texts:
I'm wondering if someone can help, please?

Please see attached photo of my Japanese Acer. It has no growth at the bottom at all and I'm wondering if this can be fixed with pruning or repotting.

I live in the UK and the position of the plant is full sun (when it's sunny, which is very little where I live).

Any help/advice welcome and thank you.


texts: How to safely use Baby Bio house plant insecticide spray?

texts:
I've got a Dracaena plant; that has what appears to be white scale or something like it (see attached photos); I don't know much about plants, I bought this one in Vauxhall Flower market in London a year and a half ago, one month after it started showing these symptoms. I moved home and planned to buy new plants. I don't want the new plants to get infected with the disease, so I got the Baby Bio house plant insecticide spray - but the instructions are not clear about how to use it, and I'm not finding any instructions online, so hopefully I can find help here.
My question is how to safely use Baby Gio house plant insecticide spray? I'm sure this is toxic and should use outdoors, but it's 2C ~ 8C at the time I wrote this post, and surely the plant is going to die if I leave it outside. So, what to do? How long should the plant stay outdoors until the spray effects finish?
Any advice is appreciated! Even if that means throwing the plant away.
Thank you!

The spray url: http://www.bayergarden.co.uk/Products/b/Baby-Bio-Houseplant-Insecticide


texts: How can I dissolve the gunked up fertilizer in a Scotts Turfbuilder drop spreader?

texts: My spreader is gunked up with fertilizer so that the agitator does not spread out the fertilizer and seed anymore. How can I dissolve the fertilizer that is gunked in the agitator so that the spreader will work again?


texts: Can bulbs be stored in the fridge for over 60 days?

texts: I stored some bulbs in the fridge a while ago. Now it is already the 50th day. I am wondering, if I store it longer than the recommended duration (60 days), would anything happen to them?


texts: What is this plant resembling cannabis that is growing on my garden?

texts:
So I have got these seeds from neighbour and they were supposed to be tomatoes, but... as they are growing, it seems to be something else.

What is it? Could it be weed by any chance? :)

Edit: Asked a neighbour and she is having the same plant (surprised as well), but the seeds should have been something from Japan or around...


texts: Can I plant sun-loving annual seedlings in partial shade if the area will have full sun in a few weeks?

texts:
This is somewhat of a general question, as it applies to several things I'm growing, but to be specific enough, I've chosen to ask it about one plant.

I'm in Zone 6 (−5°F, -20°C).

I started some Magellan Ivory zinnia seeds indoors under gro-lights. They outgrew the seed-starter pods, so I transplanted them into two-inch pots. They have three sets of true leaves, are becoming root bound and have begun to look unhealthy. The weather has been warm, and I've been hardening them off, so they're just about ready to go into the garden bed.

I've purchased the same seeds from this company and grown them successfully for years, and know they perform best in full sun. This year I'd like to put some in a new spot, but it may be too shady at the moment. It's fully shaded in the morning, then gets about three hours of mottled sun, followed by an hour of full sun, in the late afternoon. Within about three weeks, the sun will be there for six to eight hours per day, so I know they'll do well for months.

Can I risk planting them in a spot that isn't quite ideal yet, or do I need to transplant them into bigger pots and keep them in the sun for a while?


texts: What is this plant from a package of mixed flower seeds?

texts:
I got a bunch of flower seeds off of amazon back during the summer. The majority of them are dead now, but this is the last remaining and I am not sure what flower plant it is. I planted back in the summer, and as you can see, it has not grown much. It is the only surviving of its kind but I have no information on its identity. I would appreciate help identifying it so I know if I should pull it or leave it.

(Click for a larger version)


texts: I have some kale growing in my raised bed which are getting infested with aphids.  How do I get rid of those and secondly, are the kale leaves still edible (after cleaning them in hot water)?


texts: What is this plant and how to take care of it?

texts:
I live in Bangalore, India and was gifted a plant 4 weeks back. It's a small one, has small thick leaves.

It was fine for couple of weeks. After which the leaves turned a little yellow, 6 to 7 leaves became soft and withered off. Even the plant itself has started to droop and become very floppy.

I have kept the plant indoors, out of sunlight, watering it every alternate day. The soil is moist to the touch.

Please help me identify the plant and provide tips on getting it healthy.

--- UPDATE (30 Jan 2020) ---

It's been a day since I kept the plant outside so that the sun shines for an hour or so only in the morning.

:'(  the plant is completely limp now.

Only one stem looks a little stiff but overall it looks like it's in a bad state.
Can I do anything, to help the plant heal?


texts: Was just pulling this stuff out of the ground all over my back yard, and then got suspicious about the red leaves.


texts: What sort of pots are used in the pot-in-pot method?

texts:
The pot-in-pot method of growing uses a production pot inside another pot which is in ground.  This allows you to swap pots easily, and some 20 good reasons why this might be a good idea are listed here.

One other reason I came across was that if you had one production pot sitting on say 4 inches of soil in the ground pot, the latter would reduce perching of water in the production pot improving the aeration of the roots.

I can see this being useful for me as plants wouldn't get blown over in the wind, and watering would be easier if I had frost tender plants in the garden with the rest of the plants. And then I can pull them out for over wintering inside the house, and replace with a winter plant.

So, are there any particular characteristics of the pots that are needed for this to work?  Obviously both pots need to drain, be light weight, durable, and you need a light growing medium.  Anything else?


texts: Using grass clippings for clearing the area of existing plants

texts:
I did first mowing this year, and have extra grass clippings. I would like to use the clippings to cover some areas, currently dominated by grass and weed, where I want to plant and sow some other plants this year, hoping that the clippings will "choke" existing plants and a sort of free the soil for new plants. I gather one feet high layer of clippings would be sufficient for this purpose.

For how long I have to keep the clippings layer until the plants (grass and weed) under that layer are killed, and will not appear again? A month? Three months? A year?

(to clarify more, my intention is not to keep the clippings indefinitely in that area, they will be eventually moved to a compost bin, but not until the plants below the clippings disappear, if that is possible)


texts:
One of my cactuses has been gradually growing a white coating, and the lower outgrowths seem to be shrivelling up and fading, I first noticed this about a year ago and it hasn't stopped no matter what I've tried.

I have no idea if it's mould or some type of sunburn or disease but it seems to have just affected this one, which I treat the same as my others that are growing fine. I was considering taking off the healthy looking top part and just starting again from this, but I was wondering what might have caused this or if it is at all salvageable. Any tips or ideas appreciated, thanks!!


texts:
Why are my avocado’s leaves pointing down? I water it once a week and everytime i water it, the leaves raise up a little. Should I water it more often? I am afraid of rotting roots.
Should I transfer it to a bigger pot?
Also, should I cut off the top leaves so it can grow more branches?


texts: Black spot on leaf of cardboard cycad (zamia furfuracea)

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I live in Korea.

I think that my precious cardboard cycad has some problem.

Where the plant came from?

I purchased cardboard cycad on the internet. It was delivered in 36hr. When it was delivered, it was okay.

How did I transplanted it?

After one week, I transplanted cardboard cycad to the larger terracotta pot. I used purchased soil from the gardener. Also, I gathered the pebbles( for the drainage, I spread it the bottom of the new pot) from the mountain. But the pebbles were sterilized using boiling water.

How I managed it?

I placed the pot inside the house. The location of the pot in the house was
near the window of full-bright direct sunlight.
I watered it whenever the top of the soil (3~4 cm deep) of the pot is completely dry.
Temperature of the house is 15 to 20 degrees Celcius.

So, What is the Problem?

At first, small black spot arises on the back side of the leaf. Like the picture on the below. (It is not brown fur of the cardboard cycad.)

Then, gradually, the black spot gets bigger and bigger. And finally, center of the spot burns. At this point, black spot shows on the front side of leaf. It looks like the pictures on the below.

What do you think is the problem?
Is it my mistake? Or it is some kind of disease?


texts:
3 weeks ago I began my first attempt at keeping plants on my balcony. I chose Lavender, Fuchsia, Margot Robert's and Golden Empire Bidens. All seem to be do well enough with the exception of the GEB.

These are the details:

The plant was flowering abundantly when I purchased it
I removed it from the thin plastic container it was in
I loosened the compacted soil around the roots
I placed it down in a new planter I had partially filled with 'professional potting mix'
I added the same potting mix around the roots until it was built up to just above the original soil level of the plant
I compressed the soil around the plant slightly
I added a small amount more of potting mixture to compensate for the compressed soil
I watered the plant until water began to drain from the bottom of the planter
I have watered the plant every second day since then using about a 150mls of water each time
Originally I had the plant placed on the balcony wall, facing east, getting  morning sun up until about 11am
A week ago I moved the plant onto the floor where it no longer receives any direct sunlight
Moving the plant out of the sun was done because I assumed it was getting too much sun, as it was wilting
After moving it, the plant has deteriorated even faster
Before moving it, and ever since day one the plant has gradually deteriorated, losing its flowers first and now also the leaves are wilting


texts: Growing in my garden in Wellington, NZ where it's now autumn.


texts: Tomato trouble - More water, fertilizer, or less sun?

texts:
I've got a cherry tomato plant that's doing pretty well, but the beefsteak and roma right next to it are having a lot of leaf trouble.  They all seem to be fruiting well, but the leaves seem to be burning.  I think I've been watering enough (everything else in the same garden is on the same soaker hose and is doing OK - on every 2 days) so my first thought was maybe they are getting a bit too much sun.  The soil isn't great though, so lack of fertilizer could also be an issue.  Is there a way to tell which?  I've just added a light shade to diffuse the harshest afternoon sun to see if that helps.
I'm in the foothills of Colorado, so in the 90s F/30s C for the last several weeks with basically full sun every day and low humidity.  The soil is also sandy and not great, though I've got these in a raised bed with drainage and some added compost and vegetable fertilizer.
This picture is the beefsteak, which has a really bad section but the rest isn't too bad.  The roma has a lot more fruit, but about half the leaves have a yellow/brown 'burn' around the edges.


texts: White and black spots on indoor plants: cayenne pepper and salad seedling

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many of the plants I'm growing indoor are having these white and black tiny spots on leaves. Some of my seedlings are affected by it as well. The underside has mostly small black spots.

