texts:
I would hope this is not off topic. But my question is very simple. When I cut grass around my yard I have some grass that is growing faster than the rest. But the only grass that is growing faster than the rest is the stuff that I did with the weed wacker. the rest done with the mower is not growing as fast. My best guess is that one does a better cut on the grass than the other. But if anybody could explain this that would be great.

Update: I use a mix of a riding lawn mower a a push mower. Both set to about 3" in height. The blades are slightly dull on the rider and the push mower itself is new. I usually never water my grass, I let the rain do that for me. I do not use any fertilizer. I am not sure about what types of grass I have. Some areas have grass that grows thing but thick, and others that grow pretty big but few blades per plant.

I use the weed wacker around fence, the mail box, under my big trailers, around the house etc. I use .065" 5-point star twisted line but will be going to .08" twisted square once the other stuff is gone. The weed wacker is not the most powerful but is loved by the owner :). It could use a cord, or battery.


texts: What's causing the yellow spots on my rosemary?

texts:
I live in Carmel Valley, San Diego and I have a rosemary plant that has been sitting in my back yard for almost 6 years. The weather has not changed for quite a long time. The soil is a free draining sandy soil. A week ago, the rosemary started flowering. It had only flowered once before four years ago. When I looked closer at the leaves, I found yellow spots on most of them:

The camera makes the color more green but really the whole leaf looks yellower and not healthy. Normally I would wait a few weeks just to see if it would go away, but I also started noticing white fruit-fly sized flying insects around the rosemary. I'm also particularly worried because my parsley had been infested by these insects a few days ago:

Also this insect:

I uprooted the parsley and disposed of it properly and I'm wondering if these are the same insects that are damaging my rosemary. What do you think is the cause of the yellow spots on the rosemary? Should I get rid of those insects and how?

Some more images: 1, 2

Sorry for the blurry images and thanks for any help.


texts: How far does a gallon of fish fertilizer go?

texts:
I'm using an organic liquid fish fertilizer (3-3-0). The instructions say to dilute 1 Tablespoon in a gallon of water, every two weeks for vegetables. But it isn't clear how many plants this will feed.

This will depend on how much my plants really need, but I'm looking for a ballpark -- wondering if I'm spreading it too thinly. Is a 1 gallon feeding good for:

2 cabbages, or
20 cabbages, or
50 cabbages?

Not that I have 50 cabbages... just want a benchmark application rate.

(For anyone reading my other question about nutrient imbalance, this application is to a newer garden with very different soil analysis.)


texts: What types of fruit are most likely to be eaten by vertebrate pests?

texts: So there are tomatoes in my backyard, and for some reason, nothing seems to eat them even though lots of birds visit the backyard, which surprises me. Do birds and rodents (mice and squirrels) have a preference for certain fruits? Like high calorie ones over low calorie ones?


texts: How can I clean up my lawn from weeds? What kind of weed is this?

texts:
I recently purchased a house last year, and am noticing that most of the lawn is weeds. There are a variety of different looking ones, but there is one type that is all over my lawn, probably taking up about 60-70% of it. Can someone tell me what I can use (hopefully safe for grass/lawn since it is everywhere)? I attached a photo below. I've tried BioAdvanced All-in-One Lawn Weed & Crabgrass Killer, but I do not think that is working unless I am possibly not spraying enough on?

Description of first photo: bottom of the picture is basically the same picture I took in the beginning. It is the the beginning of this weed growing in the grass, at the same height as my grass. Top of the picture is the edge of my property going into the woods, this looks like same weed, but obviously in a much more mature grown state since I don't mow that area.

Description of second photo: I tried to pull out just one long strand of the mature grown weed.

Description of third weed: close up of roots.

Description of fourth weed: original picture of weed in my lawn.


texts: I have a man made fibre glass pond that I want to fill in, it is now empty, however do I need to puncture the base and sides of the fibre glass prior to filling, unfortunately I cannot remove it as it is too well bedded in place, so I will just have to fill it in as it is. The back garden is all laid with slabs so I am going to lay slabs over it once it is filled in, so will I still need to puncture it so many times in the sides and base?


texts: Identifying green prickly branches plant

texts:
I am interested to know which plant(s) that is. The one with long branch falling on the ground. Its branches are prickly. The flower, I discovered that two days ago, are white with small orange dots (very nice, good surprise, hope to see more of those next year maybe). I have noticed that in the winter those long green branches become woody and die (I guess they die, but the plant, somehow is very resistant and keeps surviving without any green).

Is the white stuff on the leaves a disease? Mold or else?

Also is this part of the plant, or is it a companion? You can also see the roots in the pot, very much like someone tried to do a bonsai, though I am unsure what happens.

Since last winter I am giving plant NPK and water, nothing else.
Thanks a lot. Help is appreciated.


texts: What kind of flowers are these seeds from?

texts: These are some seeds that someone gave me. I think they're some sort of flower, but I'm not sure.


texts:
This Is growing in a brick in my backyard.
Im Not Sure What It Is. Does someone Have
An Idea? Is Shaped Like A Small Chinese Tree.


texts:
I plan to build a seating area close to my neighbor's yard.

The little problem is privacy, and I would like to solve it by making a cherry laurel grove. Since I am a kind of plant-collectory person, I would like to have various cherry laurels.

Can you help me design that area?

The size of planned cherry laurel area is appr. 6m x 2m (18ft x 6ft). It is a very sunny area. Existing magnolia, cherry and maple are dwarf or stunted specimens, and do not represent significant light or other barrier.

My yard landscaping style is naturalistic (so no formal features) ).

This is not my yard (though I wish it was), but a visual explanation what I want to achieve:

The cherry laurel cultivars available in my area are following:

’Any’ - H 0.8-1m, W 1.5-2m - young leaves dark red;
’Caucasica’
’Etna’ - H 2-3m, W 2-2.5m - young leaves copper-orange;
’Kleopatra’ - H 1-1.5m, W 1-2m - young leaves light copper-orange;
'Mano' - smaller than usual (6x3cm) leaves
’Marbled White’
’Otto Luyken’
’Reynvaanii’
’Rotundifolia’

I would like to combine as many as possible cultivars.

I don't mind light pruning in the future.

Is this a good idea at all?

Can you suggest some placement of cultivars? (I will be looking at the grove usually from "future seating area", so that view is more important; "desired view" mentioned in the diagram is a larger view to the rest of my yard that I want to remain unobstructed)


texts: A good sized portion of my backyard had to be reseeded 2 years ago after the septic drainage was replaced. The new grass has now come back in but there are large areas (10'x20') of crabgrass in it. What's the best way to go about getting rid of this crabgrass? I live in USDA zone 4, or 5.


texts: How to fix an aloe plant broken off from its root?

texts:
My aloe plant broke off from its root in the pot.  It looked healthy and I have it sitting in water at the moment.

Will it get a new root started in the water, or it is best to try repotting?


texts: What are some good vegetables for a beginner, and how do I find quality seeds?

texts:
I have taken a recent interest in gardening, particularly growing herbs and vegetables.
I don't know much, but I'm going to wing it and learn from trial and error.
I have a few questions that I really need answered in order to advance with my new future hobby:

What are the easiest and quickest vegetable plants to grow, that are self-sustaining so that I don't have to be constantly buying new seeds?
What should I look for when searching for safe and quality seeds?
Are micro-greens worth it? And what are some alternatives?


texts: What is this disease on the growing tips of my peppers, and how can I control it?

texts:
Please have a look at these images of my hot pepper plant. Notice the growing tips which seem withered and diseased.

What disease is this and what is causing this? What are the solutions to counter this?

Location: India.
Weather In May-June: Hot! > 95F days.


texts:
Can anyone identify this orchid? I found it growing in a mango tree. I am on the Tropical island of Trinidad in the West Indies, so Tropical rain-forest similar to the Amazon. My mother may have bought it and the birds distributed it, so I do not know if it is a native to this part of the world.

Any help will be appreciated.

Palm like leaves and psudobulbs:


texts:
I bought this ficus a week ago. Already one leaf has dropped and another has these weird spots – but at the same time one new leaf has come through green and another looks to be on its way.

Are the weird spots sign of a fingus or something else terrible?

It was dusty, so I washed the leaves (plant-based eco washing up
liquid I figured would be ok).
It's still in the pot from the shop, and the soil seems to be just as
damp as it was seven days ago.
It's about three metres from a big window, the light isn't intense at    all.

Never owned a rubber before so maybe I panic too soon?


texts: How to trim a rubber tree plant when all of the leaves are at the top

texts:
I want to trim my rubber tree because it is too tall, but many of the leaves have fallen off. Now, there are only a few leaves left, and they are all at the top.

I water it about once per week and fertilize about every 3 months using 19-6-12 Osmocote smart-release plant food. I live in Seattle, WA, so it has been inside about October-April, and I just moved it outside.

Also, instead of cutting off the branch, I was going propagate the trimmed section into a separate plant using air-layering. But where should I cut it?

I think the plant hasn't been doing very well because it lost a lot of leaves over the winter while indoors. I just moved it outside, so I hope to strengthen its stores before beginning the trimming/air-layering process.

Update:

I think I will follow @stormy's and @Bamboo's advice by doing the following:

repot the plant and only use distilled water.
cut down the mainstem to the highest lateral, and propagate it
air layering on the side of the longest remaining lateral and propagate it

Does anyone have suggestions about the timing of these tasks? Here is my schedule: I repot first, wait 3-4 weeks, cut mainstem and propagate, wait 1-2 weeks, air-layer and propagate.

Also, just to be sure, where should I cut the mainstem and where should I perform the air layering on the longest remaining lateral? Here is a labelled photo of my plan:


texts: Why are my grow lights helping some plants but not others?

texts:
I have two 20 watt grow lights in my basement shining on some potted herbs and some sprouts, in soil, not hydroponic or anything like that.
I grew the sprouts from seed and they seem to be thriving. But I also have a Greek basil plant and some chives, which I transplanted from my outdoor garden, and they don't seem to be growing at all.
I've seen videos of people growing massive amounts of basil under grow lights and I'm a bit puzzled why I'm not seeing the same thing.


texts: How do you know if you are watering a plant too much vs. too little?

texts:
I live in Arizona, and I can never tell if I am watering my plants too little or too much. Plants are very touchy here - and you have to be able to read the signs correctly. I can't.

