texts: What is the rope-like succulent in this succulent group?

texts:
Could you please ID succulent B in the following picture? I know it is a little smallish, but I don't have better picture. What is its hardiness zone? Would it survive the coldness of zone 5, if left outdoor in the winter, while keeping it in its current container and arrangement?

This question is based on another (closed) question.


texts: What should be done about automotive fluids killing grass?

texts:
two big problems are happening due to automotive liquids, and the grass is dying because of it:
The other day I wan over a gas can, and there's a huge dead patch of grass in that spot where it happened.
The next day someone who bought my dad's car had a major coolant leak, of which most got on the driveway, but some got into the grass, and is now starting to form a dead patch.

What should be done about these problems?


texts: How can I save my Venus Fly Trap after being watered with tap water?

texts:
My coworkers used normal tap water to water my Venus Fly Trap.

How can I save it?


texts: Never managed to keep a plant alive for more than a month and then I moved

texts:
So when I moved I got a lot of plants as housewarming gifts. So far so good, it has been 6 months and most of them are alive (except for the orchids). But now they are turning yellow and I don't think that's a good sign. I will post the pics.
For the Ivy I just removed them from their old pots and placed them in bigger pots with soil and for the Bogenhenf I repotted them as well. Could this have caused them to start yellowing?


texts:
Today preparing a mango for breakfast, I retrieved the mango seed. The mango somehow just split in the middle and the inner seed was free. That never happened before. I am now wondering, whether I could plant this seed. It looks somehow damaged.

How do I plant it, which side goes up. How deep do I plant it,  and what else do I need to consider?


texts: How can I deal with the beetles eating my grapevine?

texts:
My mother is in a furor because the grapevine that she planted last spring and which flourished last year is now infested with little black bugs. From what I can tell, they seem to be flea beetles. (Are those thousands of tiny black spots they have left everywhere feces or eggs?)

I’ve read conflicting information about them being a problem, not being a problem, even being beneficial. She is sure that the level of damage they are doing is certainly harmful since they have already pretty much destroyed most of the few leaves that have managed to bloom so far this year.

The vine is not on the ground; it grows up around the porch (she intends it to be used as a sort of privacy hedge when it thickens), so some pest-management techniques like row-covers or growing repellent companion plants around it likely will not work (also, there are already lots of birds that frequent the area all day and they don’t seem to help).

Can anybody advise on how harmful they are and of a way to deal with them? (Preferably something not involving pesticides since they are poison, cost money, and would require searching town for a supply.)

Figure 1: Vine configuration

Figure 2: Leaf damage

Figure 3: Army of beetles


texts:
I have skunks digging up my lawn.  One solution indicates spray 1C castor oil, mixed with 1C dish detergent in a gallon of water.  Would that concentration kill the grass especially since it is mixed with another solution (castor oil)

Thanks


texts: Should I be concerned about these purple stems and dead leaves?

texts:
I have a small mint plant that a friend grew from a cutting and gave me. He had it in a tiny pot, so I transferred it to another pot in pretty short order, and it's certainly been growing. I have not yet used any sort of fertilizer on it. Recently, I've noticed some of the stems are purple, and those purple stems have dead leaves. Here's a picture:

One possible cause that I'm aware of is that it's gotten too much water. I generally keep it out on a window sill, but it's been raining a lot the past few days. Would it be better to keep it inside until the weather clears up (or at least until the soil dries out a bit)?

But more to the point, should I actually be worried about this at all, or is this considered normal behavior for mint?


texts: Will cutting away root(s) of a tree growing under my basement floor kill it?

texts:
The tree looks like a Norway Maple to me, though that hasn't been verified. The small section of the root I found (there may be others close by) varies from 2-4 inches wide. While I'm not certain it's coming from the Norway Maple outside, it's the leading suspect given the sizes of the other trees. I'm attaching photos of the root, the Norway Maple and the other nearby trees (all in my neighbor's yard) along that side of my house.

The Norway Maple's trunk is about 3' in diameter and the root section under the basement floor is about 9' away, 5' under ground.

Am I right in assuming this root is from the Norway Maple? In this situation, would it be more prudent to cut down the tree before/after removing the offending roots?

Thank you.


texts: What are these yellow spots on my Melocactus concinnus?

texts: I purchased this Melocactus concinnus online a couple of months ago. I don't remember seeing those yellow spots on the bottom half of the cactus. It's possible, however, that I just didn't pay close attention. The spots are only on this side of the cactus. What could cause this, and is it a cause for concern?


texts:
What is this white stuff in citronella plant and how can I remove it? It looks like a type of insect. Both of my citronella plants have that. Is it contagious?

I started spraying it today with soap water.


texts:
Trying to help a friend in New York City identify these insects on her Aucuba japonica. My girlfriend and i can't agree if there are 2 or 3 types of insects on the plants.

We're thinking the brown ones might be scale and the white fuzzy things on the stem could be mealybug. Thoughts?

Totally stumped on white things with brown heads (?)!


texts: Peepal tree (Ficus religiosa) grows again and again, how do I stop it?

texts:
Ficus religiosa is a common tree in India, it is called 'Peepal' here. It can grow anywhere even where there is no proper soil. It also grows near wash-room ducts (drainage pipes) of the Apartment building.

Personally I like this tree, but I cannot allow him to grow near drainage pipe of the Kitchen of the apartment I live in. It is going to damage the concrete structure of the apartment.

It's roots are too strong. We have tried removing this tree several times but it grows again and again. Also to destroy the roots, we had used HCL Acid but again it came up.


texts: Does anyone have an idea on how to keep fall leaves out of river rock landscaping? Tired of cleaning leaves out of landscaping for days. Tried using an old pool cover but didn’t work well. Thanks!


texts: How to grow Trailing Rosemary as a ground cover in very heavy clay?

texts:
I want to cover a large area that is on a steep slope with ground cover. There is absolutely no soil at all, it's all pure clay: hard rock when dry and soft when wet.

I was thinking of putting a large pipe (20cm to 40cm diameter) in a hole and filling it with good soil as shown on the picture below. I will also add a small pipe that goes out of the bottom end to drain the excess water.

Will a 20cm diameter x 40cm deep pipe be enough for the roots? My goal is to plant a Trailing Rosemary.

Does anyone has a better way?

Here is the Trailing Rosemary:

source: nzplantpics.com


texts: What's being raised on my wooden raised garden bed?

texts:
This has been on my wooden raised garden bed from long time(now almost 5-6 months) and all over it. Not sure what's it. I haven't seen any insects roaming around, none of my plants have any damage (all plants are healthy).
Not sure if this is a termite infestation. Do I need to worry/treat/remove this raised garden bed?


texts: Which method of growing food crops leads to the healthiest plant with the highest nutrient density?

texts: Plants can be fed organically ( avoiding the use of pesticides, using organic matter to provide nutrients), inorganically ( using chemical fertilizers ), or soilessly when the roots are fed by a hydroponic solution or bathed in an aeroponic mist.  Which of these methods leads to the best plant health, and does this also translate to highest nutrient density?


texts: What kind of plant is this? It has maple-like leaves but is a fast-growing weed

texts: I've scoured the internet but cannot seem to identify this plant. It is growing in the Southeastern United States and is around 3 to 4 ft high. It grows fairly quickly, so I assume it's some kind of weed, but I wanted to be sure of what it was before I pulled it.


texts: What soil problem would cause fruit and vegetable to grow very small?

texts:
One that is lawn clipping compost with a pH 6.0 where everything grows pretty well. The other garden is 40cm deep of supposedly Rich Organic Garden Soil but has a pH of 7.0. The only things that grow well in this one is Shallots, Parsnip and Carrot. What is not growing well are Tomatoes, Bell Pepper, Chili and Coriander.

Here is an image of what my Chili looks like:

What's wrong with my soil? Here is a photo of what it looks like:

I think it looks pretty rich. Could it be the pH is too high? How could I lower it if it's the case?

EDIT1:

Here is what the Parsnip looks like:

EDIT2:

Parsley:

Chili:

Bell Pepper:

16/09/2014 EDIT:

I tested the soil and it gave me some very interesting results:

N: Depleted

P: Adequate

K: Surplus

Looks like the main issue would be the lack of Nitrogen in my soil.
Second issue could be a drainage problem.


texts: Key lime tree: white mush/mold (?) on the roots, and curling whitening leaves

texts:
This is a followup to this question, from a couple months ago. I tried yesterday to edit that question to include the followup, but it was not very well-received -- I assume it was not the right thing to do, so I'm starting a new one.

While my citrus (key lime tree) is now making new leaves, some (3 or 4) of the "big" leaves are still looking unhealthy -- curling, with the edges turning dry and white.

I was not sure it was a big deal (after all, it is making new leaves), until I moved the pot today and saw this underneath:

I cleaned it and removed the white stuff from below, but now am pretty worried.

(I water the plant roughly 1-2 times a week, with nothing in the water -- I am no longer using "liquid plant food" as I used to every time ~2 months ago)


texts:
I found this plant in the coast of a middle eastern rocky desert. I wonder what species it is but more importantly, what is that fluffy white growth on the plant? it doesn't look like a fungus... I'm guessing it's either some sort of flower turned to 'seed carrier'. The width of the branch is approximately 1 cm wide and contains all these nodules as a sort of replacement for the stereotypical image of what a leaf would look like (supposedly to store water more easily).
If that fluffy ball is a seed carrier, how should I collect the seed to plant the species? should I just leave the fluff ball in the soil and water it or would it be better to cut it open. I haven't opened what is in the inside yet though I plan to after getting some responses from here.


texts:
I have recently repotted my schefflera plant (it stopped growing due to how small the previous pot was) and it’s started growing again but all the new growth is yellow! The old leaves are perfectly fine and green.

I’m wondering if it’s an iron deficiency, overwatered or lack of sun - I do live in Scandinavia so sunlight is quite minimal this time of year.

Is this an issue and if so, how can I fix it?

Thanks!


texts: How much human interference is required to help daffodils spread?

texts:
I have quite a few daffodils planted around the perimeter of my garden, and although I see them spreading each year, I was wondering whether I could help thicken the daffodil border without buying new bulbs.