From the description I thought it could be powdery mildew, but I'm growing it indoor, there is no cold air and it's fairly dry (~30% humidity). Any ideas?


texts: Cherry sapling has orange dots on its leaves and the tips are wilting. What could be wrong?

texts:
I recently planted a cherry tree sapling about two weeks ago. It's about a handspan high, and has four leaves. I noticed that it had orange spots on one of the leaves when I planted it.

Click on the images for larger size

Today, I noticed tons more orange spots on the same leaf, and spreading on a couple other leaves. The tip of one of the leaves is turning brown and looks wilty and it looks like part of another leaf is missing (presumably eaten by insects).

In the two weeks that I've had it, I've watered it three times daily for one minute each (I know, my bad) and once today for about ten to fifteen minutes.

What, if anything, is wrong with the sapling? Is it underwatered?


texts: tree id and brown spots on leaf edge, green berry-like fruits

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What is this tree? I am worried about the brown edges of the leaves.

The tree is evergreen, and does not produce much litter at all, about 10 ft tall, 8 ft wide. It produces a lot of these fruits and have yet to see any ripe one yet (or is this a nut?). The fruit seems to be about 1/2" diameter and somewhat hard at present. (This is a new home and have yet to go through an entire season..)  I don't see any remains of these fruits on the ground.

The leaves are turning brownish along the edge and about a 1/3 of the tree has these brown edges. I don't remember seeing the brown spots last year in this new house.

Tree: about 15 feet tall..
Location: San Francisco Bay area, California, USA
Smell - has a familiar smell, but can't pinpoint it, like an unripe bittergourd melon.
The closest I have gottten to identify based on pictures is 'osage orange'


texts: What is the process for building a forest vegetable garden?

texts: I'm looking at making a garden on an old growth forest floor, and was wondering what the steps for establishing one that will produce this year would be.


texts:
Can someone give (or point me to) a rough guide of the correlation between generalized sunlight requirements (i.e. partial sun, indirect sunlight, full sun, etc...) and their approximate corresponding PPFD (Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density) values?

I ask because it is difficult for me to parse these generalized values given that I am in a semi-tropical environment, US Hardiness Zone 9b.

Specifically, Peace Lily care requirements state that they do well in low light, but 'low' is a highly relative term, and a more precise suggested (even approximate) PPFD value would be much more helpful. I am trying to determine whether I should get a brighter L.E.D. for the Peace Lily I am growing inside.


texts:
My basil plant started getting some white spots a couple of weeks ago. I cut the leaves that had the white spots but the new leaves are growing again with the same white spots. Also, it's weird because I can't really see any bugs either on the top or the bottom of the leaf, so I am assuming that it is a fungus?

(also, it has been spreading among all my basil plants that are in different pots, but it doesn't seem to affect the tomatoes)

Thanks for your help!!


texts:
I've had a succulent that I've propagated from a single cutting into several pots. Initially they were taking quite well but have recently had leaves roll-up and shrivel/die. Leaves are generally from lower down in the plant.

I initially thought that this might've been due to overwatering, but I've let the soil dry out for two different two-week periods and this hasn't seemed to have any effect.

Other things to note, soil might be a bit compact? I don't think that's the case but find that photo below. The soil is of the prepackaged succulent/cactus type.

As well, I'm in Canada and we're entering winter so perhaps this is dormancy related? I don't think this happened last winter though...

Thanks for taking the time to look at this!


texts: I bought it a month ago then moved it to a bigger pot and the tomato started to be red but still too small, it is cherry tomato but still too small and not tasty sweet at all.


texts: Greywater gravity irrigation control\float valve

texts:
I am using a large trashcan as a greywater reservoir using a few bulkhead fittings. I need a valve or float combination that will empty it when full. It needs to hold the drain open until the water level is very low then close again to wait until it fills up (laundry, showers, bathtub etc...) I want to avoid pumps and float switches and use a simple valve but with a long enough float "throw" to work properly. I've never seeen a float valve used to EMPTY or drain a tank\cistern. They always seem to be fill valves.

I don't think a toilet style ballcock will work because the throw is too short and the size is too small. Is there some kind of sliding valve that will work? Thanks!


texts: What is this disease is this on my basil and mint?

texts:
I have a mint and a basil right next to each other.
First the mint and then the basil developed a similar leaf disease.

Any advice is appreciated.


texts: we bought this plant already mature but it has started to wilt and the lower leaves turn yellow. It hasn't been overly wet or dry recently and the plants around it seem fine. Any ideas??


texts: Should I prune the lower buds of my bare-root tree that's waking up?

texts:
I planted a bare-root Gala apple tree last year, and it's waking up now and budding all over. However, a good number of the buds are close to the ground, and they're coming out along the entire length of the young trunk.

Should I prune the buds close to the ground to encourage growth at the top? Or will this stress the tree too much when it's just getting established?

For reference, the tree is planted in clay loam soil with a wide mulch basin in zone 7B in northern New Mexico, with spring conditions of 100% sun (all supplemental irrigation), 35-70f daily temperatures, and 10-50 MPH winds, so conditions are rather harsh.


texts: What is this ornamental conifer and is it dying?

texts:
This ornamental conifer, which looks like some sort of blue spruce, has lived in this spot since at least spring of 2014, when it looked like this:

I live in SE Pennsylvania, and it has appeared healthy until a few weeks ago, when I noticed a majority of its needles had died.  We haven't had extraordinary weather recently.  Is the plant itself dying?  Is any care indicated?

(The only thing that has changed in its environment since it was originally planted is the addition of lamb's ear to the bed last year, which the picture shows is growing a few feet away.)

Per @stormy's request:  There has been no fertilization since a dusting of Preen in the Spring.  I pulled soil back from the trunk until I was scraping dense clay and took these two photos:

Here is a macro photo of a cut stem and dead needles:

Here is a close-up of heavy lichen coverage on the branches, although I think that had developed that while the tree was still healthy:


texts:
We have a 4year old mango tree that now has browning leaves on the edges.

We live in Perth Australia near the ocean and it's exposed to full sunlight and heat. But it's only spring and the big heat is yet to start.

Any advice on what I need to do?


texts: I have an umbrella plant and the bottom leaves drooping could someone tell me why this might be. I have tried putting it in direct light, longer between watering, watering more frequently and have given it plant food. But those leaves always seem to die and droop.


texts: Is morning, afternoon or in-between sun the best for fruit trees?

texts:
I have a clear 100 foot north-south swath through a wooded lot.  If I plant fruit trees (apples, peaches, plums, pears) would it be best to put them on the east side (shaded in the morning) or the west side(shaded in the afternoon) or right in the middle?  I live in Austin, TX and it gets damn hot in the long summers.

Thank you.


texts:
In different orangeries the pots for fruit trees (in particular citrus fruit) seem rather small compared to what some gardeners suggest, and also compared to the following root ball table. What special treatment do the trees have to receive in order to healthly live in pots for their entire life? Are the roots cutted every few years? Is there some rule of thumb between root size and tree top size, or stem circumference, or any other parameter?
I am particularly interested for common fruit trees like apple, pear, plum, but also lemon, orange or mulberry trees.


texts:
I had two camellias planted in November (spring) by my landscaper, from the same nursery. They've been fertilised the same at planting and watered the same, and are only 3 feet away.

One is losing its leaves, yet the other looks fine. Three other camellias also planted the same time are also good.

I assume it's a root issue, but could it just be a feeding issue somehow?

The bad:

And the normal:

Update 20 Dec 2016

The landscaper replaced this tree a few months ago.  He said the root ball just didn't grow.  And then today he came to replace another one, as well as plant a new one next to another sick looking camellia.  So, we're talking about 3/6 either died or looking sickly.  Yet I have other camellias in the same area that are doing well, though they're a broad leaf variety.

We examined the roots of the one we removed today, and some of the larger roots were not very strong, snapping easily or just pulled away.  But lots of fine roots were present.  So, not much closer to an answer.  He's going to take it back to the nursery to ask them.


texts: 3 week old Lawn growing very patchy (Need Help)

texts: I recently moved into a new house and the garden was horrible and basically had no grass, so I dug it all upturned the soil and removed all stones and weeks, really the soil looked great quality. I then proceeded to put some new grass seed down, that was 3 weeks ago, the is growing well and is now about 3-4 inches long but some areas are basically bald with no sign of life I would estimate 30% of the lawn is like this. Should I reseed it or?


texts: Picking, planting, and storing lily seeds

texts: I walk my dogs around a number of different parks in the neighborhood. In each of this parks there are a number of flower beds with different color lilies. Some of them are still flowering while others have begun to produce seeds. When is the right time to pick these seeds so I can take them home and add them to the lilies we already have. Also, should I wait until next spring to plant them or would it be ok to go ahead and plant them now. Lastly, if I need to wait until spring, what is the best way to preserve the seeds? Thanks!


texts: How should I lift the umbrella on a white Crepe Myrtle tree?

texts: What is the best pruning technique to lift the umbrella on a white Crepe Myrtle tree?


texts: How Can I Rescue This Little Bitter Orange Tree?

texts:
I've planted these sweethearts from seeds around 4-5 years ago. I live in a high humidity, fairly mild climate without much sun. I've kept these mostly indoors by window sills and for the past 1.5-2 years they've been by cornering window sills facing west and north (I know they're not the best but that's all the windows I have).
I think I had over watered them for a while, and the soil was full of fungus gnats, so about a month ago I took them all out of soil and sterilized the soil in oven (low heat and about 30 minutes to avoid burning). I also sprayed neem oil + soap + water mixure all over the plants to kill any other existing larvae. I then got an 8 liter pack of citrus soil and mixed it with the existing soil and repotted them. I also took the advice from the guy in the store to keep them outside during summer. It got very windy and stormy a couple of times and I ended up bringing them inside, but a few weeks and one of them has turned very yellow. The roots seem ok but the leaves don't look fine.

Is there any chance I could bring this yellowing darling back to life?

What about the yellow leaves on these other ones?

P.S. I use citrus feed every now and then when I'm watering them, but as I mentioned, I'm trying to minimize watering because even though the pots have very good drainage, I think due to high humidity and plastic pots, the soil remains damp for a long while.


texts: Do you know what this wild perennial is?

texts:
Do you know what his wild perennial is?