What signs are there for each?


texts: Stems of my areca palm are gone brown and no new stems are coming out of it. How can I save my plant?

texts: I keep it indoor in semi bright space and water in after 2-3 days.


texts: Growing Money Plant purely in Vermiculite

texts: Is it possible to grow money plant only in Vermiculite? The plant grows in soil and water, so can it grow only in vermiculite, as vermiculite retains water really well?


texts: South/East Florida tree to help identify

texts: The rest of the neighborhood has southern live oak, but this one house has this tree. It doesn't have pointed leaves like some other Southern Florida tree identification requests (one, two).


texts: How to effectively remove wood chips from the garden?

texts:
The house that I recently bought has wood chips covering the entire backyard except for the flower beds and deck. I would like to remove them and increase the flower bed size and put stones on the path. The previous owners put plastic sheeting down and then spread the wood chips all over it for about 2 inches high. My question is, what is the best way to remove and dispose of them? The main reason I want them gone is because they house a lot of insects and slugs. Some of the slugs are huge.

EDIT: Clarification, these are wood chips and not mulch. These are wood chips that chip off when you cut wood using an axe. If needed I'll post a picture tomorrow.


texts: What purpose do these towers serve in drip irrigation?

texts:
I bought a foreclosed house that already had drip irrigation installed. The system can be turned on via a control panel in the garage. The previous owner was angry that he lost his house so he snipped many of the irrigation tubes before leaving. I've ripped out most of the snipped tubes and thrown them away, in preparation of redoing the whole drip irrigation system. What remains are these tower like structures spaced about 7 feet away of each other.

What purpose do these serve?
Are they connected to my water supply? So should I be wary of flooding the backyward by pulling these things out?
Should I replace them with new ones or are they too expensive / time consuming to replace?


texts:
I am considering planting about 4 asparagus plants in a 5'x7' patch.  The asparagus will take up most of the space in the patch.  What companion plants would work well in such a space?

Wikipedia recommends: Aster Family flowers, Dill, Coriander, Tomatoes, Parsley, Basil, Comfrey, Marigolds.  Has anybody tried these combinations?


texts: What bamboo species for a container-bound green wall?

texts:
I have a boring grey northwest-facing-with-southwest-exposure concrete wall on my balcony, outdoors, in Vancouver BC, that I would like to turn into a lush wall of bamboo.

I have one container whose inside dimensions are 14cm × 81cm × 43cm deep (5½″ × 32″ × 17″ deep). The inside of it has been prepared with landscaping fabric, and the bottom is lined with metal cans to promote drainage and prevent rot. Holes in the bottom of the container permit water to escape.

Vancouver does not get very cold in the winter (temperature history), and these plants will enjoy heat emanating from the building walls, all year round.

This balcony is an alcove, rather than something that hangs off the side of the building. Sheltered, it experiences low winds. The building is concrete, and I would rate the load capacity of the balcony as functionally unlimited. There is a drain in the balcony floor for water runoff.

Which variety would you plant to grow a thick, tall screen?
How would you prepare the growing medium?


texts:
I have this orchid that's sprouted some growths. From two places on the old flower stems, there are growths that look like they might become leaves. There is also a shoot emerging from the base just above where the roots are, but it is growing upwards and the top appears to be splitting - it does not look like a root. What is this orchid doing (I have no prior experience with orchids)?

Pictures below:


texts: Part of my yard was dug up for utility work. They filled it in and put sod down. I'm in US Midwest and winter is upon us. The low temperatures have just recently begun dipping below freezing, highs are still above though. Should I water the new sod? If so how much water and for how long?


texts: Could date palm pollen sold as a food supplement pollinate a female plant?

texts: I’m trying to obtain date palm pollen to pollinate a female date palm. However I have no access to a male date palm. I’ve seen bags of date palm pollen being sold online as a health supplement; would this be a source of viable pollen?


texts: Identify houseplant with tall stem and long thin leaves

texts:
I am wondering if anyone could possibly identify this houseplant.  I don't know much about it, as I received as a gift.  It's fairly slow growing and quite resilient.  Lack of water will cause leaf tips to brown, but it recovers very well.

Thanks for your help.


texts:
I have a Plumeria that went gangbusters this summer.  I want to divide the plant and do it all over again for next year.  I am seeking advice on where to take the cuttings.

For reference here is the plant....

In the next image, I am showing areas that I am considering for cuttings.  The red outlines show where I am certain I can take a cutting.  There are many more, but I am only showing a few in red.

How about the yellow areas?  Can you divide a Plumeria stem into several cuttings and propagate that way?


texts:
How to kill stickers, sandburrs, goatheads, in Bermuda grass lawn
I remember a post mentioning something about treating while grass was dormant. I just don’t remember what chemical and how often? Please help


texts: Is there a correct moment to start forcing rhubarb?

texts:
So some of my rhubarb is just starting to show signs of life. A vivid yellow-green-red bud is starting to burst from the old brown husk. I'm planning to force some of the crop. Is now the right moment to start?

Do I have to wait for it to reach a certain size? Or could I have (should I have) placed my forcing jar (or whatever) over the dormant plant back in mid-winter?


texts:
This tree has had a tough time recently. It was heavily pruned by a former resident, and until recently was buried in the middle of a dense bamboo grove. The bamboo visible to the right is 30+ feet tall and was completely surrounding the tree.

Click on photo for full size

Anyway, there what looks like a white fungus or growth covering large portions of the upper branches. I don't know if the tree's trauma contributed to the growth or what, but I want to know what I should do about it.

Is the fungus just natural and I should let it be? Will it resolve itself now that the tree has a better environment? Does the tree need professional help? It's not particularly bothering me, I just want to make sure the tree is getting the care it deserves.


texts: Transparent crystal-like secretion on my orange tree

texts:
I have  a young Valencia Orange tree (citrus senensis) which is doing great, and growing quite well. However, on one of its recent (small) branches, some sort of transparent secretion appeared in a single, localized spot. (It looks like crystallized sugar. I have added a picture below.)

I have tried removing it, but it came back. Is it something I should be worried about?


texts: Why is it recommended to plant squash on mounds?

texts: The title is pretty much the entire question: why are squash & zucchini so often planted in hills?


texts: How to automatically vent a cold frame during the Winter?

texts:
I am working on building a cold frame and have purchased a Univent automatic opener to vent the cold frame by lifting the lid/light.  However the Univent opener is not supposed to subjected to freezing temperatures or it will break.  That is surprising to me because it seems most people would want to use an automatic opener during times of the year that there are freezing temperatures.

Does anyone know whether a Univent opener can handle freezing temperatures?

What are some alternatives for automatically venting a cold frame during the Winter?


texts: Does moss require darkness when grown indoors?

texts:
People always say that moss prefers to grow in (moist) dark, dappled, shady, or otherwise low-light conditions. Strictly speaking, I don't believe that's the case.
I think in a natural environment it generally tends to appear that way; mainly because constant, full sunlight will typically consist of significant amounts of UV & IR radiation, in addition to visible spectra.

Even more significant (I think) is the implied rate of water/moisture evaporation, that moss is sensitive to.

My hypothesis is that moss (if kept moist), grown indoors, under a bright LED light, isolated from harmful UV & IR radiation, should thrive.

My question is twofold: a) Do you agree; and if so: b) Will moss grow better under these conditions 24/7, or 12/7?


texts: Is there a way to kill the mold on soil surface in pots?

texts:
I’ve had mold growing on the surface of my pots for a long while. I kept removing the soil from the surface but that didn’t help. So I went and bought expensive fancy soil!! I took out the plants from the old soil and tried to clear them ip as much as I could and replanted them in brand new pots with the new soil. But bingo! There’s mold growing again.

These are citrus plants that I’ve grown from seeds and I use citrus feed when I water them. I live in a reasonably cold and very damp climate and I don’t water them too often (once a month or so?) they’re indoors behind south facing windows. Is there something I could spray onto the soil to kill the mold?

I searched thoroughly before posting this and did read the relevant posts which mostly suggest preventing mold. However I’m wondering if there’s any anti fungal spray I could use on soil, ideally home made.

Oh, by the way, could it be due to the plastic planters? I notice the other plants taken out from the same old planters and planted in clay pots don’t have any fungus. Maybe the plastic isn’t breathable? But for now I’d like to kill the mold if it’s an option as I don’t have the time to buy other pots and replant again.


texts:
My wife and I have a worm compost pile in our workshop that processes a few pounds of food waste a week. Up until now, it has been used in outdoor gardens.

Now I am starting some indoor plant gardens and would like to use the nutrients to benefit them.

The problem is that the worm compost pile has various mites that don’t disturb things outdoors and are natural, but I don’t want those in my indoor gardening setup.

From what I’ve read, I can make compost tea, then throw out / recycle the compost remains and add that to my indoor gardening.

The other option that I’ve come up with is to do some sort of sterilization (baking) that I’ve seen some gardeners do when bringing outside soil indoors. Is that a dumb idea and would it remove all the nutrients that the worms worked to produce?

If I’m thinking about this all wrong, happy to hear any feedback and appreciate the help.


texts:
I have a young Acacia bonsai which has been invaded by mealy bugs (I believe?), primarily on the branches circled in red. They are brown, stick themselves to the plant, and can be seen walking up and down branches (they have legs), especially after I poke one. And they have excreted white hairs, crystals and blobs.

I first used rubbing alcohol and an earbud to directly kill most of them, but have since been spraying daily with this insecticide. From what I can tell it has been killing off the stragglers. I have some questions:

Can I keep the infested branches or would the plant recover better if I pruned them off completely?
How much longer should I keep with the spraying?
Can I leave the dead mealy bugs on the plant?  There are hundreds of them and it would take hours to remove each one and I'll likely further damage the plant in the process. Will they eventually be worked off as the plant grows and recovers?

See close ups (these mealy bugs are all DEAD):


texts: Can anyone identify this abnormality that is on my dwarf citrus?

texts:
I recently noticed what looks like small beetles on our dwarf citrus tree.  Can anyone identify this abnormality?