Should I dig up bulbs and split them? Or is that likely to damage them?
Is there something else I should do to encourage spreading?


texts: Would an old refrigerated food display case make a good greenhouse?

texts:
I came into the possession of one of these:

I want to know if it would make a decent greenhouse and, if so, how I could retrofit it to grow some kind of small plants or seedlings.  I think the refrigeration component is no longer functional and will make sure that the coolant has been removed.


texts: Succulent with green/red leaves, small and multiple pink flowers, identification

texts: I've already asked here but the none of the answer were correct and the picture I uploaded was without the flowers. It likes partial sun/bright shade. Does anyone know what succulent is this?


texts: Can I safely take cuttings from this tree?

texts:
I'm thinking about trying to take a cutting from the dwarf Japanese maple in my yard and grow it as a bonsai. However, I'm a little leery because the tree has already endured some damage (as explained here), and I don't want to harm it unnecessarily. Is this safe to do?

This photo gives you a sense of the state of the existing tree:


texts: Does anyone know what type of palm tree is this?

texts:
I have this palm, not sure what its name is but it's rather big and I want to know how to trim it a bit.

Should I cut off a whole leaflet?
Would that kill it?
How big will it grow to be?


texts: Are my roses killing my Lavender bushes?

texts:
We have 3 lavender bushes in our front yard, they get plenty of sun and we prune the regularly. We also have a rose bush which is doing alright, although I did have to cut some stems from it last year after finding worms on it.

I am worried the Rose bush is affecting the soil, and stunting the growth of our lavender. It is about 1-2 feet away, however the furthest one is growing fine and the nearest one is still tiny.

The rose bush was there when we bought the house 3 years ago, and we planted the lavender either that year or the following year, I can't remember exactly.

What can I do to look into this, and help them all grow healthily.

Here is a picture of the plants for reference.


texts:
Sorry I couldn't be more specific in the title (I honestly don't even know if it's a succulent, that's my best guess), I have no clue what this thing is, but I want to keep it alive.

I had this plant for a while, since last November. It grew a little bit and seemed to be thriving in the dryness of winter. Come spring however, and it looks miserable, and it's only getting worse.

It seemed to begin after I started putting it outside, though I'm not sure if that's a coincidence. I generally watered it every 1-3 weeks the amount of 3-5 TSP, but as the ends of the leaves started to shrivel I gave it some every week. Everything I've been able to read says that an over watered succulent will look bloated, and mine is the opposite. I just stuck a popsicle stick all the way to the bottom of the pot and it came out completely clean, suggesting the soil is dry.

I really have no idea what's going on here. Here's a few pictures that will hopefully help you in helping me.

plant


texts: How to create some privacy planting to hide neighbours balcony

texts:
Initially we were going to cover the shed in climbers but we would like to find a way to create some privacy.
I was thinking about bamboo either side of shed door instead but looking for better suggestions.
I will add trellis on the exposed back fence panels and get some climbers going there (just removed a big tree from the back left corner as it took our afternoon /evening sun)

I am based in London , UK and my garden is a clean slate 12m x7m, west facing.

Thanks for your help!


texts: How to get get pups or divide this overgrown aloe vera plant?

texts:
I have a very large aloe vera plant. I cannot see any pups/babies. Is there a way I can divide it into more pots, either so the original isn't as big or just just to have more aloe vera plants?
It's hard to tell from picture but it's very big. I'm having trouble finding pots big enough for it.

Would cutting off a leaf and putting it in another pot work?


texts: Is it helpful to add coffee grounds to a droopy mother-in-law's tongue?

texts: I have a mother-in-law's tongue, Sansevieria trifasciata, that's getting a bit yellow and slightly droopy. A friend recommended that I add some coffee grounds to the soil, which I've been doing, but I'm worried that the grounds are making the soil too acidic. Do you have any suggestions?


texts: All my pineapple plants leaves turned yellow, and drying in about a month. My mother most likely over watered it, about 2-3 times a week. It currently has a fruit which is completely yellow now. How can I save it and grow new leaves??  Thanks a million!


texts: Something is wrong with my jalapeno plant

texts:
Its delivering good fruit, although they seem to go red quickly, and also the leaves look really yellow. This photo is current and I'm in Sydney Australia.

Also, seems to be a small web with bugs in it near the fruit.


texts: Does bleach buildup in water with a hydroponics system?

texts:
Does bleach accumulate in water, or does it naturally evaporate or break down with time?
I have an ebb and flow indoor hydroponics system for watering my plants for weeks while I'm away on travel. I have a 5 gallon tank that contains the water, and a large flow tray contains my plants.
Since this system has to work without attendance for potentially months, mold and algae buildup is a serious concern. To mitigate these, the tank and flood tray are opaque, so no light can get into them (except the top of the flood tray where the plants stick through).
From various hydroponics forums, I've read bleach is a common and effective mold and algae retardant when used sparingly. The amount I use is 1 tbsp per 5 gal. I've been using this for a few months now, and my plants are doing well, and I've seen no mold or algae growth.
However, I lose about 1/4 gallon of water per week due to evaporation and absorption by my plants. When I add more water, should I add the proportional amount of bleach? Or is the bleach I've already added still in the remaining water?
Obviously, too much bleach will kill my plants in addition to mold and algae, so I want to make sure I'm only adding enough that's appropriate and that it's not building up to a fatal concentration.


texts: Can I mulch a plant bed before planting in it?

texts: Can I mulch a plant bed before I plant in it? Can I just clear out the mulch at the spot where I want to plant shrubs later on? I am planning to grow shrubs and ornamental grass.


texts: Does Arugula/rocket flowering mean the plant's crop season is over?

texts:
I sowed arugula/rocket in an outside pot 2 months ago. As it was my first sowing of rocket, it turned out to be too dense so I have thinned it out.

It was growing nicely, but all of a sudden it started sending out long shoots that now have flowers on top of them. Beside this, the leaves are too tiny and cannot be used, and the lower  leaves are turning yellow.

I think the plant is trying to make seeds and then it will die away.

Should I sow new seeds? Is it better to sow them in my garden or in a pot? The current pot is in a really sunny position that can get really hot in the afternoon.


texts: This has sprung up in a couple of spots in my garden in Kent, UK. I can't place it, and assume it's a weed of some kind. Can anyone identify it before I pull it all out? (The one with the long, slender leaves).


texts: Is this moth orchid irretrievably dying?

texts:
Leaves have been dying back for some time but the roots always looked fine.  But then the leaves completely dried up and I cut them back to see if there were any viable stem.  When I found these.

The other plant is Spanish moss I've got sitting on top so I can spray water on both at the same time.


texts: Affect on Netting on Fruit trees that have Flowers and Bees

texts:
I am looking to use a Tree net for my fruit trees to protect them from Birds and Squirrels . One of the trees I plan to spread it over is the " Manilkara zapota " Tree. I had some good production this past month but most of them were lost being eaten up . But it still has a lot of unriped fruits and I was planning to apply the net over it.

Now , While I was standing under it yesterday, I saw it still has a lot of Flowers and literally over 10-15 Bees on those flowers , which are needed for pollination. Now if I was to use the Netting, then I am guessing that would also affect these bees from entering the tree to help in pollination .

One Option I was thinking of going with is the one with a larger mesh size to allow bees through, but small enough for squirrels and Birds. But before I went ahead, wanted to ask the community how important would those bees be for the fruits ?
Can I proceed with netting without worrying about them  ?


texts:
This is a common problem I encounter. What causes this to happen even if the roots look healthy?

It may happen during mid to late summer, at the peak of the summer's heat . Leaves thinning and appearing like cardboard. Summer dormancy may or may not break, but growth is stunted for sure.

This is Gasteria 'Sakura Fuji', and it was plumper and healthier for quite a while. I took this plant out of its pot just today and inspected the roots. There were just very few dead roots. Most are healthy and don't suffer from any pest or disease. I trimmed the long ones, took-out any dead roots I saw, and repotted it.

The old potting mix was 50/50 peat/coarse sand (used for swimming pools sand filters). The new mix is made up of equal parts coconut & Perlite.


texts: What is this Michigan garden insect with a striped body and reddish head?

texts: Here's a photo of a bug in Michigan that's eating my tomato, chard, and other plant leaves.  Can you identify it?  For extra credit, can you tell me how to get rid of it organically?


texts:
I had this seed for a long time in my kitchen in a dry container. I decided to see if I could just plant it in a pot. When I was inspecting it I sensed that the outer shell was now easily breakable.

So I broke it and found a harder core. Except that it split right away. I am attaching a photo of the shell and the split parts.

Which seed is this and how could I grow it successfully?


texts: DIY Kratky method hydroponics for growing Tomatoes using Milk Jugs

texts:
I want to make a small setup of non-circulating hydroponics by Kratky method for growing Tomatoes/peppers using Milk Jugs.
Due to COVID, I would like to get all the necessary items delivered home. So I chose Amazon.com.

Budget: $50-100
Number of plants: just for home needs so: 5-10 plants.
Fertilizer: MASTERBLEND 4-18-38 Complete Combo Kit Fertilizer Bulk
(12.5 Pound Kit)  $40
Net slit pots: 50 2 Inch Net Slit Pots for
Hydroponic Aeroponic Use $16
Seeds: Beefsteak Tomato Seeds - 250
Seeds Non-GMO $2
Seedling starters:  Seedling Starter Trays, 144
Cells: (24 Trays; 6-Cells Per Tray), Plus 5 Plant Labels $9
Growing Medium: I found three options

49 Rockwool Grow Cubes (1.5 Inches) - Growing Medium Starter Sheets (49 Per Pack) $12
Organic Expanded Clay Pebbles Grow Media  2 LB $18
General Hydroponics HGC714135 Rapid Rooter Plant Starters, 50 Plugs  $19

Growing pots: used and sterilized 1 gallon Milk Jugs.

Total Price:  $79/85/86

What do you think about this setup? will this work? Am I missing something?
Are there any other cheaper/reliable options?


texts:
Got some soil from a friend, the soil used to be grow a indoor plant but it died. After bringing it back home, I dug around a bit, and found all these white dots thing in the soil that almost look like salt. Anyone knows what they are??

Updated: Managed to get some closeup shots!


texts: Strange spots on leaves on rubber plant (Ficus Black Night)

texts:
I purchased this plant about a couple weeks ago and when purchasing I saw these strange tiny black spots underneath the leaves but I went ahead and purchased anyways since it was the last one left.