Zone is 8a, central Europe. Photo taken mid-May. Removed from the ground because of fence construction. Is it worth transplanting?


texts: What are those white spots? Are they mould & harmful?

texts:
I have an indoor plant located at the windows of my kitchen.

I water it every 2-3 days with rice water and the plant has been growing well.

Recently I spotted some white spot at the soil of the plant.
Could they be mould? Are they harmful? If yes, how do I get rid of them?

Unfortunately, I do not know the name of the plant. My best guess is succulent. So here are the images:

Thank you.


texts: What is this perennial plant which survives in the Sonoran Desert naturally?

texts:
Plants native to the Sonoran Desert require watering every 6 months. The following perennial plant, which I am not sure is native to the Sonoran Desert, was found to thrive in the Sonoran Desert solely off rain. What is this plant?

(not flowering yet)


texts: What is this green semi-aquatic (semi-tropical) plant?

texts:
I have seen a lot of these plants in offices and homes in China. In the picture I can see lucky bamboo (Dracaena braunii) but what's the other plant?  There's no heating so I assume that the room temperature is able to support both the plant and the warm water fish ( guppy ).

and a close up of the roots and fish


texts: Holes in leaves and black specks on lower leaves

texts:
I tried adding pictures but it isn't working. I have young zinnia plants that I started from seed about two months ago. They're just barely coming up on the point where they'll flower but suddenly I discovered a leaf with a gigantic hole. I freaked out, thinking it was a caterpillar! It should be noted this is my first little garden so I have basically no idea what could be happening! I contacted a friend who had me make an oil/soap/water mixture to spray on the plants. I wasn't able to ever find a caterpillar and am now convinced that's not the problem.

It has been about a week and all of the leaves on my poor baby plants are filled with holes. It seems to start as the leaf weakening and thinning out, then the holes develop where the thin portion was. Now just today I noticed some small black specs about the size of finely ground pepper on the lower leaves of the plants. So after some googling I thought it could either be some sort of fungus or maybe a very tiny pest? Does anyone have any ideas? I so badly want them to flower! Thanks to anyone who can help!


texts: I have recently planted a few tomato plants in pots but looks like something is eating their leaves they are drying. I would like to know how to stop this, which chemical I need to buy and to spray it to stop.


texts: need to identify a perennial that has black arrowhead shape on leaves?

texts: I have a perennial plant that has dark brown arrowhead shape on green leaves, in the fall long tiny red seed heads. What is it?


texts:
I bought a little Zinfin Doll hydrangea and cleared a patch of some Annabelles that had used the soil for at least five years. (Their flowers unfortunately always grew too heavy for the stalks!)

I didn't get to planting at the end of the day, so while I was out yesterday, a family member planted the Zinfin Doll. But they neglected to put new soil around the roots, not realizing we had a bag.

Which would be better now: To leave it as it is, or to dig it up and risk trauma to put new soil in?


texts: Can I use a horizontal 2x4 to brace a 3 wire trellis?

texts:
In brief - I want to use a 2x4 to resist the tension put on trellis posts ~16ft apart, rather than the other two options.

I'm building a grape trellis with upright 4x4s connected by high tensile wire. As with any wire setup, like a long wire fence, you usually need to brace the ends to avoid leaning. I'm wondering if I can run a 16ft 2x4 between the posts at the top, using brace pins to attach to the posts. This 2x4 wont really hold any load, as that will be held by the high tensile wire. The 2x4 is only there to resist the tension force that the wire puts on the main 4x4 posts, turning it into a compressive force on the 2x4.

Can that 2x4x16 even make that span given it's own load? And if so, is that compressive force (it should be straight and level) going to force it to sag?

FWIW this is really to avoid the other two options - 1) angle the posts at 60deg so the tension forces the posts into the ground, or 2) build large H braces on the ends.


texts: Is there a good way to seed perennial vegetables between landscape bricks?

texts:
I want to convert this:

To look like this:

Here's a few thing I need to know:

How far should I space the bricks?
How far should I space the rows?
How do I hold the soil back?
What would be acceptable wall growing plants?
What would be ideal spacing for a landscaping wall?


texts: Best practices for watering plants with geothermal water

texts:
My new home uses a geothermal water system, so the sulfur levels are high (based on the lovely rotten-egg smell). I've read that sulfur can be really good for plants, but I'm wary about the amounts I'll be using, or if there are certain types of plants I should avoid using this water on.

If I need to be careful about sulfur levels, how can I measure it? (Cold water from my tap is just city water, so the warmer I make it, the higher levels of sulfur will be in the water.) Additionally, It's now spring where I'm at (Pacific Northwest), and I'm getting ready to fertilize - should I take my type of water into consideration when purchasing and using a fertilizer?

Here are some of the plants I have: Swedish Ivy, Monstera, Chinese Fan Palm, Angel-wing begonia, Spider plant, and Jade (and a large variety of other succulents).


texts:
When I took the lid off of a large container of my composted soil that I had stored in the garage, I found this! Small whitish little balls all over the top of the soil and growing up the side of the container.

What is it? Should I scrape it off and throw it away? Or should I mix it in?


texts: How many air holes for 100gal vermicomposter?

texts:
I'm fixing to start my vermicomposter. I'm using a damage 100gal Rubbermaid horse water tank.

I'd like to know how many and of what sized hole to drill in the side for air. I figured maybe use a .25" bit to drill a hole every 6", all the way around and up and down the bin.
Secondly, would it be a good idea to get some pvc pipe and drill holes in it, adding two or three of these through the center of the bin, to get air into the middle of the bin, since it's so thick.
Lastly, I'd like to collect the worm water, for watering the garden. As you can see in the picture, it has a plug, but this might be too high and allow too much water to sit in the bottom. I was thinking of raising the bin up on logs, drilling 3-4 holes in the bottom inside the diameter of a 5 gal bucket, and sticking that underneath to catch the liquid. This might let a little water be on the bottom, but the excess should flow out and the rest should wick throughout the bin so I don't have to wet it as often. Does this sound like a good plan for the drain holes?


texts: How should I prune a copper beech sapling?

texts:
I have a sapling from my parents' copper beech that I dug up from their yard.  I planted it in our yard about 3 years ago.  It now is about 9" tall and I wonder if I should prune it to force branching.  It has about a dozen leaves and appears healthy.

If it should be pruned, where do I cut it?  Below or above leaves?


texts:
I have potted two marigolds in one seven inch pot. Both plants are having their leaved dried up. I Water them daily.
Weather in my area min: 10 °C/65 °F, max: 25 °C/77 °F. Can someone please help me with the reason as well as a solution?

Flowers


texts: kindly identify the bamboo species shown in the picture


texts: What is this weed and how do I get rid of it?

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I'm located in northern Utah, USA.

There is a weed which is proving difficult to control, which I haven't been able to identify.

It is usually fairly easy to pull, but you only get a small bit of root because these things spread via an underground runner. Usually there will be dozens all along one run, yet removing them all is almost impossible because of surrounding plants that I want to keep.

The one pictured is in the seeding stage, I usually try not to let them get this far.

What is it, and is there some type of control that is especially effective on it?

Edit:

I am adding two additional photos as well as links to larger resolution versions.

(Click for high-res of base)

(Click for high-res of top)


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Is there a concrete rule for which plants like to have their leaves sprinkled with tap water (since distilled water is not at hand)?

For instance (and among indoor plants), do Ficus elastica and Philodendron qualify, and if so what would be a good schedule?


texts:
Just wondering the possible reason why the grape vine leaves are dying. The fresh leaves looks fine, though a bit yellowish. Here is some pictures.

Any suggestions to cure the vine? Thanks.


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I bought two kalanchoes about a month ago and planted them in a pot. They were out under the sun from 8 am to 4 pm when the maximum temperature varied around 27-30 degrees. The pot does not have drainage system, hence I watered it when the top soil dried out like this.

Recently I noticed the leaves turning reddish and then yellow.

They are no more green at all. I thought it was sun burnt, so I placed it in the shadows, but things didn't improve. The yellow leaves are not papery, not fleshy either and wilted.
Today I dug out the soil to see if excess water was accumulated in the pot or if there was a root rot. No accumulated water, roots I couldn't see. The soil was something like lightly moist, dry-ish, could be broken into small pieces with the hands.
Now, I have planted it again with some vermi-compost at the bottom, then some soil(clayey), then again compost. Is it okay?
Is my plant dying? Is there anything that can be done to save it from this point?


texts: What is the most likely problem with my hot pepper plants?

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I'm trying to keep my Carolina Reaper pepper plants alive.  We've had lots of rain, and there is good drainage at the bottom of the planters.  I've put down slug plugs and spray them with insect oil.  They get fish emulsion about every 3 weeks and on an off week I'll do some dilluted humic acid and kelp on the leaves.  There are a lot of branches that have had the leaves chewed off and have not been able to track down the culprit yet.  Any ideas?  Is located in central Texas. I know we have raccoons on the deck sometimes, but I was having this issue even with it screened in.
They had been growing like crazy and one day, as soon as it started to warm up (when peppers are supposed to be happiest) they stopped and started falling apart.
Edit: I use this on them- Bonide All-Season Spray


texts: Fraser fir Christmas tree doesn't seem to be soaking up water any more

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When we got our Christmas tree, which the farm called a Fraser fir, we were told to give it warm-to-hot water, and to ensure that the water line stayed above the bottom (cut) end of the tree. Otherwise, it might sap over and prevent the tree from soaking up more water. We did that while we were here, but we were away for four days last weekend, and despite filling the basin to the brim, it was empty by the time we got home. We refilled it, and it’s been 24 hours without any change to the water line, where previously it was soaking up a substantial portion of the water every day.

The tree itself still seems fine, with only a light scattering of needles on the floor under it and the ones on the tree itself still seeming healthy and flexible, not dried out and brittle. Presumably that’s just due to all the water it had already soaked up.

