texts: Designing a west facing London garden from scratch. Help!

texts:
I moved into a house last year and have finally got around to thinking about the garden.

What I have:

I have a west facing garden in London that is currently completely paved.

I have full width glass patio doors that open from the kitchen (back of the house) onto a small patio outside (just built this with the same large grey tiles as the kitchen). The doors also face west.

I plan on removing the old paving and putting down turf instead (unless you have any better ideas?)

I am looking for some ideas on what to plant, where to plant it and more general ideas of what to do to make this an amazing garden. I also have a greenhouse on the roof (long story) so I am happy to grows stuff from seed to have costs etc.

Here is a plan of the garden (to scale, 1 square is 1m2):

Patio is w 6.6m x l 2.4m

Rest of garden is w 6.6m x l1m (so 13.5m including the patio)

I have a shed in the back right corner (needs a door)
I have an inedible cherry tree in the back left corner. (looks great in spring but puts the centre of the garden in shade at about 4pm or 5pm)

Here is a picture of the garden from the kitchen:
From the patio:

My giant inedible cheery tree:

Facing towards the kitchen:

Inside the kitchen from the door:

Here is a plan that you can change yourself if you like:
http://www.gardena.com/uk/garden-life/my-garden/my-garden-page/?g=0fbed972-bc2b-4649-9814-b629aeede757

Sun

The sun hits the back of the garden about 10am and slowly covers the whole garden by about 12pm. At the sun arcs over the left fence by 3 ish the left bed has a bit of shade from the left fence (depending on the time of year.)
By 4pm the centre of the garden is in shade because of my cheery tree (I may have to give it a very big haircut or we have talked about removing it completely. Seems a shame but sun is very important in the UK ;) )

What I want:

I would like somewhere to:

eat dinner
relax and entertain that is a bit more comfy.
sunbathe (could be the same area as above)
have a bbq (but would be happy to wheel it out when i need it)
have a bit of room for kids to play (dont have any yet but will do one day)
that is lit at night and looks great from the kitchen instead of a black wall of glass (which is what we get now from the patio doors at night)

My ideas so far: (dont let them influence you too much)

Beds on the sides with a seating area on the right, table, charis and bench on the patio: (you can see why I need help ;) )

I was thinking about a small table and chairs on the right of the new patio for eating, and then putting some comfy seating in the middle of the garden on the right (like a rattan sofa) so we don’t put all the seating on our new patio which will block the view from the kitchen and will mean we don’t fully use half of the garden.

I also know nothing about plants (but I am willing to learn J ). I would like that garden to look great all year round and be lit as it is the view of the kitchen.

Specific non broad question Where would you put the seating?

Thank you so much for you time in advance!


texts: I need help deciding on what tree to plant in my backyard

texts:
I would like to plant a tree in my backyard next to my house. I initially thought a big tree that throws the leaves would be a good idea but now i am worried about how would that affect my house and the surroundings.

I have a 7x7m backyard having 6x6m soil in the middle.  It's surrounded by 1 meter wide concrete and next to it it's my house.

I would like to create shade for a table and some chairs but I don't want my house to be in danger in the next 10 years.
I don't want a tree that produces fruits or attracts bees or any other insect.
I don't care if it throws the leaves or keep them for the winter.
I need to have hard wood so it won't create any damage to the cars or the house.

How can I choose the right tree for my place? Can you give me any tree suggestions? Is there any any DB that can provide me with these information?

Location

Corfu/Greece, Close to sea (approximately 4km) about 100 sea level.

Surrounding trees

Olives
Citrus trees
Chestnut
Walnuts
More olive trees (Olive trees in Corfu)

Image


texts: Will mowing sprouting silver maple saplings eventually kill them?

texts:
I recently seeded approximately 600 sf of lawn and unfortunately the timing corresponded with my neighbor's silver maple (Acer saccharinum) dropping it's samaras.  Needless to say the maple seeds love all the water and are sprouting up everywhere.  I pull all of them I can reach but do not want to walk on my newly sprouting Kentucky Bluegrass.  What I'm hoping is that once I start mowing this area again the maple trees saplings will eventually not come back.  However I'm a little concerned that their root systems may take away nutrients from the grass I'm trying to grow.  Will it be alright to wait and mow over the saplings later?  If not, what other options could there be?