Could someone please help me identify what these spots are? Thank you so much


texts: White object under pomegranate tree leaf

texts: Anybody know what this is on my pomegranate tree leaf?


texts: How can I stop a walk-behind kubota lawn mower?

texts:
I "inherited" a lawn mower when I moved to a new house. It's a kubota walk-behind one. Unfortunately I have no idea how to stop the engine. There's no usual lever for stopping the fuel on the handle. There's only a choke/fast/slow/stop switch, which regulates the speed of the wheels/engine, but "stop" doesn't seem to stop it.

There's some marketing paper for the mower, but I couldn't find any manual.

Any ideas what should I look for?

Edit: As requested - handle (The left-most, unreadable position is "choke") (click for a slightly larger version):

Mower:


texts: Having Various Issues With Multiple Tomato Plants

texts:
I'm a beginner backyard gardener and I have been growing vegetables in hydroponic containers for a few years. This is the first time I tried to grow vegetables on the soil (22 pots total) and I'm having some issues. All the hydroponic plants are healthy but the soil planted ones are displaying signs of disease/stress. I'm wondering if anyone can help me identify them and advise me on which ones to be uprooted & destroyed.

Every pot has landscaping fabric layer on top of the soil and a layer of gravel to prevent splash & overheating.

I mix 2 tablespoons of Miracle Gro Performance to 5 gallons of water and distribute evenly once a week. I water at late night (3-4 hours before the sunrise) and sometimes at noon as well depending on the weather conditions.

Here are my issues:

First plant has the edges of the leaves turn black and the leaves start curling. I'm suspecting this to be a viral/bacterial disease. It looks unhealthy and plant seems to be sulking. It's almost like someone took a torch and gently flame licked the leaves. The discoloration is also existent in the new growth. In a few days leaves turn crusty and fall. I just applied neem oil - baking soda mix yesterday night just in case if this was fungus. (1tbs per gal for both) Here are the pictures for that one:

Second Plant has black dots (I'm suspecting of this being late blight) and blemished/burned leaves. Dots and fungi like stains appear on stems and on flowers. I'm trying to remove the dying leaves & stem growth but I can't seem to keep up with this. (I applied neem-oil / baking soda mix yesterday to this plant as well) and it appears to be a little better today after the application.

Third plant had early blight I suspect, and I seem to have taken care of it with neem/baking soda mix. I just need verification if that's something that I need to be concerned about:

Multiple plants are displaying "wet looking edges" and they started curling after I applied baking soda (1 tbs /gallon) & aspirin (200mg / gallon) mix yesterday night to prevent them from getting the diseases spread. They also started displaying white spots a while ago (which I'm suspecting of a bug damage) I don't know if the mixture actually baked the plants (although I checked the forecast yesterday and it was not above 83 degrees today at any given point) Here are the images:

I would appreciate very much if some guidance is provided before I took down the entire plant that displays any sign of disease/stress as I'm starting to think it's getting out of control. I have some of those plants planted in hydroponic containers and they are disease-free (they are in a screened patio but still are outside.)

Thank you all in advance.


texts: Does wood chip need to be allowed to age before use if not planting nearby immediately?

texts:
I've been offered several deliveries of fresh wood chip from a local tree surgeon. This is ideal as we are planning on building new 'no dig' veg beds ready for use in the Spring (~5 months away).
I understand that wood chips, no matter what type, need to be left to rot for a few months before use, to avoid 'nitrogen robbing' and (in some cases) phytotoxin breakdown.
The plan is to use wood chips for the paths and 15cm of manure for the veg beds, all laid over a double-layer of cardboard (i.e. 'no dig' beds).
My question is, since we won't be planting any veg for a while yet, is it okay to prepare the paths and beds now, or do we still need to let the wood chip rot in a pile for a few months before putting down as paths? I'm not sure whether (a) effective rotting only occurs when in a large pile and/or (b) 'nitrogen robbing' would still affect the manure we would be setting the wood chip down alongside, even though we won't be planting anything into it just yet.
The reason for asking this (rather than waiting until Spring) is I have spare time now to make the beds, but will be much more busy in the Spring. If I can prepare the beds now, that would be a better use of time.


texts: Imidacloprid treatment and best time to return Haworthias to my garden area

texts:
The scales (belonging to the family Coccoidea) have been feasting on my Haworthias for the last year. They were treated with more eco-friendly solutions, as I posted earlier, without success. In fact, the more I tried, the more agressively they fought back, eventually killing few of my plants. This repeated treatment involved disturbing the roots too often as well. Using Imidacloprid was a last resort.
There are few reasons for using a systemic insecticide, and not a spray application: These are ornamental plants, providing neither fruits nor vegetable matter, so food contamination is not an issue. The potted plants can be taken to another location. The plants are small and do not need much insecticide. The solution is absorbed into all parts of the plants, eliminating the needs for full-cover spray application and leaving less material in the soil. Once the solution is absorbed, I can wait three months before next application, if necessary. The garden itself has enjoyed a completely organic treatment since I made it 20 years ago and there was never need for any chemical treatment. My solution to this dilemma is to take the potted plants away from the garden, where excess of the chemical leaching from the drainage hole will drain away from it.
Given that I followed the recommendations for adequate dosage, and I don't expose them to rain (giving the chemical time to be absorbed and not leached away by excess rain), (EDIT) how long is the best time to wait before it is safe to return the potted plants to the garden without the risk of insecticidal residue leaking from the pots into the garden? The potted plants were situated under fruit trees which I don't want to expose to the residues. Does the three-months waiting time apply to safe concentration levels in the ground?


texts: What type of ground cover is this?  Is it a weed?  Very low growing in patches on my lawn.


texts: I forgot my aloe plants were on my porch so they were exposed to winter temperatures, with a couple of those nights being below freezing. I brought them in, lightly watered them and they did not bounce back. I cut the leaves all the way down and just read that I probably should not have done that. These are my first aloe plants and I have had them for about 4 years. I am hoping they can be saved and even though leaves will not grow in the same spots that I will still get some new leaves or pups? Please help! I am so upset with myself.


texts: How should I care for a sunburned coffee plant?

texts:
We have a coffee plant which lives indoors. Our house is reasonably dark so every now and then we take it outside when the sun isn't very bright. A week or so ago, the sun suddenly came out while we weren't home and the plant got quite badly burned. The leaves are now dropping and I'm quite concerned about whether it'll recover.

Is there anything I can do to promote new leaf growth? Or will the plant recover on its own, given time?


texts:
I have use Miracle Grow for years. I am hearing nowadays that Miracle Grow might be is harmful.

I plant in ground. I have a garden 60 feet by 90 feet.  I have grown lovely tomatoes and other items.  I have sand for soil. Grass does not grow well. I get weeds that's it.  I miracle grow every two weeks roughly. I mix it per the container.  However I do not give it as the container says.. One gallon per a tomato plant.. I water probably 8 to 10 plants with 2 gallons.

How bad is it really?

I am starting a compost this year but it will not be ready. And I plan on in the fall mixing in bunny poo. This area had been a garden for over 40 years.

Any suggestions?


texts:
My neighbor has a medium sized tree right against our common fence that had a bad case of powdery mildew, so he decided to cut it down today. We have plants on the other side of the fence, and a lot of the powder was in the air, and a few of the branches fell on our side of the fence, spreading even more of it.

Should I be worried about effects on other plants?  We don't have the same tree, but we have a lot of other trees and veggies, including a Goji plant that gets something similar.

Also, is it dangerous to be around the powder?  We both wore masks while he was cutting it.  I sprayed the area with water to wash it off the fence and plants - hopefully that was OK.  Our weather has been sunny and hot lately, if that matters.

Thanks for any help or suggestions.


texts:
The stem of this plant goes curling up like a creeper plant. It has small leaves. Not seen any flower yet, so not sure if it flowers or not.

Zoomed-in:

New added pic:


texts:
My corn patch has resulted in mature plants that average only 2 ft. tall and tiny ripe ears. The kernels on the ears are full size (but the ears are not filled out). Water has not been an issue nor has disease or insects, which leads me to believe there is a soil deficiency.

This is my first corn planting in a raised bed which has a mixture of crappy sandy fill I mistakenly bought, some heavy clay soil from the ground that I mixed in (corn from the same seeds grew well directly in my ground soil a few years back), and a few bags of fertilizer enriched compost I bought from the store. Tomatoes are growing well in the same raised beds. I know... why did I bother with a raised bed,? I am asking myself the same question!

I realize there are probably lots of potential reasons, but I would like to know the most likely/most common reason(s).


texts: Effect of white/black polythene floor in polytunnel

texts:
The oldish, commercial, heated hothouses I have have a floor with a  layer of polythene which is black on one side and white on the other - with the white side facing up.

What are the pros and cons of this ?  Is worth throwing some down on the floor of the polytunnel I'm putting together.   (Unlike the hothouses, I do not intend to heat the polytunnel overnight, and I'm less concerned about the speed of plant growth and more concerned about raising the minimum temperatures at night)


texts: What is this "palm" looking houseplant and how do I take care of it?

texts:
I'm not sure what this plant is but I've had it for for 3-4 years. I've watered it about twice monthly and it's right by a giant window. For the last month, the branches have been getting weaker and more droopy.

Please help me identify this plant so I can help it heal!


texts:
My cucumber plants have been drying out and the leaves are turning brown and white and I’m not sure what the problem is. I planted them about a month ago and there weren’t any issues. I’ve tried increasing the water and decreasing the water with no luck. It doesn’t seem like there any pests and they get about 6 hours a sun a day.

Any suggestions???!!

Thank you!


texts: What are these tiny black things on the tips of my chive seedlings?

texts: I just purchased and transplanted these chive seedlings. They came from the store with these tiny hard black ovoids on about a third of the tips, although I didn't notice until I got home. What are they? Seed husks maybe?


texts:
Our condo complex has three very large Mexican Fan Palms that are dripping sap and shedding seeds that are very sticky. Our parking lot is coated in these seeds, they get tracked in and stick to everything. The sap has ruined my car cover (better than my paint, right?) We've lived here for a long time and this has never happened before, at least to anything near this extent.
Anyway, what is causing this mess and how to we prevent it from continuing?


texts: Will Dawn dishwater and bleach get rid of cutworms without killing my flowers?

texts: Cutworms are killing all of my flowers. I'm trying to get rid of them. I'm thinking about using Dawn dishwater and a small amount of bleach, but will that kill my plants?


texts: What do you call the support post for a pothos?

texts:
I'm trying to buy a post for a potted pothos like I've seen many times, but I don't know what they're called. None of my searches have had any results.