Is there anything we can do about this situation? I don’t have the equipment in my apartment to saw a new cut on the bottom of the tree (nor do I much like the idea of taking all the ornaments off so that I could do that), but it seems likely there isn’t much else to be done about it. Am I missing any easier steps that might help? Ultimately, we’d like the tree to remain fresh and healthy through New Year’s at a minimum, since we’re hosting a New Year’s Eve party, but we certainly wouldn’t mind our tree lasting beyond that.


texts: Why are my eggplant seedlings not thriving?

texts: I have started a bunch of seedlings and some are doing really well others are not, under similar conditions.  I used 6-8 inch wide pots, ~6 inches tall, potting soil, and left the pots in front of a sunny bay window.  The first picture below is of an eggplant seedling.  It seems to be wilting, but I have been giving it plenty of water.  In fact, I have been watering it the same as the tomato seedling in the next picture (the background of which has the other sad eggplant seedling).  The one major difference in conditions was closesness to the window.  I swapped them today.  What is going on?


texts: Plant identification for a shrub in Hampshire, UK

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Can anyone assist with an ID for a small tree I have growing in my front garden(Hampshire, England)?

It’s a tree with small green leaves and pink blossom.

The branches and bark appear flaky.


texts: I have a friend giving my some plants from his new yard in Calgary. Does anyone know what this plant is?


texts:
I got a jade plant from a local nursery, which was in good health. I was under the impression that I can keep jade plants indoors, so I kept it on my desk. In around a month or so all the leaves dried out.

Is it because I am keeping it indoors all the time? What should I do to make it healthy again?
Is it really not an indoor plant?


texts: How do I figure out where the dead-end is in a sprinkler system?

texts: I bought a new home that has a small area of grass on the other side of my driveway that is not part of the main yard about 10x16 in size and it has 6 sprinklers along the boarder.  I want to remove the grass and gravel it.  However, I don't know if I should just cap all the heads or if there is a dead end at one of these heads or not.  I live in an area that you need to winterize so I want to make sure I do it right.  Suggestions?


texts: Is it possible to overwater tomatoes growing in a dry climate?

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Is it possible to overwater potted tomatoes growing in a dry climate? What are the signs that they are overwatered?

Are these tomato plants over-watered? Does it have blight? Is something else wrong, too?

This one has a "raisin"!


texts:
We have a 6 to 8 year old bed of asparagus last year late & now this year the spears only grow to about 1/8 of a inch thick & kind of stringy.

What is causing this?


texts: Is there a temperate climate perennial succulent adapted to wet root conditions?

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Is there a succulent plant that can grow in wet/swampy conditions?

I've never seen it, but I think it would be an interesting change from the usual sedgy/grassy looking swamp plants that grow around here.


texts: How to help/not hurt my half dead looking cactus?

texts: I've had this cactus for a while and at some point I kinda forgot about it. Then suddenly I had the aspiration to save it so I began watering it once a month or so. The only problem is now I have a fully healthy and nicely growing top to a dead and decrepit bottom. I don't know exactly how to help it and I was just wondering if I should try to salvage the bottom or find a way to transplant the top.


texts: What kind of cactus is this and why are these black bumps forming on it?

texts: Little burnt-looking bumps have been popping up on this cactus and I'm not too sure what to do about it. Can you help me figure it out?


texts: Does putting vegetables next to each other cause a conflict?

texts:
I have a school project related to farming. For this project I should grow some vegetables in an indoor application.

And let say I have to grow them in a big container in the same soil and next to each other.

Does this cause any harm at all to the vegetables?

Should I make an advanced research for all combinations?

I am planning to grow some of following plants:

Carrots
Broccoli
Garlic greens
Lettuce
Ginger
Cucumber
Spinach
Chard
Arugula

Also I appreciate if you provide any source about that issue.


texts: Can vegetable plants do well if planted within the lighted area near a (LED) mercury vapor light?

texts:
Due to mobility (and other) issues, I can't just put the veggies I want to grow into the ground. I need them to be at a level which doesn't require bending. In the past, I've used "dead refrigerators" (filled with dirt) as elevated planters; but, the (LED) "mercury vapor light" wasn't an issue back then. NOW, the only place I have to set some up are within the the "range" of that light, which is up on my power pole and comes on automatically.

I'm wanting to plant (primarily) yellow and zucchini squash, spaghetti squash, sweet potatoes, green cabbage, green peas, carrots, tomatoes, peppers (bell, banana and Anaheim), onions, garlic, ginger, and cantaloupe. I (also) have some heirloom corn seeds; but, an earlier post I read indicated that it would probably do fine, even if I planted it right under the power pole. There seemed to be conflicting opinions regarding the tomato and pepper plants.

All these plants are "heirloom;" and, if the supply chain gets so disrupted that food becomes hard to get (financially or otherwise) I want to "have my 6 covered." About the only area I could set up to grow away from the light would be in an area which would also be shaded from afternoon sun light.

In many ways, I'm quite a novice at this; so, any suggestions would be useful. (Probably to a lot of other folks as well, given the state of things right now...)


texts: "Volunteer" tomato plant in my vegetable garden - good, bad, indifferent?

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I grew tomatoes in my raised bed last year. At the end of the season I removed the plants since they had all dried up. This year, without planting seeds I have a couple of tomato plants that have germinated and are growing. Is it advisable to leave the plants and enjoy the produce or should I remove them?  I have other tomato plants that I germinated from seeds that I can replace with. Just trying to figure out if this "wild" tomato plant will be as productive as my seedling that I germinated. I am in the San Francisco / Bay Area

*** Update: This volunteer is growing like a weed. Starting to see flowers and hopefully tomatoes soon **

See picture. It is growing like crazy and taking over a quarter of the raised bed. It has flowers but have not seen any tomatoes. I was told that volunteers don't fruit. Is that true? Recommendations?


texts: Why are my Monstera's leaves turning brown and drooping?

texts: I just bought my plant last month, and recently the leaves have been getting brown spots on them and the leaves and stems are weak and drooping close to the ground. I kept it in the same pot I bought it in and it had drainage holes. I water it when the top is dry. It gets light from my window reflecting off my mirror. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.


texts: Work mechanism and added value of higher speed of simple sprinklers?

texts: What is the use of higher rotating speed of standard lawn sprinklers (assuming there is a large family of similar non-special devices) you see around in Northern Western Europe and many other places? Do they pump more water per hour then maybe?


texts: How do you block tree roots from affecting your garden?

texts: What is the best way to stop my pear tree roots from invading and sucking the life out of my flower bed that is planted under it?


texts: What chances do I stand to relocate this thuja bush?

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Do I have any chances to move this thuja bush without killing it?

What is the best time of the year for this?

Any recommendations in terms of tools, procedure, root cutting, replanting?

(This is about the largest of the three along the driveway)

This is the plant in 2007.


texts:
We uncovered this old neglected Rose bush after starting to clear the back garden which had been overgrown in field bindweed, and wandering Jew.  It has a diameter of 10 cm so a bit larger then the other Rose bush I have.

I'm going to build a shed at this site. Can I move the Rose at all to another site in the garden? The shed will be 1 m off the ground so I could leave it there but it would be largely shaded.


texts: Can I create a fungi dominant compost tea by brewing it in lower pH water?

texts: I have a lot of cheap compost available from my local landfill, but I would like to create a fungi dominated compost tea to apply to my perennials. Is it possible to create such a tea by using a lower pH water when brewing the tea? It's my understanding that fungi dominated soils are lower pH.


texts: Why are the leaves turning yellow on these conifers?

texts:
I have two kinds of conifers in the front yard. They are in a spot with eastern exposure, but the sunlight is somewhat blocked by a big house on the south side of the yard. They get a lot of shade in the afternoon and evening, and the yellow is mostly on the part facing the house. However, last year, when planted they were green all over.
I live in Chicago (we had a very long winter this year).

Why are they turning yellow and what can I do to make them healthy and green again?

Here are the pictures:

Click on photo for full size


texts: Which grass is best suited as an indoor perennial?

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I would like to decorate our living room with a strip of grass. Which type should I grow? The requirements are as following:

should be a perennial or at least grow for a year or so
slow growing, consequently pruning required only occasionally (once a month or less)
grows well indoors with no direct sunlight (although bright room with lots of windows)
little attention required
straight, green leaves
BONUS: health benefits when consumed (I assume this could contradict with the first requirement, since you usually plant new seeds for each portion?)

Wheatgrass is tempting, but it grows too fast.


texts:
I find ourselves buying one or two Avocados twice a week.

It's one of these things that I've been wanting to do for a long time: grow an avacado plant.

What is the ideal climate or exposure to sunlight that an avocado plant needs?
Also what is the best way to germinate an avocado plant?
Or how would you start growing an avocado plant?

The only other related thread i found was about an already growing avocado plant:
How to prevent avocado from drying out indoors?

UPDATE:

My plant started growing but wanted to let people know that it doesn't do very well in the cold weather.


texts: Why are my aloe leaves turning white and brown?

texts:
I have had this plant of aloe for years, and it has always given me great satisfaction. Easy to take care of, I had separated it into different pots but now decided to keep it all together into a large one - and it has been a great idea.
It withstood changes in the position too: from a south-facing window sill, when I put it all together it was placed outside on the western porch, receiving a lot of light and it sprouted even more. I brought it in for the winter, and placed it in a well-lit area and it was fine.
However, one day I had the terrible idea of putting it outside in the winter for some sunlight (we had an unusually warm winter) and obviously I forgot to taking it back in at night and obviously it turned out to be the coldest night of the year.
The leaves turned white almost immediately, but the damage was very limited. I thought it was just the cold, so I kept it inside, placed it where it gets a lot of light but no direct sunlight and waited to see if it could get some color back.
It turned worse, as you can see in the pictures.

Some even started to brown

I found this article where they say it could be sunburnt. However I don't know how that's possible, it's been in almost direct sunlight in August and it didn't turn out like this.
And I know from this question that the damaged brown leaves will have to be cut.
So finally my question(s):
Is it a sunburnt aloe as the article states? Is the damage recoverable?


texts: Found a seed in my garden and planted it

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So, I live in France, and about a month ago I found a sprouting helicopter seed of some sort in my garden, so I planted it in a pot and now it's grown and I can't identify it.

Could someone tell me which plant this is?!


texts: How should I care for a dozen bulbs of Lycoris squamigera?

texts: Someone gave me a box of bulbs, Lycoris squamigera (Resurrection Lily), and I don't really know how to care for them. They are in a cardboard box in my basement right now. When I looked up how to care for these, all I could find was that they do not like being dug up. So how should I care for them?


texts: Is powdered cow dung cake a good rooting medium for bulbs

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This is the first time I am growing bulbs but I am not sure if dried cow dung cakes,  ground into fine powder would work as a good rooting medium for the bulbs to sprout.

