for the vines to grow, is there something nice-looking we can use to block line of sight from the field to our garden? The previous owner of the house used something like bamboo fencing to do it, but when we moved in it was a) ratty and horrible looking and b) had big holes in it anyway, so we took it down.

Is there something less offensive we can put up while we wait for the vines to cover the fence? We'd need something 20-30 feet long.

Thanks for your help.


texts: Why is an indoor pepper plant flowering but not producing fruit?

texts:
One of my pepper plants has started to flower, and the petals are falling off to reveal a pepper growing from that stem - well, at least the first two have, and the other flowers seem to be bulging somewhat in the middle and I assume will therefore produce fruit.

A second of my pepper plants is also flowering, but when its flowers drop off they drop off entirely, stem and all. So far three of its flowers have done this, and there's a few more flowers that don't appear to bulging like my more successful plant.

Should I be concerned about the second plant? And if so is there something I should be doing about it?


texts:
Looking for some recommendations on the best pot to re-pot my Dwarf Umbrella Tree into indoors.
I’ve read that my tree isn’t happy due to over watering, current pot has no drainage so I think that’s the issue.
Current pot is 40cm or 15inch diameter, so I need recommendations on something large that will make my tree happy again, She currently stands at 6ft 4 from soil level, but I’m sure she’s got more in her.
If anyone has other care tips or can explain the drooping with weird gap that’s appeared, please help too.
Picture attached. Thanks guys x


texts:
Reading multiple entries here and a few others onlne, I have noticed people writing about using dirt/soil in their compost piles/heaps/bins. I had never heard of putting either dirt or soil in a composting bin. I can understand using a low fertility blow sand/silt - dirt just to build a bulk or mass that the compost could improve upon, but why add soil?

 Many sources tell that, "Dirt is dead" and "Soil is alive". That is taking things to an extreme; while I do agree that soil is vibrant, and yet dirt is far from dead because you can improve dirt into soil in a few months. Dead means dead. We need to change the way we word what dirt honestly means.

 So why put either into a compost bin/pile/heap?


texts: What would make my apple seedling wilt and looks like it's dying?

texts: I have a little apple sapling that I planted using a seed from an apple at the super market. I live in Auckland, New Zealand and my apple sapling is about 10 cm (4 in) tall. Recently it became very limp. I tried giving it more water, less water; more sun, less sun. I've kept it indoors and outdoors in both the shade and the sun. None of these things have improved its condition. What should I do?


texts: There is this strange white growth around the outside of my pot plants

texts: So, recently we have been conducting an experiment in which we have had to try and grow bean plants while using fertiliser to compare which fertiliser is the best in terms of growth. Over three weeks we have discovered some sort of white mold on the outside of the pot plant therefore making it not grow. We are despearate for answers as we have to talk about what went wrong with it. The fertiliser we used was Hortico all purpose compound fertiliser. Thank you]1


texts: Are my trees roots connected and supporting each other?

texts: I planted these Emerald Arborvitae's 5 years ago. This year they have done incredibly well and seem to be growing stronger than ever. I remember reading something about trees roots connecting and sharing nutrients and wondered if anyone here knew about that. My theory is that the trees are large enough that their roots are now connected and they have created a larger organism which is stronger and more resilient.


texts: Is this a sideshoot (sucker) on this Cordon Tomato Plant?

texts: It's my first time growing tomatoes. I know that I have to remove the suckers (sideshoots) for the cordon (indeterminate) variety, but this is a little bit difficult to me as it's my first time. The image below is for my sweet aperitif cherry tomato plant. Can you please tell me if the part in the red circle is a sideshoot or not?


texts: What is this plague-like thing in my lucky bamboo? Is it damaging?

texts:
Can someone please help me identify what this orange larvae - like thing is in this lucky bamboo? I was cleaning the yellow leaves and notices it. This plant has over 2 years now.

Thanks!


texts:
Due to terrible weather my tomato plants did not get enough light during germination.

The result: Too long stalks on all my plants.

Can I save them now by transplanting it? Can I transplant it to a bigger pot, even though this step should have only been done once they've gotten more leaves?