Click image for full size

Is this something harmful that I should attempt to treat?


texts: What is causing these circular spots on my pepper's leaves?

texts:
I recently posted about a pepper plant that I got from the local market. Lately, I have noticed circular whitish-brown spots on a lot of the leaves and this seems to be gradually spreading to other healthier parts of the plant. I've pruned the plant to get rid of the affected parts and kept it away from all my other peppers but it seems that the pest or infection is coming back.

Any idea what this might be and how I can treat it? I'm just worried about this ravaging my whole pepper plants - got some 20 other varieties in another location.

Thanks for all the help.


texts:
I am super worried about my ivy plant. I bought it a few weeks ago and it looks like is already dying!

The leaves have these brownish, almost black, areas all over the plant, especially the upper part. It also had white powder all over it, which I suppose was powdery mildew, which seems to have decreased.

I have been removing the damaged leaves and spraying a solution of bicarbonate of soda, with liquid soap and water (which are the white marks on the leaves).

New leaves keep showing these black areas, get weak, dry out and fall off.

Why is this happening and how do I prevent or cure it?


texts: Can bent grass be controlled without toxic chemicals?

texts:
Due to the large number of golf courses in our area, we have a problem with bent grass invading fescue and bluegrass lawns throughout the county. Next to crab grass, it is one of the things that clients complain most about as it looks completely different from the original lawn and often suffers from pests and grows poorly under our typical lawn programs.

I understand that there are some products on the market that selectively attack bent grass, but we would prefer not to use these products for a number of reasons - primarily because everything around here winds up in either our aquifer or the bays.

So what are some strategies for preventing, managing, or controlling bent grass in residential lawns?


texts: Every year I am getting more of this type of grass. From a distance it looks like regular grass, is dense, grows in patches, spreads and is a bit lighter than my normal grass. And is there a fix? I live in Pennsylvania. Thank you.


texts:
We buy fantastic fresh corn from the farmer's market.  If we leave it for a few days, sometimes the cob underneath the kernels has turned black.  However, the kernels are still golden and taste fine.

Why does the cob turn black?


texts: What is this tall, broad-leaved plant from Central NY?

texts:
I have this growing on the bank behind my cottage and am very curious to know what it is:

It has long, broad leaves that narrow and expand drastically
It's at least 6 feet tall
The stem is about 1" in diameter thick, is green with purple streaks, and appears to be smooth.
There are no flowers on top (this is in early August in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York)


texts:
What is this monster weed? It grows back every year and I yank it, but I can't dig out the tap root because it's too close to the gas line.

It is in Norfolk, VA, USA in full sun.

I'm kind of curious about whether it will flower, and I decided to let it grow this year for identification. It's over 6 feet (>1.8 m) tall at this time, and looking rather wilted today in the heat.

Reminds me of a thistle, but it doesn't really have that many barbs, and the ones that it has don't prick my finger when I touch them.
I don't want to let it grow much longer, because I'm worried about it going to seed and spreading!


texts: What combination of herbs are good to plant in the same window box?

texts:
My brother-in-law gave me basil, rosemary and mint.

I planted it in my window box and the basil and rosemary seem to be doing well. The mint dried up right away. I removed most of the dried leaves. Yesterday a couple of new mint leaves came out!

Will my 3 plants cohabitate nicely together in my window box? The window box measures around approximately 24" x 5" x 5". It drains into a shallow trough.


texts: Why is my otherwise healthy indoor meyer lemon dropping so many leaves?

texts:
I have a meyer lemon tree indoors that appears very healthy except that it is losing all its leaves.  As such, I'm worried that it's actually dying.  I've checked the other answers on Gardening SE about indoor lemon trees (there's a lot) and none of them show the same symptoms.
I received this lemon tree last spring as a gift; it came in a pot and was probably a year old, I'd guess (around 0.5m tall).  It had no blossoms or fruit.  I repotted into a bigger pot using a raised bed soil mix (for good drainage) and kept it outside through October.  It was quite happy, tripled in size, bloomed, and started about a dozen fruit.
Starting in November, though, it got below freezing some nights here in the Pacific Northwest (Zone 9a), so I brought it indoors.  I put it by a window, but since none of the windows in my house get direct sun, I also added a pair of LED grow lights (one red/blue, one full-spectrum) on a 10-hour on/14 hour off cycle.
A couple weeks after bringing it indoors, it dropped off most of the incomplete fruit ... all but the two largest ones.  Then it bloomed again, more than it had outdoors. And then it started dropping leaves.  Since then, it's been dropping leaves daily, and is down about 1/3 of its total leaves, which has be quite worried that it's dying on me.  The strange thing is, unlike this question or this question, the leaves are glowingly healthy until the moment they drop off ... dark green, shiny, with no brown or yellow spots at all, as are all of the tree's leaves.  It just seems to be dropping them for no reason.  The two lemons on the tree continue to get bigger very slowly; it's been 3 months and they're not even turning yellow yet.  Photos:

Meyer lemon in its pot with grow lights

Fallen leaf.  Notice how perfectly healthy it looks.
Should I be alarmed at the leaf-dropping?  How do I get it to stop?  Is this normal and will stop on its own?
More information:
The Meyer lemon is potted in a 2-gallon plastic pot, with a mix of the citrus soil that came from the nursery and some high-drainage raised bed mix.  That pot sits on top of a tray full of crushed pottery for drainage.  I've been watering it once or twice a week depending on how dry the soil feels.  I may have overwatered it somewhat when I first brought it inside, but not since then.  I've periodically fertilized it with a diluted general indoor plant liquid fertilizer; I'm going to try actually using a citrus fertilizer next as long as that won't make things worse.  The grow lights are a 17W Sylvania blue/red grow light, and a 9W GE "balanced spectrum" grow light.
Thanks for any advice!


texts: Is there anything that really helps against the Box tree caterpillar once they are spreading?

texts:
About a week ago I noticed that some of our Boxwood plants (Buxus Sempervirens) contain a green caterpillar and a few days later the caterpillars had spread rapidly to almost all other Boxwood plants.

After I bit of Googling I found out it's the Box Tree caterpillar, an invasive species that was accidentally spread from Asia to Europe (and my country The Netherlands) 5-10 years ago. Some say that spraying with certain pesticides may help (which I'm reluctant to do because I try to do organic gardening as much as possible), but others say that once the caterpillars are spreading nothing really helps anymore.

I tried to remove all caterpillars I could find by hand (at least 150), but the next day I found about 20 caterpillars which I probably missed. I'm not sure if this approach is effective and I suspect it will only delay the inevitable. I also noticed that almost all Boxwood shrubs in at least a 1 km radius around our block are affected.

So my question is: is there anything (handpicking or pesticide) that really helps against the Box tree caterpillar when they have already spread around the neighborhood?


texts: Is it OK to use a trimmer when my reel mower does not work?

texts: I recently bought a house and have this 250 sqft backyard with really tall grass (about 7 inches). I found an 18" push reel mower and an electric trimmer (weedeater) thing in the garage. The reel mower is not able to cut anything, I guess, since the grass is really tall plus the blades looks really dull to me. So my question is: can I use the electrical trimmer to cut 1/3rd of the grass in the entire lawn a couple of times and then go back to using the reel mower when the grass gets manageable. I mean, is it OK to use the trimmer for the lawn, or are they specifically meant for edges and would destroy the lawn if used to cover the entire area?


texts:
A cabbage plant on my pot seems to have formed a head, however I am not able to see the head completely as the cabbage leaves have converged and closed themselves towards the head and is very much tightly stuck inwards.

I am afraid to open the leaves by force to see the head. I suspect that the plant is dead?

I shall post a picture later, but can someone help me whether is this normal or the cabbage has any disease?

Thanks for any help on this issue.


texts: Why does my avocado seedling have just a tall stalk with no leaves?

texts:
I've planted an avocado seed in dirt and it has begun to grow, only there are no leaves: just a skinny tall stalk.

Any idea as to why the leaves are not growing?


texts: This tree (Minnesota) started losing its bark about 1.5 years ago and it's getting worse. There is also an area on the tree that looks to be rotting. I could seal the hole but now I'm worried the tree is a lost cause.  Any thoughts?


texts: How come my Venus flytrap’s mouths are sort of turned out and won’t shut? I have tried touching the trigger hairs, and I always keep the soil moist. Please help.


texts: How can I keep ants off of my hummingbird feeder?

texts:
I have a hummingbird feeder hanging from the side of my carport, and I noticed today that ants had discovered it. Since it's right next to my house, I don't really want the ants learning that there's food around, and they keep drowning in the nectar which seems to be driving the hummingbirds away as I've seen less of them around since the ants discovered it.

I placed some tape around the hook that the feeder is hanging from, thinking that maybe they would stick to it then stop coming, but it's not sticky enough for them I guess because they walked right over it.

I do have another hook a couple feet away that's holding a bird feeder, so would it work if I just switched them every few weeks you think? How can I keep the ants away?


texts: How to prune an overgrown (and now flowering) Dracaena?

texts:
My cut Dracaena (houseplant) has become very tall, and now one of the "branches" has flowered. What is the typical way a Dracaena is maintained as a household specimen plant as it outgrows the configuration as seen in the example below?

My Dracaena is currently about 6 feet tall total (1.6 meters). The main trunk meristems were cut between 3 and 4 feet (0.9 - 1.2 meters). So as it continues to grow, do you typically top off the secondary side shoots (producing more side shoots?) or do you cut them off completely (promoting new sideshoots) or can you cut the main trunk (below the original offshoots) to start afresh?

What about the stem that has already flowered? (see the second example picture below) Is that branch's growth terminated by the flower? What do I do there?

What are my options in keeping this plant going long term?