Note:  I did see this similar SE G&L question, however I believe this is different given that it's a new lawn.


texts: How to tell if a high-up avocado is ready to pick?

texts: Near my work there is an avocado tree growing out over the street that goes unharvested by its owners. I kind of want to try one of the avocados. How do I know when I should go there with the fruit picker and get one down?


texts:
this is my first vegetable plant and I have no idea what to do or if this is something normal. My plant has white spots on older leaves and they turn brown over time. Anyone here who has seen this before and knows what I can do about it?

Cheers :)


texts: Internet says to plant bulbs 3 or 5 times (depending on the bulb) its own depth. What if you're planting in clay soil?

texts: Does the planting depth change when it comes to soil that's more clay then the loamy soil you get at the nurseries? Since clay soil is heavier and has the ability to retain moisture, would it restrict growth or cause moisture damage to not only bulbs but all plants including roses that are generally buried a little over the bud union, again, as per the internet.


texts: Do peppers change color when left on the plant?

texts:
My mother and I purchased some pepper plants from Costco. The info card they came with (which identifies them as Capsicum annuum bell peppers†) depicts vibrant red bell peppers. However, they've started to sprout their fruit, and we're noticing they're distinctly green.

Mom hears tale that peppers turn red if you don't pick them from the plant. Is this fact, will the pepper change color when left on the plant past its full growth? Is this only for particular breeds of pepper? If it does change color, is there a specific length of time I should wait, or perhaps some way to tell when the color change is complete?

†The card doesn't clarify much past that. Just says "pepper" matures in "60-100 days", and talks about both mild peppers and hot peppers.


texts:
I bought this Peace Lily three weeks ago.  A day or two later, the leaves went from upright to down on the floor.  I'm not sure what happened.  I've not overwatered and it's been kept out of direct sunlight.

What can I do to bring it back to normal?

2015-05-23: Update - watering really helped.  It's almost back to normal.  Thanks to all for the info.  Now I'll prune the dead leaves.


texts: Planting a pot bound Acer in the ground in June

texts: can I plant a pot bound Acer- about 5 feet tall - into the garden now it's June? ( this is in the UK by the way)


texts: How far apart can pollination partners be (fruit trees)?

texts:
I am running out of space for fruit trees - apples, pears, plums - in one location but have some more space a few tens of metres away, with a large hedge separating the two areas.
To what extent does distance between two pollination partners impact pollination and what distances are considered normal/desirable?


texts:
I am contemplating using 10' T-Posts (driven in 2' for 8' of height) with a wire (7/7 or other) across the top which I'll use to hang hooks to trellis tomatoes, cucumbers, butternut squashes and the like.  I have a 50' length and was going to put in posts every 6-8 feet.
My question is whether the wire - or posts - will buckle if I attach it to the t-posts using t-post clips or if I need to anchor them directly into the ground on either end to help resist the pull on the posts and wire.


texts: What can I plant in a container on my south-facing balcony that requires the least attention (watering etc.)?

texts:
I have a south-facing balcony with a built-in soil container. Ideally, I don't want to water it at all. Since the container is on the edge of the balcony, it receives some rainfall.

What are the best plants/herbs/vegetables to make it look pretty with the following set of priorities in order:

little to no watering
cheap seeds or plants
green year-round
edible?

I have no experience at all and need forgiving plants to get started.

Update:
The container is 120 by 40 cm, 1m deep and has drainage. It is already filled with soil.


texts: Indoor mint leaves rapidly turning brown!

texts:
My poor mint plant is losing leaves at an alarming pace. I’m not the best gardener, but how do I save this little guy? No idea what’s causing the fast browning!

