texts:
I've used soil pH test kits in the past where you mix the soil with a solution and look for a color change. This works OK for dirt, but sometimes I'd like to know what the final pH of my planting mix is (a combination of mulch, compost, sand, clay). Since my planting mix is high in organic matter (wood, etc.) it doesn't really stir into a solution very well.

Is there another type of pH test that would work well for soil with high organic matter?


texts: What is this plant and how do I control it? It has smooth, teardrop-shaped,  succulent leaves branching from a succulent stem. It has small flowers with 5 white petals. It forms a thick, ground-hugging mat and is out-competing my bermuda lawn. I have ripped it up and it just comes back. I am near Blythe, California.


texts: Tall, quick growing privacy tree species

texts: Can someone recommend a tall, quick growing tree that's not overly invasive that would serve well to plant around a backyard to help break the line of sight of neighbors into my pool / backyard?


texts:
I've planted several emerald green arborvitae in my yard in the Pacific NW.  There are many blacktailed deer in the area who like to munch on it.  I currently have a deer fence around the area but would like to remove it in the future.
My question is:  how much/percentage of the arborvitae can the deer eat around the bottom and have it still survive.  I'm not especially worried about the fact that they may look like lollipops ... I can plant shrubs that the deer won't eat around the base.  But will the plants survive if the deer shear off the bottom … half?  1/3?
I haven't been able to find anything that addresses this specific question.  Thank you!


texts:
I have planted Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) seeds indoors in a seed tray.

The seeds germinated 5 days ago and had to do 2 days without grow lights since they were not installed till then.

Once operational, I placed the seed tray just below the grow light in a small space (kindly see that in the pictures attached).

It has been three days and there has been no sign of true leaf growth in any of the Carnation seedlings. Moreover, the seedling cotyledons are now beginning to curl inwards. I am unaware of what might be the cause of the growth halt and would like anyone's kind assistance.

The conditions in the space are as follows:

Air flow: none
Area Temperature: around 26 °C
Room temperature: 21°C to 24°C
Relative Humidity: around 50%
Soil type: Potting soil (peat moss)
Light time: 18 hours
Dark time: 6 hours
Light power: 43 watt LED

I was suspecting root rot due to the high water in the soil and have hence added a solution of fish fungicide to the soil. Now I am a bit concerned that the fungicide might kill the seedlings.


texts: What is this dense erect sculpture-like bluish conifer?

texts:
Actually, there are two of the same species:

They are 5m high at this time.

Needles/scales are really small:

This is in zone 8a.


texts: How do I prune a cherry tree to keep it short?

texts:
I've just planted a new cherry tree, and I would like to keep it short enough to be able to harvest the fruit with nothing more than a step ladder.

Seeing as I've just planted it, I feel that I should leave it alone this summer, but will probably need to prune it in the fall or winter.

How should I go about it?


texts: How do I force a vine to split into two vines?

texts: Malabar Spinach and other vines can get very long, but I want to force the vine to split into two so it will maximize the space. How do I do this?


texts: Targeted Glyphosate use on hardy nettles

texts:
We're about to begin our vegetable garden, and we have had some trouble in the past with a nettle that is particularly nasty.

Our plan is to apply glyphosate based herbicide directly to the freshly gut green stalk of this nettle to attempt to kill the rhizomes.  The stalks of these nettles is somewhat woody.

Should concentrated glyphosate applied by paintbrush directly to the green stalk kill the rhizomes of hardy nettles?


texts:
Here in Texas, we've been getting an unusual amount of rain. Large parts of my yard have been having a hard time trying to dry out, with some visible water standing just below the grass level.

I've noticed some areas are getting a bit "scummy", and others are moving enough to remain clear water -- however, in both areas, I've noticed a lot of insect (and mosquito!) development.

Since this is rainwater, with a LOT of wet soil, and some still running off into public sewers -- So I'm trying to be careful about what I use.

What is a safe way to deal with the insects that are taking advantage of this extra "moisture"?


texts: What plants/trees will help (or hinder) bind a river bank together?

texts:
Our garden border is defined by a steep bank about 4m high, into a small river - not quite a cliff but so steep you would struggle to climb it. The river bends into our border at one point which raises questions of erosion over time.

We're in the north of England in a fairly wooded area so the bank here is in partial shade.

I wondered if there are particular plants or trees which would be good to encourage to grow at the top and on the slope of the bank, which will help bind the soil together and reduce erosion risk?

Equally, if there are things which would be detrimental - whose roots might break the bank up, or whose weight/height make them likely to be blown down and the bank damaged?


texts:
I would like to have a couple of conifer groups in my garden like these:

How to design them?


texts: Steps to Follow for Fixing a Patchy and Weedy New Lawn Which was Planted over several times

texts: Trying to grow an organic lawn over the summer months in central CT but have achieved limited success.  Started 2.5 years ago by completely removing all existing weed and lawn. Put down lime and  topsoil then Safer Lawn Restore starter fertilizer and a quality seed mix from local gardening center. Watered several times a day to keep seed damp. Got patchy grass and with it crab grass and clover.  Started over again in some areas and have spent days hand picking out weeds and clover. Then reseeded and same problems again. How do I repair the patchy lawn and keep the weeds at bay. What sequence of steps should I follow? Fertilizer (type), seed, cover with straw or top soil?


texts:
I recently bought a rubber plant and repotted it as it was root bound.
I'm noticing the leaves are turning yellow with black brown spots on them. I'm watering fine and gave ample fertilizer.
It's been kept outdoors but in indirect sunlight under shade. It's also sprouting new leaves. Could this be a fungus?


texts: How do I get rid of broad-leaved dock in my strawberry bed?

texts: I have a strawberry bed that the strawberry plants like to grow in, but broad-leaved dock (also known as Bitter Dock, Bluntleaf Dock, Dock Leaf or Butter Dock) seems to like it better. They are trying to take over and I don't know what to do. How do I get rid of it without damaging the strawberries?


texts:
We decided to plant an Oak for my daughter’s first birthday.
We bought the tree, which is supposed to be around 2 years old, in a pot and put it in the garden today.
This is the first time we could see the base of the trunk:

The hole’s depth is about half of the tree’s diameter.
Is it most likely to be ok? Or should we contact the company that sold it?


texts: What are these bugs in my tomato plants containers and how can I save them?

texts:
Recently transplanted 6 plants outdoors into fabric containers with potting soil from Lowes. Within a few days, these were jumping around the dirt. They just look like tiny little beads to the naked eye.
Is there any chance of saving these plants? Did they come from the bagged potting soil?
I have sprayed with neem oil a few times which is maybe helping a little but not getting rid of them. Tomatoes are deteriorating.
A couple more photos: https://imgur.com/a/dv6ykTp
They were only in the soil until recently. Seeing a few on the foliage the last day or two.


texts: Help identifying white spots on an indoor palm?

texts:
I got this palm tree from a trade yesterday and I'm trying to come up with a rehab plan. I know it needs repotting, and potentially more light than it was getting at its old home, but it also has these tiny white/brown spots that are occurring along the ridges of the newer leaves.

The older leaves on the plant don't have these spots. They are also only located on the stems of the leaves and the center ridges of each leaflet. The new growth on the plant also looks a bit weird, it's fully white on one side of the new leaf that's coming in.

Anyway this is my first palm tree and I'm not sure what to make of this, so any help would be appreciated!


texts: What is this bright yellow daylily with six narrow petals that curl at the ends?

texts:
I have a number of varieties of daylilies in a wildflower garden in Massachusetts, USA, zone 6a. There are at least five, although some may be the same variety in different colors. They were all here when we bought the house four years ago. I'd like to start identifying some, especially since they're not the usual ones I see around the neighborhood.

This is one I haven't seen anywhere else, and I think it's unique and beautiful. It's bright yellow, with six long, narrow petals, which taper to a point at the end. Some of the leaves curl around in a twirling fashion.

To clarify, only the long, narrow, grass-like leaves in the pictures belong to the daylily. They're most visible in the lower right and corner of the picture on the left, and the lower left part of the picture on the right. The big green and all other leaves belong to other things. I know the leaves aren't easy to see, so I'm hoping the identification can be made by the flower.

What is this daylily called?


texts: Peppermint seeds? Isn't peppermint sterile?

texts: At my local supermarket they are selling peppermint seeds. How is it possible? I thought peppermint was a sterile hybrid, and only reproduced through stolon.


texts: Can I revive my basil that wasn't watered for a week?

texts:
I went on vacation and left a generous amount of water in my supermarket bought basil pot that I keep outside of the window. But it is very sunny in that spot as it's high up and facing South, and the last couple of days have been hot I think, so the water was far from enough.

Most of the leaves are yellow or brown and the plant looks very thin and dry. But there are also some very tiny green new leaves and the blossoms it had are still there.

Is it worth trying to revive that thing or should I discard it? If I try to get it back up, how should I best go about it? I already added water yesterday night, but that disappeared completely, so I added more this morning.


texts: How long do I need to stay off the lawn after applying weed killer?

texts:
I have a 17 month old boy that loves to play outside. I just put weed killer down and I didn't see anything on the label saying when it would be safe for kids or pets. How long should I wait before its safe for him to play in the yard again?

Hazardous Ingredients:

Dimethylamine Salt of 2,Methyl-4 Chlorophenoxyacetic Acit 13.72 %
Trimethylamine Salt of 3,5,6 Triclpro-2-Pyridnylox acetic acid 1.56%
Dimethylamine Salt of Dicamba (3,6-dichloro-o-anisic acid) 1.35%

Product:
SUPER BRUSH & WEED KILLER

Material Safety Data Sheet: MSDS Sheet


texts: Is early October too late to plant a Pussy Willow in southern Ontario?

texts:
I have a pussy willow that has rooted. It was part of a floral arrangement that I used to stage my condo while I was selling it. Now I have moved to a house with a garden so I would love to plant the rooted pussy willow.

Is it too late to plant it outside (right now it is Oct 6th and I live in Toronto)? Will it have time to get accustomed to the ground before it freezes?

If it is too late, can I overwinter it until springtime planting it on a pot?


texts: I live in Southern California and the bark on my tree is splitting, there are limbs also splitting off and the fruit is green instead of yellow. This tree is about fifty years old and I want to save it. Any suggestions.


texts:
I have a basil plant and all of a sudden the leaves are full of holes as shown in the picture.