(example photos below, not my actual plant)


texts: Why does my in-door pomegranate tree seem stressed?

texts:
I have a sweet pomegranate tree (I bought a 2-3 year old plant from here) that I bought about 9 months ago. I have it planted in a 12" diameter, 14" deep pot with drainage holes at the bottom that sits on a saucer. I planted it in Miracle-Gro Performance organic all-purpose container mix. It is lit by a 36W full-spectrum 95 CRI grow light that I keep on 24-7, since as far as I can tell pomegranate trees don't have photoperiodism, and need as much light as possible. My apartment is north-facing in Michigan, so the only way to give it more light would be to have more grow lights. I have supplied nitrogen fertilizer with fertilizer spikes recently about a month ago and they still there. Our municipal tap water has an alkaline pH of 9.5, so I have used ferti-lome soil acidifier plus iron (w/ iron, zinc, sulfur, magnesium, and copper), to help lower the pH. The last application was awhile ago. I recently measured the soil pH at 7.5, which I see as just a bit high. My understanding is that the ideal is around 6.5. Because my apartment was a little chilly over the winter, I used some heating pads and a temperature control (like the kind for germinating seeds) to maintain the soil at 75F, and I still have that system in place, because I think it should be helping.

For a fairly long while, the tree has had aphid problems, but I think I have finally exterminated them with a fairly aggressive use of pyrethrins in neem oil, since my first less-agressive treatments did not seem to be effective. I think this is likely contributing somewhat to the plant stress.

My tree has never looked as good as when it first arrived with large dark leaves. Currently, the leaves are small and light green, and many of the tips are brown and dead. Slightly older leaves often turn mostly yellow and then fall off. I examined the roots today and have included a picture of them. They seem fine but had not extended through the pot as much as I had thought they would. I have also included pictures of the brown tips and of some new growth.

Even though I have tried many different things, I have not been able to see any noticeable improvements over most of past 9 months I have had this tree. What am I missing or doing wrong?


texts: How can we keep high air humidity with a simple setup?

texts:
I want to plant a small size sinningia in my office. I read about the plant and found that it requires high air humidity.

How can I maintain a high air humidity in my office with a simple setup?


texts: What is this creeper that may be giving me a rash?

texts: I'm trying to identify which plant in my late mother-in-law's garden is giving me a rash. I think it might be this creeper that seems to grow both horizontally & vertically. The location is eastern Virginia, USA. Any help you can offer regarding identification would be a great help.


texts: Can I use weed killer to eliminate grass growing between my bulbs?

texts:
In the borders on the front of my house, I have a number of shrubs and bulbs that come up every spring. Every year, once the bulbs have died off, I dig the soil and rid it of the weeds and grass. Every year, the grass comes back and by this time of year is entwined with the bulbs such that they look a right mess:

Click photo for full size

My question is, once the bulbs have died back, can I use weed killer to kill the grass and weeds off and will that solve the problem forever?


texts: Sarasota FL Tree identification for my wife

texts: My wife took this photo and asked me to ID... my plant id app and web search fruitless (sorry) so far. Any body help


texts: My avocado plant is 14" tall with only a few leaves on top

texts:
Help!  My avocado plant is at least 14" tall but only has a few leaves at the top.  It is very healthy, despite the lack of leaves.
I started this plant with a humungous pit (see pictures).  The avocado was so huge when I bought it, but upon cutting it open, found this ginormous pit with very little edible fruit surrounding it.  So I thought I'd see what happened if I planted the pit., (i.e. try and get something for my money!) It rooted within the normal amount of time and its' stalk grew to twelve inches and had these really beautiful, healthy red and green leaves on the top.  I didn't know what to do to stop the stalk from getting any bigger, or if I was even supposed to, and was wanting more leaves to develop, so I took a tip from a you-tube video and cut the stalk back to 4".  Nothing happened for quite awhile so I replanted it to a larger pot.  Then a new stalk emerged from the side of the first stalk and pretty much took off from there. The new leaves at the top are not nearly as pretty as the first growth from the original stalk, (hardly any red in them, , mostly green), but they are still very healthy-looking. The new stalk does have a few little tiny buds along the sides of it, but they haven't grown any more as the first ones did. (The pictures shown are of the first stalk that I had cut off originally, and just stuck in another plant pot in order to take a picture for prosperity's sake before it died.
 I don't want this plant to get any taller, I just want a lush, leafy plant!  Any suggestions?


texts: Is there a tree whose branchs intertwine together?

texts: Is there a tree whose branches intertwine together? in the sense of forming braids and also if there are trees whose branches literally going through each other.


texts:
I think I made a mistake: I put (~15) seeds of courgette into a big bowl in seed-compost (low-nutrition).

Now one week later they are starting to sprout and I realize that this was maybe not the best choice as they will grow fast and develop roots quickly.

Can I wait one more week before potting them on into a small pot but this time with garden compost? Or should I act now before too many sensitive roots have developed?


texts: Wondering why my zucchini flowers are closed? Should they be open? I know some flowers close at night and open during the day, however my flowers seem to be closed all the time.


texts:
I have a tree heather (Erica arborea) in my rockery (acid soil) which I grew from a seedling about twenty years ago. Until it was severely damaged by a prolonged freeze-up last winter, it was about seven feet tall, flowering regularly and thriving. Unfortunately, the weather was so harsh that it is now barely alive. I have cut back the deadwood, and all that is left are two branches, both of which are in leaf and stemming from the same limb (see photos; click to enlarge).

Do you think it may be possible to save it and, if so, what sort of first aid would you recommend?


texts: Evergreen screening tree/shrub which will grow well in ~3-4 hours of sun?

texts:
I have an area where I'd like to grow an evergreen screen.
The only issue I foresee is that the location gets morning shade and only about 3-4 hours of direct sunlight (in the afternoon) in the summer, and a little less in the winter.
Is there a particular screening tree or shrub that would thrive in this amount of sunlight?


texts: I bought a fern at Walmart just a few weeks ago. It had been in the frost at least 3 times and they were going to pitch it out. I was wondering if anyone knows how to save a dying fern? It still has green leaves.


texts: I have no experience in gardening. I have a pot of Calla lilies but I have no idea how to take care of it. It came with a label that suggests keeping it at a sunny place. But apart from that, I don't know anything else. How often should I water it? How big and deep should the pot be? When should I transfer it to a bigger pot? Is there anything else I should know?


texts: What is the name of the seed/fruit in this image? It was obtained from a bush.


texts: My olive tree's leaves have dried out but bottom of trunk is sprouting. What should I do?

texts:
I bought an olive tree a few weeks ago. It had new growth and it looked healthy, although I think it was not held in direct sunlight, and when I bought it, it was standing outside - Northern temperatures (Denmark, Europe - similar to zone 7 in the States).

I primarily bought it because I thought it would be a nice plant for my orangery, so I placed it there, where it would get sunlight and warmth.

After few days, I re-potted it in a larger pot and used mediterranean soil, added some fertilizer as well.

Temperatures continued to increase, where there was a period with 25-27 degrees Celsius (77-80 F) outside, and the plant was inside, in almost direct sunlight (only shaded by the ceiling of the building, which is some sort of translucent plastic and permits light to pass). I watered regularly, though not every day for the fear of overwatering.

About 1 week later, the leaves (especially new growth) were starting to dry out. In 1 week more, most leaves dried out and some turned brown.

Today I noticed it has sprouted from the buds at the bottom of the trunk, so I was relieved it isn't dead.

However, all leaves at the top seem dead and dried. I didn't notice any sprouting in the crown. Is there any way to save the branches? Should I remove the sprouts at the bottom, or is that going to kill the tree completely?


texts: Can the bananas of this variety be eaten?

texts:
I recently purchased this banana tree in a flower pot. I've attached two photos with its label. Do you know if the bananas of this variety can be eaten? (Does the "\" icon over the fork and knife mean that they can't be eaten?)

Moreover, should I have it in full sun, or is it OK if it's in shade? Finally, how often should it be watered?


texts:
Not sure how exactly to tackle this question. Our lawn (and the neighbors on either side) have sad & anemic front lawns. Both neighbors have tried numerous approaches, from sod to chemical baths - with the same muddy result every time. We share some obstacles to lawn growth, here are the ones I've been able to identify:

Clay: the area is more clay than soil, only crabgrass and moss seem to survive
Trees: lots of shade
North-facing: not sure how this fits in, my thumb is nowhere near green
aggressive mowing: the neighborhood service rolls the riding mowers through whether the grass is dying or not, so anything we do will need to be hardy

Is there anything else I should factor in? I know I need to do a ton of research, but I hate it when I don't know what I need to know... Or is this a lost cause and I'm better off looking into alternative ground cover?


texts: What is this plant with flowers in subtle shades of red?

texts:
I noticed this plant in a public area:

There were several specimen. Most are red-flowered:

Digital photography and monitors can't reproduce the exact color, but in nature it is red 'carmin rouge':

Some of them are of lighter red:

Almost pink:

Leaf:

I know it is a known plant, but I don't know its name. What about you?


texts: Can I use the water that collects on our large pool cover?

texts:
My wife and I have a large inground pool that we winterize and cover all winter. It collects a hefty sum of water and other organic material all winter and in the spring I end up pumping this bog water off into the yard and shoveling the solid stuff onto the brush pile to burn. It's not chlorinated or treated, it's just whatever hits the cover after we close it up for the winter.

I was curious if there was any value in spraying the garden with it? We start our garden from seed in the house so hitting it with some potentially good water from the get go might be swell.

Is there is some nutritional value from all the decaying leaves and pine needles?
Is there any testing I can do with it? We have quite a few pine trees and I would be worried about the acidity?
Can I salvage some compost from the solids?

It seems like such a waste to throw onto a brush pile or away. We're trying to be environmentally conscious and all.


texts: How do I determine what vegetables I can grow on a hot arid island in June?

texts:
I will be spending four months on Lanzarote this year, an arid island off the African coast, and want to grow vegetables for home consumption there.

The summer is sunny, hot, and dry; local agriculture (mostly potatoes, squash, carrots) is suspended until the winter months. Extreme temperatures during the summer have been known to reach 38-40°C (about 100-105°F).

There will be access to water, but it's expensive so water economy is an issue. I'm looking into things like wicking beds to minimize water use.

This year, I will be there between June and late September before moving there permanently next year. This June, I would like to start to get my bearings, build the soil, and try out some vegetables to see whether they are viable in summer.

Because the climate is so different here, the usual seasonal growth charts you get for veggies don't seem to really apply.

How would I determine what vegetables even have a faintest fighting chance in this climate, with June as a planting date? (or is that date completely unsuitable?)