I’ve been trying to water it every other day and it’s on a window sill. I have grow lights I could turn on, if that would help?

Thanks in advance for any advice!


texts: Should I prune the growth at bottom of a Swedish Columnar Aspen?

texts:
I've got some 8 foot Swedish Columnar Aspens that have some foliage growing from the base of the tree by the dirt on the ground.

Should I prune these off to allow nutrients go to other areas of the tree?


texts: We hear a lot of negative things about genetically modified organisms (GMO), are they harmful to humans when consumed?


texts: First time home owner, leaky basement, and a poorly graded yard.

texts:
First time home buyer here looking for some insight on proper drainage around the base of my house.

I'm looking at digging a french drain on the side of my house because water pools there when it rains. We recently had a ton of rain where I'm located and that pooling water caused my basement walls to start leaking rain water.

On top of that I'm going to grade the side of my yard away from the house to help keep the water away.

My question is: What's the best practice when it comes to grading projects? I've got fake stucco siding and I've heard I need to leave some space between the stucco and dirt, so critters/bugs don't get into it. Is that correct?

Also, would it be a good idea to throw some quarter round gravel down along the base of my house and then build the dirt on top of that? My neighbor did that and he says it's been working well for him.

I think I've got the basic idea for a french drain down, I'm just more-so looking for the best materials to use for the job.


texts: Why is my lemon verbena showing signs of distress?

texts: I acquired a lemon verbena earlier in the year. I have been cutting sprigs for culinary purposes. In recent weeks, it has begun to look sad, i.e. wilting leaves, appearing spindly. Is this to be expected at this time of year or am I not tending it properly? It is protected from the wind in partial shade, and lives in a sizable terracotta pot.


texts: Can Nanking Cherry cross pollinate with other types of cherries?

texts: The nanking cherry needs 2 of itself to properly grow, but what if you have 2 different cherry types, will they pollinate each other?


texts: How long for glyphosate to penetrate plant

texts:
How long between spraying Glyphosate and the Glyphosate "getting in place" to kill the plant.

My issue is this - I want to make productive use of an area overrun by very well established weeds - and only have 3 days in which to prepare the area and get my weedmat and plants in place.   I can't really pull the plants out by hand - the roots are too well established and there are too many of them.

I know that glyphosate takes some time to actually kill the weeds, but I'm wondering if the glyphosate will penetrate the plant within 24 hours such that if I cut the foliage down to ground level (and cover with weed mat)  it will "stay dead" and allow me to plant my new plants through holes in the weed mat without overrunning my tender seedlings ?


texts: What is this short plant with feathery red-tinged silver-green evergreen foliage and all-yellow flowers?

texts:
20 cm high, 30 cm wide is this strange creature. Garden in continental part of Balkan peninsula, zone 7a. It looks to be a herbaceus but evergreen plant.

View from above:

Update: The plant grew rapidly to 40-50 cm, lost red color, flower buds appeared. Also, this is its second year. First year it was just tiny, a couple of short branches, no flowers.

Update 2: Flowers start appearing:

Update 3:

It is amazing that the flowers in the middle form “sunflower pattern” (that was shown to have some connection to “golden ratio” in mathematics), however, these flowers are tiny, barely 3 cm/1 in radius.


texts: How can I organically prevent green caterpillars from eating up my kale plants?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  What is an effective organic pesticide to use against aphids or cabbage loopers?

So these little green caterpillars have been eating most of my kale plants. What can I do to prevent this from happening without chemical pesticides?


texts: What are the mini-white moths on my tomato plant?

texts:
I have some tomato plants indoors. Recently a number of very small (1 mm or so) moths dwell on the leaves.

What are these? Are they harmful? What can I do about them?


texts:
I have a blueberry plant that is about 4 months old and a couple of weeks ago I noticed that the tips of the two main stems (the ones that the plant came with when I bought it), and some leaves are getting dry and dark.

I live in Valencia, Spain, which is a wet and sunny city.