I've sown them on the 16th of march, they already germinated on the 20th.


texts: I've got two eremophila maculata aurea and only this one has this weed like? plant growing next to it. I've hesitated from pulling it because it's growing pretty little white flowers. I'm in south Arizona zone 9a


texts: Do nitrates really encourage weed germination?

texts:
I've heard that nitrates increase weed germination. Is this true? If so feel free to mention what forms of nitrates encourage them to sprout most, if you happen to know (e.g. ammonium nitrate, calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate, etc.)

If it is true, my hypothesis is that bacteria use nitrates to decompose the seed coat, and maybe this encourages sprouting.

I don't know any reason why this would just be the case for weeds and not stuff you plant on purpose. Plus, it could be nice to cause all the weeds to sprout quickly, instead of several at a time (so as to have to pull them up fewer times).


texts: What is the Plant on This Star Trek Scene?

texts:
I'm currently watching Star Trek: The Next Generation, and am curious about what the plants in those pots are. They appear at around minute 35 of the very first episode. The left might be some kind of maple, but I'm more interested in the right one. Unfortunately Google Lens didn't help.

Could you please help me identifying the right one?


texts: What are some reasons that our apple tree has no apples?

texts:
Our new house has 2 apple trees that have obviously seen better days. They appear to never have been properly pruned and are now scraggly and about 30' tall.

In addition, one of the two trees didn't produce apples this year. Is there a reason an tree would skip a season of making apples? Diseased?

I'm debating if it's worth saving these two trees at all. I doubt I can prune back into any salvageable form but am willing to try. But if the tree isn't producing apples anyways, I'm thinking it might be better off as firewood and we start over with a new tree (and properly take care of it).


texts: Can anyone identify this flowering vine?

texts: Found this vine growing in southeast Florida and thought it was fantastic.  It’s a climbing vine with 4 inch wide flowers.  The vine was at least 12 ft wide and the height of the fence.


texts: Are there maintenence free edible plants for sandy iron rich soil in harsh climate?

texts:
Are there any edible perennial plants that does not require much care and can grow in zone 4-5 in a very sandy and iron rich soil? It's in a spruce/pine forest with a lot of lingonberry and blueberry as ground vegetation, so I guess it's quite acidic as well. The place I have in mind can get a decent amount of sun, even though it's in a forest.

I can do some initial preparations like soil improvements and then reoccuring maintence during one week in the summer of each year.

Regarding the risk of pests, I'm satisfied with crossing my fingers and hoping for the best.


texts: How close can I cut roots on large established ficus trees without killing the tree or causing it to fall over?

texts: We have 3 trees that are about 30 years old and maybe 30 feet tall. We are installing new patios and want to cut the roots back so they don't buckle the patios. The trees are about 10 feet away from the edge of the patios. We are hoping to keep them because they provide shade. We are in Santa Barbara, CA.


texts: Identify the large central plant with sword-shaped leaves in this arrangement?

texts: We've got this huge arrangement for decoration yesterday. I cannot identify the huge plant in the center. Please give me the name of the plant and any tips on how to keep the arrangement alive for a long time.


texts: If so, any guess which? This is in my woods in the North Carolina mountains, late September. None other around that I see. I just spent quite a while removing invasives (the usual aggressive ones).


texts:
I have a couple young cherry trees in pots that seem to have a shothole fungus problem, which I'm told I can clear up by treating with a dormant spray after all the leaves fall off. I would also like to paint the trunks white to help protect them from sunburn, as I need to move them to a new location that will give them a lot more direct sun.

My question is can I apply both in the same winter season? Should I spray the dormant oil before or after painting them white? If I spray the dormant oil first, will that cause any issues with the paint job adhering? Or, can the dormant spray solution be mixed into the white latex paint mix to apply both at once?


texts:
I have checked the posts available but I am not sure I can identify the problem with my lemon tree.

The plant was germinated from lemon seeds around one year ago, and it has two siblings who are doing just fine.

We are in central Europe and when we started having a proper summer we put the plants outside, but they started suffering with the heatwave and were moved back inside.
They are taking 6 hours of sun these days.

We use citrus-specific supplement (twice a week as described), we recently repotted the plants to improve drainage, we checked the pH of soil and water and it was fine (but the water is extremely hard).

There are no bugs.