Here are the average temperatures on the island:


texts:
Location: Palm Beach, FL - zone 10A

My garden was infested with weevils and some other kind of fungi. I sprayed it with Monterey Garden Insect spray a week ago. This week, I noticed that my plants are dying. I have some new plants that I am ready to put in the ground. Is there a way to decontaminate the soil that I have now and reuse it? Purchasing new soil is not in my expense at the moment. I am adding some pictures of the plants,so you can have an idea of how they look..


texts: How can I do permaculture in a city garden?

texts:
I'm currently looking for a new home, and one of my goals will be to use permaculture for my yard.

Living in a dry climate (Denver, CO gets about 15 inches of rain per year) that gets freezing winters, what plants would make for a reasonable amount of fruit and nuts per year?


texts: What is this plant with narrow leaves at the edge of my flower bed?

texts: Does anyone know what this plant is that is popping up near my pansies and daylillies?


texts:
My "raised" beds are infested with weeds and way too high maintenance, so I am planning on completely obliterating the garden, putting down weed block fabric, topping it with sand and rocks and pavers, and then getting some aluminum feed containers with fresh soil to plant in.

However, there is a large blueberry bush I don't want to leave behind. I could try digging it up and replanting it in one of the containers, but worried I will kill it and maybe even take the weeds with it's soil.

Or maybe there's a way to block the weed around it? Maybe tape up the stems and seal the ground with weed block fabric and rocks? Anything like that exist? I tried a rubber tree ring, but the weeds climb up through the gaps anyways. Mostly the vine weeds (morning glory?).

Any good ideas?

Thanks!


texts: How efficient are stump removal chemicals?

texts: As a skeptic, I am generally wary of any claims that say something that is generally hard is made easy by a product.  I was wondering if anyone could offer some advice if they have experience with various stump removing chemicals on the market (not looking for product specific advice).  Assuming that one follows the directions on the product, what is its efficacy?


texts:
I'm hoping someone can help me but I'm afraid it's too late. I've had a cactus for about 3 years and he suddenly started losing color, turning brown, and getting a little droopy (see pictures) a few weeks ago.

I moved to a new apartment 1.5 years ago, where I put the cactus at a northern facing window. It was doing ok there and I watered it the same amount as my other cacti, which is once every few weeks. I also have him in a pot with a hole at the bottom and use a cactus mix as the potting medium. My other cacti are doing perfectly fine.

Then a few weeks ago I noticed this one was starting to lose its dark green color, which led me to believe it wasn't getting enough sunlight. So I moved it to another space where it could get more direct sunlight in the mornings, which happened to be next to an open window. After I moved it, it started to get noticeably worse- looking a bit 'shriveled' and turning brown at the bottom! The brown part is not mushy, although I can tell the cactus seems a bit weak because part of it is starting to wilt. I really don't think it can be root rot because I don't water it enough for that to happen.

Any ideas what's wrong with it and if I can still save it? Thanks!!

[enter image description here]2


texts: Both of the trees are very brittle and dry. They are both either pices mariana or one of them may be a pinus aristata. I started growing them in the summer and they were fine but when winter came along they started to look like this. I water them when the soil starts to look dry. Also I keep them in my window seal at all times (there’s a radiator right below) I got them from a kit off of amazon also.


texts: What is this little narrow leaved rosette forming plant?

texts:
I have a little plant and don't know it's name. I don't know how to maintain it or what kind of soil or fertilizer it needs. Any suggestion is welcomed in advance!

Edit1: Can I bring out the root, and take a picture of it. IMO, If I know it is a taproot or fibrous, It might help in maintenance and the soil it needs. is it right?


texts: I am worried about using a metal stock tank for my worms.  I heard that is is ally bad for fish, so wasn't sure about worms.  Just starting out and it is what I have on hand to begin with.  Hoping this works out really awesome since I would like to grow worms into a promising business venture:)  Thank you so much in advance for all your knowledge.


texts:
I have a few bell pepper plants out in the garden and they are finally starting to bud. Is it a good idea to prune the older and larger leaves below the buds to encourage larger fruit?

I am growing them in a Topsy Turvey™ and they are doing quite well.  The ones I planted in containers seem to be getting their leaves munched on a bit which is why I have been pruning those.

What is the best practice with regards to pruning leaves in peppers or other simple leaf type plants?


texts: Plants with nutritional requirements similar to Cannabis

texts:
What are some short plants that preferably could be grown indoor which have similar nutritional requirements (in terms of N-P-K ratio, doses etc.) as Cannabis?
The purpose of this is testing a mineral fertilizer for Cannabis, without actually growing Cannabis as it is illegal in my country.
I was looking into Cannabaceae family and found out that Hops are closely related. However, due to its size/height it won't be convenient to grow it at home. Also, I'm not sure if being in the same family implies similar nutritional needs.
Plus bonus for valuable/exotic plants.


texts: Broccoli seedlings are way too tall but thin and weak

texts:
I just started sowing broccoli indoor this month and after a week or so, I saw this

They are almost 4 inches long but cannot stand straight. Did I not push the seeds in deep enough? Or is this kind of broccoli like that? I bought from a Chinese grocery store. They are so long and weak, some started to break now.

But they seem not ready to plant down the outside garden though, right?

UPDATE 1

According to the article, Leggy Broccoli Seedlings, looks like it's lack of light or too hot. I don't think it's lack of light because it's next to the window and it's sunny all day. The temperature is 70-85 range. So maybe it's too hot in the house?


texts: what kind of tree is this in central Florida?

texts:
Tree with dark green leaves on the right, not the pine on the left.

in very sandy soil. wondering if will be difficult to transplant? does it have thorns? deep hard roots? What time of year good time to transplant.  Should i trim it first and give it time to remover.. cut around roots and then get under it?

Almost looks like an orange tree.


texts: Solar pump for a fountain 36" water height

texts: I am looking for a solar-powered pump capable of driving the water 36" height (and a couple of feet sideways) to retrofit an existing fountain.  I see lots of pumps with solar panels but they can't drive the water that high.  Can I chain 2 panels together and with the right pump get this to work?  And recommendations on a good pump?  I assume 12v/24v with each panel providing 12v.


texts: How can I ensure my perennial herbs survive in an above ground planter (1.5' x 5') year round?

texts:
Never been much of a gardener, so 10 years ago I bought a house with a mostly asphalt backyard. So, different season of life now, my wife and I are starting a small garden of mostly food bearing plants.

We're located in Calgary, Canada where we have long winters with lots of Chinooks (warm wind that will randomly bring the temperature up to 10-20 C and melt everything).

Our raspberries are planted below ground and are thriving. This year we added some herbs (thyme, sage, etc...) and strawberries. However, as we're limited in space, these are planted in the above ground planter box. The guy who sold us the herbs suggested that freezing over the winter for many of the perennials would be fine, but our Chinooks could likely kill the plants if they were planted above ground. Any truth to this? How can I ensure that my plants survive our strange winter? Can I just shovel lots of snow onto it and hope the planter box never gets the chance to thaw?


texts: Reviving some soil using fertilizer, how long to wait before planting?

texts:
I had a planter full of a nice soil mixture but let it go dormant and dry out for a year or two. Recently I have kept it around some other plants, exposed it to more light, and applied fertilizer (fish-based fertilizer then a couple of days later worm castings from kitchen scraps).

Can seeds be planted in that soil now without harm or are they better off being planted after the freshly-fertilized soil rests longer? If I should wait in between fertilizing and planting, how long?

The seeds I'm interested in planting for this soil are a mix of salad greens. The concern with planting the seeds too soon is that the fresh fertilization will somehow injure the seeds.


texts: Why are there holes in these green radishes?

texts:
I was at my local supermarket when I noticed these green radishes which all had these holes in their sides as seen in the photo. The skin of the radishes around the holes look too smooth to have been created by hand, so I was wondering whether this is something that occurred naturally when the radishes were growing, or if it was something artificially done to the radishes for some reason.
I looked up pictures of green radishes on Google but none of the pictures showed any holes in the radishes, which only makes me even more curious. If anyone who stumbles upon this post has an answer to satisfy my curiosity that would be awesome!


texts: How to prune a Zelkova seedling turning into a multi-trunk tree?

texts: In October '18, I started growing several Zelkova trees from seed.  One of them, pictured below, is doing remarkably well. However I'm concerned about it's branching structure.  Almost immediately from the start, the lead stem split off four ways. They are all about the same height and I can't tell which is the dominant.  I'd prefer shaping this into a single trunk tree but am unsure if I should prune this early in life? If yes, is it too late to fix this? Any guidance would be much appreciated.


texts:
So this plant was a present and its blossoms were already kind of wilting when I got it. I tried my best and repot it asap and watered it on a regular basis. It had a few symbols as instruction how to care for it, for example semi-shaded and lots of water. But still, the blossoms hung more each day. I was told to remove the "dead" parts carefully, which I did. I still regret it as I feel like it could have been saved.
What should I do to save this plant or what exactly am I doing wrong? And does anyone know what kind of plant it is?


texts: What are the names of these two succulent plants?

texts: I want to know the name of these two plants and how to care for them?


texts:
I had a beautiful, thick, well established patch of pachysandra in my yard that is now decimated. To put it mildly, I don't have a green thumb and since I have a full time job and three young kids I also tend to neglect my yard/plants. I do, however, have enough sense to notice if something isn't quite right, and I will admit that I noticed the pachysandra was a little leggy last summer/fall. By that I mean there were several plants that "stuck their necks out" above the rest. They were lighter green/yellowish than the rest. I didn't make much of it.

Anyway, this spring after the snow melted the pachysandra is 95% gone. As in, not there AT ALL. The few stragglers left are sickly looking-the leaves have brown, shriveled, dry tips and there are only a few of those at the very top of the plant. The stems are long and bare. We didn't have a worse winter this year than last. We did have a late snow storm (April) for our region (Southeast New England) but the pachysandra was like this before that.