A friend of mine gave me a lot of different bulbs and she said that a few were tulip bulbs.

I live in Calcutta (India), where growing tulips naturally is a bit difficult.

So my question is:

Would the cow dung cake powder work as a good rooting medium for the bulbs?
I am especially concerned about the tulip bulbs


texts: Will a winter-damaged hosta self repair?

texts: In winter, the next-years growth spikes of some of my Regal Blue Hostas got trampled off, and now that they're up, the leaves all have blunt-ended, ragged ends that curl and ripple. This is right by the house, and I would like to know whether I can expect them to self-repair in a reasonable amount of time (like under a year), or should I plant something in front of it.


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I am growing an indoor garden in my basement apartment on a racking system I built. I have two shelves 2' deep, 4' long and 2' high with two 4' T5 flouresants for light.

The question I have is for the containers of the garden, how deep should this containers be to accommodate full grown plant root? I am thinking of growing basil, parsley, mint, oregano, chives, green onions, arugala and maybe another lettuce. It is hard to find information on root length for plants online or else I would just look there.

Any and all help would be REALLY appreciated!


texts: How to rescue my fittonia from white mold?

texts: I’m trying to rescue my sister’s fittonia. They were very dry when I got them but after repotting them, I notice this white moldy stuff on all the stems and the leaves were all wilting. Please help!


texts: Why hasn't my 15 year old tamarind tree ever borne fruit?

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In my garden, there is a tamarind tree, which is 15 years old. It has never produced fruits, not even a single time. What can be the issue with it?

There are around 10 coconut trees and 2 mango trees at a necessary distance. Those are all fine. Irrigation is done regularly. How can I improve this situation?


texts:
I just received seed for a North American tree/shrub called Clethra Acuminata or Cinnamon Clethra. With its fragrant mid summer flowers and easy germination, it sounds nice. Other opinions talk about the suckering and loose ungainly look.

Does anyone know what they are like in urban cultivation?


texts: How do I choose a good tiller (cultivator) for a 1000 sq. ft. garden?

texts: I'm getting ready to till about 1,000 square feet, but the problem is I have no experience buying tillers. However, I don't know much about buying them. What should one look for in a garden tiller that's appropriate for the size of my garden?


texts: Red baby lettuce leaves dehydrated in hydroponic system

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I planted red baby lettuce in an indoor hydroponic system. There are two types of lightning I used for this plant, A system (a hydroponic system that uses white LED lights) and a B system (an aeroponic system that uses 52 Watt Red and Blue Grow lights). I used Air Conditioning in the room so the temperature were always around 22 Celcius degree and the relative humidity was 55-58%.

The A system (a hydroponic system that uses white LED lights)
The rockwool are half-dipped in the system so they always wet

The B system (an aeroponic system that uses 52 Watt Red and Blue Grow
lights)
The sprayer turns on every 12 minutes and it sprays for 2 minutes.

I transplanted them when they were 11 days old. The AB mix fertilizer was around 600 - 680 ppm, and the light intensity was around 1000 - 2000 lux. The last time I checked the pH is around 7.0 - 7.6. When they were 14 days old, some of their leaves are dehydrated even though the rockwool was wet by the water. I changed the fertilizer afterward and now the pH was around 6.7 and the nutrition was 719 ppm.

My assumptions regarding this problem were the lettuce plants were too young to be transplanted to a hydroponic system with fertilizers around 600 ppm. Then the pH was too high for the young leaves because the optimum pH must around 6.0 - 7.0. But I'm not sure if they were the only problem, I might miss the other factors.


texts: Does soil need to be acidic for carnivorous plaints (droserae)

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I'm still trying to grow carnivorous plants, and with reasonable success.

Recommended: Peat / sphagnum moss

Now generally, these plants grow in "wet, boggy, acidic soils" as every source will tell you. The soil needs to be low on nutrients, since the roots of those plants can't handle those nutrients and fertilizing may even burn the roots.

Peat is the general recommended medium to grow CPs on. However, live or dried sphagnum moss is hard to come by and quite expensive. And you can buy peat which is cheaper, but it isn't environmentally friendly, because it's dug up from wetlands in Belarus and such. The peat bogs here (in the Netherlands) have been destroyed years ago when peat was still used much as fuel.

Alternative, beech leaf mold?

Anyway, since I'm going to plant my plants outside in the garden, I'm going to need quite a large amount, and I'd like to try a different medium: leaf mold.

The reason I want to use leaf mold, is that it has similar properties. It retains moisture quite well and it is low on nutrients.

Now, I've bought some leaf mold from an organic grower. This is compost from beech leaves which are gathered from the area around the grower. It is a great material, but it isn't by far as acidic as the peat I have. The peat is somewhere around pH 5 to 5.5, and the leaf compost is around pH 7 neutral.

Question: Is the acidity necessary?

So the main question: is the acidity a necessity or do they just 'happen' to grow in acidic environments?

If it is necessary:
- Why? What is the scientific explanation behind it?
- Is there a way to make the soil more acidic without resorting to chemicals and without adding nutrients or other stuff that kills my plant?
- Is there another medium that might (also) work? I read that sugar maple leaf mold may have an acidity of around 4.8, but that will probably not be available here in the Netherlands. Are there other kinds of leaves, or maybe another material altogether?

Experiment:

I'm actually trying this our right now by moving some young plants to the leaf compost environment. I must note I'm testing now with drosera binata and drosera capensis, both of which are very easy to grow. They've been in the leaf mold for a couple of days now and so far they seem to do well, although it's probably too early to really tell. Still, awaiting the experiment, I'd like to know the science behind it and be aware of alternatives.


texts: I want to prune my indoor avocado tree to increase branching, and make it more bushy, not just one wobbly stem. Where should I cut it?


texts: It is a creeper, grows very fast, orange color flowers, leaves like little bit sticky paper.


texts: How should a reel mower be cleaned after mowing?

texts: So I finally said screw it to my old gas mower, and decided I wanted to skip gas altogether (I hate small engines with a passion, my mower was the only gas yard tool I had left), so I picked up a discounted-end-of-season reel mower. I suppose I should probably clean it after mowing, but I'm not sure how. Is it OK to gently spray it down with a hose? Can I get away with oiling just the cutting edges after mowing, or are there other parts that need oil? Would veggie oils be suitable, or should I go for a petroleum oil? Are there any other major concerns that need to be taken care of between every use? (I know about sharpening the blades and adjusting the cutting bar, not necessarily HOW, but at least about)


texts: What is this plant with opposite leaves, dark stems and dark leaf venation?

texts: This is a full shade loving plant. I want to know its name and if it flowers.


texts: What is this plant with unusual leaves and buds?

texts: I have several of these. Height around 50cm. Is this a weed or a well behaved plant? Anual or perenial? Please help me. Zone 7a, continental Europe.


texts: Please help identify red stemmed, green and white (and sometimes red) leafed plant

texts:
My mother purchased this plant from a nursery in Western North Carolina about 1 1/2 years ago and it has grown substantially since the original purchase.  This plant is currently in a pot.  During spring and summer the plant is out on the back porch, during the fall and winter the plant is on her bathroom counter by the window.  Any thoughts on what this plant is?

The best way to describe the plant is that it has a red vine that runs up as far as the leaf but the redness does not go into the veins of the leaves.  The leaves are green and white but some of the leaves have a half with red in it.  Up to this point there has been no sign of the possibility of flowering.  I apologize for the quality of the pictures...my mom isn't the most technically savvy individual.

Thank you for your help!


texts: Tips on how to revive writing on a plastic label?

texts: I've been finding dozens of plastic labels what were written with a sharpie that are now faded beyond readability.  Since I didn't write them, I don't know what is planted there.  I was wondering if anyone has any tips on how to revive the writing.


texts: How do I remove the weeds and lay the lawn

texts: I am new to gardening. I mowed the grass in the garden and left it like that hoping everything would be ok. After two weeks, I found out that there are now lots of weeds in the grass as shown in the picture. How do I remove /kill all the unwanted plants? I would like to add some lawn seeds to get a good looking lawn. Please help.


texts: Should I transplant or wait for recovery?

texts:
I have a couple of indoor lemon trees that went without water while I was away for a couple of weeks. When I got home I watered them, and after waiting a couple of days it seems almost all the leaves are dead, though the wood does not feel dead. The plants are 2-3 years old, relatively small and not bushy, and have born no fruit to date.

The tip of one branch looks good. I was wondering whether it would be a better idea to clip the healthy piece (4-5", two sets of leaves) and transplant it or if I should leave it in place to help revive the rest of the plant.

Are there any principles to guide this choice? I haven't grown many fruit trees.


texts: Are the leaves on my Fatsia Japonica now a drain on my cutting?

texts: I took several cuttings last year of a 9 foot fatsia japonica in my garden. A cutting has rooted and in the last 2 weeks has sprouted 6 new leaves at the top of the cutting. Are the old large leaves now a drain on this small cutting? Should I trim them and allow the plant to depend on it's new growth?


texts:
I have a fig tree in a pot in my balcony.

Recently it has lost a couple of leaves and they all display the same features: yellowish color on the front side of the leaf, and tiny small white dots on the reverse.

Some of the leafs in the tree are starting to experience the same symptoms, and I fear it is spreading more and more and that I could eventually kill all the foliage and the fruits.

I had during this summer a severe case of spider mite in another plan in the same balcony. However I haven't seen any spider or web so far. Making some research I'm starting to think I could be some sort of mildew (powdery mildew?) but I couldn't tell on my own.

Here are some pictures you may find useful to diagnose.
Note: you may notices some leafs with holes in them, those were caused by a hail storm this late springñ


texts:
I bought an olive tree a year ago and it is growing nicely since then. I keep it indoors in winter months, as the climate where I live would be too cold for it. In summer I move it to my balcony.
Since several months, I see some tiny white featherlike stuff on many leaves. And also some sticky white stuff too.

what causes this and what must I do to get rid of them?


texts:
My plant is suddenly turning yellow and I don't know what it wrong with it or if it is normal. I have it for about 4 month and this happened only this week. I don't know if it's related, but it has been very hot in my country these days.