What am I missing?


texts: What kind of rose bush is this? I live in Montana, so our weather is colder and unpredictable. It has a lovely fragrance.


texts: How to control mildew/mold growing on soil-less growing medium for (aloe) seed germination?

texts:
Help, I wanted to check in on the aloes I planted earlier this week.  Making sure there are no problem.  What I find is mildew has started to grow in this new moist environment.  my instinct is to spray with a low dose of Hydrogen Peroxide.  Should I be keeping the top off?  The seeds are covered by this layer, so they should not have any mildew growing on them.  The medium is a blend of 1/2 diatomite and 1/2 turface.

What do I do?

I have had this same problem, every time I have tried the baggy method.


texts: I have planted these plants which I was told is cabbage. It has been more than 120 days since I brought the seedlings, but it has not yet formed the head. So, I am, now, wondering if it is a cabbage?


texts: We have a fir tree planted at the front corner of our house. We recently had foundation problems due to that side of the house sinking. We live in north Texas. The company that fixed our foundation advised that the tree was using all the water and therefore, causing our foundation problems and advised us to remove it. It is about 20ft tall and now we are wondering if we should undertake the task of removing it. An ideas or suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.


texts: What is this bulb with a fuzzy purple and green flower head?

texts: The bulb was small and white at first. Now there's this mixture of purple and green fuzziness of the flowers that's going to bloom. Any ideas what it might be? A friend found it and I just decided to plant it.


texts: What sort of hose nozzle should I look for such that it won't spring a leak after just one frosty night?

texts:
I bought a hose nozzle that looked robust (though made mainly of plastic) last year and let it sit out over the winter (temperatures get down to -30 ºC).  This spring, naturally, the nozzle was leaking from all its seams.  I bought another one of the same kind with the plan to bring it in before the really cold weather starts.  To my dismay, the nozzle started leaking this week after we had some mildly frosty nights.

Any thoughts on what I should look for in a nozzle so that it'll withstand the frost? I don't expect it to survive the winter.  I am thinking I need a nozzle made of all metal, possibly with metal seals.


texts: Why are my raised bed vegetable garden seedlings disappearing over night and how can I remedy it?

texts: I have a wonderful raised veggie bed. This is the first year in 10 years that I've had a problem. I've planted kale, chili peppers, cilantro, and now cabbage. Everything has been eaten over night. Like it was never there. I've gone out at night hoping to find something. I've put down sluggo to no avail. I wrapped the bed in chicken wire. I've put copper tape around the perimeter. And still whatever it is is eating whatever I plant. Does anyone have any idea what it could be? I have now put nematodes in. Because I have found some little white rolls polly looking bugs in the soil. Now I'm inspecting the soil. This is beyond frustrating!! any ideas??


texts: I have black spots on my peace lily and I don’t know what to do.. I did spray a homemade mixture of canola oil, Pine Sol and water because I was afraid there were some sort of lice or fungus on it. It is standing on the corner of a window and gets a lot of indirect sunlight. I water it 1 time per week and spray water on the leaves a few times per week.


texts: What is this black foliage plant called?

texts: I've tired looking it up on the internet but multiple plants of similar appearance came up which has gotten me all confused. Best guess is that it's either black mondo grass or a new Zealand flax but im not sure. Any idea?


texts: What's the difference between old style pressure treated wood vs newer dark stained versions

texts:
A member of my family recently replaced some old pressure treated lumber for a retaining wall in their backyard. They used this darker colored pressure treated lumber identified by it's telltale pierced pattern used for the chemicals to embed and permeate the wood during its treatment. What kind of lumber is this exactly? I show a picture below of the old green style one and the darker one on top.

I know pressure treated is discouraged for gardening purposes but I'm wondering if an eco friendly product has supplanted the old style one. I'm also thinking that may not be the case and we're really just seeing dye on traditional pressure treated wood much like dyed mulch.


texts: My acer has started to wilt, after a period of strong growth

texts:
My 4 year old acer has suddenly started to wilt after a strong bloom. It has been relatively warm for this time of year (15c/59f) and has recently had a new layer of multi purpose compost added to the top layer of the soil, followed by a good amount of water.
I cant remember if this is normal in the  early stages of the bloom, or if I should be taking measures to help it get back to looking a little healthier?


texts:
When is the best time to start germinating my chili seeds (various varieties) in order to make the most of next years growing season?