I am not sure if these are related:

Two days ago it rained fiercely and at some point there was also hail.
The basil plant had a neigbhour plant that had mealybugs.
At the bottom of the stem, it appears some balls attached to the stem. I have no idea if these pests eggs. [

In addition, there is no  snails in the vicinity of the plant.
I checked the surrounding of the plant and there was no snails.


texts: When choosing a site to plant a black walnut what should I look for?

texts: I was asked to install a black walnut tree along a fairly flat creek bed. What should I look for when planting the tree?


texts: Plant found on lowland heath in south-east England

texts: I found this on a lowland heath (acid) in south east England. I'm pretty sure it's not native but it was in a very "natural" location. Can anyone identify it?


texts: How long do Nepenthes leaves last without traps?

texts:
My nepenthes ventricosa x mira has lost two of the four traps it had when it shipped in but the leaves are still living, kinda growing, and are healthy. But I am wondering how long they will last.

Although one is a small insignificant leaf the other is the largest in the plant so if it died before the next leaf fully developed the plant would be devastated and growth would be stunted due to its small size.

I am just hoping to know as the pitcher died about nine days ago and I am relying on those two leaves staying alive at least another two weeks. I am sure the pitchers died from shipping as they had no fluid In them and being a small plant I couldn't refill them easily.


texts:
What spectrum and strength of light are best suited for indoor tomato and pepper growing? I have around 2,5m2 of surface. The room walls will be coated with mylar.

If you can be product specific, that would be great, since I find commercial descriptions rather confusing. For example: light product here. This light is 300W, but lower in the description is stated that it consumes only 132watt±10%.

Apparently it generates 2.5 more energy than it consumes :))

Other manufactures describe lamps in a similar way.

Thanks for help.


texts:
Northern Indiana growing in pot. Anyone know what type of plant or flower this might be? Approximately 2’ tall so far
[1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/iLDnG.jpg![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/mFpoX.jpg)


texts: What are the natural predators of snails/slugs?

texts: Trying to control snails/slugs organically in a very small garden but I don't want to kill them myself.


texts: Green leaved. No Flowers. Grows from about April to October. Prefers shade or partial shade.


texts:
When do whiteflies typically emerge in southwestern Idaho? (How far into the season, I mean.) I don't know if they're gone or if they just haven't hatched, yet. There's no sign of them, yet. They infested our grapes last year, but I didn't know they were pests (or even that they were there) until late summer when a friend told me.

I released a bunch of ladybugs, and we have lacewings about. The grapes are looking good (and we actually have a fair amount of fruit growing; we got one or two clusters last year--much less than before). I also gave them some worm castings, this year, because I heard a rumor from an Amazon review that they help protect against whiteflies. I also added basalt rockdust and potassium sulfate for added insect resistance. (Potassium, calcium and silica help plants become more insect resistant, I've read.)

EDIT: I just saw a few whiteflies, today, and perhaps a few larvae. So, I guess they begin emerging in southwestern Idaho by June 18th. I'm not sure how long they've been around, though, so I'll leave this in case someone knows the earliest time they emerge.

One remarkable thing I noticed is that the leaf pests on the grapevine are mostly only affecting the leaves in the shade. The ones in the sun are, relatively speaking, pest-free.


texts: Tree ID question from Los Angeles County, California

texts:
Can someone provide me with the family this tree belongs to? I have tried several tree ID keys, without success. It is located in Inglewood, California on a hospital campus planted next to Melia azedarach, Ligustrum sinense, and Syzygium australe in bare soil surrounded by a lawn.

The leaves are palmately compound with either 3, 4 or 5 leaflets. Margins are entire, green on both sides, smooth (not hairy), buds are above heart-shaped leaf scars. I didn't see any glands on the leaves.


texts: I need to mow a lawn filled with Rocks galore

texts: I need a lawn mower that can handle rocks and tall thistle bushes. I go through a lawn mower a year it seems. 90% of our ground is granite with a shallow ground covering. Any suggestions?


texts: Newly planted Japanese cedar is yellowing

texts:
I planted several Japanese cedar (cryptomeria japonica) in early September. (Live in 7a, Long Island NY) Most seem to be doing ok but one in particular seems to be struggling. Inner parts are brown, and overall more yellow compared to the other plants. Any ideas on what’s going on and what to do?
Thanks!


texts: Can I turn an existing asparagus bed into raised bed?

texts:
My wife and I planted some asparagus last spring in a regular bed next to an outbuilding.  We are looking to add another plant right next to the asparagus, which I would like to put into a simple raised bed.  I'll probably just use some treated 2-bys as my bed walls.

I was thinking that it probably would not hurt to just put the asparagus into an attached raised bed as well.

Can I add the raised bed around the asparagus and fill it in with soil? This would in effect bury the asparagus roots by 6-8" more than what they already are.


texts: How should I grow Moneymaker tomato plants in indoor containers?

texts:
A few questions about these moneymaker tomato plants:

1)  Is it okay to grow two in a 5-gallon container?

2) Is a homemade bamboo obelisk like the one I am using (see picture) tall enough (it's 120cm)? Should I go for something open at the top?

3) I am keeping them inside in a partly shady spot. I was going to keep them indoors until May, when the frost risk will be gone and they can go in my unheated greenhouse. The temperature of my flat (even with heating on) goes from 12°C to 16°C. Do you see any possible problems with this environment (lack of sunlight, cold, etc.)?

Thanks in advance :)

 / / / /


texts: What fruit trees are suitable for growing in containers in a subtropical zone?

texts:
I live in Northern Australia, which is a subtropical zone. We always have temperatures above 20°C. We have two seasons:

a dry season with no rain and temperatures ranging between 21°C and 32°C and with humidity around 60%.
a wet season with lots of rain and temperatures ranging from 25°C to 33°C, and humidity over 80%.

I am thinking of growing some fruit trees. What can you guys recommend for this conditions? I am looking for something that is easy to grow as I am a newbie and can grow in large pots.


texts: Looking for a way to repel crows from our gardens, without scaring all the other birds

texts:
Many of us experienced our gardens invaded by large flocks of crows, ravens, or similar birds. They tend to dominate bird life in such areas, reducing overall garden biodiversity.

In my case, crows have moved into our neighborhood big time, and they're monopolizing our bird feeders (plus making a mess on my car).  Any suggestions for how to discourage the crows without scaring away the other birds (finches, cardinals, nuthatches, the occasional woodpecker or hummingbird).  (Though if I can also discourage grackles that's a plus.)

I'm thinking something like a sonic unit that broadcasts a crow distress call, but the units I find online are 1) pretty expensive, for the most part, and 2) poorly documented -- not clear whether they can be set up to broadcast ONLY adult crow distress calls, vs more general calls or juvenile distress calls that are intended to attract prey.

I'd also like something (if it's an "active" scheme of any kind) that I can turn on and off, activating it only when crows are observed.

(I'm not a birder, but, based on the Wikipedia article for "American crow", the birds I'm dealing with match the appearance and call ("caw-caw-caw") of Corvus brachyrhynchos.)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_crow

Any suggestions?

Images from the next town over:


texts: Are these primary or secondary verbena pests?

texts:
I posted before about the powdery mildew affecting my verbena plants. I have now observed that some leaves have died, and small (1 mm or less) insects are present. They're mobile so not eggs, white and not obviously winged so they may be a larval stage. I'm looking for identification, and whether they are just feeding off dying leaves (in which case why are they still amongst the dead leaves), or caused the leaves to die.  I am not seeing them on the healthy leaves. The plants seem otherwise okay, and starting to flower.

Flowering

Dead leaves

Bugs

More bugs


texts: what are these brown spots on my potato plant?

texts: I have noticed brown spots on my potato plant but cannot figure out what it could be. Do you might have an idea?


texts: Help me decide in a location for my raised bed garden

texts:
I'm building a 6x3 raised bed in my brooklyn ny backyard however, i wanted to know if i set it up at the left side it would be half under a mulberry/blackberry tree and the right side it would be in full sun but no berries falling on it.
So my question is whats better choice?
having berries falling (when in season) on the vegetable garden & in partial shade.
Or full sun & no berries, if that's even an issue.
Please let me know the pros n cons on each scenario.

Thanks a ton guys.

I'll post pictures tonight or tomorrow of the yard


texts: Brown spots on Philodendron Congo Green?

texts: my philodendron congo green have brown spots on almost all leaves (even the newly sprouted ones). However, the older leaves don't have the problem, and they have much darker green color as well. I doubt its a sun light issue (since new leaves also have such symptom even before they uncurl completely). Any suggestions what the causes are? Thank you!


texts: I have bought a peace lily 7 days ago, but the leaves are drooping and lower leaves have turned yellow. I have tried watering it, soil is moist but condituin is not improving. Drooping leaves have also developed breaks in it and seems like beyond repair ... kindly help !!!


texts: I am a beginner gardener. I've heard about raised flower beds a lot. I would like to know what would be pros and cons of building a raised bed like this one:


texts: Should I be concerned about mushrooms in my lawn?

texts:
I have an array of several different types of mushrooms popping up in my fescue.  There are not enormous areas covered, the largest collection is about an 8-10 inch circle.  The rest are small groups scattered about the yard, or solo. Is this anything to be concerned about?

(Click for a larger image)


texts: How much lighting do I need for growing lettuce using indoor hydroponics?

texts:
I am beginning to get into indoor hydroponics to grow lettuce, I haven't figured out which type of lettuce to grow yet, I am thinking of a butterhead. I have been to many hydroponics stores and seen almost all the lettuce hydroponics videos on youtube. When it comes to lighting, no one has an accurate answer. The store is trying to push a huge T5 lighting system. But I think its overkill. Now I have bought a Light Meter, to test various lights.

How many lumens do I need for lettuce to grow?

I'm trying to figure out the costs involved with the electricity of the lights.


texts: Do bees from different continents have different "taste"?

texts:
I live in Europe, and planted several non-native perennials, most notably:

echinaceas
hellenuims
rudbeckias

For all species, I chose several cultivars, for the sake of experimenting.
Although all three species are listed as bee-attractive, bees at my place like only echinaceas and hellenuims. They totally ignore rudbeckias! Is there any plausible explanation for this?
Can it be that european bees are just not used to rudbekias, or simply don't like it, while american bees do?


texts: What can I use to grade the garden around my house so water flows away from foundation?

texts:
I live in Southern California. We get rain maybe two to three weeks a year if we’re lucky. Three sides of the house have grass, plants, dirt going up to and touching the foundation.