This is a photo from a few days ago when I asked about the identification of the plant. (Euphorbia mammillaris)

edit: The yellow parts dried and I'm worried for the others. I didn't water it at all since then and I added some sand. Should I cut the dead parts? Do you think the rest of the plant is affected?


texts:
I would like to know what causes the leaves to be crinkled and then the whole plant dies. I planted a bean seed in this soil before and the leaves gradually became crinkled and died. I thought that's because I watered it too much and due to the lack of nitrogen fertilizer.

I mixed the soil with sand to make good ventilation and I made holes in the bottom of the jar so that the excess water leaks. I planted another seed but the leaves became crinkled again. I thought it's due to lack of fertilizers so I put too much Azote fertilizer. It finally died because of crinkled leaves and too much fertilizer.

I changed the type of beans. I brought a type that has smaller seeds which I think it's planted locally in Egypt. The leaves are also crinkled as you can see in the picture. Is that normal or Is it going to die? What's the cause of the crinkled leaves? Is it a virus or lack of a specific nutrient or what?

I spend months doing my own trial and error but didn't work.


texts: Why does my garden centre say these plants are annuals?

texts:
I'm in the UK (so hardiness zone 8/9), and my local garden centre is selling Chrysanthemums and Michaelmas daisies, labelled as "one season only".

I'm sure as a kid my gran had (the same) Chrysanthemums year after year, and my dad has some Michaelmas daisy that he says are perennial.

Are these different types, or is the garden centre just trying to get extra sales for next year?


texts: Can I use these fertilizers for my hydroponics system?

texts:
I am planning to start growing using hydroponics. Unfortunately I'm unable to obtain fertilizers that are made specifically for hydroponics. However, I can get water-soluble fertilizers. The images of the fertilizers are attached. The one named Libro contains NPK + iron, and the one named Torofert contains Calcium, Nitrogen, Magnesium and Boron.
As you can see, the NPK formula is 20-20-20, while the calcium is 24% in the fertilizer named Torofert. Torofert also contains Nitrogen, which is 15%. I'm also going to add Epsom salt (contains Magnesium and Sulfur) to these two fertilizers.
Normally, people mix three fertilizers: first one contains NPK with a ratio of 4-18-38, second one contains calcium and nitrogen at a ratio of 15.5% Nitrogen and 19% calcium (no magnesium), and third one (Epsom salt) contains magnesium and sulfur.
Do you think the fertilizer mixes that I have are suitable for hydroponics? Will there be too much Nitrogen or Magnesium since each one of them is included in 2 of the 3 fertilizers? Do I need to consider anything else?


texts: Where can I find a large shrub to replace one that died in a hedge? (See details)

texts:
With the drought last year I lost two fairly large (~ 5 foot tall) Photonia/Redtip shrubs that were part of a hedge. I've been to several nurseries, but the biggest one I've seen for sale anywhere is about 2' tall. It seems like it will take years for something that size to catch up to its siblings in the hedge row and look bad.

I assume there is some resource that landscapers have to find shrubs to address this problem, but I'd like to try this as a DIY project if possible. Can anyone provide guidance for what I should be looking for in the phonebook/google to find larger shrubs/plants?

Also, judging by the root system on the dead ones I pulled up, there might be some challenge planting a shrub that big. Any advice/tips to ensure survival of a large shrub when planting to protect my investment? I'm sure they won't be cheap, if I can even find them.


texts: My rosemary plant has gone very yellow and brittle. There are a few green leaves left but not many. Is there any hope?


texts: What is the effect of streetlights on plants?

texts: This may be totally off the wall, but the sunflowers growing around my garden are bigger the nearer they are to the street light.  I've seen documentaries with marijuana labs in California where they grow their plants all day and all night under the lights.  But do street lights have any similar effect?


texts:
I have just completed a drainage project (trench lined with landscape cloth, #2 stone, perforated pipe in a long "sock," more #2 stone, then #3 round stone on top).  The stone goes right up to the side of the house.  On the other side of this strip of rounded stones is a 16-inch-wide strip of soil, and then a tall wooden fence.  A lawn mower won't fit in there, so I'd like to plant a ground cover on that strip of soil between the rocks and the fence.

I'd like it to be quick to get established.

What doesn't matter:

Doesn't need to stand up to foot traffic.
I don't have to worry about it creeping over to the neighbor's yard on the other side of the fence, because the neighbor has three dogs who tear up the back yard quite reliably.

I am in upstate New York.  The soil is a bit on the clay-ey side but I've seen worse.

I don't mind watering it regularly while it's getting established, but after that it should be able to withstand a dry August.

--

Update: I had pretty much convinced myself that vinca minor (myrtle, periwinkle) would work, but when I phoned around no one had it yet in flats.  One store offered me lamium instead so that's what I went with, given that we wanted to get it all in this weekend before starting some other planned projects.


texts: Do goji berries and rhubarb guild well together?

texts: I'm needing to transplant the rest of my moms rhubarb plants out to the fruit forest, so I'm contemplating putting Goji berries, and rhubarb in the same hole (about 6 of each, so why not) Is this a good or bad idea?


texts: Can I rake and/or mow my lawn after seeding?

texts:
My lawn has some pretty big bare batches in it (some of which are there because I pulled out huge swathes of weeds), so about 2 weeks ago I put down a bunch of grass seed, raked the seeds into the dirt, then covered them in grass clippings.
Since then, very little of the grass has come up. Here's one of the more promising patches:

What has happened, though, is that the grass has started to get a bit long, and the leaves have started falling from the trees, and the leaves are starting to cover some of the bare patches:

I'm not exactly a lawn care expert, but my understanding is that I'm supposed to avoid disturbing the dirt while the grass is growing, but I assume that the grass won't grow very well if it's covered in leaves — can / should I rake the leaves away? Can / should I rake / mow the other parts of the lawn (which I overseeded while I was seeding the rest of the lawn)?


texts: Is applying fertilizer to newly planted rootball laurel bushes a good idea?

texts: I've recently planted some medium size (about 4' or 1.25m) root-balled cherry/common laurel bushes. Some are looking a little unhappy a couple of weeks later and I wondered if applying some balanced fertilizer would be sensible to help them get established, or whether fertilizing too soon could cause problems.


texts:
I purchased a house 2 years ago that had a young (1-2 years?) raspberry patch. Last year it had a lot of growth but only produced fruit on a few bushes.  I have been waiting until spring to  determine which canes are dead and should be pruned but all canes, even those that produced fruit have new growth. Does that mean they will produce fruit again this year?

My bushes also have a lot of canes, approx 30 per plant, should I reduce this number to maximize the amount of fruit?  What is a good amount of canes per plant?


texts:
I have a 5 year old spur bearing apple tree, Christmas Pippin variety.
I’ve missed the winter pruning window, and it’s just starting to bud, so definitely no longer dormant.
I’ve pruned the last 2 years since I’ve had it, but it definitely needs some more shaping. There are a few branches starting to cross, and some that are a bit on the low side.
Should I just go ahead and prune it, or wait for next winter?


texts: What vegetable/fruits plants will rabbits not eat?

texts:
I have an area for a few raised beds were it would be impractical to secure against rabbits. What can I plant there that they won't be interested in?

I'm assuming they won't eat any berry types, but what about newly planted tomatoes and other kinds of vegetables?


texts: Can I plant Morning Glory at any time (in USDA Zone 10)?

texts: It's late Jan now. I want to plant a climbing vine on my second-floor, east-facing, balcony railing to give a little shade in the morning. Come Spring and all through to the Fall, that morning sun shines through the balcony windows and turns my apartment into an oven. I'm cooked well-done before noontime. I live just a few miles South of Los Angeles, Zone 10? I'm wondering if I can get a jump on growing this thing in Feb before I start sweating it out in the Spring? I thought that I should ask before I start stringing wire to the rafters or buying/making planters. I'm quite ignorant of gardening stuff. My mom and dad would be kinda disappointed.


texts: Single large brown spot on Dracaena Dorado

texts:
I have been giving my dracaena dorado some fertilizer this year, on and off, maybe twice a month or less since March. I let it dry out between watering. The leaf tips were turning brown so I moved it to a shadier place. It had doing fine when I noticed a cluster of black pin prinks on one of the new leaves, and also some wavy white marks. The cluster area soon began turning yellow, and how its almost brown and growning bigger. It the only one anywhere on the plant.
I am not sure what it is. Is it an infection, will it spread to other leaves? Does it need more light? I will be glad of some help here!
Thanks!


texts: One of my indoor pepper plants seems to drink less water than its peers. Should I be concerned?

texts:
When I water my potted peppers, they all get pretty much the same amount of water, as I have a small jug that I've discovered provides just enough water to soak through the soil and just start seeping out the bottom of the pot.

Well, at least this is the case for 3 of my 4 plants. One of them seems to hold less water than its peers, because when I give it the same quantity of water, it ends up with much more water in the dish under the pot. I get the same result even if I wait longer between watering sessions, and there's no "flooding" on top of the soil, so I don't think it is a case of that pot being over-saturated.

Also, the plant itself seems healthy and has started flowering in the last few days (it's the third of the four to start) and is of comparable size (in height and leafiness) to its peers, so it seems to be keeping up, it just seems rather strange that it takes less water.


texts: How should I calculate row spacing with different varieties of vegetables?

texts:
I was going to ask this as an aside in this question, but I remembered that there are no asides in StackExchange.

Say I've done this again:

  I go out and I plant two rows of beets, two rows of turnips, two rows of radishes and two rows of carrots.

Given beets, carrots and radishes like 18 inches between rows and turnips like 24 inches between rows. How close do I plant the first row of turnips to the last row of beets and how close do I plant the last row of turnips to the first row of radishes?


texts: I noticed spots being eaten from my rhubarb,what should I plant to prevent them from being eaten?

texts: What is the organic way to prevent rhubarb leaves from having holes eaten from them?


texts: Professional propagation of succulents by cuttings

texts:
I live in a mediterranean climate. My zone is 11. Currently, I grow succulents which I can keep outside year-round.
I'm interested in professional books about what I'm growing:

Group 1: Haworthia, Gasteria, Aloe, Sansevieria

Group 2: Echeveria, Pachyphytum, sedum, Crassula, Kalanchoe

My question -- What professional books about propagation you know are good for advanced readers?


texts: What stops sprinkler heads from retracting?

texts:
I have a reticulation system in my lawn. Recently I replaced some of the sprinkler heads. But they don't always retract; ie when the water pressure is reduced or off they stick up above the lawn.