I think I started too late this year and my crop has suffered. I live in London,UK and the last frost according to this website is in late april. When can I sensibly start growing the chilies indoors?


texts: How do I remove old concrete from these flagstones?

texts:
I am building a walkway with red sandstone flagstones and would like to remove some old concrete that has adhered to some of them

Is there a method to remove this thin layer of concrete?

Thanks!


texts: Hardening off cucumbers - will they be OK in 50ºF (10ºC)?

texts: I'm on day 5 of a hardening process for my seedlings. It's been mild (60s-70s during the day) here. I'm going out of town for a few days, during which the temp is supposed to be 50-60 night-day. Should I leave the seedlings outside for those few days (under an overhang, no direct sun or rain), or will 50F be too cold? This would be day 7 of the process.


texts: Cascade Palm - Leaves and trunk going brown

texts:
Hi,

I’m just hoping to get some advice on my cascade palm.   I have noticed that the leaves and trunk are starting to go Brown with brown blotches and spots all throughout.  Am I doing something wrong here and what can I do to remedy this ?

Thanks

Sonny


texts: Why doesn't my berries and cream mint taste like strawberries and cream?

texts: I recently put a strawberries and cream mint plant into my garden, and it's doing well, but noticed that it doesn't taste much like strawberries and cream. Why is that?


texts:
I occasionally trim my very healthy monstera and root the cuttings. I’ve done this so many times and never had issues. I recently made three cuttings (2-3 leaves per cutting), stuck them in water, and they’ve been yellowing and I presume dying slowing over the past few weeks. Two of the cuttings are growing roots as expected, but I’m afraid the plant won’t survive regardless, if it loses the leaves.

Some leaves look healthier than others, but they’re all showing signs of yellowing. What’s causing this? What did I do wrong?


texts: Lemon plant dropping and browning leaves (indoors)

texts:
I have a lemon that I grew from store bough lemon seed so it's not a dwarf variety. It was growing crazy fast but now it started to drop leaves, some seemed healthy other had some browning around tips and edges.

Enviroment:

Constant 19-24C
Low humidity
Mostly overcast daylight
Water 2-3 times a month (with general purpose nutrients)

Roots seem to grow very slowly and have not yet reached the bottom of the pot. It was only transplanted once. Plant is only a few months old.

I have been adding tea leaves which is the only major change I can think of. It doesn't look like high ph symptoms from other resources though. I haven't added anymore for a while or watered for maybe 3-4 weeks - symptoms do not appear to have spread or gotten worse. Perhaps it was over watered but again symptoms don't seem to match.

What is the likely cause and the solution?


texts:
Ok, I had 60yo oak taken down on my back yard. Not sure how to do it properly without damage but guys drove bucket truck and:

Got stuck - there is 1+ft holes in a ground below topsoil
While driving into yard and back left about 6 inch deep tracks in lawn.
Bunch of holes left from chunks falling down.

I was fine with holes from falling limbs, not a biggie to fix but got really disappointed with those tracks. I have not clue how to fix it. It looks like this on a ground:

Those tracks go for long way (I have .7 acre and it is on backyard). I can imagine how local damages can be worked but long imprints from driving on it?

They said they will bring topsoil and fix all but I'm really sceptical about it..

Question is: How do I fix this "waves"?


texts: Damaged Bay Laurel: are the leaves safe to use?

texts:
Three months ago, my bay roof was re-felted. While the roofers were sealing the felt, they spilled hot pitch onto the leaves of my Bay Laurel which is in a tub, on the ground below (see photos). I’ve  gradually removed most of the damaged leaves, and there has been some fresh leaf growth.

Are the undamaged leaves now safe to use for flavoring food and, if not, how long is it likely to take for the laurel to eliminate the toxins it has absorbed?


texts: Growing fruit at a higher hardiness zone

texts:
I understand that growing fruit trees in a hardiness zone that's lower than recommended has a chance of your tree dying from frost damage.

However, what is the effect of growing fruit trees at higher hardiness zones than recommended? What happens to the tree and the fruit?

Today, I just bought a Hinnomaki Red Goosberry from the local nursery.

At the store, they claimed it was the correct zone range for our northern California town. However, when I went home to do more research, Starkbros says my zone is higher than the recommended range.


texts: What are those black spots on my apples?

texts:
I've got two apple trees in the garden and all of their apples are covered in black spots

What is this? They are quite different from those What causes black spots on my apples?