We are going to eventually to do some landscaping. What is an easy way for us to grade the soil on those three sides?

I’ve read that you can just use soil. Wouldn’t the rain the soak into the soil and water will still touch the foundation any way?


texts:
My friend showed me this picture of a cactus and we would like to buy one. The problem is we don't know the name.

Does anybody recognize it? Does it produce flowers?


texts: The lemon tree branches are dry but the leaves are still green what can I do to save it


texts: I have been removing the leafy branches from my tomato plants. Is that wrong?


texts: What is this large houseplant with long oval leaves?

texts: This was gifted from work but no one here or at the local nursery can identify it.


texts: Is a vertical, soil vegetable garden a bad idea?

texts:
So my mom has all this junk wood she's been collecting, and I think I found a good use for it:  as above-ground planters or as a vertical planter "post"  (say 2 x 2 x 6 feet).   Basically, fill it with soil and have planters coming off the sides.

Would I some how need to compensate for gravity and more water accumulating on the lower plant roots?  Would this attract termites if I didn't use redwood (or cedar) but emptied it every year?


texts: Why are my tomato seedlings dying after applying ammonium sulfate?

texts: Why are my tomato seedlings dying? They just germinated then after a week some are dying? I added compost and a little bit of ammonium sulphate in each plastic bags. They are not yet transplanted. I want to know why because I do not see any pest.


texts: Can anyone identify this plant growing in a garden in North Cornwall, England?

texts: This over 1m tall, rigid upright plant is growing in a patch of bare earth in my Cornish  garden. No sign of flower buds yet. It has elongated, fine toothed, unstalked hairless leaves in opposite pairs growing up the slightly furry unridged stem, about 3 or 4cm apart. Pairs of branches grow out at on opposite sides at the position of the stem leaves, symmetrically, all the way up to the top. Looks a bit like Great Willowherb, but isn't. Have also ruled out Caper Spurge. The plant has put out a stolon and a new plant is now growing from it. Can anyone identify it please?


texts: Is it good or bad to have mushrooms growing in the soil of my fruit tree?

texts:
As you can see I have mushrooms in my soil. Are they bad? Are they going to cause root rot in my plants? Also, are the mushrooms infectious through the air?

It's my testing soil. I plant different plants in here.


texts: Adding 10 cm of cow manure to my orchard in summer without hurting trees

texts:
I have bought an orchard recently which has 42 apples 26 walnuts and  27 and some other trees. I know that no fertilizer has been added to   soil for at least 2 years.
I have read that adding 10cm of manure would help soil improvement. But local farmers here told me that that much of manure will kill your trees And they say you should apply that manure in fall and not summer (now).

So what should I do?

1- Is it safe to add 10 cm of manure.

2- Can I add that much of manure right now or should I wait until fall.


texts: What is this Coarse Green Sand-Like Material in my Bonsai Kit?

texts: I just purchased my first bonsai tree. The kit I purchased came with a small green packet of coarse sand-like material (see picture below). In all my reading, I haven't been able to figure out what this is. Can anyone shed some light on this?


texts:
I have a 5 year old basil plant growning in my window. Since I don't know much about gardning it has been a small hobby of mine to prune it and keep it alive.

My idea was to create some kind of bonsai basil. Since the 5 year old plant seams to be a bit out of controle, because of bad trimming and pruning, I have made some clones where I tried to be a bit harder when pruning.

One of these clones are now about 2 years old.

Here is a few pictures:

My question is, can I bonsai this plant? And does anyone have any tips or experience doing this? As you can see I have already tried to shape it like a small tree, but my fear is that over some years I won't be able to keep it like this, since the plant is constantly growing. So eventually it might end up looking like my 5 year old basil, which has grown too tall with way too many long and empty stems.

Thanks for any tips or suggestions :)


texts: What can I grow in small (Ø12 D12) pots outside?

texts:
A few years ago I got 5 pots from IKEA measuring 12cm in diameter and 12cm tall. I've tried having herbs in them, but they are just way too small for anything to grow nicely for more than a few weeks, so now they've been sitting in a box for two years.

However, I like how they look and I really want to figure out how to use them. I recently moved to an apartment with a balcony and I'm starting a gardening project. I've got the following seeds: sage, thyme, rosemary, oregano, chives, dill, parsley, basil, coriander, peppermint, spearmint, marigold, pansies, harlequin, passionflower, spring onion, dwarf snap peas, baby carrots, beans, spinach, salad, tomatoes (tumbling tom, sweet pea currant), cucamelon, jalapenos, sweet pepper, wild strawberry and strawberry temptation.

I know most of that can't grow in those tiny pots, but if any of it could please let me know, and if you have any ideas for some plants that would be able to grow in small pots (probably some semi drought resistant ones, I think they're going to dry out fast on a hot day) then I would much appreciate it!

These are the pots: http://www.ikea.com/dk/da/catalog/products/10155671/

EDIT: They do have drainage holes, I live in denmark and an alternative to placing them on the south-east facing balcony would be a north-west facing window sill.


texts:
Assuming a desert cactus could get all of its needs, light, heat, water... during the growing season met year round, does this cactus need a rest/dormancy period to remain healthy?  Flowering does not matter, just do desert cacti need a dormancy period to remain fit and healthy.  I am talking about all desert dwelling cactus as a group, not jungle or other speciality cacti.
This is just a theoretical question.


texts: What should I do about a tree that is growing over my retaining wall?

texts:
My house I recently moved back into has a tree in the side yard that has over-grown the small retaining wall after 10+ years.  I didn't know this was going on as I was an absentee owner for a while, but now am faced with roots that have squeezed on top of the wall bricks.  I'm trying to widen the retaining wall to give the tree more room, but should I try and remove the bricks?  I'm a little worried that if I remove the bricks the tree will become unstable.  I see one root has managed to grow out of the bricks.  I will try and make the wall taller too so the roots have dirt up to the bottom of the tree.

This is a beautiful tree and I don't want to have to cut it down, but it was certainly an error to plant it in this small of an area. Bad landscaping company for not planning ahead.

Anyone have any suggestions?


texts: Is cow dung really bad for potted houseplants? (There are videos in the question.)

texts:
Disclaimer: This question might be off-topic or weird. This question is not to hurt anyone's feelings or to disrespect opinions and knowledge of any person or user here.

I do remember asking this question here but cannot find it. Why is cow dung bad for houseplants?.

Now people here tell me that it is a bad idea to use cow dung for potted plants. I once saw a video on cow dung and its magic on plants. To anyone who's interested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXBgYvhAkvU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oifWngdzwCg

  Image

If cow dung is bad, why is this person getting great results from it? He has shown many examples in his video.

From what I know and understand, cow dung has too much nitrogen in it, which can cause root burn. It also retains water for extremely long periods of time which can also lead to root rot. That's all I know. But if that's true, how come the plants looks really healthy and lush?

What's the case? Has any gardener/user here ever experimented on this? What was the result: good or bad?


texts:
My Euphorbia spiralis family has done well, even though I didn't know until I read it recently that I should have separated the first baby (now a big toddler) when it was small. I have two concerns:
1. should I still try to separate the small one, or will it just grow like a Siamese twin at this point?
2. The mother has two more small babies (which I haven't yet separated). I examine my plants every day (ever since an Opuntia was done in by scale last year), and yesterday I found two very small cottony tufts on one of the babies. Mealybugs?? I removed them entirely and don't see anything else today--does anyone have some advice if I do see more signs of trouble?

I'd be so grateful for help! Also, can I snip off the dead ends of "branches" on the mother plant?


texts: What kind of landscaping plants do livestock avoid eating and need minimal attention?

texts:
I'd like to plant plants/trees/shrubs along the sidewalk on the roads to improve the landscaping and general appearance. However, I live in Gurgaon, India and it is common to see livestock (cows, goats, etc.) on the roads.

In order to prevent my plants from being eaten up by livestock, I'd like to use only those plants that the animals avoid eating. I'd also like them to be non-poisonous, just in case some actually do happen to nibble a bit.

What kind of plants/trees/shrubs fit the above requirements and will grow well in my city?


texts: What are some houseplants that can clean the air, especially chemicals from cigarettes?

texts:
I know of the research done by NASA on indoor plants which can clean/reduce certain pollutants in the air. I am very interested in planting such houseplants in my house, as it is sometimes filled with cigarette smoke.

According to the above research, certain plants will filter 3 kinds of pollutants: Benzene, Trichloroethylene and Formaldehyde. However, the smoke produced by tobacco contains more than these elements. So, I'd like some suggestions for indoor plants that are small enough to fit in the house, and have the ability to rid the air of cigarette smoke (references will be nice).


texts: When is my summer lilac ready for the next phase of my guerrilla gardening plan?

texts:
The "landscaping" in front of my apartment building is less than attractive. Nobody ever does anything so I came up with the idea to plant something nice on my own. Not wanting to spend money on this experiment I searched the neighborhood and tool a cutting from a summer lilac shrub in the area.

My first cutting didn't make it but this one has finally sprouted some roots in the water glass I'm keeping it.

I assume that at some point I'll probably have to transplant it to a pot with soil before moving it to the front of the house. But I am unsure when to do that. How big should the roots be for potting? The cutting itself is about 20cm.


texts: What variety is my mint plant/why does my tea taste grassy?

texts:
I bought my mint plant from M&S in the UK in a pot, i've had it about a week and plan to re pot it into a larger pot in about a week where it will be permanently outside on a roof terrace (though I am likely to baby it and take it in in the rain). I may include useless details here as i'm a fairly new gardener.

I have had fresh mint tea before in the Netherlands, and it was very fresh and tasty and the water changed colour slightly. There would usually be 2 or 3 full sprigs of mint placed head down into a pint of boiling water. When i've done what seems to be the same thing in a smaller amount (one mug of water over 1 sprig of mint with about 4 full sized leaves and the smaller ones above them) the tea smells lovely but tastes mildly of grass, no mint, and stays completely clear. If I put a small bit of sugar in it just tastes of sugary grass. It's not actually unpleasant, and the minty smell is nice, but I wanted mint tea!