The head is brand new and has been in for around a month and doesn't retract. They look like this:

Is this because I got cheap sprinklers or does it means there is dirt in the system?


texts: Caterpillar identification: tan with black triangles

texts: What will this become?  Found just north of Washington, D.C., tan with black triangles, about 1.5 inches.  The fibres around its head are not part of it.


texts:
I'm fairly new to gardening and decided that I wanted to have some plants on my balcony this year. I bought these two plants at a local Lowe's, but there wasn't any information regarding what they were. I like how they look, and they seem to be doing well so far. All I've done so far is plant them in some miracle grow in clay pots, watering once every day or two.

Can anyone identify what they are, or if they need any sort of special care? Thanks.


texts: What are some herbs and spices that are easy to grow indoors?

texts: I currently grow Rosemary on my windowsill. What are some other herbs and spices that are easy to grow (and useful)? I live in South Carolina, USA. Plants are indoors = 65-75F all year.


texts: Should I remove old rotten tree roots or leave them in place when I regrade my yard?

texts:
We just demolished an old shed (we recently bought the house) and we found old rotten tree roots hidden under this shed. (it is the main root and its ramifications)

What should I do with it? My target is to regrade the yard, and this root will stick out so I will need to remove it. The soil composition seems to me closer to clay than to sand, if this detail is of any help. The real question is: Should I just chop it to small pieces and leave it there (mix it with the soil) or should I remove it as much as possible?


texts: Can Achocha survive from being connected by only 1 root?

texts: I almost pulled off all of my Achocha roots when pulling it out of the pack. how can I try to make it bounce back to being a viable plant for planting, or is it gone?


texts:
Where can I download (or scrape) a structured dataset (such that I could, after some initial massaging, use it in a NodeJS app for example) of plants with identification keys?

I'm looking for a dataset with the largest set of plants but I'd like to see any such dataset so I can at least start playing around.


texts: I have just learned about hugelkultur and can't seem to find out whether or not spruce trees are good to use for these types of raised beds. It's nearly the only type of tree that grows in my area. Thanks!


texts: Why do my rosa chinensis flowers turn white as they age?

texts:
I've got 5 rosa chinensis outside my window and they get about 10 hours of direct sun in conditions of about 39°C and 13% humidity. I water them 1.5 litres per day, and feed them with a bloom special (it has a nutrition chart if needed) every 10 days.

The problem is that newborn flowers (I don't know the technical term :D) are colorful and in colors of orange and red.

but they become white and a bit green after a while.


texts: Are Seibel 13053(aka Cascade) grapevines phylloxera-resistant?

texts:
Last summer I got three near-death Seibel 13053 grapevines for free. I managed to keep them alive and they are now pretty healthy looking.
I only know they are supposed to be virus-free and stand-alone in the state I got them.

They look like they might have been grafted because they have tiny buds around the joints but it's hard to tell because their trunks were pencil-wide when I got them and they look nothing like the Cabernet Sauvignon vines I bought which are clearly grafted to obviously different rootstock.

May have been practice plants? My bad for not asking.

Problem is I was fairly successful rooting the cuttings I took last winter and now I have three additional 13053 grapevines growing on their own roots and I wonder if they are doomed given that it's pretty likely they get exposed to phylloxera at some point, this being a grape growing region.

I know that mr Seibel was trying to get phylloxera-resistant hybrids and that one of its ancestors is a rootstock variety but my Google-fu has been unable to confirm its resistance or lack thereof to the evil bugs.


texts: How to get rid of grass between ground cover?

texts:
We just bought a new house, with a somewhat overgrown front garden. Mostly I need to do some pruning and shaping.

They planted some ground cover, including ivy. Strangely, while the ground cover seems well established, there's still a lot of tall grass.

I'm curious about the best way to get rid of the remaining grass.

Can I just wait for the ground cover to strangle the remaining grass?

Do I need a very thorough weeding?


texts: Broken willow tree completely severed at the base

texts:
My young willow tree broke off completely at the base. Will it shoot roots again if I just place the whole tree in water/soil?
Thanks


texts: What are the odds of getting a shea tree to grow in South Carolina, USA?

texts: What are the odds of getting a Shea Tree to grow in South Carolina, USA? Temperatures here in SC range from mid 30s (occasionally around 40) Centigrade in the summer to -10 at the coldest days of the winter. There is usually consistent rain so that oaks, peaches, and apples grow easily. The soil is mostly mildly acidic clay and sand. There is a eucalyptus tree in our yard which grows fine but not terrifically.


texts: What are some recommendations for planting garage rooftop window boxes?

texts:
The situation: There’s a double garage (precast concrete) with a flat roof of roughly 30 m² (approx. 320 sq ft), and it’s unused space. I often thought about putting anything alive up there (preferably of the kingdom Plantae), the one downside being the necessity of a ladder to look after whatever’s up there.

Regarding weather: While the garage finds itself located…

in temperate climate (hardiness zone 8a), …
it’s frequently overcast and drizzly, with 16 rainy days per month all year and…
4-6 sunshine hours daily between May and September with…
average temperatures ranging from 8-18°C (46-64°F) in May and 13-24°C (55-75°F) in July.

Now I look for specific recommendations to plant greenery atop the garage. Suitable candidates will have to adhere to some considerations:

I don’t want to put tons of soil or raised beds on it (excess floor load, max. 200 kg/m² ≈ 370 lbs/sq yd), so I figured window boxes (with drainage) would do nicely. They’re easy to provide, align and (re)move.
Plants will have to endure full sun, storm, heavy rain or even hail. While these conditions do apply to the garden below, exposure is literally elevated and the surface might get a lot hotter (tar paper). Building a canopy for shelter is too expensive yet manageable if required.
Since there are no stairs, plants shouldn’t need to be tended to permanently. Some climbing is okay though, like checking every few days or so.
Are there any robust crop plants that thrive in window boxes (i.e. limited width and depth)? Alternatively, what ornamental plants make sense on a garage roof?

To be clear: I do not intend to permanently vegetate the entire roof area. It should be limited to a few planters during the growing season. I think it’s a bit different from a “typical” rooftop garden, which is a regular garden on top of a building.


texts: Advice on growing Naranjilla (Solanum quitonense)?

texts:
I have been trying to transform a previously ornamental garden into a productive but still attractive one. I've used citrus and guavas for hedging, lemongrass for borders etc. One final niche I'm looking to fill is an attractive shade tolerant shrub to fill in some small beds around the base of a larger tree. This is currently occupied by agapanthus. My climate is temperate (I am in Sydney, close enough to the coast to not get frost).

I am considering replacing the agapanthus with Naranjilla (Solanum quitonense), a perennial shrub of Andean origin I have been reading about. Can anyone offer any advice about growing these and whether they will cope in my climate? Can they be kept to a maximum height of around 1 metre and still give a good crop? Does anyone have an alternative suggestions for filling this shady niche with a suitably attractive edible plant?


texts: Yellow flower with 13ish spiked petals, orange outer center, and yellow-green inner center?

texts: A friend spotted the flower in Monument, Colorado while walking near Monument Rock. I've never seen anything like it. A Google reverse image search was unsuccessful.


texts: Why do some of my comfrey plants have leaves curling over?

texts:
I noticed that the comfrey (planted last year) leaves down by the creek are big and flat, but the ones up the hill by the blueberry bushes (6 feet higher in elevation) are curled up (rolling over on themselves).

Why are the ones by the creek big, and flat, but the ones by my blueberry bushes curled up?

We have had an extremely wet summer so far this year.


texts: What are the pros/cons of different mulches?

texts:
I know there will be differing opinions on this subject, from different people. I, for one, have always used bark mulch, and can attest to the fact that when used properly, it will build soil and grow healthier plants (ime).I have also heard that a layer of plastic, covered by gravel, is the best mulch. To me, it seems that this can only depreciate, and doesn't build soil at all, and may even leach chemicals out of the plastic into the ground. And then there are those who think that undecomposed mulches are bad, and you should go with compost. imo, compost is one of the best things you can add to soil, but doesn't take the place of mulch.

So, why are there differing opinions from experts? Shouldn't people with experience come to a similar conclusion? Or do different ways work comparatively well enough that it's pretty much whatever you like better?

Please don't answer if you feel like arguing with someone, just lay out what your reasons are for why you use the mulch you use, and your experience with that mulch.


texts: Something is eating my vegetables - what is it?

texts: I have a raised bed where I grow vegetables (Kale, tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, carrots, melons, etc.).  Something comes by at nights and eats some of the fruits and vegetables, in particular the melons.  How do I figure out what is sharing my food?  I have a net covering the plants so I don't think it is birds so it is either a mouse or squirrels or something else.  They seem to be getting through the net or under the net.  I live in the San Francisco Bay Area


texts:
I planted a seed 2-3 weeks ago from a fruit (or possibly a vegetable) and now I have completely forgot what it was. Unfortunately I did not put a note on the pot. What could it be? My first guess was orange plant/tree, but they don't look like that do they?

It would be great to identify my seedling with the help of you guys.


texts:
2017, 1st june
Soon after planting my rhododendron, leaves are turning yellow with black/brownish patches. Is it dying? Can I do anything about it?

Edit (2017, 12th july):
I didnt do much. Looks much  better now. Guess wait and see was the right thing to do


texts:
About a week ago I decided to propagate a healthy stalk of mint that I had bought from the grocery store. The roots appear to be healthy and full, but two of the leaves appear to be abnormal. One of them is brown, and the other has a light green/black/brown spot near the center of the leaf.

What's going on?


texts: What is this plant with leaves like a cattail but with triangular waxy pods?

texts:
I found this plant near a river in Wisconsin. The leaves look like a cattail but this thing grows pods! The pods are triangular and are waxy and smooth at the same time. The leaves are very much like a cattail.

.


texts: I bought some of these starters from a big box store and it says plant them when chance of frost is gone.  Since I'm probably still 1 month out how should I best keep them?  Should I water them in the plastic bags they are in or leave them dry?  Inside or out in cold shed?


texts: How long does it take for mint sprouts to grow true leaves?

texts:
I have planted some mint seeds in a couple of pots and fortunately they germinated within a reasonable length of time (4 or 5 days, if I remember correctly). But the sprouts are somehow slow to grow: it is a week now but they seem to grow very slowly. I wonder if that is natural for the mint?