Any idea how to treat this ?


texts:
A year ago or so, my cactus started developing yellow spots all over and was diagnosed with a fungal infection. As instructed, I got an antifungal spray (copper-based) and was spraying it once a week or so. As far as the yellow spots go, I do not think it helped all that much. Still, the cactus was growing fine, so I did not worry too much. Eventually I gave up on that spray as it did not really make any difference.

That is, until I had a closer look at it a couple of days back and saw this:

Now, I can clearly see at least two mushroom-like hyphae that are visibly macroscopic in size! Both seemed to be simply growing out of the soil next to the cactus. In fact, the largest one was impaled on it.

I removed the bits I could reach manually and sprayed the cactus again for the first time in many months. My questions now are:

Are those fungi just growing next to the cactus or are they feeding on it somehow with their roots (or whatever they have in place of roots)?
Is it likely that they are related to the fungus causing the yellow spots?
Have I done enough to get rid of them or do I need to do anything more extreme like replanting my cactus completely?

Thank you very much in advance!

Update: after removing the hyphae, an even bigger one grew out of nothing overnight:

I wonder what species this is?


texts: Help to identify and care for these plants

texts:
A friend of a friend passed two houseplants down to our family and I have no idea what they are or how to care for them (e.g. watering frequency, pruning, proper amount of sunlight, etc. ). At some point a previous previous owner also tied the plants to stakes in the pots; I’m not sure if this is correct or healthy.
Can anyone identify these so I may research how to take care of them?

Thank you.


texts: I managed to get some slips started from a store bought (treated) sweet potato in May this year. Took a very long time to get going but eventually got 3 slips started. One of the three has two leaves affected by what looks like a powder, but it is not loose powder. I tried to rub some off of the leaf at left but nothing detached, I only managed to crush the surface of the leaf. The underside of the leaf looks completely normal.


texts: What should I consider when planting fruit trees in a windy field?

texts:
I'm working with my campus garden and we're thinking of putting fruit trees next to our garden as an excellent addition to our repertoire of fruits and vegetables. However, as the garden is in Buffalo in a field that is very well know for being in an open (wind-swept Hoth-like hellscape of a) field. Usually it pretty windy, and in the winter it's snowy and pretty cold.

What kind of considerations should go into choosing fruit trees for a colder, open field? Are there ways that the trees may suffer that we should consider?


texts: Zone 6b edible Ficus (Fig) hardiness/overwintering

texts:
Two years ago I purchased and grew a wonderfully beautiful brown turkey fig tree in south Toronto, Canada.  Alas, it died as I overwintered in in an unheated garage which I thought might be sufficient. Last year, I purchased a Mission fig which I overwintered indoors. Since it was warm and received some light, it grew, but terribly leggy and anemic. This spring, I allowed it to grow without pruning, leaving its spindly and lanky growth alone. It provided me with 6 edible fruits.

My question is:

Do I attempt to again winter this tree in my unheated garage? This time, I would take more effort with its insulation. This way, I will more likely recreate a better dormancy period in hopes of more fruits next year. In addition, since my tree is only about 5' tall with about 8 branches, would now be the ideal time to prune since I believe that they fruit on new growth? is the Mission hardier than the Turkey? (It was also a particularly bad winter when I lost my Turkey).

Or

Do I again bring it in the house, pare it down to fit, and keep new growth at bay?

Or

The hardest but likely best method?:

Dig a trench and bury the bugger?

I'm thinking @kevinsky might chime in here. fingers crossed. @stormy, I know you know the answer but you're way too warm to know the plight of Torontonians.


texts: All of a sudden the outer edges of some of the redbor kale leaves seem to be drying. Anyone know why this could happen?


texts: What is this tree and can I cut the lower branches?

texts:
We're moving to our first home next week and there's this big tree in front of it. We would like to know what kind of tree it is and if we can cut the lower branches (5-6 feet) without causing harm.

Thanks!


texts: Why are my plants doing badly for the 2nd year in a row?

texts:
I live in Marin Co. California, where summers have been mostly hot and dry, winters mild with rain.  All my plants are in pots, excepting the trees that were already here when we moved in 15 years ago. This year my tomato plants again look pale and scraggly, with strange tunnel-like marks on the leaves.  Tomatoes taste fine, mostly cherries.