From the research I've done I think it might have been blight. How can I tell since I don't have many plants and of the survivors there is so little foliage to examine? I'm thinking it doesn't matter; I am probably going to have to start over with new pachysandra plants or perhaps some other ground cover. In either scenario, is there something I should do to prepare the area (in case it was a fungus or some other pathogen?)


texts: Resloping Around Foundation With Mulch Bed

texts: I am getting small amounts of water in my basement after large quantities of rain.  I think the issue is related to a slight negative slope around part of the foundation where water is seeping in.  I want to try to build the slope up around this area that has a mulch bed about 25'x5'.  Should I dig out the old mulch before trying to regrade with a few yards of soil? I'd estimate a few inches of mulch in the area at question.


texts: Can I start a fruit orchard where cedars used to grow?

texts:
Looks like I have about 2 acres of cedar trees on a southwest facing slope. If I clear all this land and open it up can I start an orchard (apple and cherry) on it right away or will I need to do something to the soil first. I have heard that nothing grows under cedar trees but not sure if it's because of all the shade or it the dead needles actually do something to the soil. Anyone here ever done this?

What other things should I check for before investing in all this?


texts: What is this extremely drought-tolerant bush with yellow flowers?

texts:
I live on an arid island and it's summer - meaning that most every plant that isn't irrigated or a succulent is dead or dying.

However, I walked through a disused quarry today and amid all the desert there was a  magnificent, huge bush brimming with life!

It is extremely unlikely that someone is watering it, and it's located on a hillside so there doesn't seem to be any natural irrigation (other than the morning dew).

I would like to propagate this plant and grow it where I live. We are at risk of flash floods and urgently need to stabilize the soil around the property. This bush looks like it could help.

Can anyone help me tell what kind it is - and in a next step perhaps, how to propagate it? (Although I might be able to find that out on the Internet as soon as I know the genus.)

It seems to all be coming from one stem, if that helps. It's not like a fig that grows loads of saplings underneath if you let it.


texts: Is there a way to undo the damage to moss after applying a moss killer?

texts:
I applied moss killer and the moss turned black in numerous places on my lawn but especially in a couple of shady 3'x 3' patches. But I have read a couple of articles saying that moss isn't that bad and it's ok to leave it alone.

Since the patches are shady, moss probably is the best thing for them and grass probably won't grow easily there. So if I wanted to "undo" what I just did and have the moss come back, should I just leave it alone and wait for the moss to come back? I don't want dandelions and other weeds to appear there instead.


texts: Plastic glasses as containers for seedlings - yes or no?

texts:
Is it OK to repurpose plastic glasses as seedling containers for the mid-phase between initial development in trays, and final planting in the garden?

(I am going to make holes with a cigarette at the bottom of the each glass; this is the cheapest solution that I know)

The glasses are available in sizes 200-500 ml.

EDIT: I read (see, for example, this question and this question) that light affects microlife in soil, and even that root can think it is a branch (!), so transparent or semi-transparent glasses would be in that sense unsuitable, but I hope, since this is only temporary, this won't have significant impact.


texts: When and how should a wisteria be pruned?

texts:
I just moved into a house which has two well established wisteria plants growing on the front of it.
To our knowledge, it's been here for about 30+ years and we'd like to get it under a little control with it being so thick.
You can see from the pictures that there is a lot of really thick, but seemingly rotten trunk at the base but this hasn't stopped the plants from growing quite vigorously...
Photos attached - we're in the North-West of England FWIW.
Any advice on what we can/should cut back, and when, would be greatly appreciated - also pointers to wisteria care - type articles...


texts: Is it possible to create miyawaki fruit tree forest?

texts:
Can you help me with the miyawaki method of fruit tree forest?
In the internet, I couldn't get complete details about the method.


texts: Plant coming up under creeping junipers and in other parts of perennial gardens

texts: As I said above I just noticed shoots of plants coming up throughout my garden.  They are a red color tip attached to very long bright green/yellow roots.  Would like to know what this is and how to get rid of it.


texts: Is this trimmer damage or disease on silver maple?

texts:
We recently bought a house with a young silver maple tree that looks pretty damaged at the base of the trunk. Does this look like disease or damage from a trimmer? I put the mulch ring around it recently so the previous owners likely had to mow right next to it.

Additional details:
Thanks for the thorough answers. The tree is around 90 ft from the house. There are several mature silver maples in our neighbors yards that are much closer. The sub-division we live in was built in was built in the 1970s and it seems like they planted a ton of silver maples with each house. We aren't particularly attached to this tree, but don't want to remove it if it has a good chance at thriving.


texts: What are the consequences of not removing all the buds on my young lemon tree?

texts:
I have a potted dwarf Meyer lemon tree which is just entering its first flowering season (well at least the first that I've had it - I don't know how old it was when I bought it from the nursery.) I have seen a lot of things which say that it is very important to remove all the buds from citrus trees in their first year, or even their first few years.

Is this true? Would there be bad consequences if I left a couple of buds?


texts: What is the best way to sow grass seed in high rainfall areas?

texts:
I have tried sowing onto loose soil and covering with grass clippings, but the rain floats the seed and the clippings into piles and the pounding action of the water buries the seed in the mud.

I have tried spreading compost then sowing seed onto that, then covering with grass clippings, but the result is the same.

Some have suggested I try straw, since the straw is physically large enough to resist the water. I hate to use straw because it would take so long to decay and the grass I am planting is very small compared to the straw.  I wouldn't think the grass could grow very well from under the straw.

Some have suggest grow mats, but this is costly and the mats take a long time to decay as well.  Further, if animals claw at the mats, it could uproot an entire section of grass.

Some have suggested the mulch made from recycled newspaper, which once saturated, doesn't float.

Some have suggested sand.  The sand doesn't float and doesn't provide much resistance to seedlings trying to grow through it.  Sand is also very cheap.

It is impossible to time the weather so that I can get a guaranteed 2 weeks without rain.  It takes 7 days for the seed to germinate and another week for the grass to grow big enough to resist severe thunderstorms.  We don't get light showers.  If it rains, it is always a heavy downpour of 3+ inches.

So, the question is: What is the best method to sow grass seed in this environment?


texts: What is this yellow and black insect and how to get rid of them?

texts:
This insect creates a very small beehive like home in a corner of our pergola. What are they are how can I get rid of them?

I tried spraying Ortho Home Defense insect killer but they came back.

Or maybe it's safe and I don't need to worry?


texts: Should I prune a Venus Flytrap to prevent it from digesting itself?

texts:
My Venus Flytrap is quite crowded, there are traps under traps and I've noticed one clamped over the stems of another.

Should I prune it?  Will it digest itself?


texts:
So my lavender plant isn’t looking so good. It is dried out on 3/4 of the plant. Has been this was since Aug.

I think it may have gotten some exposure to roundup through the roots since some weeds were sprayed in the area.

Can it be saved?  Or should it be pulled and replanted?


texts:
Is there any way to get tulips to bloom again this year? I know some flowers bloom again if you take the dead flower heads off.

Mine were looking great until a squirrel came along and eat every single one, so now I just have a garden full of tulip stalks. :(

Thanks


texts: Approximately how long will it take for sunchoke to appear after planting?

texts: Approximately how long does it take for sunchoke to go from planting to sprouting above the ground?


texts: What kind of shrub with long green spiky leaves is this?

texts: I got stuck in the forehead by one of the spines Wednesday and it is still sore. It bled a lot Wednesday. Yesterday I popped it and some pus came out. It is still red and sore. I just want to check and make sure the spines are not poisonous or anything. This tree is in our back yard. We live in Anderson, SC. It was something my father-in-law had planted years ago. We live in the house now. My mother said it was a palm, but that's all she knows.


texts: Chinese Elm bonsai growing and losing its leaves every 3 to 4 weeks

texts:
This is my first bonsai. It's a Chinese Elm that I've had for a little under a year. I live in London, UK. It is situated in a bedroom with a roof window and a dedicated LED desk light that is on all day to try compensate for the limited amount of light coming through (see setup below). It's watered with a watering can until the water flows to the bottom plate.
Here's the issue: it goes through repeated cycles where it loses all its leaves, grows them back, only to lose them again after 3 weeks. It started at the end of fall last year and has happened about 4 times now:

I've tried to change the feed regimen, water more often (but then some mould started appearing at the surface). I've also tried an insecticide in this last cycle, it hasn't done anything.
My questions are:

What problems result in cycles where the plant grows and loses its leaves repeatedly over a 3 week period?
Before they fall, a lot of leaves are partly discoloured (see March 22 and 24 above). Is that a usable symptom?
The LED is a normal desk light, does it need UV light?

It would be very appreciated if anyone had any theories that I could try. My setup is below for reference.


texts:
I’ve recently bought a property in a ‘dry chalk valley’. It’s an old barn with a paddock out the back.
I bought an electronic soil pH meter (two prongs with an analog dial meter) and followed the instructions. The result was a pH of 4.9.
I’m confused as there are lumps of chalk in the soil. Surely if the soil was so acidic, the chalk would have dissolved? I’m reluctant to buy another testing kit to get the same result, but then my flimsy knowledge of chemistry suggests that the meter I’ve used is inaccurate.
If the land was used for equestrian purposes in years gone by, could this have affected the soil pH? Is fresh horse manure highly acidic?

UPDATE
Here's a shot of plants growing adjacent to where I did the pH test. Additionally I bought some (ageing) litmus-style tests which suggested the soil was slightly less-than-neutral, but not outright acidic.


texts: What plants can I grow on my apartment balcony in India?

texts: I'm from India. I have an apartment with a balcony, and would like to plant a few vegetables and flowers. The climate here is very sunny. I've already planted brinjal, ladies finger, tomatoes and a few leafy vegetables. I have a place to plant something else too. Can anyone suggest what else I can plant? My best choice would be a flower with a good fragrance.


texts: What is this fruits ? pingpong ball size, skin like balsam pear

texts:
I saw this on a Chinese site zhihu, auther is a fruits hunter .

He said this fruit is one of his favourites, juice smell very good , 10 times better than strawberries.

Search 金光果 in Chinese search engine give me another fruit.
I only want to know this.


texts:
I'm not sure how this tree got here. I don't think it was planted so may be it's a result of an Apple core being thrown in the bushes but it's here, and the fruit is edible.

The trouble is that it's now too tall to harvest the apples, and to spray it to treat the Apple scab. The height is the same as the one storey house it's beside.

What sort of pruning is still possible to bring the branches to reachable height?