I moved the plant from the sun to a room with light but not direct sun, and also I'm starting to apply berries fertilizer. Also noticed that the soil I used, the acidic one, has 7 pH.

I'll attach some pictures of the plant.


texts: What should I do (if anything) to winterize my small vegetable garden (Buffalo, NY, USA)?

texts: Should I pull everything? Cover with a tarp? Mulch? Leave exposed? Should a rake the leaves from it or leave them? Any other winter preparations I should make to make spring that much easier on it?


texts:
I live in Portland, OR.  Here we have a species of aphid that attacks brassicas (kale, broccoli, gai lan, etc.), and only brassicas.  They are a bit larger, and a darker blue-green than regular aphids that attack other plants.

Every method I've tried for eradicating them fails:

We have plenty of ladybugs in the yard, naturally, so much so that regular aphids and whitefly are simply not a problem.  However, our ladybugs won't eat the brassica aphids at all.
Spraying them off works breifly, but requires spraying the plants every 24 hours throughout the whole growing season and isn't practical.
Insecticidal soap isn't effective, unless I use it in sufficient quantities to hurt the plants (the soap causes the leaves to lose moisture somehow).
New Zealand Ag recommends Entomophora fungus as a biological control, but that doesn't seem to be something one can buy in the US.

Infestations on my kale and broccoli were so bad it was killing the plants and I had to raze them all.  I'd like to be able to plant again.  Ideas?

This is related to this question but the only answer there is "ladybugs" and see above.


texts: I pulled out some weeds and tried to reseed both in the front and back yard, the back seeds sprouted and grew but the front yard just will not germinate.  I seeded, watered and used the same grass seed from the same bag - why won't the front yard germinate?


texts: Why is this years-old vine dying and showing strange beige spots?

texts:
My housemate has a hanging plant, we think it's a form of vine, in her room. It's her favourite plant and at least 10 years old. Lately, it's started thinning out massively, leaving dried leaves on the floor. The leaves have beige spots:

The leaves' back side shows brown spots:

What is this, and what can we do to fight it? Could it be a fungus?


texts: What's a good plan for fast and inexpensive apple tree propagation?

texts:
I'm looking for a fast way to propagate my M9 apple trees.
Could you tell my if my plan is feasible? Are there any improvements to it?

January 2016:

Buy a M9 apple rootstock
Cut all the branches off the rootstock and
propagate them using hardwood cutting
Plant the rootstock without any
branches to create a stool bed

July 2016:

Bud graft on the growing branches of the stool bed

January 2017:

Plant the new apple tree from the stool bed. Cut above the graft and use the branches to propagate more M9 rootstocks
Plant the new M9 rootstocks from 2016 hardwood cutting

July 2017:

Bud graft on the new growing branches of the stool bed (January 2016)
Bud graft the M9 rootstocks planted in January 2017

January 2018:

Keep cutting, propagating, planting...

Extra information:

I live in France
I wish to learn not to buy
More info about stool bed and grafting on it
More info about hardwood cutting propagation


texts:
I have had this cactus for about 5 (or more) years, and have been treating it pretty shamefully due to me only recently researching how to garden and unfortunately being one of those who didn't care too much before. I want to keep it alive, as it was originally a tiny cutting from one of my grandmothers cactus'.

She had potted it in a tiny pot with a lot of drainage stones at the bottom, which was perfect for the baby but I am aware it needs repotting now. Water doesn't seem to stay in the soil at all now, just drains straight through. Was planning to put into a pot 2-3x the size with fresh potting soil (I assume it can handle the same soil as my herbs do?). That's easy enough. I'll keep it inside at a window as that's where it's been it's whole life.

The problem is that i'm worried that this white fluff that i've always dismissed as part of the plant is mealy bugs. In the above picture you can also see white discolouring around the middle of the plant. I don't know what kind of cactus I have, unfortunately, but my grandmothers ballooned out into a ball shape and mine never has even after 5 years. I've put this down to mistreatment (it was left on a kitchen shelf in my parents house for 3 years with sporadic watering) but apparently mealy bugs cause stunted growth too. It keeps growing up, not out. Is it just because it was originally an offcut 'stem' so it's never going to become a ball? If it is mealy bugs, is this a huge infestation that is going to be really difficult to deal with?