My roses and fuschias also look like hell, leaves look spotted or purple-y, and few to no blooms.  I've given the 3 roses 3-in-one fungicide/insecticide twice this season.  My rhodie has a fungus again, and my Japanese maple up and died!

I'd love to know if this is related to global warming (it has been 95 or so most days this summer) or something about the soil in the pots maybe?  I'm giving some fertilizer, not a lot -- regular but not frequent watering. Other plants are doing all right, but some not blooming.


texts: Brown needles on top layer of Picea glauca var. albertiana 'Conica' - sign of overwatering?

texts:
I'm concerned about our Picea glauca var. albertiana 'Conica' that we keep on the balcony in a pot. We bought it sometime in spring this year and had it in the pot shown below for some time now. Throughout summer it looked good and grew several layers of new needles, however since the end of summer we've noticed that more and more brown needles occur at the outer layer rather than on the inside.

I found an answer that describes a similar sympton in which the user states

  Overwatering results in root death. Then, with roots unable to move
  water, the top shows the same symptoms as drought.

While from probing the soil with my finger I didn't get the impression that there is excessive moisture on the bottom, it might just be that it's already too much for this tree. As we've kept it near the edge of our balcony, I have the suspicion that it got too much rain water that wasn't able to drain quick enough in this arrangement.

Is root death the correct diagnosis here or are there other causes I should look into?

Can this spruce be saved? If so, how should we intervene?


texts: Why do you only hear of comfrey bocking 4 and bocking 14?

texts: Is there more than just 2 bockings, if so what do you use them for, and how do you identify them?


texts: Options to kill/remove invasive buckthorn

texts:
I have a large number of mature buckthorn shrubs in my yard that were there when I purchased the property.  This is classified as an invasive in North America.  Not only is it problematic in terms of spreading in my yard, it produces copious amounts of berries which birds then carry to other areas.  When I go hiking in the area, I see these plants taking over and I really want to eliminate them completely.

This summer I started by removing branches from half a dozen or so and cut them down to low stumps.  I then dug out the stump of one.  It turns out that cutting them low was a bad idea because these are really tough plants and there were multiple thick roots extending straight down into the heavy clay soil.  I really could have used the leverage to get at them.  I spent probably 4 hours on the one plant and was exhausted.  I have maybe 5, 6, 10 dozen more to go.  Meanwhile they continue to drop berries like crazy and all the stumps that were no removed are resprouting.  I tried driving some bits of copper wire into one on the off-chance that might kill it but that didn't seem to do anything.

I'm resigned to the belief that I will not able to remove them fast enough.  I need to somehow kill these plants to stop the spread.  The best resource I've found for advice on managing them is here.  It mentions putting a can over them to prevent re-sprouting but I'm hesitant to cut them low and lose the leverage I will want later.

That leaves chemicals.  The options listed on that site are:

Triclopyramine
Triclopyrester
Glyphosate (Roundup)

I would really prefer not to use conventional herbicides for various reasons.  I'm looking for other options that would be more along the lines of organic methods.  If that's not an option, are there any of the above that are considered more safe.  I say that knowing that often all that means is that we know less about newer chemicals.  I'm just looking for information at this point.

I found a page saying that epsom salts can be used to kill trees.  Anyone with experience using this approach?  Any risks to this for the soil?  There are some other plants in the beds that we would like to keep hoping they will fill in once the buckthorn is defeated.


texts: Could Lawn Fertiliser kill off slug-control nematodes?

texts:
I use Nemaslug nematodes to control slugs in my garden. I don't normally bother fertilising my lawn but this year its looking a bit sorry for itself so I want to try out some slow release (6 month) fertiliser.

Will this kill off the nematodes and leave me overrun with slugs?


texts: Should I allow grass to grow around the base of trees?

texts:
I recently bought a house and the grounds were professionally landscaped, so all the trees have mulch circles around them of about 6-12 feet in diameter depending on the size of the tree.

Originally these circles were mounds at the base of the containing only mulch and devoid of anything else.

In the last couple of years, grass from the surrounding lawn has started to infiltrate these circles and fill them up.

Should I allow this to keep happening and have grass grow into the area around the trees, or is there a reason to keep grass away from the base of the trees and maintain the mulch mounds?


texts: What is the white stuff on this cactus-type plant?

texts:
I have had this plant for more than 10 years now but I do not know its name. What is the name of this plant?
The issue is that this plant has a lot of white areas, as shown in the pictures. These have been there for a long time now but I don't have any idea what they are. Perhaps it is a fungus?