I hope the pictures will help in identification. I believe it either to be sweet mint or spearmint, and will probably be trying to find a peppermint plant to grow instead of (or probably alongside) this. Though i'm certain the leaves I saw abroad were this style of leaf! The stems are green but are slowly going purple, probably due to the fact I have been struggling to find partial shade for it so it's either indoors or in full sun.

Thank you for any help!


texts: Do herbs grown in containers need to be repotted?

texts:
I'm trying to grow some herbs (basil, coriander, and chives) in pots on my kitchen windowsill. This seems to work pretty well for a while, but usually they die after a little bit (well, the basil doesn't, but I'm pretty sure basil would survive a nuclear war).

Having done some reading, it seems that I need to learn how to prune, as well as invest in some fertilizer.

One thing I was wondering though, do I need to periodically entirely replace the soil that the herbs are potted in, or does the fertilizer take care of that?


texts: Why did my sweet corn kernels grow into this?

texts:
This corn is about 2 weeks premature to be picked.  It had lots of green bugs and japanese beetles chowing on it, but I didn't do anything weird to it (no Ninja-Turtle ooze for instance).  I can't remember the variety,  it was a very long type of sweet corn.
It looked like some of the kernels just grew and grew and grew.  Looking at the corn on the plant, I had thought that they were sprouting inside the cob.  But then I opened it up and I almost barfed.
So does anyone know what this is and if I need to dispose of it or alert the authorities?


texts:
I've just noticed these brown areas on my plant today when I've arrived from work. I had moved this plant from my bathroom window which had given my plant indirect sunlight to my livingroom window where there is direct sunlight. I've left it there for about 3 days straight. I don't want to loose this plant as I've had it since it was very small. Will my plant survive? Should I cut the brown foilage off? I'm not sure what to do or what happened to it. Will my plant survive?

UPDATE:


texts:
Recently I noticed my green grapes leaves don't look too good. There's nothing like scales or ants or any other sign of parasites. Only older leaves are affected, new ones are fine as you can see on the photos.

Do I need to give it more water? Add some fertiliser? Or is it just normal?

I'm in Sydney, Australia. It's end of summer here now.


texts: How to properly seed bomb a particular area with drones?

texts:
I searched for a long time on internet but can't find a perfect tutorial on the whole process. I found one for making seed bombs: https://www.gardenista.com/posts/diy-wildflower-seed-bombs/

I wanted to know about the complications involving planting seed bombs with drones, is it just flying the drone to an appropriate spot on the land with proper altitude and just dropping the seed bombs or there are problems to this approach?


texts: We had very bad hailstorm in late July which broke a number of branches off the Acer and left a layer of ice on the pot for 3 hours or more. The Acer leaves have slowly shrivelled as a reaction to the ice and damage, but the leaves didn't initially drop off. We are now in mid September and the leaves are starting to fall as new buds are forming and seem to be pushing them off (they are the biggest and reddest buds this Acer has ever had!). A few of the buds have opened and new bright red young leaves are brightening up what looked a very sorry tree. Most of the buds opening are on or close to where the wood was broken. Question: what will now happen to the buds that have formed, the majority look as though they will not open this year, but will they remain dormant and then open next spring or will the tree have a barren 2017?


texts: I've read that Sorrel is a permaculture green, but an anual, how does it come back?

texts: How does sorrel come back every year if you pick it all, when people say it's an annual?


texts: High Sulfur and alkaline pH on Soil Test for Bermuda Lawn

texts:
I did a My Soil Savvy test on my Bermuda lawn (Phoenix, AZ) and the Sulfur was 42.90ppm with a recommendation of 6-12.  The test also showed my pH at 7.14. Any ideas on how to reduce the sulfur and make the lawn more acidic(6.0-6.5)?
FYI there also slightly low levels on Nitrogen, Potassium, Iron and Zync.  Calium and Phosphorus are sightly high.


texts: Could the roots from an apple tree 10m away from my house be causing structural problems?

texts:
I have a fairly large apple tree in my garden approximately 10m from my house. It stands about 8m high.

I have started getting cracks in my back 2 rooms and patio. is it likely to be the roots and if so, should I remove the tree?


texts:
I would like to grow a small olive tree in my balcony. Preferably I would not like my tree to grow larger than 2 meters tall and gives me nice organic olives. Length can also be controlled by the size of the pot obviously. What do you suggest?

Edit: What are the common diseases and pests of an olive tree?


texts:
It's similar a bit to Summer savory, but definitely, it's not and it has a different shape, scent. It is grows crawling rather than standing up as Rosemary does. The leaves are rather small, Rosemary ones are twice as big. It is a thyme variaty? For sure it is not oregano. I've used plant identification at identify.plantnet.org but with no good results.

The remains of the flowers look like this

Another picture:

New images with starting flowers

Is it Thymus serpyllum (Breckland thyme) , Thymus praecox , Thymus pulegioides or Thymus longicaulis ?

Flowers:

Fully in flower neighbouring oregano and rosemary on the right with busy bees :


texts: What is this lettuce feeling oval shaped plant that grows similar to a rhubarb bush?

texts:
physical description:
not hairy
grows in a ring (think rhubarb)
oval shaped
not oily
USDA 4A
Found thought the grass in the yard


texts: I planted a strawberry a I got a while back. It had some issues with leaves and fruits dying. I took a closer look today and turns out there are two crowns right next to each other. One crown is fruiting and the other isn't doing too good. Is it possible to separate them? or should something else be done.


texts: How long after a lily scale is planted should I expect a flowering size bulb?

texts: I have some Madonna lily bulbs that I would like to scale. If I planted them after the last frost in spring, how long will it be until I get a flowering size bulb? Does it matter which scales I use?


texts: When should I start watering flowers in the garden?

texts:
It is early spring in my region, around the usual time of last frost dates. Tulips and daffodils will soon blossom. Yesterday an old lady spent time in the garden and mentioned she thought the weather was dry and that the (very nice) flowers should perhaps be watered.

This came as a surprise to me. I would not normally think of watering plants outside during this time of year. But this is in part also for convenience as the water is still turned off in the garden.

Is there a good general rule for when one should start watering flowers outside (perhaps as a function of last frost days, day length, or similar)?


texts: Pine sawfly eradication once and for all

texts:
I have a mature Mugo Pine that is looking rather haggard these days due to pine sawfly larvae chowing on it year after year. I first noticed them two summers ago. There were so many of them that I could hear them chewing whenever I was weeding around it (I didn't even know what the sound was the first few times I heard it-I thought I was going crazy!) I was able to identify them quickly enough and I had some Sevin in the garage so I used it. I normally try to avoid pesticides but the bush was seriously infested (75% covered, the other 25% eaten).  Because I know Sevin kills pretty much all bugs, I put a tarp down around the bush to direct the water/pesticide runoff down the driveway into the crushed stone and not into the garden soil. I had to repeat this 4 or 5 times that first summer to get rid of them all.

Last year, I tried to catch it early, and noticed what I discovered to be the eggs on many of the lower branches. I pruned as many as I could without disfiguring the bush. Then I repeated the Sevin applications each time I found some of the disgusting little buggers munching away. It was better last year, I only had to spot treat the bush instead of hosing the whole thing down. I did the same thing as last year with the tarp too, trying to be mindful of all the beneficial bugs that may be lurking under the bush.

This year, I again found the eggs all over the bottom branches of the bush. I cut a few more off but I really can't remove any more branches at this point. Between the sawflies, the heavy snow load these that two winters, and the pruning the poor thing is suffering. I am prepared to treat w/Sevin again but am thinking there must be something else I can do.

can I do something to prevent the eggs from hatching besides cutting the branch off and discarding it in the trash?
Can I treat the soil somehow to kill the sawflies pupating there at the end of their feast?

I'd appreciate any suggestions because at this point (between this, my dead lawn, disappearing pachysandra and other problems I haven't posted yet) I'm ready to sell my house w/a fully landscaped 3/4 acre lot and get a condo. I can't keep up!


texts: Do I need to buy a specialty bark medium to repot my orchid?

texts:
As a result of a previous question, I've decided to repot my Phalaenopsis orchid in bark once the blooms fall off.  I understand that tree bark makes a better medium than the moss it's currently growing on.  In addition, I have no way of knowing how long it's been since the plant has been repotted.

Do I need to buy a specialty bark medium designed for orchids or can I use bark from the cedar trees in front of my house?

(I'm not opposed to spending a bit of cash on this plant, but I do like the idea of reusing materials that are at hand if possible.  Seems like a waste to get a bag of tree bark when I have more than I can use already.)


texts:
I have a long tough box on my window which I stuck some root ginger in. The ginger was in my fridge and sprouting so I figured I'd see what happened. Fast forward a few years and it's a huge clump of root and a lot of it is above the soil level and pushing on the edge of the box. Clearly, I need to do something. In my head, I call it "re-seating" because that's what I'd do with PC RAM if it was not sitting right.

Anyway, the ginger is sprouting at the moment and I have three good stems already. Is this a bad time to re-seat the ginger? If so (and my guess is that this is a bad time) when is the soonest I can harvest and replant for least damage and best grow back?

Edit: (For clarity) This is a window box inside in my flat on the window. It is currently sprouting and bunched up and needs to be better planted soonish.


texts: What is this Growth On an Eastern Spruce tree

texts: Do you know what this odd looking growth is?


texts: Is this a bronze birch borer infestation?

texts:
I have three birch trees in my front yard that I've been told have a bronze birch borer infestation, based primarily on the presence of numerous holes, each about 6-7 mm wide.  There does seem to be some dieback at the crowns, but I don't know enough to tell if this is "normal" or indicates the trees are under severe stress.

Here's a picture of the three trees, you can see quite a bit of debris from the trees on the roof.

A closeup of the trunks near ground level

A detail of the holes, about 10 feet up one of the trunks

Another detail shot, about 15 feet up one of the other trees

Two arborists have said the trees are not salvageable, but I tend to discount "opinions" when there's an inherent conflict of interest (they're dying, and I'll remove them for you for $5000).