I have used good quality soil - at least I was told so - and water the small pots every day. And I have put the pots behind the window on a table.

Here's a photo:

Any suggestions for their faster growth?

Thanks


texts: Do you need fertiliser for rockwool starter cubes?

texts:
I want to start some seedlings in rockwool cubes. Eventually I want to start some hydroponics plants. Im getting conflicting messages on the internet in regards to whether you should add liquid fertiliser to the rockwool when you first hydrate them. Is it required for the seeds to germinate or does the seed have all that is required to sprout in the seed?

Im using EHG grow formula.


texts: Best practice to prevent aphids and spider mites?

texts:
What is the best practice to prevent aphids and spider mites? I group them in one question because they make similar damage to plants.

I want to know the level of humidity for aphids and spider mites to grow, then I can do the reverse approach.


texts:
I bought some gooseberries and planted them in some self-watering containers. They did well for a few weeks but now one has lost all of its leaves and the other is losing some leaves, while other leaves are turning yellow and brown. In short, they are not thriving.

I've moved the containers a few times to adjust the levels of sunlight -- one thing I tried was to put them next to currants, which are doing well -- but this hasn't helped. More recently, I added some additional compost, heavy on eggshells, with the idea that this would provide missing nutrients. Still no dice. Any ideas? If it is relevant, I live in Massachusetts, near Boston.


texts: Should I be concerned about twisted galls on my lombardy poplar trees?

texts:
We have lots of large twisted galls on our lombardy poplar trees' leaf stems. I've heard that twisted galls on poplar trees are not a threat to the tree. So, I'm not worried about them killing the trees or anything.

Do the galls in the fallen leaves contain insects or their eggs that will promote more galls in future generations? Will picking up the leaves help to reduce the problem the next year?

I looked inside a gall, and found that it appeared to be full of some powdery fungus or something. Is that normal? Was it really fungus? Could the insects causing the galls be attracting other pests or diseases to my yard? I hear the things that cause twisted galls are related to aphids, and we have a big aphid problem. It could be a coincidence, but I thought I'd ask, just in case.

Last year, our poplar trees were covered in what looked like house flies (and this was rather disturbing), but after some research, I think they were a certain kind of fly that eats whatever causes the galls. There aren't as many flies this year, but there are even more galls (and there were a lot last year). I've heard that they are supposed to be less frequent after a severe year. This does not seem to have been the case, so far. I'm kind of concerned that the contents of the galls could be bad for the yard, or my health. I've heard about tree fungi causing issues in the past.


texts: Why have my lemon seedlings stopped growing and turned yellow?

texts:
I planted some lemon pips in November last year, and they grew to about 4cm tall, and it seems as if they aren't growing anymore. They have been the same size since December, and they have now turned into a very light yellow. I can't think that this is normal.

Are they supposed to take so long to grow? What did I do wrong to make them go yellow?


texts:
I got the following type of moss and I would like to find out its exact name and as bonus a recommendation if this is appropriate for the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula):

Related question on Help identifying this light color moss.


texts: What is the blossom strategy of chili peppers?

texts:
This is my first year growing chili peppers in pots. I would like to know if chili peppers blossom constantly during their fertile growing period, or do they blossom in "waves" all the time or sometimes?

My peppers were blossoming nicely, but they stopped recently. They have several blossoms now (mid Jun). Can I expect more blossoms during this summer?


texts: Can you help identify this fragrant tree?

texts:
Do you know your tropical trees?  Can you identify this one?

This picture of the tree's leaves and blossoms was taken in Thailand. The fragrance of these blossoms is very startling and unique.

Thank you for any help!


texts: I was wondering what species of tree this was, I need to know for my studies and curiosity

texts: I need to know the species of this tree as I am studying at college and need to be able to recognise trees, and I guess the trees near me would be a good start. The leaves are elliptical, serrate and alternate. I have been thinking it's an ash tree but the leaves are way off, what is it ? My location is the south of England near London.


texts: Is it safe to put drinks near snake plants?

texts:
I have a snake plant inside my room that is placed on a desk.
I heard that such a plant is toxic (if consumed).
So, I'm wondering if it is safe to place my cup of water beside it. The desk is rather small.
Do I have to worry about any toxic chemicals emanating from it that might go inside my water?


texts: Crinkled new leaves on healthy flowering ipomoea/ Morning Glory. virus?

texts:
My perfectly healthy Ipomoea tree now has wrinkled new leaves coming up? Could this be a deficiency or an infestation?

Thanks in advance

[![New crinkled leaves][4]][4]

[![New growth.][3]][3]

[3]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/C5cqi.jpg


texts:
My (elderly) Opuntia gets regular visits from a few ants, which apparently like to draw liquid where its cactus spines emerge.

For this relationship between species, do we know whether it is a parasitic or perhaps a symbiotic one?


texts: What are some good shade-tolerant climbers for zones 6 and 7?

texts:
I'm hoping someone has had good experience with a climber that tolerated partial to full shade? Most climbing flowers seem to need full sun, but we have a space in our backyard that would look great with some climbing color. Thanks for any tips.
We're on the border between Zones 6 and 7 in Maryland.


texts: How dangerous are the roots of brassicas (cabbage, broccoli etc)?

texts:
I've read that putting the roots of brassicas in the compost is a bad idea because of the risk of disease.  I've also read that you shouldn't even plant them in the same spot for three years!

What can you do to mitigate the danger and how dangerous is the danger? I got my first successful crop of broccoli and cauliflower this year and would like to keep it going.


texts: What is this disease on my lime plant? And how to fix it?


texts: Space required to grow 36 kg beans and 60 kg sweet corn?

texts: I want to build an aquaponic system, that would suffice a family of 4 all year round. I would like to know what space would be required to build the system. Moreover, what should be the size of fish tank and grow beds for the plants? Thanks.


texts:
Can anyone identify this item, tell me where I could find more. I don't even know what to call it if I were to call around to local garden shops. I got some from a friend, and he doesn't know where it came from.

We think it's some kind of strap for training plants, at least that's what we've been using it for.

It comes in long strips, and it is designed so that the ends of the chain can slide into the links and lock.


texts: What are the (essential) Tools that every gardener should own?

texts:
Credit where credit is due, this idea is pinched from over here: Tools that every Do-it-Yourselfer must own

What tools should every gardener own, have at their disposal (preferably essential tools)? As this is a community wiki there is no one right answer to this particular question.

Instructions:

One tool (item) per answer please (so they can be voted on by the community)
Clear formatting like this:
[TOOL (ITEM) NAME]
[Reason why tool is essential/useful/good]
[Photo if it makes your submission easier to understand]
If you believe this tool to be one of the first tools a beginning gardener should own and master,  please mark it as such and give a justification, such as "this highly advanced hoe takes the place of a rake and a shovel and a cultivator".


texts: Recommendations on fixing my uneven lawn

texts:
We had a deck removed recently and had sod put in about 10 days ago. The problem is the soil was not leveled prior to the sod being added and now the new lawn is taller than the rest of the lawn. I tried removing the sod by hand, but with all the water and rain it is already stuck to the ground.

We have St. Augustine sod/grass and the area which I am trying to fix is mostly sunny. We live in Texas.

How would I go about leveling the area? If it is possible I would like to save and reuse the same sod/new lawn.


texts: Why does my banana chili start to wilt and seem to die off when it reaches 500 mm high?

texts: You can see the problem in the picture! I've grown chilies here for 25 years without problems.


texts: Can I take many cuttings from one stalk?

texts:
I want to take cuttings from impatiens new guinea. I was wondering if I can take many cuttings from the same stalk or does it have to be just the top part?
I understand that they should have some leaves on them but I was thinking maybe I could leave the lower leaves on the other parts of the stalk.


texts:
My kids play in my backyard a lot (4 kids aged 2-11).  We've been in the house for about 6 months and when we moved in there was grass in the back yard.  When we moved in the grass wasn't in amazing shape.  This isn't really a surprise - our back yard is very shady (it's a "typical" sized backyard but has a dozen mature trees, so most of it is always shaded).  Other than grass, there were always plenty of weeds.

We have two rope swings set up that the children play on often.  We have actual swings for them, but more often they take the swings down and just hang on the end and swing back and forth in all sorts of ways.  This inevitably ends with feet dragging on the ground.

As a result, the grass has gotten much more ragged since we moved in, and in large circular patches around the rope swings, it is completely bare dirt.  Now the kids get filthy when they play outside, and it's a bit of a pain.

My wife would love to have the grass back.  I'm not sure if it is possible given the conditions.  The shade obviously isn't going away and I don't want to take down the rope swings.  Convincing little children to be nice on the ground is probably impossible.  So my question(s):

Is it possible to get healthy grass under these conditions?
If not, what are some cost effective alternatives?  Main concerns would be not looking tacky and helping to keep the children from turning into pig-pen everytime they go outside.

Here's a picture of the play area under the main swing - in front of a clump of trees which I tied up with some old ropes.  You can (hopefully) see the big patch of dirt in front, and scraggly grass elsewhere.  It gets some sun in the morning but later in the afternoon (and during the summer) it's almost completely shaded.

Here is a patch of grass at the side of my house where the kids haven't trampled.  It gives you an idea of what the lawn used to look like (although it was never great under the tress).  It's winter, so it looks worse, but it's still not in great shape, nor was it when we moved in.


texts: What is this double pink/purple flower growing from a small potted plant?

texts:
I cannot for the life of me track down the name of this flower.  Google image search wasn't much help either.

Thank you!


texts: How much water do these hydroponic office plants need?

texts:
A large company near our office has moved to another building. We got the chance to take over some of their office furniture, including two pretty massive office plants.

Click on pictures for full size.

Plant 1

Plant 2

The point is, we don't know what kind of plants these are and how much water they need. The plants have been left in the old office for quite some time and they look a bit dried out.

I gave one of them water until the water level meter was at the "optimum" point (7 liter). The problem was that most of the water started dripping out of the pot and the water level dropped to "minimum".

What kind of plants are we dealing with?
How should we take care of them?
How do the water level meters work? It seems that watering the plant until the optimum point has been reached is not possible, because the pots start to leak water.