Thank you for any advice! If anybody might know what kind of cactus this is so that I can research online for how to look after them, that would be really great too. :)


texts: Compost Bin Full - Turning vs. Layer of Browns on Top

texts:
I have a small open compost bin, it's now full with layers of brown and green. I read somewhere that I need to turn it occasionally (weekly is ideal), and that I need to keep a 1-4" layer of browns (shredded newspaper is good) on top to prevent bugs/pests/etc.

How do I reconcile these two? Turning it will mix everything up and will disrupt the layer on top. Do I need to then re-layer it on top? I didn't leave that much space.


texts: Is eye-level coppicing of trees unique to Turkey, and what species are typically involved?

texts:
When travelling in Turkey some years ago, I noticed many trees (25-40cm diameter) that appeared to have been heavily pruned at a height of around 2m. Only just before leaving did I realise that this was a firewood production method where the long, almost cane-like, branches were being cut annually or semi-annually in a coppice-like fashion.

I recently located images from a blog article of a trip through central Turkey that contained images of trees of this form at:

Image 1:

Image 2:

Is this technique unique to Turkey or the Near-east, or it is practiced in other areas?

What is the reason for this approach in contrast to the lower level stumping of trees practiced since Neolithic times in Europe?

Can someone identify the species from the winter images provided?


texts: Protect flowering fruit trees from frost

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  When do I need to protect a fruit tree from cold, and how do I do it?

We have several cherry trees and an apple tree in our back yard.  Due to the very warm March we had (in Minnesota), they are all covered in flowers.  In a few days, there is a chance of snow, and an overnight low of 26.

What do I need to do to protect them?

I saw When do I need to protect a fruit tree from cold, and how do I do it?, but I don't know if the difference between just starting to bud, and having flowers on them for a week or two is important.


texts: How often should I repot Lithops and Conophytum?

texts:
I have several different varieties of very small succulents (mainly Lithops and Conophytum) in small pots indoors. They have been in the same pots and soil for about 4 years.

I'm not sure when it's the right time to move them to a bigger pot, because they don't seem to grow in size.

Some Conophytum even started to die back and I wonder if it's a lack of soil fertility since I have never changed their soil or fertilized them.


texts: Should containerized plants be periodically rotated relative to the sun?

texts: I have the assumption that plants grow more foliage towards the arc of the sun. With containerized plants, I assumed I could rotate it every week to help it develop more balanced foliage. Are the assumptions correct? Is rotating plants beneficial or harmful to the plant?


texts:
I sprayed Roundup 2-3 days ago on some tall, tough weeds.
If I mow those same weeds down, will the Roundup still kill them?


texts: What is this plant with no leaves and thin dividing green stem?

texts: I'm located in Mumbai, India. A few of these weird things started growing in a pot. I though it was quite interesting, since it has no leaves. Is it a type of grass? I have bunched and planted 4 of them together in this pot. Each stem at the soil level is a single seperate plant. The stem continues in the soil as a single long deep root with limited branching. I would greatly appreciate it if someone could help me identify it. Thanks.


texts: I've found a tree while on stroll with no leaves (naturally - it's early spring after all). What amused me is that it was filled with things (on photo) that supposedly contain the seeds. Unfortunately, I didn't take a photo of the tree itself. Is there a way to identify what tree is that? That's in Saint Petersburg, Russia.


texts: Will my lime tree recover from cold shock?

texts:
This is my first attempt to grow something and it hasn't started off well. During the last winter, my Persian lime tree wasn't protected well enough from a cold front. All the leaves fell off, and the bark became brittle. I assumed it had died and was planning to uproot it in the spring.