Question: Is it time to remove these trees?


texts:
I am considering Lespedeza thunbergii for my shrub border, and I found a document on internet that says:

  Lespedeza thunbergii is a legume, so you must obtain the appropriate fresh, viable inoculant.

How to obtain the inoculant for Lespedeza thunbergii? Why do I need an inoculant at all? And, by the way, what is an inoculant?


texts: Can I grow strawberries in Lagos Nigeria?

texts:
I just bought these strawberry seeds from aliexpress. And while I am awaiting their arrival, I thought it would be good to find out if strawberries can grow on any soil.

Though I've not heard anyone say anything about that. Some think it can't grow in Lagos Nigeria.

Can anyone with experience in strawberry farming tell me if its possible to grow the plant in Lagos Nigeria specifically?

And if not possible, I would like a sound explanation why they cannot grow here. Thanks.


texts: I do not want to mow the lawn, how can I have a lawn without having to mow?

texts:
I have a lawn, but I limit my mowing. Plants do not grow well in the sandy soil. Weeds grow extremely well.

The climate is moist, humid spring, summer and fall. Winter is snow and ice. There is lots of sunshine during the noon hours of the day.

Groundcover is an option.  Expensive groundcover is not what I want. Evergreen trees surround the yard, and pine-needles and bare spots accent many locations.

I am not a gardener, but I would like to grow lavender and herbs.


texts: Identifying these Pink and White Flowers

texts:
I photographed this flowering shrub in Minnesota last summer. It had pink to white flowers with 5 petals in many clusters and serrated leaves:

I've tried to identify it myself, but so far none of my searches have given me enough to go off of. Can anyone tell me what it is?


texts: Home-made Solution for White-Spotted Curley Leaves on Pepper Leaves

texts:
I had bought 10 pots of peppers a while back. Not all of them seemed healthy, but since they had the fruits, I thought I can use the fruits and bin the pots if I can't keep them. I was keeping them in the north-facing balcony when I noticed they're all covered in small pink/brown bugs. I applied alcohol + soapy water spray to get rid of them, and then planted them all in a box and moved the box into a room with a south-facing window. I also cut all unhealthy-looking leaves and stems.

Since then, they've been growing incredibly, blooming, and now, even having small fruits. The issue is that they're growing curly leaves most of the time, some with dandruff-like spots on them, and I think, as a result of that, some of the flowers fall off as if one has cut them. Consulting someone at a gardening store, I bought a tomato food to help them grow better, but I couldn't manage to find a fungicide spray, and even if I could, they'd come in giant quantities.

Is there something like the soapy water that I could make at home to apply on these plants as they're full of flowers, and I don't want to bin them all, but to cure them!

P.S. I've moved the box away from the window just to take the photo. This is not where it normally rests!


texts: For example, If the normal spacing between grape vines is 8 feet, then does that mean that a hybrid tea rose with the recommended spacing of 3 feet would also have to spaced 8 feet away from the grapevine ?


texts: What is this yellow coloration of cotton wool used as growth media for hydroponics?

texts:
I have built a simple hydroponics DWC system, using a window box with aeration. Actually a system exactly like the below picture:

I am growing lettuce and cabbage, and a week ago I have transplanted my first seedlings into the system. I have grown the first seedlings in cotton wool, as you can see in the picture below.

Unfortunately some yellow stuff have shown up, and quite rapidly grew to what you can see below. It seems to only have affected this one seedling this much, but some of the other cotton wool shows slight yellow formations also.

It does not seem to affect the actual seedlings, nor does it seem to spread much more. But I am curious of what it is, and if it can be problematic? Or perhaps the problem is just that I am using cotton wool, and it becomes constantly wet when placed in the hydroponics system?

I have started using rockwool cubes, which does not seem to be affected in the same way.

Is the yellow stuff something I should be worried about, and what is it? :)


texts: How can I combat mealybug in a large garden?

texts:
In my friend's large garden, mealybug is the main pest. They spread quickly, often killing whole plants if left unattended. Sometimes they even attack trees.

The garden and many of its affected plants are rather large, so the process can't require tedious, leaf by leaf removal or application, or anything like that.

My friend has several edible plants and is conscious of the local environment. Therefore, we prefer answers that are as eco-friendly as possible.

The climate is arid tropical, except for periods of heavy rains once or twice a year. We are in southern India.


texts: Do Agriform tablets work well for existing mature plants & trees?

texts:
My landscaper used Agriform tablets as fertilizer when he planted trees and plans in my landscape.  It has been ten years and time to fertilize the plants and trees again.  I have a choice of using agriform tablets (again) or using store bought fertilizer.  The agriform tablets are easier to apply compared to the fertilizer.  However most references to agriform are when planting new trees or plants.  Do they work well for existing plants and trees as well?
Agriform is a 20-10-5 fertilizer


texts:
My fiancee has a miniature rose she was given as a gift, which we keep indoors as we live in an apartment. After recovering from being left in an abandoned office for a week or so, it's been thriving - survived a summer, this last winter, and into this summer.

This summer however, it got hit with a very bad case of powdery mildew, and by the time we managed to get something to treat it, it's sustained some pretty bad damage. Essentially all its leaves are curled and brittle, and it looks "dead" - or close to it.

Is there something that can be done to salvage it? Is there a place to cut to essentially encourage new growth and starting over? Or is it on its way out?


texts: Should I cut off roots that grow out from a pot's drain?

texts: I have a Ficus lyrata whose roots have grown out of the 25cm pot's drain hole. They form a dish shape within the pot's dish. Is it wise to cut these roots so that the pot can sit level again, or is it a sign that I need a larger pot?


texts: Can someone show me a picture of full grow Nepenthes Rafflesiana or Bicalcarata?

texts:
Im trying to grow nepenthes rafflesiana and bicalcarata and im curious, i have seen many picture of this nepenthes species on google but the picture only show pitcher, stem, and leaf. Im also watch people on youtube who nursing this nepenthes species for 4, 5, and even 10 years more but only show small plant. Why i never saw full grow of this nepenthes species?

If you guys have full grow nepenthes rafflesiana or bicalcarata, could you guys show me the picture of this plant at full size? Sorry i just want to know what this plant looks like at full grow

Note: sorry for my bad english


texts: What can I grow in a very damp, shaded part of the garden?

texts:
I have a small flower bed which is in a very shaded corner.  It never gets any direct sunlight, and tends to be very damp (although it's well-drained - but the water never evaporates).

I'd like to be able to grow something in it - can anyone suggest anything?  Ideally, something that adds colour, and also anything which is beneficial for insects or wildlife would be great.

It's about 0.5m x 1m or so, so not very big - and maybe 0.5m deep.  I'm in Belfast, so we don't tend to get very hot or very cold weather.


texts: I don’t know what’s happening with my cacti it had brown spots on it and it happens a week ago I think

texts: so I don’t know what’s wrong with my cacti


texts: Question about pruning and health of Orange tree

texts: I am in south Louisiana, and we recently have had a much colder than average winter.  I have an orange tree in my backyard and I was planning on pruning it in the spring, and I am wondering about the overall health of the tree as well as where/how to prune it.


texts: How many years does it take for a Quince to fruit?

texts: I'm considering getting a Quince (Cydonia Oblonga) tree for my dad for father's day in zone 4A, and was wondering how long after planting it would start producing fruit.


texts:
I’m updating the thread to post a recent picture of the pine tree. As you can see, the tree’s looking worse. I moved it to the balcony so it would receive more sun, but it hasn’t helped:

This is the original thread:
.…….…….…….…….……

I bought this pine tree in November. In mid-February I changed the weird soil it came with (it was looking a bit sick) and it got healthier.

Lately, it's been looking sick again. I'm including some pictures.

What can I do to improve the plant's health? Should it be outside? We're in the Caribbean.

Thanks.

Edit:
Just wanted to clarify that the white dots all over the tree is glitter that the store added to it to make it look more like a Christmas tree. Sorry for the confusion.


texts:
My new blueberry plants are turning red! These are my second ones after Ii couldn't acidify the soil of the first batch fast enough. Do you think this is pH again? I read it could also be due to cold weather? I'm running out of ideas of what to do.
http://imgur.com/gallery/GccR8RK


texts: What is this narrow leaved, aromatic plant native to Attica, Greece?

texts:
Can you tell me what this plant is? It is native here in Attica, Greece. It comes out every summer and goes away at winter.
It is very aromatic to the touch. That is if you pass your hand over it, it gets a nice smell.


texts:
I purchased a praying mantis egg case and put it in my greenhouse to help get rid of an aphid infestation. Nothing seemed to happen for the longest time, but now it looks like there are hundreds of dead mantises attached to the egg case (and each other, they're like a large growth off the side of the egg case).

Are these mantis dead? I know mantises molt but these bodies look pretty intact (they even have tentacles!). Is this normal?


texts: What is this anomalous growth on my oak leaf?

texts: I found an interesting lesion on an oak leaf in my back yard (Upstate South Carolina). What is it? I am asking about the marble like structure since I am fairly certain that the larva (shown at link) belong to an acorn weevil.


texts: How & when should I prune a Weigela bush?

texts:
I have a medium sized Weigela bush in my garden.  Can anyone advise me on how best to prune it, when to prune it and how often?

There is lots of new green growth on the tips of the stems that flowered this year.  Does the plant flower from there next year?

Also, this picture shows the main "trunk" (the thicker upright branches) of the bush.  Do I prune back to that or do I also prune that part?

The bush is quite old and I've never really done anything with it so I'd appreciate any advice you can offer!


texts: Can I substantially reduce the height of a large holly tree?

texts:
My garden includes a holly tree about the height of my house. It's a fine specimen in good health but the position means it is blocking the view from a bedroom window.

Ideally I'd take it out entirely but it also provides valuable screening at lower level from the road passing our house.

If I could reduce it in height about 50% this would be a good compromise but I've no idea if hollies respond well to this and it would look terrible... Also not sure how to do it as holly is so prickly!

It's actually more like a very tall, narrow bush than a tree... Several trunks rise up together.


texts:
I've got thousands of these coming up in my yard. In shady spots, this weed is not as big. In areas with full sun, it's huge.

Click on photo for full size

They have short roots and pull out of the ground cleanly and usually in one piece.