The type I'm referring to is generally square in cross section and seems to be made of loosely compressed fibers of some sort, possibly even grape vines.


texts: I have planted tomato seeds and as far I remember I didn't put more than one seed in a planting hole of each seedling container. I was using tweezer to drop each seed into a hole. However, I am observing in 2 of 10 seedlings that I seeded two growths from one seed. Is it possible or I might incidentally dropped two seeds in a hole in those seedling containers?


texts: lawn-mower charging outside the area enclosed by perimeter wire

texts:
My question is about Worx Landroid S WR130E and Worx Landroid S WR091S.

I would like to know if it is possbile to place the docking station outside of the area enclosed in the perimeter wire, just for the charging phase. When the battery is charged, I would bring the mower inside the area enclosed by the perimeter wire, where is the lawn that the robot should cut.

Obviously I don't expect the robot will come back to the docking station automatically; I just would like to know if it is possible to use it in this way to cut the lawn without any damage.

In the meanwhile, I'll get a power source near the lawn to place the docking station in a definitive location inside the lawn area.

Thank you


texts:
We moved in to a house with bushes trimmed neatly, but well over the sidewalk.

Do I trim this back all at once, or over a long period of time (months? Years?)?

We are in southeast Michigan, and will have several frosts before spring really hits. When do I prune these?

The branching inside appears to be fairly well filled in with thin branches. I'm guessing a hedge trimmer will be fine, cutting everything back. If not, how should I prune them?

May help identify this bush:

Interior of bush showing branching and how far over the sidewalk it has grown:


texts:
I've planted multiple cherry trees of different species, during different years. All of them don't make it through winter. Why? They should survive my zone (6A).

They seemingly do well throughout the hot summer, and during fall, but never break dormancy in spring.

My other trees don't have this issue (apples, mostly, but some plums and nuts, and pears).

What might be the reason? I plant them in decent soil, water them with automatic timers, and they seem to thrive the first year I plant them.

They have no missing bark (i.e. from deer or sun scald). No bug issues, that I've noticed.

On two of the ""dead"" ones, they have sprouts now coming up from the rootstock (just now in spring), but they weren't there in fall, so I don't think that's the issue.

That's six or more dead cherries (across multiple years). I want some cherries!

Are they dying from the cold, or is there a different reason? Is it from the summer heat?

I live in Midwestern USA, zone 6A. My trees come from StarkBros and are shipped bareroot.


texts: How to reseed grass after killing weeds?

texts:
My lawn is overrun by clover and all sorts of weeds. I have lawn grass spots here and there, but the majority is weeds.

I was going to spray with "Ortho Weed-B-Gon Max", then spread some top soil and reseed, but I'm not sure if that's the right course of action.

The soil is kind of rocky and I suspect probably weak.

I'm located in Maryland, USA. The area is about 200 sq. ft. and I have no idea what kind of grass it is.

What would you recommend for weed control? Is Ortho OK, or should I get RoundUp, or something else?
Do I spray only the weeds or the whole lawn?
How long do I have to wait after I spray to reseed?


texts: Have a grafted fruit tree. Want to have less of one of the fruits

texts:
I have a fruit tree whose primary trunk is pomelo fruit and the grafted trunk is Lemon. It's a reasonably large tree (35ft as a guess).

I don't much like the pomelo fruit and don't really eat them. I can't really reach the whole tree, so the fruit drops off and makes a bit of a mess. I get out there and clean up the dropped fruit on the weekends, but it attracts rodents and such as well. All around, a little more annoying than beneficial.

On the other hand, I love the lemons and would hate to lose them. Planting a new lemon-only tree would presumably take a long time to reach the size of this current tree.

How aggressively can I prune the pomelo branches without killing the lemon? Will the lemon be able to support the root/trunk of the tree if I cut back the pomelo completely?

Added photo. The left hand 'trunk' is the lemon and the more vertical larger trunk is the pomelo.


texts: Why are my young tomato plant's leaves drooping and curling inward?

texts: I bought this Mountain Magic plant 3 days ago. The woman at the garden store told me to wait about a week to let the ground warm up before planting. So I gave it still in the pot near where it will eventually be planted. It looked fine 3 days ago but now the branches are all limp and the leaves are curling.


texts: Should I still continue to plant a potato that turned green?

texts: When potatoes are exposed to the sun they turn green and become toxic. I wanted to try to chit a potato tuber but I'm scared that when it turns green I will end up harvesting green tubers as well.


texts: Mycorrhizae Innoculant. When/where/on what do I use this?

texts:
I saw a video of a guy using this symbiotic fungus powder on legume root balls that he placed in a green manuring bed.  Is there a point to using this stuff in general?   Right now I'm a few days away from planting black/raspberry bushes from pot to 50/50 potting/native soil, in the ground.  Should I put some of this stuff on the roots?

Edit:
Okay, found some plant lists:

http://mycorrhizalsymbiotics.com/content/plant-list#nonforming
http://www.californiamycorrhiza.com/lists.html
http://mycorrhizas.info/nmplants.html


texts:
I am getting wildly conflicting information on mulch. Some sources say that it starves plants, keeps rainfall from reaching the soil, grows mold, rots tree trunks, and feeds termites. Other sources say it's critical in a desert environment like mine (15f-105f, 7" of rain per year on average)--that it prevents weeds, keeps moisture in the soil, and prevents erosion.

In the past few years I've tried various wood mulch strategies for large expanses of bare soil: deep (6"+) and shallow (1-2") wood mulch and pine straw. So far I have not gotten great results:

The ground does not stay moist with any method. The mulch seems to soak up all the water and the ground is dry a day after rain.
My worst weeds (Bindweed and Silver Nightshade) are not impacted, even with with deep heavy wood mulch. Less competitive weeds like Tribulus Terrestris are prevented, though (thank goodness).
Termites like to eat the wood mulch, not so much the pine straw mulch.

However, in places where I water (like around trees), the mulch does break down and become great soil. But in places that receive only natural irrigation, it does not break down, and the weeds take over. Why do so many desert gardeners swear by heavy mulch? I don't get it. Why am I not getting their results?


texts: How do I remove Bermuda grass without destroying my cool-season lawn?

texts:
I am having trouble controlling Bermuda grass through my cool-season lawn (grass type Fescue).

I live in Lancaster, PA USDA Zone 6.

Is there an effective method of removing it without effecting the good grass?


texts:
I've just recently (2013.03.08) bought a lilium and an orchid plant from a big hardware/gardening chain store. The day after, I watered them early in the morning with room temperature water (unfortunately chlorine treated tap-water) as instructed and by the end of the day I noticed that some of the leaves of the Lilium have started to dry out and wither.

The plants pick a bit of the air stream of my air-condition, but it is set to 19°C (warm mode) and the room temperature is at 21°C - both of which might be the reason why the upper layer of the soil was dry 5 days after watering. They receive constant, but not direct, sunlight throughout the day.

I've been pruning the withered leaves, as they came off with ease and I thought it wouldn't do any additional harm.

Is this normal or is the plant unhealthy? Am I doing something I shouldn't be doing?

On the other hand the orchid is doing fine, but I am still concerned as I read somewhere that when something is wrong with an orchid plant it dies suddenly.

Also, are there any other tips for taking care for these plants I should know?

Click for larger view


texts: One part of Blueberry bush blooming, rest of plant appears dormant or dead

texts:
I recently purchased what is now my first dwarf blueberry plant.

On this plant, at the end of a large, thick vertical cane, are a few green branches that have some small seeds and the 'early green tip' stage of leaf development.

On one of these green branches, a seed swelled, turned into a flower, expanded out into a corolla tube and opened up, in about the course of a week.

The rest of the bush appears dead or dormant.

There are many such buds that aren't doing anything, and a few that have been at the swelled stage since I received the plant, but are quite dark, and haven't changed since I received the plant.

Some of the parts of these dormant/dead canes' leaves or buds have what appears to be small parts of blue leaves on them, which I don't understand. On some parts of the plant, such as the very thick vertical branch that the other green branches are stemming from, have some kind of winter-looking blue/grey 'bark' on them, looking neither green nor brown. Is this normal?

How can I tell whether the other parts of the plant are just dormant or whether they've died off?

I'm keeping the plant indoors, under a 300w LED light, with a large aqua-globe-like system that keeps the soil saturated with enough water as it dries out.enter image description here


texts:
I am growing tomatoes early this season and I noticed some individual plants from two different species having a similar slight yellow discoloration appearance in their leaves. Any reading or visual suggestions with growing tomatoes plants would be great appreciated!

This one is a Ferry Morse Red cherry large fruited

These are the organic yellow pear tomato

These are indoor tomato plants that receive artificial light from two 60 watt plan light bulbs 24/7. They are water'd by a syringe twice in one watering with at least two, maybe three waterings in a day. The ambient temperature inside the house is 70 degrees.

This is my set up

The light bulbs I'm using

The syringe


texts: Hydroponic Lychee tree suffering from brown leaf tips! Help!

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my 4 month old Lychee seedling needs help!

I started growing the Lychee tree in regular soil, and after about 2 months i desided that i wanted to try to grow it hydroponically.

Ever since its first leaves, the tips of the leaves are turning slowly brown and crispy. It grows under a growing light at room temperature. New leaves are coming and it seem to be having it great except for the leaves turning brown.

I included some pictures for you to look at. Please help me! I really love my plant and dont want to lose it! And it seems that the leaves are also turning a lighter shade of green almost yellow-ish color. What does it mean!!?? :O


texts: Can you identify this shrub which I have named "The Redemption Bush?"

texts:
This bush is in North-central Virginia on a farm. Most of each year when I lived there it would block the view of our pastures, interfere with mowing, and just look like a green mass. Every year, toward the end of winter, I'd say I was going to cut it down because I didn't like it. Then every spring it would flower and buy itself another year - thus earning my name for it - The Redemption Bush.

Someone said Deutzia, but it doesn't look like the examples I've found in other posts. Can anyone ID it?


texts: A strange plant grew out of where my cilantro used to grow, can someone identify?

texts:
When my cilantro withered (sad), I noticed a strange herbal stem grew out of the dirt, but I didn't pay much attention. Until recently, I noticed the plant flourishing and now it appears there is "fruit" thingies on its branches.