When spring came around, I noticed at the very base, almost even with the soil, new leaves began to sprout. Today, even though there are 5-6 new branches forming,they are only at the base, and there is no sign of life on the rest of the tree.

If I take care of it, will it eventually recover?
Will it ever bear fruit again (Someone told me no).
Should I cut away all the dead parts?
Would I'd be better off replacing it.

Also, the tree was young to start with, only 4ft tall or so, but did bare a few limes before winter. Thanks!

Edit for clarity: My main question and concern is, if I choose to nurse the tree back to health, is there any possibility the tree will never bear fruit again? I had a person tell me that could happen, but I can't find any evidence to back that claim. If there is a possibility, then with the plant being so young, I might be better off starting over. Heh, I guess I feel bad for killing it and would like to see it recover.

I live in the U.S in southern Louisiana. Winters don't usually get below 20F here. I'd say average winter temp is around 50F.

Pictures


texts: Will my young avocado tree grow up tall if the top burned off during it's first summer in the ground? Or is it's vertical growth stunted now...?

texts: About 2.5 years ago I planted a 4-5 foot avocado tree and didn't realize how truly delicate these things were. I planted it in January and it had a harsh summer with many branches burning off including what I'm assuming was the leader, or top sprout of the tree. It has since bounced back and is doing great after 2 years, but it doesn't appear to be growing much taller. Does this avocado tree still have the potential to grow up tall? Or did burning off the lead essentially stunt its vertical growth?


texts: Appropriate planter size for tomato plants

texts: What is the most appropriate size for tomato planters? My plants are more than 2 months old. Also, any specific material that I should use e.g., ceramic, plastic?


texts: How do I identify and eradicate the pest that is destroying the plants in my flowerbox?

texts:
We transplanted an assortment of pretty flowers for our windowsill some weeks ago (albeit rather crudely) and they were growing bright and healthy. Over the last week, however they've been plagued! I live in Scotland and suspect the pest is the midge.

The predominant flower is Phlox drummondii and this is the flower that is preferentially being eaten by the larvae, starting at the root and lower stem, reducing them to withered hairs (circled); then when the plant collapses the buggers eat the leaves!

I've tried bug spray but this has had little or no effect in trammelling their advance. Many have now become adults. Any advice appreciated!


texts: Kumquat leaf diseases or some kind of stress

texts:
I've got a Fortunella Obovata tree's leaves turning brown so I'd like to know is this some kind of diseases which would require disposing the tree or something treatable due to nutrition deficiencies. I'm (deep) watering it only when the top 10cm of the soil is dry and fertilize it in recommended dosages/intervals(Compo citrus).
To me it seems as root burn due to salt accumulation but I'm not sure. Btw, the tree had lost many leaves after I had received it but it was fine for a 1.5y or so up until the last two weeks.


texts: Lawn repair / treatment ahead of spring?

texts:
Towards the end of summer and for the whole of winter  the lawn at the back of my house has been ignored. It now looks more like a farmers field and needs some attention!

There are photos here https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nh46s9xy7pyd0jz/7R5w655tU0

It's very white / yellow and is quite hard or brittle to touch. There are areas of weeds and bare patches too. I really want to get it nice for summer so my little girl can play on there. Can anyone offer any suggestions or starting points?

EDIT: Embeded some close-up photos and added more photos to the drop box link. Should be easier to see the whiteness/yellowing and the weeds etc.


texts:
I've got two kalanchoes that have scale bugs on them. Initially, I tried spraying them with neem oil, which seemed to reduce the population but never eliminated them. One person I spoke with said that remove the adult scale bugs when they form the "scale" is the best way to get rid of them, as they are easy to remove and that will prevent them from laying eggs for a new generation. I've been trying that for a couple of months now (checking them almost daily), but the plants seem to be slowly getting weaker and I still see new scales forming. :(

Another suggestion I got was a bit more drastic: submerging the entire plant (including pot and soil) in water for 24-30 hours. The idea is that the scale bugs can't survive that long without air and they'll all die.