I'd like to know what it's called.


texts: I am from mumbai India now March month summer started. I watered twice a week althoug my baby chillies are falling off after the polination, I used vermi compost as fertilizer.


texts:
I would like to start learning how to horticulture. My first foray would be to try and get some potted plants to grow.

So I was wondering do I need to wait till spring before planting my seeds? Since I plan on keeping them indoors I don't think it would be a huge problem.

Seeds I want to try planting:
White Lisbon Onion
Jalapeno Peppers
Flat Leaf Parsley
Oregano
Citris Mitis Calamondin


texts:
Are there any specific things (plants, specific essential oils, etc.) that repel (momentarily, not looking for a permanent 'go away and never come back' solution) cicadas in a non-lethal, preferably all natural manner?

To clarify, I'm talking about selective physical repellent - the noise cicadas make isn't an issue, I'm actually looking to protect the cicadas from, for example, landing on/too close to an individual who may react poorly to them (e.g by picking it up and throwing it across the yard). I would prefer to avoid netting and similar physical barriers, both for practical reasons, and for the fact they would tend to be out of place in an otherwise comfortable natural setting.

Temporary solutions preferred, as I personally love cicadas, and would be using such a solution for the benefit of others.


texts:
I found the below pictured plant not far from my home. I'm wondering whether this a comfrey variant or not.

My reasons for assuming it it:

I found it in damp but sunny place close to a hedge
The flower form and flower stem and arrangement looks like it
Height matches as well

My reasons for having doubts:

The leaves are not looking like the reference I find on the net
The stems are not hairy.

(Sorry for the low quality of the photos - click for a larger version)


texts: Is it safe to bring plants inside in the middle of winter?

texts:
I know that bringing plants from +20°C to -10°C can cause a lot of stress, because they need time to adjust to cold temperatures.
Does it work the other way around too? In other words, is it ok to bring indoors (+20°C) a plant that was kept outside (-10°C) the whole winter?
Some background: Most of my plants can handle temperatures between 0°C and -10°C, but this winter is unusually cold, and this week temperatures might drop down to -20°C. I'm afraid that some plants won't be able to handle it, but I'm also afraid to bring them indoors where it's 30°C  warmer, because such an abrupt change in temperatures might harm them. Is it safe to bring them inside? If I do so, should I keep them indoors until spring or can I bring them outside again once it gets a bit warmer?
The plants grow in containers on my balcony, if that's important.
Update: I decided to leave the plants outside in order to not stress them and all my plants froze and died. I think keeping them indoors at least during the nights would have been a better option.


texts:
Background:
My husband and I bought a house last year with a couple of acres of land around it that haven't been maintained much recently, although there was obviously someone who did a lot of work on it at some point in the past.  Although we've gardened a bit in small urban gardens, we've mostly rented and moved frequently up until now, so we're novices when it comes to composting and other such long term tasks.  Location is the West of Ireland, but not right on the coast, in case that's relevant.

Scenario:
One of our first tasks this spring as the weather started warming up was to clear the overgrowth (mostly grass and moss) out of the flowerbeds.  The earth is so soft that in a lot of cases just pulling it up by hand brought up a lot of earth on the roots, and we also had to dig up a lot of weeds, so we ended up with a debris pile that was probably almost half earth as well as grass, moss, weeds and other plant matter.  We separated out the obvious large stones and other unwanted items such as broken pots and bits of rubble.  Only one flowerbed is done so far so we'll have the same situation a fair few times more before we're done.

Question:
I suspect that due to the large proportion of earth, this pile is not suitable for composting? In any case we're not quite set up for that yet.  What is our best use for it, given that we would like to improve the quality of the soil, which tends to be soggy, as well as avoiding unsightly heaps scattered around?


texts: Would anyone happen to know what these tiny yellowish dots are on my tomato seedlings. They are about a month old, the seedlings. I've just noticed the spots after a deep watering. I've checked for bugs and stuff. I didn't find any. I keep a fan on to keep it ventilated. I'm pretty much a clean freak so my plant nursery stays pretty clean. They are inside under grow lights.


texts: How to grow Crepe Myrtle to look like umbrella?

texts:
I had a quick question. I was going to the beach last weekend and my mother noticed some Crepe Myrtles with an interesting shape. They almost had an umbrella shape. There were the ubiquitous multiple trunks, but the tops were almost symmetrically even domes. Almost like umbrellas. There was even an inverted bowl shape underneath, because the branches were hanging down. Everything looked sharp, so they could potentially be pruning it regularly to keep it looking that way.

My question is whether this is something the tree does naturally as it ages, or if it's a result of forcing the tree through pruning, which I don't want to do for the health of the tree and my time.

I looked for pictures of similar trees, but couldn't find any. I've included two that are as close as I can get. It's more sharply defined than these two, though.

Edit: Here is a picture that is more representative of the Crepe Myrtles in my area. I know this one isn't that large, but typically, the ones around here grow up and out as apposed to drooping.


texts:
]23]3I discovered 2 days ago that my lemon tree appears to be dying. I'm not sure when it began. Because I have never had problems with this tree, I simply did not notice it turning brown. My neighbor noticed it and informed me.

Prior to this it was healthy, green and had green buds and flowers. It typically puts out beautiful, delicious lemons every year. Although it is watered perhaps every 2-3 days, it receives little water from the sprinkler as it is some distance from it. The soil does drain well and dries in between. It sits directly in the sun. I have never had to fertilize it, but I do keep it pruned.

This tree was here when I bought my home 9 years ago. Nothing has changed in the management of this tree. However, about 2 or 3 weeks ago, I sprayed a very tiny bit of Roundup to kill a weed growing up through the crack of my driveway. I is about 8 feet from the tree and directly parallel to it. I have never used Roundup in this area before. I only use it at the base of my driveway because my yard is full of ornamentals. The only thing I can assume is that perhaps some of this herbicide leached into the soil.

All of the leaves are brown and curled, but there are some green buds still present. Some of the branches are dried and brown when scraped, but others, while brown, have a green, moist texture underneath. I scraped the bottom of the tree trunk and it is moist and green as well(see pic).

There does not appear to be any fungus or infection of the tree trunk; actually, it appears quite healthy. I soaked the base of the tree one time and have gone back to the regular watering schedule to avoid drowning the roots. I don't know what else to do now.

Any advice on how I can save the tree if it is dying from the herbicide?

Here are some updates on the tree's current status, with some new branches and buds:


texts: How can I get a map of my plot of land for planning purposes?

texts: I'm studying permaculture and I would like to design before I start doing anything. Is there any software that could give me a map of my plot of land, like from Google maps or from sigpac in Spain? Any suggestions?


texts: What happens when a chainsaw chain meets a nail or piece of steel wire when cutting through wood?

texts:
Assuming any of the following:

there's an unnoticed steel nail in a log used in some structure or
there's an unnoticed steel nail in a tree body (often happens when people attach illegal ads to trees)

And let's assume the nail is rather thick - 3 millimeters or thicker.

What happens if I cut such a tree or log with a chainsaw and the chainsaw meets the nail? Would it likely cut no problem or will any damage likely happen?


texts: What is an ideal amount and location for drainage holes in a plastic grow bag?

texts:
I've seen this, but my question is about grow bags like these:

There are just 4 holes punched at the sides.

Questions:
1. Don't they need holes at the bottom too? I'm suspecting water might be pooling at the bottom, since the tomato plant's leaves are warping.
2. Since it's a plastic bag, would making more holes just make the bag tear apart easily? How to make holes safely?
3. An earthen pot allows breathability, so to simulate a similar effect for a grow bag, would it help to take a pin and poke tiny holes all over the sides of the bag? (not too many that it'd make the bag tear, but just enough to allow some aeration)


texts: I took this about a week ago, its always green and it very hearty  It is in Kentucky, I noticed it when I bought the house, I have even tried to mow it down but its very tough


texts: Dendrobium nobile: How and when to cut and pot new plant (keiki) from mother?

texts:
I have a (slightly neglected) dendrobium nobile that has started to grow new plants at the top of two old stalks. One is staring to show roots (see picture below), the other is still a bit smaller.

While I have seen this phenomenon with phalenopsis orchids, it's new to me with a dendrobium nobile.

So what's next? Should I

cut off the baby plant (keiki?) and put it in its own pot? (now? once it has more roots?)
bend the mother stalk down, let the new plant take root in a second container and cut then?
do something else?


texts: Should ProMix potting soil absorb water slowly?

texts:
I used to use Miracle Gro potting mix and it always absorbed water quickly and passed it through the pot. I recently purchased ProMix potting soil to grow some vegetables and I'd like to figure out if something is wrong with the soil.

When I water the ProMix from the top, the water initially pools then drains, but slowly (maybe 30 seconds to a minute), leaving the top of the soil feeling muddy. Slightly below the top the soil still seems dry. When I water from the bottom, it takes over an hour for the moisture to be passed to the soil at the top of a 2" tall pot, and even then not all of the soil seems wet.

Is this a sign that the soil is bad?


texts: Why do people say perennial food crops only produce for a few years?

texts: When reading about plants I've heard that plants only produce for a few years, then die. Why can't they produce for as long as they're healthy?


texts: What is that yellow stuff growing next to my pineapple

texts: It wasn't there yesterday and I don't know what it is. I have no idea of what it could be.


texts: Using PON as main substrate for fiddle leaf figs

texts:
Is Lechuza pon a suitable substrate for fiddle leaf figs ?
I just received a fiddle leaf fig tree which is 3 plants in a single 36 cm nursery pot. I bought a self watering 43 cm pot and I am planning to repot.


texts: Can you grow (and keep) a large maple tree in a container?

texts:
I just found (what I think is) a young maple tree growing aside our fence. If I'm right, this is what's called here a 'gewone esdoorn' or 'regular maple tree', which can get 30 meters (100 feet) in height.

Since I was planning to plant several japanese maple trees in our garden, and this wild plant seems just to beautifull to kill, I want to try to keep this tree in a container, and limit the size to 2-3 meters (if it ever gets that far).

However, I've just watched a video which says it's possible to grow a tree in a container, but if the container gets too small for the size of the tree, it will eventually die.

So my question is if that is indeed correct? Because in my understanding, as long as you can give your plant enough water, nutrients etc, it will keep living, but in a small container your plant will always keep small too. Obviously you can't grow a 100 feet tree in 100 liter container...