Could someone help me identify this please? Thank you!


texts:
So I’ve got this neon Pothos around five weeks ago and since then the leaves are slowly turning yellow and rotting at the bottom.
 and I really don’t know what to do bc I read that it can be under watering or overwatering. I touched the soil and it’s moist  one inch down and I watered three days ago.

Have you guys ever experienced that with neon Pothos? I have green and marble Pothos at my room too and they seem fine.


texts: White spots and patches that look like mold in water tank used to water plants automatically

texts:
When I leave for multiple weeks I leave an automatic water pump to water some of my more needy plants. When I returned, I noticed there were white patches on the water pump, as well as on the surface of the water in the tank I used.

This had happened the previous time I set up the automatic water pump, which stayed in the water for about a month, even though it took much less time for the issue to develop this time and the patches are much more prominent.

Last time I encountered this, I tried washing the pump with hot water, but it doesn't seem to have prevented the issue occurring again.

Once removed from the water, the patches on the water pump became dry and broke apart.

I am unsure whether the presence of this substance in the water has affected my plants negatively. The two plants being watered from the tank are a Spider Plant and a Dracaena Massangeana. While the leaves of both plants look droopy and there is some tip burn (which may or may not have been there before), I haven't noticed other symptoms.

What are these white spots in the water and on the pump?
Should I throw away the pump, as the substance may have spread all throughout it?

Pictures:


texts: How do I prevent raccoons from eating my corn?

texts:
This harvest I was not able to pick a single corn cob.  Some large animal(s), I suspect raccoons, got to them before they were ripe (I would find peeled and gnawed corn littering the lawn and the corn stems bent down when I got home).  I had crushed garlic all over the garden.  This kept the rabbits away, but was not effective against the large animal.

I am looking for a solution that does not involve putting a fence around my garden patch.  Are there plants that raccoons are repelled by?  Has someone tried prickly plants to make the patch unattrative to raccoons?  I am told these are very intelligent animals, so I think the solution will have to be a mix of good ideas.


texts: How do I get rid of mice without hurting the birds that might feed on them?

texts:
I live in the country, so I've got mice that like to come into the house when the weather gets cold. The mice have learned to avoid the traps that I put inside the house, so I need to step up to something stronger. My first thought is to get some blocks of mouse poison and put a dozen of them all around the outside of the house, but I'm hesitant to do that, because I don't want to harm any birds that might feed on the mice.

Is there any mouse poison that I can use outside the house, that won't hurt any birds that feed on poisoned mice? Or is there a non-lethal alternative that I'm missing?


texts: Is this houseplant with flowers that have pink petals and a yellow center, and reddish stems, an impatiens?

texts:
My wife is trying to identify this flowering plant and thinks it's an impatiens, but the number of visible petals (4), and the yellow bit in the middle, makes me feel that's not quite right.

What do you think?

Click on these pictures to see larger versions. They're also available in my online album.


texts: Why doesn't my night-blooming Cereus produce flowers?

texts:
I have had a night-blooming Cereus for several years and it has yet to bloom. A friend has one and it blooms no problem. This plant is indoors and keeps growing, but no blooms.

What can I do to make it bloom?


texts: Can anyone identify this drupe fruit & seed?

texts: This fruit & seed was given to me to identify -no leaves etc. Fruit is 4cm (1 inch) long, 3cm wide. Ribbed seed 3cm long with 1 seed per fruit. Drupe fruit flesh is brownish inside & faintly apple scented -it's mid August (late winter in New Zealand) so probably bletted. Phyllis


texts: What ate the leaves of my pepper and tomato plants?

texts:
All the damage occurred over the course of one sunny day while I was at work, several pepper plants and young tomato plants defoliated severely.  I suspect rabbits as I've seen some around and I haven't seen any worms, but my friend isn't convinced.  Are there any insects that could cause this much damage in a single day?

Edit: Also, are there any indicators this ISN'T rabbit damage?


texts: What is this plant with dark green ovate hairy leaves in my indoor pot?

texts:
I'm trying to grow a indoor herbs garden. I have reused soil from flowering pots from another location. The herbs didn't grow at all (I think bad seeds), but in one of the pots this appeared.

Here is a closeup of one of the tips

And one of the stem at the base


texts: Cloning currants shouldnt be this hard..?

texts:
I keep seeing claims that currant cuttings will "root enthusiastically". I'd love to have another black currant bush or two, but so far I haven't been able to get one to survive. They usually last long enough to drop the original leaves and start growing new ones and new stem, then give up.

Had one in a pot this winter, which survived just about until weather improved enough to consider moving it outside. Frustrating. Brown thumb strikes again...

Any advice would be welcome!

Additional notes: Boston area, climate zone 6. The red currants are quite happy; black seem to be struggling a bit. Russian expatriot tells me I absolutely need to add a white to complete the set.,:-)


texts: Why are these white dots appearing on my citrus and avocado trees and the leaves getting pale?

texts:
My Orange and small avocado trees are becomming yellowish and have many dots on them, is this a deficiency of something or something else?

I checked the bottom of the leaves for any sort of plague but didn't see anything.

Click any image for full size


texts: Should I treat freshly cut tree branches before using them as trellises?

texts:
I have a bundle of branches from a North American Maple in my yard, just cut down while pruning the tree in the spring.

I'm contemplating whittling down some 2-foot-long sticks to use as simple trellises for foot-tall young tomato plants (one per plant, stuck into the soil at the base).

Is there any risk of the Maple sprouting and/or sapping nutrients from the tomatoes?  Should I heat them?  What's the best temperature to heat wood, in order to sterilize but not burn it?


texts: What tree to plant on contaminated bonfire pit

texts:
In a marginal corner of the garden, the previous tenant had questionable bonfires, which left a very deep layer of ashes, glass, metal, plastic and ceramic bits.

I have cleaned most of the coarsest waste left, and left the ashes, and now I would like to plant something on this area. Grass roots (Elymus repens) seem to take very long to migrate from the surrounding areas.

I thought I would refill part of the area (perhaps the size of a 10-litre pot) and plant a tree that could cope with the partially contaminated soil and perhaps even remove some of the heavy metals and other contaminants from the soil.
Willow is the only candidate that comes to mind, but I am wondering if there are other options.

However, whatever goes in will have to cope with the surrounding contamination/high pH.


texts: How do I take care of a Port Jackson fig bonsai?

texts:
A few years ago (4ish, I think) my girlfriend at the time brought me a small bonsai, a Port Jackson Fig (if I remember right!).

I have managed to keep it going so far. At this point, it is more a "small tree in a pot" than a bonsai. It hasn't really even been shaped, and I enjoy it looking normal.

I'm going to be honest - over the last 5 months it has been left totally unloved. My watering was random, often with large gaps in between and when I did water, it was normally too much water. So now it's looking very sad. It only has about 4 leafs left on it, they look healthy but there are very few!

I'd like to know how to get it back on track. I haven't changed the soil in ages, so I assume that's step one. What next?

Also should a fig bonsai be inside or outside? Full sun or shade? Even through I've had it for 4 years now, I feel like a bad dad and I'm asking for your help with a crash course in bonsai love.

Any help would be amazing. I've had this thing for so long, that I would hate for it to die because of me!


texts: How do I link a specific garden plant to its native plant community?

texts:
If I have a garden plant, say for example, Herniaria glabra, and I want to identify its native plant community, i.e. the dominant species, associated species, soil, climate etc., how do I go about researching this information? What references/resources are available to accomplish that?

The best I have been able to do on-line for the example cited is find a region of China and an altitude range.


texts: How to make a fake scare owl, and do different animals respond to different abstractions?

texts:
I would like to keep squirrels off of my peach tree. They have gotten over half of the peaches already.

Is there a way to make a home-made scare owl? I have found a few resources on-line, but they vary in complexity, from simply hanging old cd's to using two cds as eyes and brown foam as the face to using chicken wire to create a life-size 3-D owl.

I am curious what is the easiest way to create a home made scare owl?

Here are some examples, all would seem pretty scary to me if I were on the owl menu.


texts: Crop rotation taking into account over wintering veggies

texts:
I'm looking for some good sources (or just ideas) for multi-season plantings that also follow rotation by plant family.

We have six beds and are trying to maximize not on only space but length of season. Here in Seattle we can often grow spring and fall versions of the same crop. Sometimes the fall crop is about the same length other times it takes (or lasts longer).

Because of this I'm tying myself in knots trying to figure it out.


texts: Drip line trial - leaking and some emitters not working

texts:
I recently bought 15cm (6")-spaced 12mm (0.5") drip line, with a 16mm LDPE supply pipe.
As a test, I connected a 2-metre (6') run of supply pipe to a 1-metre (3') run of drip line (with a stop-end attached). I have a 2-bar pressure reducer connected between the tap and the supply pipe.
Unfortunately some water leaked from the end of the drip line and also from where the drip line connected to the LDPE supply pipe. Some of the drip line emitters were also not emitting water.
Is this happening because the overall length of pipe I used for the trial is rather short? Presumably the emitters don't have to be facing downwards in order to work effectively?
Thanks.


texts: What are the teeny tiny white bugs on my tomatoes?

texts:
The bugs are exceptionally small. I've included a video here.

It may be related to the stretched and disfigured appearance of my tomatoes.


texts: What kinds of miniature fruit shrubs/trees can be grown in a reasonably sized container?

texts: I once saw advertised in a catalog a miniature blueberry bush, that could spend its whole life in a container and grow to maturity.  Are there any other fruit plants that can exist their whole life in a reasonably sized (one that the average person could easily pick up) container and how easy/hard is it to maintain these plants?


texts: Why haven't my lavender cuttings developed roots despite growing?

texts:
Our lavenders were planted as small plants last summer but most of them grew a lot during the summer and had beautiful flowers even in late autumn.
I like experimenting so I took and planted about sixty cuttings when I pruned them a few weeks ago. I'm keeping the cuttings indoors, not covered but I water the soil every other day or when needed.
It's been three weeks and they are growing lots of new leaves but I checked two of them and apparently they are not rooting. Is this normal, do you think they will root eventually or should I give up?


texts: When is the best time of year to plant grass seed?

texts:
So as a new homeowner I'm new to the whole lawn thing.  I want to spiffy up my yard a bit planting grass seed (not sure what type yet), but I'm unsure as to when to start looking.