I've never tried anything like this so I'm wondering: does anyone here have experience with this technique? I'm a bit skeptical it would work and I can't find much to support or refute this suggestion. I'm hoping someone here with more experience might know if this is a good idea.

Since these are kalanchoes that propagate easily by cuttings put in water, I was just going to cut them off at the base and throw away the soil and just submerge the cut stems.

As an aside...
The original scale bugs came in on some spider plants that have been going outside for a few years now, and probably picked them up outside. By this point in the late summer, they look fine outside (probably some insects eat most of the scale bugs), but by late winter, they start to get nasty looking. Interestingly, the scale bugs never seem to cause serious damage to the spider plants, they just look bad. If submerging is a good way to get rid of scale bugs, I'll probably try that with the spider plants too.


texts:
Location: Columbus, Ohio

Early in the season, maybe too early to identify.
Trying to get past the false duplicate post error...


texts: pineapple houseplant tipped and stem disturbed at ground level

texts: When returning my pineapple plant to its usual spot, the central stem almost snapped at ground level.  I propped up the plant with a stake, but want to know if there is anything else to do to ensure the plant recovers.  Thanks for your help.


texts:
I've recently bought a few seeds: including that of Endive ( Endivia Ruffec ), lettuce, chicory, chard, cactus, and a flowering plant with the scientific name of Viola Tricolor.

Which plants have similar requirements and can grow in the same pot? And what are the general care guidelines for the " compatible batch "? (I'll ask a separate question for the plant(s) that aren't compatible) . Our weather is typically 50-60's F during winter , but we're on the verge of spring and the weather has been sunny with temperatures between 70-90F during daytime.


texts: Is there a way to discourage a tomato plant from growing too tall?

texts: I have a tomato plant that is now 6ish feet tall and still seems to be growing up and up. Is there a way to discourage this upward growth and keep it to a height that I won't need a ladder to harvest?


texts: Dark spots showing up on furniture, etc. under coco palm

texts: We have 5 Malay coconut palms (yellow coconuts, rather than green). Under just one of them, we’re getting dark spotting on patio chairs and everything else in the vicinity. Someone said it could be insect droppings from an infestation of that tree. A systemic insecticide into the soil was suggested True? Recommendations?


texts: What edible mushrooms can be grown in full sun?

texts: I would like to grow some mushrooms in my vegetable garden which is in full sun.  Are there any varieties of edible mushrooms that like direct sun?


texts: What does "an extremely popular host plant" mean?

texts:
I was reading about sweet fern, and it says "Wind-pollinated shrub that doesn’t attract bees or butterflies, but it is an extremely popular host plant for a wide variety of caterpillars: geometer moths, miner moths, dagger moths, underwings, saturniid, hawk and sphinx moths. Horticultural source.".

What does this mean to someone who doesn't have much knowledge about plants? Do I want this in the middle of my garden, or a little ways away (i.e. 200 feet away in the middle of the butterfly garden)?


texts: Where should the water holes be in an outdoor plant pot?

texts:
I have some balcony plant pots like these:

They have no holes at the bottom, so I'm planning to drill holes to prevent water from accumulating at the bottom and causing rot.

But as you can see there are these "nubs" at the bottom; and now I'm wondering: should I drill the holes at the top of the nubs, so that water from the lowest 2 cm of the pot cannot flow out; or should I drill the holes really in the bottom plate so that all water can eventually drain?

In case it matters: I'm planning to put the pots on a "pan" so that the water does not drop down to the neighbors. Also, I have LECA (swelling clay?) available to put into the bottom of the pot.

The pots are supposed be used for tomatoes, strawberries, and spices (like rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano). Some will be placed under a roof, others will occasionally get natural rain.


texts:
I am growing Camellia Sinensis in zone 8. I noticed yesterday that this tea tree suddenly wilted.

It was fine until two days ago. It has been hot for several days, often reaching 80F in the afternoon, which is when this tree gets sunlight. I didn't water it every day this week but I watered it as soon as I noticed the wilting yesterday and it still looks sad.