In addition, one of the stems turned brown a long time ago. A couple of days ago, I tried to peel a small patch from that brown stem to check if it has a disease which I can recognize, and the stem underneath is still green.

Click on the pictures for full size.


texts: We bought this flowering plant from Home Depot but forgot its name. Does anyone know what this is?


texts: My lettuce leaves keep losing their green color

texts:
I transplanted my lettuce to a self-built indoor aeroponics system, about two weeks ago. They seem to be showing slower growth and now & then some of the leaves lose their green color (See the attached image).
I am using general purpose hydroponic nutrients (3 packets: Epsom salt, CaNo3 and one another mix with a lot of things).
Can someone please help me figure out the problem?
I am new to growing plants, so apologies if I am making some stupid mistake.
EDIT: Water flows for 15 mins., after every 30 mins.


texts: How can I burn dead tree leaves and grass during wind?

texts:
It's a VERY VERY bad idea to burn the leftover grass and leaves during a windy day; however, do you know of any tricks that might solve this problem?

I tried using a small metal bucket except that it's taking forever and ever to burn anything in it.


texts: Why do landscapers seem to always plant the most slow growing trees in parking lots?

texts: I see this consistently - oaks, usually. Why not plant trees that are short lived and grow quickly (mulberry, tulip poplar, etc.) instead? And almost always the trees they plant never make it to adulthood as some other landscaper will come in, remove them, and plant newer, slow growing trees.


texts: avocado plant recently replanted into larger pot is drying up - is being watered

texts: I transplanted my 6 year old avocado plant from a 12x12 inch pot into a 12x36 inch clay pot. I spread out the root ball and set the plant down about 12'' from the surface. My plant has dried up drooping leaves. This happened about two weeks ago, and I've since watered it once a week with a quart of water. What can I do to help the plant?


texts:
Experts please advice on saving these rubber plants.They were repotted from nursery pot almost a month back.Their roots were completely exposed as roots were badly entangled in small plastic basket sort of planters.
How can I revive them?


texts: What trees, shrubs or vines are most suited for pleaching?

texts:
The exact application would be to arch over a long dining table in a courtyard in eastern-most New York. The two rows of trees would need to span approximately 25' at a height of less than 15' or less.

Our candidates are:

Carpinus caroliniana (Hornbeam)
Crab apple
Cherry
Wisteria
Hawthorne
Pear

But these are not based on feasibility at all.

Are there others we should consider? Or exclude from our list?


texts: As you can see, this grave needs some sort of edging to prevent soil from running down. Now i could use bricks for the job but that would take away the raised bed look of the grave that i like. Plus something slimmer would not only prevent the soil from sliding down and creating a mess on both sides, it would also allow me to have just enough space to plant some ground covers on both sides of the edge. I understand that metal edging would be the best option but that stuff isn't available in my city so i was thinking pulling apart wodden crates and using that. Would it work?


texts:
We have a wasp nest in a very awkward position. It is in the side top of the roof above the porch. I have attached some images showing where the nest is.

There is a window next to the nest but not very close, it would be a struggle to get some powder down the hole.

What would be the best substance to use to kill the wasps (e.g. powder, spray) and what is the best way to access it, walking onto the roof would not be ideal.

Thank you!


texts: subdividing and repotting drosera/sundew

texts:
I have a very nice drosera/sundew - but it's overgrown it's little container and needs to be repotted.

What should I use as the potting soil?

I plan on separating it into two or three new containers. Why should I use as containers? Right now it's in the really cheap plastic container it came in.

Should I use a glass or ceramic pot?

Any other advice for repotting drosera would be very appreciated.


texts:
Please can you advise a suitable Pyracantha with Red Berries to form a hedge which would be under a window height of 4 feet.
Thank You


texts: How can I convert mychorrizal powder into liquid seeds innoculation before planting corn and cucumbers

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I have 1kg powder form mychorrizal fungi and I want to effectively inocculate maize seeds using the liquid method.
How do I make the measurement?
I have 10kg of maize seeds. 1kg mychorrizal powder that I want to convert to liquid form for seeds innoculation.
How can I do the innoculation effectively?