I'm thinking of making these cuts while it is still winter.


texts: what are these white hard 'bubble' spots on the branches of my 18+ year old Weeping Japanese Maple?

texts: What are these hard white 'bubbles' on the branches of my 18+ year old Weeping Japanese  Maple tree??


texts: What procedure should I follow to compost bones, fat, and rotten cooked food?

texts:
I have read that composting things like bones and fat should be avoided as it can get smelly and attract pests.  However, I expect that there are a lot of nutrients that I am wasting if I threw these things in the garbage (or the city compost).

So, I am planning on building up a new compost pile this fall and letting it run till next fall.  I have a ~2' diameter, ~3' tall compost bin.  I am planning on lining it with composted manure and bone meal to deter pests.  I will supplement the heavy kitchen waste with plenty of branches and leaves.  Will this work?  What else should I be doing (esp. about the pest deterence)?


texts: What is this weed, and how to remove it?

texts:
Does anyone know what this is? and how I can remove it from my yard without hurting my yard?

This is in Houston Texas, it is found just through-out my yard. It is full sunlight pretty much all day, and it popped up about two weeks ago and it seems to love the rain we have been having lately.


texts: What causes dark brown spots on guava fruit?

texts: I am from India and I see that young guava fruits have dark black/brown spots on them. I grow them at my home. I have attached photos of the fruits. Could someone help in identifying the disease and possible treatment for the the plant and fruits?


texts:
As the title would suggest, I may or may not have given my kids e. coli by steeping a bag of what I thought was mushroom compost in a 35 gallon drum and watering my garden with it. (I know it was mushroom compost, I don't know how much manure was in it)

I don't believe I ever watered directly on the lettuce or kale leaves, but that's more than likely where they got it from.  I wouldn't water directly on the leaves regardless.

What I did was take a burlap rice bag, filled it full of mushroom compost and steeped it (or rather just left it) attached to the lid of the drum and used that water.

The next year I tried making vegetarian compost tea using thistles, nobody got sick but that somehow left my drum even dirtier than using manure and would clog up the faucet on the drum.

Anyway, I'm just wondering what the proper setup is for manure tea (aka compost tea), should it be done in the shade? how fast should you use it? do you need to clean the barrel after using it?  What is a good store-brand manure to use?  How can you be absolutely sure the manure is fermented before using it?


texts: These guys (beefsteak tomato plants) were transplanted outside two weeks ago, and aren't doing well. Their leaves are yellowed and brown. I'm not sure if they're getting too much sun or have a mold issue. Any help would be appreciated.


texts: What's causing the edges of my blueberry leaves to burn?

texts:
Last year, this Sunshine Blueberry plant was doing stupendously - not a burned leaf in sight. Now most of the leaves appear like they're burning. Also, the fruit never mature to full size before they shrivel. I'm not even sure if those flowers are pollinated because they just look like blue versions of its flower and the weather is not hot enough for bees to come out. What's causing this?

California Bay Area zone 9
Water it once per week because the weather is still cold.
It's in a terra-cotta pot.
Temperatures have been on average 65 F during the day and 45 F during the night.
Haven't fertilized it this year yet. I'm waiting until the weather warms up. Last year, I used cottonseed meal to make the soil acidic.


texts: How can I fix these light spots in my lawn?

texts:
In the picture below, you can hopefully see some lighter spots on my lawn, marked by yellow lines. Does anyone know why I have these? Do I need to fertilize more often? Is this a fungal infection? How can I restore my lawn to its green color?

Update: This is sod that was laid just this past August - J.B. Sod Oregon Premium. I fertilized 6 weeks after it was laid (Scott's terfbuilder without weed control) and again last weekend; second time with a fall fertilizer. I watered religiously.


texts: It started out with large green leafs with cream colored spots. Then it got a flower leaf like a calla Lilly with a cream stem. Now the leaves & flower have dried up and there is this cream colored stalk about 1” in diameter with orange bead like seed pods on the to half of the stem


texts: Why did my African Dwarf marigold plants dry up after only half a month?

texts:
Recently I started a marigold plantation farm. At first the plants were healthy and had good flowers, but after half a month, the plants dried up one by one.

Observation: when I observe, I see that the most bottom leaves start to dry and turn to a dark black colour first, and then slowly the problem goes higher towards the upper portion. Meanwhile the plant blooms but the flower is a reduced size.

Is there any option to get relief from this symptom?  If yes, please kindly provide me with the fertilizer or whatever it may be. It's urgent.


texts: How can I care for my euonymus japonicus president gauthier?

texts:
I bought a cheap supermarket mixed planter pot about 3 years ago. I left them outside in a damp, sheltered area with little direct sunlight. The plant I now believe to have identified as euonymus japonicus president gauthier flourished while others died.

As recently as 6 weeks ago he was effortlessly surviving snowfall and frost. We joked about how tough he was.
Recently we decided to give him a better home so I repotted him in a larger pot with fresh non-Ericaceous compost.

Unfortunately, he hasn't adjusted to this very well:

He seems to have wilted and lost a quarter of his leaves.

A few of the leaves have curved pieces missing like they've been eaten (a few looked like this before repotting too).

The stem is brown and dry looking in places (this was present though not as noticeable before repotting).

Please advise how to look after him better or what might be the problem with our EJPG.


texts:
Greeting friends,
newbie to gardening here and currently growing dahlia I bought last month from local florist, bought with flower blooms for about 2 weeks and then wilt and I cut it, there’s also flower bud that turns dark Idk but I think it’s rotting , there are some new shoots growing and I’m planning on separating it from mother plant.
Question is what is the proper way to do separation?
I also read somewhere that Vitamin B need to spray once a week after repotting, is it true?
Here’s photo of my dahlia (sorry can’t find way to make it upright)

Thanks and have a nice day to you all


texts: How long should a garden tractor battery last?

texts:
It seems like every year I'm needing to buy a new battery for my lawn tractor. A battery that worked perfectly well never seems to make it through the off-season in-tact.

Is this normal? Is there something I could do to make them last more than one season?


texts: Caring for noble fir seedlings (Christmas trees)

texts:
I am an amateur gardener turned Christmas tree grower.

Before I cared for cacti (can't really underwater) and venus flytraps (can't overwater) and felt great that all my plants lived for many years.

I now bought a bunch of Christmas tree seedlings (1-5 inch or 2-13 cm in height) and planted them according to instructions (peat based compost).

I believe I am underwatering my seedlings. Their leaves are turning yellow and the soil is bone dry. It's been a steady 25—30°C (77-86°F) here in the UK.

I realized my mistake and watered them well and put them in the shade. Is there any way to revive them?

Example of one of underwatered seedlings:


texts: Are Lady slipper orchids self fertile, and how can you pollinate them?

texts:
I am trying to get seeds from a certain orchid (Lady slipper) I have.  Are they self fertile? What would be the best way to pollinate them?
The genus is Cypripedium


texts: Should I be concerned about this weedy grass popping up in my lawn?

texts:
I live in Middle Tennessee and have a fescue lawn that is largely dormant right now, since we've been having 90+ degree F days for the better part of two months straight now.  Crab grass is thriving, though (I have a question about that here, incidentally).  A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a new fast-growing grass popping up in my lawn, and I at first thought it was selective patches of the fescue thriving in partial shade after we had a lot of rain.

I've since realized that it's a different type of weedy grass, and I'm wondering if I need to try to eradicate it now, as it seems to be spreading very quickly.  It's a lighter green than the fescue and has a different blade growth pattern:

(I'm referring to the lighter-colored grass in the middle/top-half of this photo).  Here's a closer look at this grass:

What should I do about it?  I'm guessing this is probably a native grass that is invading my lawn.


texts:
I'm just getting started with indoor plants and heard the ZZ plant was easy and impossible to kill.

I thought it was doing alright, not overwatering etc. But there are some white spots on the leaves. They've been there since I bought it, and the shopkeeper said they were nothing to worry about.

Are they anything to be concerned about? How do I fix it?


texts: Why do drops of water form on growing wheat grass?

texts: I have been growing wheat grass in a container underneath a light inside. I noticed drops of water clinging to the tips of the growing blades and brushed them off thinking they were left from being watered. A few hours later there were more drops.


texts:
I do a fair amount of habitat restoration work in California. This mostly consists of weeding, watering, maintenance, and some transplanting (of plants grown by other members of the group).

I'd like to grow some native stuff at home so that I can transplant it in the winter (when it rains again). I already have established some silver lupine seedlings, and have high hopes with some california poppy germination.

But the thing I'm really excited about is the grasses. I've been gathering seed for Purple needlegrass, Foothill needlegrass, and Melica Californica. I have a tube tray for easy transplanting.

This is a bit early to start these grasses, but I also don't have full sunlight, so they'll probably be of the right size by winter.

I planted some of these seeds a week ago, and another (small) batch a few days ago, keeping the soil moist. So far there is no visible change. It's likely that I need to wait longer, and it's possible that my first small batch of seeds (picked on May 7, which is a bit early) were mostly nonviable, but I have enough access to seeds and time to try different things, see what works, and apply that to the bulk of the seeds.

Are there things I should be doing to help these grasses germinate? Unfortunately I can't find much in the way of resources for growing these. I've heard of stratification but I'm not sure it applies here. I've been told they shouldn't take long to germinate, but knowing average germination times should be useful. In particular I'm really interested in growing lots of purple needlegrass just because I love it, but I'm looking for advice for all three of these grasses.


texts: Red Anthurium leaf damage and how to encourage blooms

texts:
I have had this red anthurium for 5 years and I was wondering if there is a way to make it bloom more. It is next to a window so it receives a lot of light and I water it once a week. What should I use to encourage more blooms?
Also if anyone could tell what is wrong with its leaves?


texts:
how companies make good quality watermelon seeds?
can I do it by myself?
why we can't plant seeds from normal watermelon in the grocery store


texts: Ferns have not survived winter, what might be the case?

texts:
We are renting a flat with a nice garden in Leeds UK. It has a nice garden in the back yard and when we moved in in July 2014 there were 4 healthy ferns pleasing my eye.

Now, with winter having passed, they all seem to be dead and I do not know when exactly that happen.

I tried to search google for clues about why this might happen, but could not find anything.

Could anyone tell me if this is a normal thing or not (are ferns supposed to not survive English winter?). Could it be a disease?