In general, what is the best time of year to plant grass seed?


texts:
I have this cactus that is slightly wrinkly and soft at the bottom part. It sits on a window sill with all my other plants and receives around 5-7 hrs of direct sunlight every day. I water it once a week. I actually have another cactus that is experiencing the exact same thing. here are some pictures of the thing:

UPDATE: As people were suggesting  that this cactus  has root rot, I have taken it out. Here's a picture of the rootball, it lookes quite healthy imo.

the bottom (wrinkly, soft, mushy, discolored)

the top (appears healthy)


texts:
We have a cherry tree, and neighbours, which is only about 4 years old, and I would say about 5 metres high. Neighbours are worried that its roots might eventually damage supply/drainage pipes in front of the house, which are possibly about 6 6 -8 metres away.

Do I have to worry?

Can I keep the tree pruned to a height of about 4 metres in order to slow or stop root growth?

Many thanks.


texts: Can mint kill off hopes of grass establishing in an area?

texts:
I have an ara in the garden that I want to spread a low growing cover crop like mint, or clover (microgreens). What mix should I consider growing in the area? Eventually fruit trees, bushes, and rhubarb (ground cover layer) will take over the area.
USDA zone 4a.


texts: Are this spiders killing this trumpet tree?

texts:
I have a trumpet tree in a pot in my balcony. It has beautifully blossomed this spring and gave dozens of flowers. But since all the flowers fell down 1 month ago it has gotten worse and worse.

The leafs started loosing it's green color (see the pictures). Some of the bigger ones started dropping off.

It was then that I noticed some very small cobwebs and looking hard I started to see very tiny white spiders all over the tree. I proceeded to spray the whole tree with an insecticide I have that, according to the label, is appropriate against spider mites. It didn't get better but it also didn't get worse.

Yesterday I was watering the plant and it lost 5 or 6 leafs just for a little shake of the pot. I noticed again the spiders, this time many more than before, so I sprayed them again. This morning I found 15 more leafs on the ground.

Could this spiders be responsible for this? How can i get rid of them? It is also worth mentioning that I usually water the plan with hard tap water, is this bad as well?


texts: How low should the surface water table be in order to be considered well draining?

texts: My yard has a high water table (creek, and 4 foot elevation about 4 foot elevation over almost all of the yard), where tree roots often just sit at the surface, so I was wondering how low the water table should be in order to consider something well draining.


texts: Why are the cherries dropping off my cherry tree?

texts:
We have a large mature cherry tree. It produced cherries just fine the first two years we were in this house. We had someone come out and trim the tree the third year (wasn't too happy with their job) and since then it doesn't produce very well. The vast majority of them fall off at an early stage. The ground will be covered with stems and the small beginnings of a cherry. At first I thought it was just shock or something from the year it was trimmed (it wasn't trimmed too heavily) but this is the start of the third year since that happened and they are still dropping.

It may not have anything to do with the trimming, that's just the only thing I can think of that was different since previous years. The tree had also been infected with Western Cherry Fruit Fly (we didn't really notice it until the second year, but it most likely had been like that since long before we moved in to the house).

Here's a picture of the tree in question:

And here is what is dropping. There are literally hundreds, if not more of these all over the ground, this is just a small sample:

As you can see, it doesn't look like blossoms, so much as nascent cherries.


texts: How do I keep egg shells from smelling while waiting to add them to composting soil?

texts: I do worm composting for the outside garden. I wanted to add egg shells and some other things that will add to the soil but are hard to break down in the worm composting bin. Since it will be outside I'm okay with it taking a while. What I am not sure of is where and how can I store egg shells so they do not smell until such a time as I can bury them in the garden. Thanks for the tips.


texts:
I've had my two Areca palms for over a year now and must tell you, taking care of them is very difficult but worth it!
I've been recieving advise from internet and garden cennters but right now I have no idea what I am doing wrong.
I water my areca palms once i put a finger in a soil down to 2cm and they feel a bit dump or almost dry. So i don't think i overwater them. I mist them often as well and there is enough space water water run off.
What warries me is mold in between the palm stamps (not only on the top) so i can't remove it. And my stamps start to rotten and get a bit moldy as well. I've been thinking to repot my plans and change the soil.
Anyone has been through the same problem as i do right now?
Thank you in advance for any tricks or advice.


texts: What's destroying my recently laid Kikuya lawn?

texts:
About a month ago I had roll on Kikuya lawn planted. Since then the area has had a lot of rain and irrigation and everything seemed to be going okay until recently when portions started thinning out. Below are pictures of what I mean.

Here you can see the part that is thinning out vs. a healthier part. It seems to be spreading and started out as a much smaller area.

Here is a close up of the grass at the troublesome area.

I have no idea what is doing this. I haven't been able to spot any pests or ants and have been very careful when mowing the lawn.

Is there any way to determine the cause?


texts: Why am I having trouble with lettuce germination?

texts: I want to grow lettuce. I used fresh Grand Rapids variety seeds but the problem is that they would not germinate. Day temperature there is between 26° to 29° C (78° to 84° F) and night temperature is between 19° to 23° C (66° to 73° F). Now, what is the reason that they would not germinate?.


texts: I tried to grow beets in Central Europe, where it is a common plant. It's the third year that my little seedlings, which germinate very nicely, stop growing. Their leaves turn red, then turn yellow and stop growing. They don't die. I have to be doing something wrong, but I can't figure it out. I changed the variety and seeds, I changed the soil, I sowed both directly and transplanted, I tried multi-sowing and nothing helps. I would be very grateful for any advice.


texts:
I have a potted Tulsi plant got from a nursery a month back. The leaves were green then. After a pruning, the new leaves started getting yellow. There are two plants and both of them have the same problem.

Any idea what is happening?

Location is south India with lots of sunshine and outdoor environment..


texts: Is there a difference between pot ash, and wood ash?

texts:
I was doing some research into potash, and it appeared that they had a fire all winter long, and made a lot of potash to spread in the summer. They called it pot ash, is there a difference between the two?

The type of wood being burned all winder is Oak with a little bit of random mixed in over a MN winter.


texts: What types of mosses are in this flat tray?

texts:
Would anyone be able to identify any on the mosses in this picture?

I'm trying to make something similar but am having difficulty choosing suitable mosses.


texts: Why did my onion heads turn brown after planting?

texts:
My spring onion heads turned yellow. Once I set spring onions in the soil, the heads turned brown and they are growing slowly with yellow leaves.

It's summer season in my country. My soil is a mix of clay and old cow manure.

Why did this happen, and how can I correct it?


texts:
I've grown a few different veg over the years including Tomatoes, Green Beans, Peppers, Sweetcorn and a few others. However, they are usually planted in the ground.
I'm looking at moving house later this year so ideally would want to take any plants I plant with me, so I would be looking at planting them in pots.
Are there any vegetables that grow well in pots, or are there any accommodations or changes I can make to allow the veg I mentioned above to grow in a pot without any issues?


texts: I planted garlic last weekend, expecting it to come up in the spring, as indicated here. Then I went away for a few days. When I came back today, it was already sprouting. Should I be alarmed? Is this normal? Is this what planting garlic means in the era of global warming?


texts:
This is long and semi-waxy, but soft. I was just outside re-potting some other plants and was thinking about pulling some other flowers that had spread and came across this. It's like.. hair. It doesn't hold itself up and really long. It makes like a 'U' shape at the base but the ends are flat.

Update: Sap is just liquid-y. Not sticky, not a lot comes out unless you squeeze it. The smell is...a mix of fresh cut grass and the smell of when you are scraping out a pumpkin, but it's really subtle. You have to have it close to your nose and breath really deep to smell it. I also took another picture of how long it is compared to my foot. I wear a size 8 and a half in womens and it takes 3 of my feet to come close to the length.

EDIT!
So it's is now Oct! And the flowers ha e bloomed but I'm still not sure that they are. They are red and bloom in a cluster. I have a picture of them with my Purple Hearts. I can't upload from my phone right now though.


texts:
My lawn is wet at the moment (well, a bit dewey, not soaking as in just rained), and it clogs my mower, causing it to work harder and fail to collect anything in the basket.

Is there a solution besides waiting until dried? Walk faster/slower? Speed up or down my blades?


texts: How do I treat ground cherry tips being eaten completely off?

texts:
I have ground cherry tips that are getting eaten completely off every few days. How should I treat this without harming the beneficial insects?

The plant is still showing leaves after watering, but the leaves disappear soon after.


texts:
The ground in front of my house slopes down fairly aggressively from right to left. This leaves an awkward sloping garden bed between my driveway, house, front steps, and sidewalk. See photo below.

There's currently a poorly-constructed retaining wall helping to level this bed out, but it has to run into the railing for my porch steps, which means I have bricks haphazardly placed underneath and around the railing to try to "complete" the wall.

Unfortunately, this wall does not provide enough elevation, and soil is still eroding from under my driveway. I'm concerned that, over the long-term, the driveway will sink and crack.

I'd like to come up with a solution that 1) protects the driveway, 2) keeps the bed level enough to avoid topsoil/mulch washing away, and 3) doesn't involve my front porch railing becoming part of a weird wall... I'm hoping to remove and replace the sidewalk and wall anyway, so that can change as part of this project.
Here's ideas I've had...

Divide the bed in the middle with a wall, possibly made out of landscape timbers, so that the bed could be at two different heights. (I think this would look silly.)
Build a wall next to the driveway to keep the soil under the driveway stable, and lower the whole bed.
Move the railing onto the top of the edge of the steps, rather than next to the steps, so that a wall could begin beside the steps and go all the way around the bed.
Eliminate the wall entirely and just hope things don't wash away. (Seems unlikely.)

I've talked to several landscapers and a mason, and nobody seems to have any fantastic ideas for solving this problem. Is there a creative possibility here I haven't considered? I realize that the "best" solution is a matter of opinion here, but I'm open to helpful recommendations that will open our eyes to all the possibilities.


texts: Can I save a small tree that has fallen over?

texts:
I've attached the following pic for reference.

I have a plum tree that's about 6 years old and stood about 3 metres tall.
Anyway, it fell over last night. The ground does not seem disrupted through - so no roots sticking out. I'm not sure what I need to do - can the tree be saved? Can I just try to lift it up so it's standing straight again? How can I keep it from falling over again?


texts: I partially broke a pepper plant stem when planting it, and it seems as strong as it was originally 2 days later. Is this normal?

texts: When I was planting a plant (pepper) two days ago I had a small bobo, and partially snapped the plant, and now it seems as strong as it ever was. Why did it seem to heal itself?


texts:
The leaves on my chili plant have started wrinkling up. This is happening on even the new leaves. The plant is still flowering and producing chilis though.