In other words, is it possible to grow and keep this tree in a (say 100 liter) container and limit it's size, or will it eventually die and is this just time and effort wasted?


texts: How fast does a Thuja hedge grow after being burnt?

texts:
A fire destroyed about 40cm of the upper part of my Thuja hedge. I have 2 questions:

Should I cut off the burnt branches to help regrowth or can I leave it as it is?
How long will it take to grow the 40cm back again?


texts:
Problem

While I was recently helping my mother prepare her garden for the spring, I discovered that the leak on her porch was not actually coming from the overhang above the door, but rather from a branch of her grapevine.

Observations

Examining closely, it looks like one part of the grapevine (which was planted two summers ago), is leaking what looks like water from an end that has a clean cut (it was probably cut a while ago).
In addition to the clear liquid, there is a slimy (not frothy) white substance from the cut end, down to the point where the liquid drips off the vine, which looks a lot like mucus or something, but is not thick or sticky because it wipes off quite easily (but it seems to build back up quickly).
The drip has been going (slowly) for a week or two but got intense recently and is of sufficient quantity that there is a fair sized puddle on the shelf under it.
I took some pictures. The white stuff is definitely not foamy like the stuff that some bugs leave on plants; it is slimy. The fluid is definitely coming out of the end (#) but that is not the only end that is cut, there are a few others (some on the same branch, and one pretty close that is even facing downwards) which are not leaking. It’s not clear if the white stuff is coming out of the branch or just building up on it (like mold that builds up due to moisture).
In addition to the unexpected white goo, she is worried about the sheer volume of liquid coming out. As you can see, there is a substantial amount coming out (the 1L mason jar is nearly half full after ~16 hours). She said she tasted the clear liquid (actually it is slightly cloudy), and it tasted like water. She is worried that it is essentially leaking the liquid (read bleeding) instead of actually making use of it to grow and live.

Attempted Diagnosis

I tried Googling this but could find nothing anything useful. The closest pages discuss leakage of general water and sap, and there is a page that shows the same problem with a white goo, but without a resolution.

Possible related information includes that there were little beetles on the grapevine last year (though we have not seen any—yet—this year, and there was no white goo last year). Also, the weather has been pretty cold here and only just warmed up today (May 1), and has cycled between high and low temperatures several times in the past few months.

Possible Actions and Concerns

There are three obvious moves:

Do nothing. This is natural, but it would allow the plant to keep leaking which could be a problem.
Cap the leaking end. This makes sense, but if it is an infection or something, it would trap it inside the plant.
Cut the whole sub-branch. This also seems logical, but would be excessive if it is not a problem.

Basically, the action to take depends on a diagnosis on whether or not the excessive leaking and white slime is bad.

Update

The leaking got intense on Thursday and continued unabated throughout the weekend. By Tuesday it had stopped and the white slime had dried up.

Question

Does anyone know what this is, whether it is/was a problem, and how to fix it/prevent it in the future?


texts: Why did my cilantro leaves get white and patchy?

texts:
I grow my cilantro on my kitchen counter with a grow light above. My cilantro starts out looking lush and green but quickly some leaves start getting white patches. It doesn't seem to kill my plant but it doesn't look appetizing. I'm using a glass bulb to water it (I refill it each time it empties). Any ideas?

If you need more information let me know.


texts: Will these varieties of mulberry survive the UK climate?

texts:
I recently became aware of two varieties of mulberries with very long fruit which are supposed to be very tasty. They are known as Taiwan and Pakistan mulberries.

I can't seem to find much information on these varieties specific to the UK climate. Does anyone know if they are hardy like the common Black Mulberry? If so, where to buy them online and have them shipped to the UK?


texts: Will a small bush growing inches from a mature sugar maple harm it?

texts: I have a mature sugar maple, about 3 feet in diameter, 30-40 ft high. There is a small woody, evergreen, bush growing right next to the tree, inches from it. It is starting to cover the base of the tree. I always feel it will compete with the tree and perhaps strangle the roots. Should I cut down the bush? Thanks!


texts: Are my pepper plants growing at a decent rate?

texts: Planted bell peppers a month ago in seed starting cells, and they have grown slower (germinated slower too) than the tomatoes and zucchini I planted at the same time. The leaves are turning a different colour a little bit and I'm wondering if they need to be moved or something done for them to flourish.


texts: Remove buds to speed up growth of newly planted cherry laurels (Prunus Laurocerasus Novita)

texts:
In november I planted around 65 meters of cherry laurel (Novita).
I would like them to grow higher and more dense, as quickly as possible.
As winter is ending, they are producing a lot of clusters of flower buds.
Will it help the plants to grow more, if I remove the flower buds now, before they start blooming?


texts: Do I cut back all herbaceous perenials in fall?

texts:
I live in zone 4. I have been instructed to cut back some of my herbaceous perennials plants before winter.

Should I do this to all herbaceous plants? If not, how do I know which ones to cut back and which one to leave "as is" or just partly pruned.


texts:
I have this tree in my garden and I am courious to know what kind of tree it is and how big will it grow?
Can anyone identify it?


texts:
Mushroom #1:

Mushroom #2:

Mushroom #1:

Mushroom #2:

Mushroom #2:

Mushroom #1:

Lower left is #2 and center, upper right is #1:

I have tried and tried over the internet to find out what these mushrooms are that I have growing out in my horse paddock.  I'll provide pictures soon but I have to go out and pull them up every other day.  I fill a 5 gallon bucket each time.  The last time I decided to go to bed and clean them up the next morning my quarter horse jumped the 4.5' electric fence before I cleaned up the mushrooms.

I am thinking he ate the dang mushrooms and went nuts. There are two different 'srooms; one is white capped, not a parasol, a bullet shape, with tan colored mottling, black gills and forms in groups and gets about 2" H X 1" W...also white stalks with no skirts or bands.  All of this is in the horse's poop...(sprayed with pyrethrins for flies).  The other is a bright white with a dusty coat, enlarging to a slight parasol with grey gills also forming groups of bullet shaped caps at first.

I have gotten headaches trying to ID these mushrooms off the internet.  Fill a 5 gallon bucket every other day. Any ideas?  Let me know if you need any more pictures. The mushroom #2 has pitch black gills, I can add more if necessary.


texts: Little white stones appearing in the soil of my plants

texts:
Why does there appear little white stones in the soil of my plants? I had this before in other plants, and now I see it appearing together with my basil. They have a size of max 1 cm and are very porous and crunchy. We got an attack of little flies at the same time, so I was wondering if it might be the little eggs of those flies? (maybe a stupid idea, but it's the only thing I can think about.. water does not contain so much lime and it would be a strange form of precipitation)

Click on the pictures for full size


texts: Is there anything wrong with allowing moss to grow around herbs?

texts: I've started up a pot of Basil sprouts indoors under a lamp, and it seems like some moss is beginning to grow around them.  Is there anything wrong with having moss in the same pot?  Any problems with competition, or weird flavorings?


texts: How to stop my courgettes (zucchini) rotting?

texts:
I've tried growing courgettes (zucchini) for the first time this year and the plants have been delightfully easy to grow. (For reference, I'm in NE England, UK, btw.) However, many of the fruits rarely get thicker than my index finger before starting to rot from their tip. What am I doing wrong?

Should I be putting straw or something else dry underneath them to stop them touching the soil?


texts:
I have two plants who have been in the sun for less thann 24hrs and their leaves look brown and wilted. The leaves are soft and leathery. I just moved and heard that plants don't like to be moved much, but my nnew place has amazing sunlight so i thought they would like it. Can anyone help me figure out why this happened so quickly?
Thank you!


texts: Should I be worried about brown spots on my mint leaves?

texts: Found some brown spots on the old mint leaves on my new planted cuttings. Is this normal or a sign of disease? They're planted indoors at around 70°


texts: What's causing these yellow veins on my Okra leaves?

texts:
My Okra leaves have turned as shown below

Is this a deficiency or a disease? How can I remedy this?

Location: India. Weather In May-June: Hot! > 95F days.
Current: Overcast with light rains.


texts: Why are strawberries cooled before planting, and what is a term for this procedure?

texts:
I've heard that it's a practice to cool strawberry plants to a low temperature (~2 °C/~35 °F) for some time before planting them. Supposedly this results in an increased growth tempo of the plants in good weather.

What is this method called (so I can learn more about it) and why is it useful?


texts:
It has been a wet winter, and the grass verges have been driven over and got mangled.

Looking a bit like this :

I don't really want to replace it with hard standing, so it will probably be a dig over and reseed. Although I am thinking a "football pitch" seed mix.

I was wondering if anyone could suggest any better approaches, that would leave this green,  but a little more durable (I know making it indestructible is impossible)


texts: Finally got the rootball out, please diagnose the roots and health of this plant

texts:
Related question: Are these roots healthy or bad?

My Dracaena Reflexa Pleomele started having tiny yellow spots for some weeks. As a result, I was asked to take the rootball and inspect it. I took out the rootball, and here  it is(since I don't know much about roots and plants):

You see the fat root in the third pic? I broke it, The root was hard, but not stiff. When I squeezed it, water came out bubbling. The root smelled like peanut, so I think the root is healthy.

However, the small ones just dropped when I gave a nice light rubbing. They are hollow and dried out. The small roots are dead? Here is the pic:

Should I let the plant rest in the soil it has been resting? If not, what should I do? just get rid of the soil and plant it in another soil?
If yes, is this soil suitable for this plant?


texts: Starting Zucchini, Bell Peppers and Tomatoes from Seeds

texts:
new to gardening so sorry if this is a silly question,

I've started zucchini, bell peppers and tomatoes from Seeds by planting them in a seed starting tray that came with a green house top.

I was wondering if when the zucchini germinate can I keep the top on until the other vegetables germinate or should I cut the cells where the zucchini have been planted once they germinate and place under a grow light (Using an LED shoplight from home depot).

Lastly, how do I know that I am putting the right amount of water in and do I need to re-water before they are done germinating (I did moisten the soil before sowing the seeds and also put a few drops of water on each cell after putting the seeds in).