I have no idea as to what kind of ferns they are, but maybe this picture would clarify this:


texts:
I'm having problems with an invasive vine that climbs over and covers hedges and trees, but I've found it difficult to identify on the internet.  A local plant ecologist in Alexandria, VA identified it as porcelain-berry from some pictures, but I don't recall ever seeing the characteristic multicolored berries on it.  I've seen these vines for a few years now---is it possible for porcelain-berry to not actually produce berries?  Somebody else thought it might be wild grape, but the leaves don't look quite the same to me.  Can anybody confirm the porcelain-berry diagnosis or offer an alternative identification?

Notice the tendrils with which the vines attach themselves to the host.

EDIT:  The vine is now positively identifiable as porcelain berry:


texts: This plant popped up in the backyard so I have let it grow to identify it but I have had no luck online finding it.  I am in Tempe, Arizona so it has survived 115 degrees plus temperatures.


texts: Does the garlic clove need to grow pointed end up?

texts: Is it important that the clove for garlic is pointed end up, or can it grow just as good on its side, and look a little funny?


texts: What's the difference between stacked and trellis when supporting tomatoes?

texts:
I was reading some article that said that stacked tomatoes yield less than those supported with trellis.

I tried searching for images for stacked and trellis tomatoes, but I see the same type of images.

So what is the difference between "stacked" and "trellis"? Being a non-english speaker, I know what trellis is, but I have no idea what they mean by stacked.


texts: I saw this flower on the street but I don't know the name of this flower. Could somebody help me to find please?


texts: What is the best food bait for mice and rats?

texts: We have some mice occasionally visiting our garden. I got some humane (catch and release) traps but not sure of the best foot bait to use in them? Some places suggest peanut butter but ideally I would like something that doesn't also attract roaches and ants. :)


texts:
I have a row of yew bushes, some of which are not healthy at all! I’m in Pittsburgh, PA and have lived in this house 15 years. These bushes used to be healthy (I have old pictures), but over the past five years, the ones toward the end have produced less foliage and turned brown. It seems progressive -- that is, the bushes in front look great (I can hardly keep up with them). Then they get progressively smaller and more unhealthy as you go along. You see the bad ones have top growth but the sides are scant.

I’ve done some research... I don’t use driveway salt. They get sun almost all day (even the healthy ones), and they sit in a line that runs almost exactly east-west. The soil is mostly clay and there’s no standing water here. There is an unhappy looking evergreen tree nearest the unhealthy plants that I plan to take down soon. It’s about 20 feet high. Also, there is ivy around the bases of some the plants, but nothing excessive. They don’t climb into the bushes. I’ve read that this shouldn’t be a problem.

What could be the culprit, and can these bushes be saved? Thanks.

(First picture bushes face south; second, same bushes facing north.)


texts: Help! My cat broke the seed pod off my mango seedling, Will it still grow?

texts:
As I was planting my mango seedling I kept the seed above the soil because I liked the look of it it was really silly as my cat jumped up and paw landed on the pod snapping the pod off!
The mango seedling is about 2 inches tall with 8 leaves that still look rather healthy despite the seed pod being broken off 3 days ago, I also know that it has a very strong root.
Does anyone know if my plant Will Survive or not??


texts:
Boss just give me this pictures asked me about the variety.
Thanks a lot~


texts: Why are the blossoms falling off my tomato plant?

texts:
Some blossoms on my tomato plant are surviving but some are just falling off. The picture shows where the break happens.

.

It has been windy and there are lots of bees around.

These plants are outdoors. I am in zone 9B. I may be overwatering I suspect, but from an article in "The Spruce" I may have gone overboard with the nitrogen. I used bat guano and followed the guidelines on the package. It can't be temperature. We have been steady around 72. It can't be stress. They have been growing happily in the same place for two months.

The stems are fine. There's no brown anywhere, and it's only about 10% of blooms. I have plenty of successful fruiting.


texts: Help identifying this plant from Cali to CO

texts: I have a friend who gave me this plant to look after. They were concerned it was dying and want me to bring it back. Can anyone tell me what it is? On closer inspection, it produces a sticky sap substance from branch and leaf. It’s about 7 ft tall and wispy. It is non-flowering and I believe it’s a tree verses a bush or shrub. The top roots look light tan, possibly a fungus?


texts: Venus flytrap is yellow, growth stagnated

texts:
My fiancé got me a Venus flytrap from the store in February, and I’ve been troubleshooting to keep it alive for several months. It had yet to thrive in any of the conditions I’ve put it in.

While having some early changes, the flytrap is now outside in full sun probably 9 hours per day. It’s St. Louis so stays quite humid. Keeps well watered with distilled or rain water, and is in its original sphagnum moss. Formerly it was in a windowsill getting indirect light abt 9 hours per day, but I read it needed more direct light so finally put it outdoors. Even before I put it outside it began to grow many new stalks at its base, originally with a reddish healthy appearance, but soon after their appearance the growth effectively halts, they begin to turn yellow, and the latent trap remains in its shrunken form. So far I have seen no improvement putting it outdoors for abt 3 weeks. Please see attached pic below.

My main guesses now are that it is too wet (maybe need to add sand), or is unhappy because it has not been able to eat since I first got it, simply because it has not been healthy enough to produce traps. Or maybe there is a root pathogen?

That being said, has anyone had this problem, and is it still possible to resurrect the poor thing from this downward cycle?


texts: Flattened/Deflated cactus, snapped cactus and white spots

texts:
I've been on holiday for 2 weeks, and today I put my cacti out into the sun for the first time in a 2 weeks. I noticed immediately that one section of one cactus had "deflated", or collapsed in on itself.  You can see white spots on here.

As I carried another cactus it snapped. I was carrying it gently, not forcefully at all.

I inspected it and have seen some white spots on them, which I never noticed before, though admittedly never looked too closely. I have read that these may be insect infestations.

I attach some pictures for your thoughts, but my questions are really

1.) How do I treat?
2.) Can I recover the snapped section? If so how?
3.) Should I keep existing healthy Cacti away from these?

Thanks

Regards


texts: Can I grow pineapple plants from seed, rather than crowns?

texts:
The other day, as I was eating pineapple, I noticed that it was full of seeds (see pic below for what they look like). I have grown plants from the crowns on top of the fruit (even a couple patented ones that were mutated to prevent propagation - don't tell anyone :P), but I'm actually interested in starting seeds.

What's the most efficient way to remove them from the fruits?
Do they require special cleaning (I wonder because of the enzyme content of the fruit)
How long do they store?
Do they require treatment before sowing?
What conditions do they require for good germination?

soil type
temperature
moisture
light
planting depth

What kind of fertilizer is best, and when to start applying?
How long until germination, and how long until fruiting-sized plants (under optimal conditions)?

Here's a picture of the seeds, for those who don't know how they look:


texts: Why did the samaras on my maple suddenly turn pink?

texts:
I don't know a thing about Landscaping but have been getting more interested lately as I shop for houses.
Just last week I realized that a maple tree in my front yard had pink "helicopters" (now I know they are called "samaras").  I am nearly 100% certain that this tree has never had anything but green samaras before this year and it definitely has green leaves.  The tree is only around 20 feet tall, and I have lived in this house for over 20 years and never seen this.
Is it normal for the samaras to change color?

At the same time, there is a "red bud" tree that suddenly bloomed this year, when I am (again) nearly positive it has never been anything but green and brown.

Do trees often bloom and/or change seed colors like this?

With the Lilac bush in that same spot in the yard it's suddenly quite beautiful.


texts: Recommendations for inter-planting with buddleia

texts:
I'm about to buy and plant out some buddleia bushes (link if you're curious about type)
Are there any sensible options for either interplanting with buddleia, or planting in front/around the buddleia, that will botanically and aesthetically complement each other.
I'm imagining something that might flower (or otherwise be colourful) at times when the buddleia is dying/being cut back, and that won't detrimentally compete for nutrients.


texts: New construction, massive back yard...crappy lawn and flower bed! please help!

texts:
Its been two years since the house is constructed. I Live in New England region, prior to the new house the land had been over grown with bushes, trees and crappy plants. After construction, builder spray seeded both front and backyard (lot size is about .5 acre). Unfortunately it rained a lot after that and most of the seed washed away, and required for another round of spray seed. We have seeded and reseeded at least 4 times in last two years and aerated it 3 times. However, there is a lot of clover that grows in the backyard, most of the lawn is dead grass. Soil is rocky. Moreover I have also set up couple of flower beds, and almost all of the ones that I bought, died in couple of months, some rose and lavender survived. I am at a loss on how to fix the lawn, especially given the fact that the area is large. I do have a male dog, I doubt he is playing a role in this, because certain areas he frequently urinates, tends to be fine with good patch of grass every season.

Problem 1, this issue is only happening in one area of the lawn, in the front of the house. Its not happening anywhere else. My dog is allowed everywhere in the yard, so it can't be the dog

Problem 2, this is the case throughout the backyard


texts: I want to start composting my yard and kitchen waste and use the compost to fertilize vegetables in my raised bed and some fruit trees I have.  Right now I am not doing composting.  My options are do nothing or use one of the smaller bins (pictures below) that are available through Costco or my city.  The other option is to buy a larger composting bin (I heard 1m x 1m is the minimum).  If that is the preferred option, can someone recommend a bin and whether it would be okay to keep that bin on concrete vs. having it sit on the soil. Dimensions of the City Compost bin is 28x28x30 inches


texts: What fertilizer should I use on agave and cactus?

texts:
I live in Canada, and have several cacti and large agave plants. It's soon going to be time to take them outside as the weather starts to warm up. They are potted in a mix of coir, sand, fast draining cactus soil and a small amount of regular potting soil.

Does anyone have advice on particular types of fertilizers/fertilizer ratios that would be best suited for these types of plants?


texts:
I recently opened my cabinet and noticed that a clove of garlic that I had was sprouting some roots. In my infinite need to experiment, I decided "Hey, I'll toss this in a mason jar with a little bit of water and see what happens!" Well much to my surprise, it's been a week since I did that and now the stalk of the garlic is shooting out the top of the jar and the little "tentacle" looking things, which I assume are roots are about an inch long.

So to my question: If I leave the garlic in the jar with no soil and just a little bit of water (about an inch), will I end up with usable garlic?