Any ideas as to what is causing this? I don't think it is over watering because I only water if the soil is not damp and I have another chili plant, of a different species which is not showing these symptoms.

If it matters, I recently repotted the plants to a larger pot.


texts: Is there a heat resistant perennial vine that can grow in my zone?

texts:
I live in Montana, here is my zone information:

1990 Hardiness Zone: Zone 4b: -25F to -20F
Average First Frost: September 1 - 10
Average Last Frost:  June 1 - 10
Koppen-Geiger Climate Zone:  Dfb - Humid Continental Mild Summer, Wet
All Year
Ecoregion:   17g - Mid-elevation Sedimentary Mountains
Elevation: 4793'

On the south side (sun facing side) of my house the light, and heat seems to be reflecting off the house, and onto the grass below starving it of the moisture it needs to survive. I have been struggling to keep grass growing there. At the moment (mild summer) I have managed to keep it alive for the most part with new grass seed, and a small shader I built out of window screen. I would like to put trellis all along that side of the house to grow a vine to provide the grass in that region shade. Does anyone know of a heat resistant perennial vine that will do the job I am looking for, and thrive in my region of the world?


texts: The leaves of my persimmon tree are turning brown

texts: I planted the persimmon tree last November which was about 4 years old. The tree seemed to be ok until July this year. Then, I recently noticed that a majority of the leaves on the tree have been turning brown on the edges and many are curled. I am a novice tree grower and don't know what to do for this tree. Can anybody give me any advice?


texts: Is it possible to grow a grape plant in a container?

texts: Would it be possible, if I kept it pruned, to keep a grape plant in a container? I have 23 inch containers that I could use to keep them in, but would that be enough? What would I need to consider if it's possible?


texts: How can I get rid of these bugs. It has taken over new blooms, sprouts etc.


texts: What's wrong with this basil plant's leaves?

texts:
Bought this basil about 2 weeks ago. It dried out a lot so I gave it a good soak by putting it in a pan full of water so the water would go up from the bottom.

Now the ends of some leaves have gone brown. Has this been caused by too much water? how often should I water it?

It's from a garden centre, not the supermarket 'living basil' pots.


texts: How much damage did I do to my Maple Tree?

texts: I received some bad advice from a neighbor and now I want to know how much damage did I do and also ask for some advice on what I can do to help ensure the tree doesn’t die. I live in NC and have about a 20 foot red maple tree (I think that’s what tree it is) in my front yard. The surface roots were getting really bad in some areas, growing near  my house and sidewalks. I counted about 8 surface roots that it had. After getting the bad advice, I ended up cutting 4 of them about 2 feet from the base of the tree. 2 of them were almost 4 inches in diameter and the tree itself is 6 inches in diameter.  Did I kill my tree or can it be saved?  And advice on what I can do to help the tree?  Or did I just kill it?  Thanks for any help and I just wish I would of gotten on here before I cut them :(.


texts: How (and when) should I prune a grape vine that's mainly for shade?

texts:
I have a vine growing up my porch, mainly ornamental/for shade in summer and a windbreak in autumn.  I did get some grapes last year (a little sharp and pippy, but tasty) but my climate is marginal for them to ripen especially given that it gets quite a lot of shade.  Any edible grapes are a bonus, and I've been known to stuff a few leaves as well.  The vine has been in the ground about 3 years, and this summer's growth was quite prolific; I need to do something to keep it manageable.  Last year I just trimmed it a bit, without too much thought.  All the guidance I've seen online has been about pruning for cropping.

Should I cut it back hard? Will this keep plenty of leaves low down?  Will it grow back nicely if I cut back to old wood, or must I leave some green?  What time of year is best to prune?


texts: Do you have any idea what is this plant? Seems native here (Attica, Greece).


texts: Should I cut off cactus pads to help the main branch to grow?

texts:
I have some small cactus (one year old) and they are have been producing a lot of new pads.
If I remove the branching pads, the main stem will have more energy to develop itself (my main focus is to have a single, big stem), right? Plus, I can start doing propagation with the pads.

Is there some kind of negative effect from removing the pads?
Some species (like the example bellow) don't seem to grow very tall, and removing the branches seems to be the only way of having a big plant.

Example


texts: This grows in Modiin, Israel. The leaves look like black locust (pseudoacacia robinia) to me, but the branches are very knobby. Can anyone identify it?


texts: What are these little black bugs on my arugula in Denver CO?

texts:
There are little black bugs slowly eating away my Arugula. I live in Denver CO. The weird thing is, we have a pot of Arugula ~50ft away from where the other Arugula is planted and it's completely fine. The plants are watered using micro-sprinklers twice a day. The soil was mixed with compost from a local ranch (horse manure).

My only hypothesis is the weeds growing in the planting area (crab grass and purslane, which we are struggling to keep up with) are somehow attracting the bugs.

Any ideas on what we can do to eliminate these bugs?


texts: Can someone please help identify this plant?

texts: Here is a photo of the plant I wish to have identified


texts: Why is my Eureka lemon tree losing leaves?

texts:
I have an Eureka lemon tree that was doing great over the winter. I repotted it with Miracle grow soil and it has slowly started to drop the leaves and it has a couple brownish colored limbs.

I again repotted it today with citrus potting soil to see if that helps. Can anyone tell by the pic what is going wrong with it and what I need to do to correct the issue? Thanks in advance.


texts:
My nerve plant (Fittonia) was recently not doing too well, and I suspected (correctly, as it turned out) that it was getting more light that it needed — after moving it to a shadier spot in the house, it has since recovered and is growing some new leaves.

However, even in this new spot, there seem to be a few oddities... specifically, some (not most) leaves seem to look bleached (as opposed to burnt):

And even though new leaves are growing, it's nowhere near as fully grown as it once was — most of the stems look healthy, but it's not nearly as bushy as before:

Should I move it somewhere yet more shaded than its current location? As it stands, it receives ~1 hour of direct sunlight in the afternoon. Should I be pruning it in some way? Any help to bring this nerve plant back to full health would be much appreciated :)


texts: Personal Health: Garden Labor and back injury

texts:
Hopefully on-topic enough:

What guidelines should gardeners follow in order to avoid back injuries and other health problems that could crop up in old age?

Are all intensive gardeners doomed to some health problems from bending, hacking, whacking, shoveling, pulling, heaving, etc?

Is the best answer just: Do everything slowly?


texts: I need advice caring for my hanging cacti. I think it's rhipsalis lepismium bolivianum? It's started to develop black patches along its limbs. Also some weird spots. And some white muck gathering, which I guess is mealy bugs – I've just ordered some SB Plant Invigorator and Bug Killer for that. Can anybody give me more advice? Anybody with experience of this? I haven't been watering much during the winter, as with other cacti; it's in a fairly well-lit spot, a couple of metres away from a south facing window – and was doing well until winter set in proper.


texts: When I mowed my overgrown UK lawn yesterday, I noticed a network of thin vines. There was also less grass in these patches. I looked and found the leaves of this plant in the areas I hadn't mowed yet. I think I had assumed it was something like clover. What is it? Photos are below.


texts: What is the name of this brown, cracked, oval shaped seed?

texts:
I would like to know more information about this seed. Could you please tell me the seed's name?

Here is also video of this seed on YouTube for more information https://youtu.be/AyuxpqqaZM8

Here is also the seed size: http://s9.postimg.org/lh7w5f98v/IMG_0969.jpg

Picture close to the cracked side: http://s9.postimg.org/4i3rjjxnj/IMG_0997.jpg


texts: What is this plant with narrow stems and serrated leaves growing among my Blueberry bush?

texts:
We have a blueberry bush that has another plant growing with it. My husband dug it up and carefully untangled the roots.

The blueberry bush is fine and fruiting well.

Can you tell me what this other plant is please?


texts: Weed identification: will this spiky vine with bulbs kill a future flower garden?

texts:
I bought a house a few months ago (zone 9a). It has a large (12'x25') flower bed that was badly overgrown.  My house is 'U' shaped and this is inside the 'U', so it gets full sun for about 40% of the day and shade otherwise. It had some bushes in it that were in poor shape. I've overturned everything, yanked out all the weeds, pulled out the bushes, and am getting ready to plant what we want.

However, I pulled out a large number of these spiky Vines (they were covering the bushes and also the sides of my house). The roots were extensive, criss crossing almost the entire area - I pulled out some 5 foot sections of root. Some of the bulbs we're as large as my hand, and while scattered throughout, they also seemed concentrated under the bushes.  I don't know if they were what was killing the bushes, but I doubt they helped.

I want to figure out what these vines were. Mainly because, thanks to how extensively they covered the garden area, I doubt I got all the bulbs (in fact some of the roots went under the house, so there are probably some bulbs I can't ever get). I want to figure out how worried I should be for a new garden, how much effort I should take to try to find any remaining bulbs, and whether or not any extra steps might be required to safe guard my flower garden.

The weed (long thin leaves) in a scraggly bush:

The bulb that was hiding under the bush when I pulled it up:

A small vine:

A gigantic bulb:


texts: Cordyline has dropped many leaves. Remaining look curly and browning at tips

texts:
I've recently taken a Cordyline plant from my parent's back yard into my apartment. After 2 weeks  its leaves started to get brown tips and drop down. Some completely dried out and were removed.
(It currently has less than half the leaves it used to have).
I put it indoors but it gets 2-3 hours of (currently) winter sun in the morning. Not very strong and through a glass window.
When this started I noticed that the plant was in a plastic container with relatively heavy soil (not a potting mix) and it wasn't dried out during the first 2 weeks (I haven't water it at all). Since I'm afraid of root rot, I've changed the soil to a regular potting mix. The dropping  of the leaves stopped but the plant hasn't grown or straighten its leaves since (~3 weeks).
Yesterday I moved it into a terra-cota pot so I hope it will allow the soil to dry a bit faster. I've looked at the roots and they don't seem black or rotten, but not super white and I expected to find some more. Not sure if that's common with this plant.
I also see some weird yellow/orange spots on the leaves. Can anyone tell me what these are and how to take care?
I've attached a link to pictures of the leaves, the stem and the roots. Can anyone let me know if from your experience this looks healthy? Anything I can do to help the plant growing back?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/SMFRSTsyzq56kDgR8
I plan to cut the stem and have it shorter (plus 1-2 more smaller stems from its cuts). Is it better to do it now in the winter or wait to the spring?
Many thanks!
Zach


texts: Is it OK to plant Daffodils on a forest floor?

texts:
I'd like to plant Daffodil bulbs in a forested area visible from a kitchen window. The area in question belongs to the homeowner, has no understory (deer browse) or early season ground cover, and is canopied by oak and hickory trees of varying age. Later in the spring the area would be covered almost 100% with wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis)

Would Daffodils do OK or establish in such a setting? Why or why not?


texts: What is this growing on my arborvitae? Is it good or bad?  My trees have lots of them.


texts:
I started these tomatoes on the soil and they were kind of crowded. I placed 2 of the largest ones in a separate container and they already have 2 tomatoes and lots of flowers, these where the others that where left. I put them in the aquaponic system a month ago, and although it has grown, it's no where near the size of the bigger ones I placed in soil.
Other plants in the system are doing well ( I think :D )
1 main difference is that the potted tomatoes get around 3 hours of direct sunlight and the aquaponics get all they're light through a grow lamp

I'm wondering if that bad start has anything to do with how things are going now.