Thank you


texts: What is this plant with a "ball" like head of purple flowers?

texts:
I took the photo below in a country park so I don't know what it is called.  Is there a term for the shape besides "ball" like?  I tried searching for general descriptions online but I couldn't find anything

Edit:
I had used a link to flickr before SE used imgur.com for hosting images. I think I'd moved the images around in flickr which broke the url. I only had two photos of this flower so it's not too bad.  You can find this and other flower images on my flickr account


texts: What is the name of this plant/stem/flower and where can I find more of it

texts: I’m trying to find more of this stem that I found at Trader joe’s but they couldn’t tell me the name of it.


texts:
We bought these two grown Jasmine plants 2 months ago when they had a few flowers and healthy green leaves. But now it looks like they are afflicted with some disease.

We live in Pune, India. The weather these days is like Temp: 15 to 30 deg C, Humidity: 30 to 60%. The plants have been watered regularly. They were kept outside in a place which gets diffused sunlight (shade of the apartment building) most of the day. The plants were potted by a professional, so I am thinking that he would have taken care of the roots while transplanting. We did not add anything to the plants other than watering during the last 2 months.

What could be the issue? What should I do?

PS: Yesterday, after 2 months, we added some fertilizer granules and manure yesterday and moved them to an area which receives ample direct sunlight for a longer duration. Will that help?

PPS: The plant seems to be of the species Nyctanthes elongata (a.k.a. Jasminum elongatum. Here is a photo from happier times.


texts: I bought a plant without a name tag (in the picture). I'm guessing that it might be a Pothos, but I wasn't sure. What is the name of this plant and how should I plant and care for it? I plan to grow it in my apartment room.


texts: I think i have potato plants growing in my compose box . which would be a first for me. And i am unsure if that is what they are and how to cross plant them to a new location.


texts: Yellowing leaves on some hibiscus plants

texts: We moved into a new house in SW FL (the Cape Coral area) a couple of months ago, and the front was landscaped with 5 hibiscus plants. All of them are flowering nicely (a nice, fuchsia color), but 2 of the plants have begun to have more and more yellow leaves. They all have gotten the same fertilizer, and get the same amount of water from the irrigation system, and probably were planted at the same time when the house was rehabbed. The only difference is that the 2 plants on the end get an extra hour of direct sun. Can this extra sun be causing the yellowing leaves? Can anything be done to help bring these plants back looking like their cousins?


texts: How can I stop a dead tree's roots from popping up in the grass?

texts: I dug up a tree a year ago and the roots seem to still be spreading under ground.  Every once in a while I will see it sprout above ground.   I keep pulling it out but it comes back.  How do I kill the root forever without hurting the grass?


texts:
The past week I noticed swarms of flying insects around my house and on my trees at sunset. I initially thought those are some kind of bees or wasps, but since i don't see them are day time, I didn't pay too much attention.

I happened to be outside at sunset today and caught the sight of some of them flying close by. I realized these are not bees or wasps. I have not a clue what they are and it looks like they are flying everywhere and mating.

I am starting to worry if these bugs will harm my garden especially the fruit trees it is mating on.

What are these, if I need to get rid of them, what can I do without using pesticides?


texts:
I have this jade plant that I got over 2 years ago. I've noticed that it isn't growing larger and that the leaves are turning yellow and falling off (as you can see from the pictures below) and the leaves that are green aren't the nice dark green their supposed to be. What am I doing wrong?

As you can see the plant gets a lot of sunlight as it's on a window sill, I water it about once a week.

https://i.stack.imgur.com/RqMMY.jpg

https://i.stack.imgur.com/rbmEr.jpg

pic of the pot:


texts:
How can I ascertain quality of soil I buy from local nurseries?

I live in Kolkata, India.


texts:
I have an old cherry tree in the Willamette valley of Oregon, probably planted in 1950, where the branches are starting to die. There are a few large dead branches and many small branches where the leaves at the ends are starting to die before forming.

The "tree" is actually two different trees. There is one with white flowers that go up and one with pink flowers that have lower and droopy branches. It's the pink flowered tree that has dying branches, the other one seems healthy.  In addition to the dying branches, the leaves on the pink-flowered tree have spots all over them.

Some other information is that the tree had a layer of plastic and landscape fabric at the base, forming a water tight barrier. This was there when we moved in, so I can't be sure how long. It seems that same barrier killed two other trees in the yard, so my guess is it was there for many years. I removed the fabric and plastic, damaging many shallow roots that lied between the two layers. The soil underneath the plastic was very dry. I also saw a rather large hole, about 1.5" diameter, in the soil where it looked light a root penetrated, a white coating remained on the soil there, no root anywhere. After this I sprayed the tree with a foliar spray fertilizer as well as adding water and fertilizer around the base of the tree.

Additionally, two years ago we planted a small plum tree, about 8 ft in height. That plum tree has problems of its own, I believe peach leaf curl based on my previous gardener's opinion. The leaves there also have holes, although they seem to be of a different character to me.

I'm hoping to find out what is going on with the cherry tree and if there's a way to help it survive. Also, if you have ideas on the plum tree, it is in an awful state and I'm not sure it will survive through the year. The plum tree also has gash shaped holes in the bark although I don't believe it was physically damaged. It may be better to get rid of it if it's spreading disease to other trees (I have 2 pear, 1 apple, and 2 fig trees also)

Cherry Tree with Dying Branches
Cherry tree leaves dying at end of branches, branch ends also dying
Cherry leaves with holes

Images of plum tree leaves


texts: My Ipomea Violacea plants keep their flowers white

texts:
Any idea why my Ipomea Violacea flowers remain all white, in deed almost all white: there are sometimes little little diffuse stains of purple at the basis of the corolla.

It should be deep blue/purple.

Not enough sun, fertilizers, pH ?

I thought it was an easy plant to grow.


texts: How do I stop my carrots from sticking up too high being nibbled from the top?

texts:
I have some purple carrots and there growing excellently. But after a couple of months, they started to stick up 2-3 cm above the ground with one eaten, so I pulled them out before anymore were eaten. They were all quite short ranging between 3-9 cm. I planted my seeds around 3.5 cm deep.

I did some research and it said two things; One was to plant the seeds deeper, and the second was to put a damp sheet over where you planted the carrots and poke holes where you planted the carrots. Would these work?


texts: What is wrong with my acer palmatum? What should I do?

texts:
I have recently purchased an acer palmatum and everything looked ok at first. However, in the last few days, some of the leaves on the top and bottom have started to dry and some have fallen. I have been watering it regularly as the land has seemed a little dry.
In the morning, the acer is totally in the shade, it only starts to get direct sunlight from 1pm. Where I live it has been very hot (temperatures between 25ºC and 30ºC or more).
I'm worried, what should I do?
(I'm sorry in advance if my English is not the best)


texts: What is this mint-family plant with small, pink flowers in Lynchburg, VA?

texts:
The honey bees like this one.

Each branch has many small flowers that bloom consecutively.


texts: New to me Plant, Not sure what steps to take

texts:
I recently inherited this plant (was in an office and neglected for a long time other than sporadic watering over the last 10 years).
First of all - anyone know what plant this is?  Dracaena was suggested to me, but I’m unsure as it doesn’t seem the same.
I’d love to know what this is so I can take next steps (currently long and always).  I’m thinking of cutting back the plant to about 6” from the original cut.  There is also new growth coming in from the stalk close to the bottom.
Thanks!


texts: What could be preventing tomato seedling germination?

texts: I have planted Russian heirloom Black Cherry tomato seeds twice now (4 seeds in total) and I have not had a succesful germination.  I have planted in potting soil as opposed to the recommended soilless growing medium, but I would expect this to not matter.  What could be going wrong?  Does anyone have experience with this species?  (Note, many of my other seedlings are thriving.)


texts: Should I repot the zinnia that's in a crowded pot with some marigolds?

texts:
I've always had a green thumb. Not sure how but it's natural to me. I started growing French dwarf marigolds and semi dwarf zinnias from seed early May. They're just now starting to bloom.

Because I wasn't sure exactly how many plants to have per pot and how well different flowers grew together, I planted 2 marigolds and 2 zinnias in a 4 1/2 in wide by 5 1/2 in tall plastic flower pot and I let them take off on their own. One of the zinnias died. The other zinnia is almost done blooming and the marigolds are growing their buds.

During the hottest part of the day it starts wilting. I also have to water it 4 times a day. The zinnia I had to stake up because it keeps falling over.
I'm not sure how to repot flowers that are in one pot with 3 plants without damaging the stem of one of them.

Should I repot my zinnia? Or should I leave them alone since they're doing okay? I keep my eye on them during the heat and put them in shade.


texts: What is causing a white rash to appear on sacred fig leaves?

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Hey, I have planted a sacred fig seed a couple of months ago. It's growing fantastically, but lately its leaves have started developing these tiny white spots all over them. New leaves develop normally at first and the problem only starts when they reach maturity.
What is causing this and how can I take care of it?


texts: Is there a difference between Aspirin, Tylenol, and Advil when growing tomatoes?

texts: In this YouTube video people are suggesting planting with Aspirin, but would Advil, and Tylenol do the same thing?


texts: New leaves on sundew turn black, but are healthy

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I recently became the proud owner of a couple young sundews after spending time learning about their quirks and wonders. Placed an order online and in came a Drosera graomogolensis and a "Drosera x Marston Dragon". I followed tips to help them acclimate to their new environment, including bagging them to help acclimate to humidity and controlling how much light they get after shipping.

They seem to be healthy since they are producing dew and growing new leaves. However, I'm a bit concerned about the D. graomogolensis. While it is now growing new leaves, the back of the leaves turn a rusty brown, which gradually becomes black. The leaves still unfurl and the tentacles look healthy so far, but pretty much the entire back of the leaf becomes black. An interesting note is the perlite on the surface of the media seems to be having the same color change, rusty brown to dark brown/black. (Here are some photos)

My personal thought is it couldn't be sunburn, since admittedly, it probably doesn't get the optimal amount of direct sunlight. It is on a north-facing garden window and only gets direct sun in the evening for a few hours at most. The rest of the day is bright indirect light.

I have rinsed the media and am watering it using the tray method with reverse osmosis water. Daytime temperature is roughly 80 F, nighttime around 70 F. Not sure what the humidity in my home is.. subjectively I would describe it as not humid.

What could be causing the leaves to turn black?