These are the tomatoes in question, as you can see, even at that size, they can't hold up their own weight.

Here are the tomatoes that got a head start on the crowded pot that I separated.

Here are some happy plants on the system. I mention this because this leads me to think it's not some nutrient issue. The first gets the same amount of direct sunlight, and the bottom one is all by the grow light.


texts: Will composted cow manure harm vegetables?

texts:
We've had a mild winter here, and I'm going to plant out the broccoli (currently under lamps in the garage) this weekend. First time I've grown it and it seems to be doing well but obviously too big for the seed trays and I have an aphid infestation (some natural predators should help here!)

The previous owners left two raised beds in so-so condition and a couple of bags of composted cow manure. I'm going to be buying more compost at the weekend to help bulk things out, but should the cow manure be okay for the broccoli? I intend to dig it in with the soil that is in the bed already.

The next alternative would be the second bed where I intend to plant the pepper seedlings, but these are currently a bit small for planting out (give them another week or two I think).  And the final alternative would be as general bed compost or a top mulch for trees, the bananas, etc.

The long term plan (i.e. next year) is probably to move the beds so I don't want to properly fill them - just put enough compost in for good growing this year.


texts:
Hello, flowers of my caqui tree turned brown any idea why?
Soil is sand


texts:
I was wondering why are the leaves dying some information:

I have tuff soil spread around the large container and the seeds buried.
The plant sees direct sunlight most of the day.
I have 3 rosy barb fish swimming around.
I change the water weekly.

Does anyone know what should I do regarding this?


texts: Another white wildflower growing in Serbia - what is it?

texts: For some reason I didn't mow this white wildflower, but I could, unless you tell me it is some relatively useful plant. Grows in partial shade. Here are photos:


texts: What type of bonsai is this, and how do I revive it?

texts:
I got this bonsai from my friend about 2 months ago. I do not know what type of bonsai it is so I don't know how much about taking care of it. About 6 weeks ago, I forgot to water the tree so it went very dry. I watered it regularly but it seemed to do worse, its leaves dried up and the soil stays moist all the time (as if the plant was not using the water). About 2 weeks ago I noticed that there was some king of mold on the tree trunk.

What should I do to save the tree? Can the bonsai even be saved?


texts:
I purchased some "Prime-Ark® Freedom Primocane Blackberry". Around 4-5 of them I planted in a corner area near my yard (against a fence). They are meant to be an upright cane and while they aren't scrambling everywhere on the ground...I wouldn't really call them "Upright" (Then again they are still pretty young as I JUST planted them maybe 3-4 months ago).

Whats the best way to "Contain" these. Since they are all in sort of a corner area, I don't really have a "Straight line" of bushes where I could just trellis them in a line. I was thinking some sort of string containment fence? (Imagine about 4-5 plants in the corner right angle of a fence, as thats what they are planted like right now)


texts: Cherry Tree - Bark peeled back and with bug holes

texts:
I've only had this cherry tree for a little over 2 years now. The bark started to peel back near the ground. After a couple branches lost all their leaves I knew something was wrong - I looked where the bark had peeled back and it appears like some bugs are digging holes in it now. I'm living in the Sacramento, CA region too in case that matters. (the wood ash around it is something I just put there a couple days ago to stop the squirrels from burying nuts).

Trying to figure out if there's anything I can do to save it.


texts: Can I use this fertilizer for my Hydroponics?

texts:
I'm new to Hydroponics stuffs. I'm striving to plant in hydro form currently.
I'm living in under-developed country which is impossible to find the well established nutrients mix such as Master Blend or others similarity.

I'm planting lettuce types. I wonder can I use this fertilizer for my hydro garden? Or do I need to add anything or it's not for hydro at all?
Because buying pre-mixed A B nutrients is not cost effective, I need to find other way around.

Ensure Ingredients:

TN: 15% ( 8.7% nitrate, 1.9% ammonium nitrogen , 4.4% urea nitrogen)
Water-soluble phosphorus anhydride: 10%
Water-soluble potassium: 30%
Water-soluble Mg: 0.08%
Iron (chelated): 0.05%
Manganese (chelated): 0.025%
Zinc (chelated): 0.0025%
Copper (chelate): 0.0036%
Boron: 0.0068%
Mo: 0.0009%

Thank you!


texts: Do branch barriers keep animals out of gardens?

texts: I've only heard about living hedge barriers, but would dead stick barriers help keep out the deer so they go around the garden also?


texts: What type of tree is this? (found in a Tokyo Park)

texts: I'm curious which species of tree this is found in Igusa Mori Park.


texts: Is it possible to make guesses based on this photo about deficiencies that might be affecting this cherry tree please.


texts: This morning I looked over my ZZ plant and saw these white spots underneath some of the leaves. The best match I could find is something called powdery mildew. Is it that or is it something else?


texts: I have a young apple tree and it has fruit for the first time, but most of the apples have this in them. Any advice would be welcomed.


texts: How can I remove or disperse clay soil stuck in/on grass

texts:
I recently augured two holes in my yard for posts. I was not able to keep all the debris contained. I cleaned up what landed on a board I laid down and the large piles with a shovel. I raked up as much of the remainder as I could. There are still patches of heavy clay soil covering my grass. I admit my workmanship and planning was a bit sloppy, controlling the waste while digging would have been smarter.

I think the right tool for this job is a rake. I don't see how to scoop up such small quantities with a shovel without scalping the lawn.

How can I efficiently clean up this debris?

Is there some way to break it down and disperse it onto the lawn?


texts: Outdoor plant identification - long horizontal roots

texts: Can anyone identify this plant? They seem to like to grow on our driveway area, which is pretty sandy earth, and sparsely covered with grass. I don't think they grow very tall, but seem to form in a line linked together by a long horizontal root. This is about 100km north of Ottawa, Canada.


texts: Ropes as climbing support for English Ivy?

texts: I intend to grow a foliage wall in my bedroom by using English Ivy. For convenience and aesthetics I'd prefer using ropes as support. But will it climb?


texts: Does full shade count for photoperiod sensitive plants?

texts:
Many vegetables will bolt when they're grown in the wrong season, and this is because they're photoperiod sensitive.  This means that for a short-night plant if the night hours drop below a critical period for particular duration eg. month, they respond by flowering and going to seed. This is undesirable as the leaves stop growing, and become bitter e.g. spinach. They probably do this so that their pollen is available to insects which are active at that time of the year.

So, if you wish to plant a short night plant in full shade for part of the day ( at the beginning or end of the day), does the full shade contribute to the hours of darkness and prevent bolting?


texts: Why hasn't my strawberry plant produced any fruit?

texts:
I have a plant I bought that was started from Home Depot. Unfortunately it hasn't grown any fruit, even after a whole year.

Around May this year (my second year), it produced two small flowers and it grew another runner and a child plant but still no fruit.

What are some things that I can do to have it start growing fruit?

Where is it planted?

It sits on our balcony outside where it gets a lot of indirect light from the hot north Texas sun. It's in a 12 or 14 inch round plastic pot. It's about 10" deep. Since it's really hot during the summer we've had to water the plant two times a day to avoid drying out.


texts: What's this tree/shrub with white 4-petal flowers?

texts: There's a small tree or large woody shrub in our garden with fragrant flowers appearing in June in Oregon.  Although four-petaled and white, they seem different from the dogwoods we have.  The petals seem to be true petals and not sepals, and they bud differently.  The leaf edges have occasional teeth rather than smooth wavy edges, and the leaves have three veins rather than the one central vein of the dogwood leaves.  Very pleasant plant and would like to identify it in order to be better able to encourage it.


texts: Is there a long term solution to prevent tree shoots from coming up in lawn?

texts:
The shoots coming up in the middle of my lawn (see picture) I believe they are from the roots of a cherry tree that is roughly 15 feet away (I could be wrong, there is also a Pear and Maple tree nearby).

Is my only option to keep cutting them at the ground or maybe more effective to chop a wedge out of the root?

I'm general curious about controlling shoots in other areas as well. It seems like there should be a better solution then just clipping them back a few times a year.


texts:
I have all of this burdock growing and I can not seem to remove them effectively. What should I be doing to remove it?

I have already dug some of them up and that worked but what are my other options?


texts:
These two western Idaho weeds look like lambsquarter to me. One of them is blunt, and the other one is pointy (and much more susceptible to leaf miners and some disease that wilts the shoots and leaves). Are they both lambsquarter? What are the variety names, if you can tell? Because of the immaturity of the weed in the second picture, you might be tempted to say it's bind weed or something (but it's not; it's not a vine; the growth habit is just like that of the blunt variety).

Blunt variety (picture 1):

Blunt variety (picture 2):

Pointed variety:


texts:
One of my clematis Tekla stopped growing a month ago and sort of froze in time. Its leaves started having grey spots and new growth leaves dried out as you can see from the picture below. Initially I thought that it is a clematis wilt, but reading through variety of resources does not confirm this fact since leaves don't turn black and fall and they don't fade but rather being covered with grey spots. In addition it has been like this for a month while I read that clematis wilt damages the branches within days so must be a different fungus? Can anyone help identifying what it might be?

Thanks.