Why did this happen and is there anything I can do to help this plant?


texts: Composting: what is the ratio of volume of material in to compost out?

texts: Say you've got a compost heap, 1 full metre cube, with about 1 part green to 3 parts brown by volume. If this is left to break down, what volume of compost will be produced?


texts: Why are my hydroponic herbs turning purple after changing fertilizer?

texts:
I replaced my depleted liquid Aerogarden fertilizer with 3-3-2 AgroThrive Organic General Purpose Liquid Fertilizer. I maintained the same feeding regimen: two capfuls every two weeks. My herbs are not growing, and are in fact wilting and turning purple. Another worrying development is that the water has turned foamy, and coated the grow sponges in a mild slime. Could I revive my herbs by changing my regimen, or do I need a different fertilizer?
Compare the unhealthy herb in the foreground with the seedling in the background


texts: I inherited an established garden in which a very sad-looking peony was struggling to grow right next to (practically from under) a rose.  In the two growing seasons I've been at this house, the peony's few leaves were a yellow-green and it never sent up a flowering shoot.  In May this year I moved the rose that was next to it (due to a color scheme I didn't agree with), and at the same time, I removed the peony. It looks as if the peony managed to grow from a bit of root was left after the previous owner tried to remove it and replace it with some roses, but perhaps it was too deep in the soil, or constantly cut back, or too malnourished to grow successfully. I potted up the bits of root, some with leaf still attached, hoping that I could get at least one plant. I've been keeping the potting compost moist but not water-logged and keeping the pots out of direct sunlight.  Is this the right thing to do to save the peony, or is there a better method?


texts: What's the best type of potting soil/mix for a Sansevieria (snake plant)?

texts:
I have a Sansevevieria (Snake Plant) and I'm looking for the best type of potting soil/mix for it. I checked some sites on google and couldn't understand a thing. Almost everyone has a different opinion on what kind of soil/mix to use for the succulent plant.
In my neighbourhood, no one in any nursery here understands perlite or other things1, even after showing a picture. So please tell me what I can do to make the best soil for my Snake plant? Please include some pictures as it will also help me in identifying what type of soil you are talking about.
1. They are not educated.


texts: What are these yellow splotches on some Christmas Cacti (Schlumbergera) I rescued? Are they a positive or negative sign?

texts:
A few weeks back — on a fairly windy night here in New York City — I was going out to toss out the trash when someone’s small pot of Christmas Cacti (Schlumbergera) crashed down on the ground right near me. There were four full plants in the pot but the plants were in such bad shape — semi-shriveled and clearly not cared for — that it was even hard for me to identify them in the dark.

I took them home, cleaned the dry dirt off of their roots and repotted them in small individual pots with draining. After some very basic watering, care and decent placement in sunlight they are coming back to life; the plant is stiff and looks more the way it should. Clearly the roots are taking.

Flash forward to a few days ago I noticed some odd yellow splotches on some of the leaves; see pic below with areas described here circled in red. These are mainly on leaves and near areas that are still a bit shriveled from previous neglect.

That said, are these yellow splotches a positive or negative thing? They get some decent sunlight in the morning to early afternoon and I put small amounts of water in every 3-4 days. And to me they seem fine, but just want a more informed opinion on this.


texts: Is mold/mildew in the stalks killing my lucky bamboo?

texts:
I've got a lucky bamboo with two stalks. One stalk (right to the bottom and left at the top - blue turtle) looks green and healthy, but the most recent leaves started look yellow-ish. The other stalk (left to the bottom and top at the top - purple turtle) turned pale and after inspection I found the wounds. The bamboo doesn't smell bad but certainly looks harmed and weak. Is this some kind of mold/mildew on the stalks? What could I do to cure my plant?

Edit. To be more precise, I'm not worried about the yellow leaves. I'm afraid my plant is suffering from some kind of mold or mildew. Please see my last picture in detail and you'll find some similarities with this picture: the skin of the plant is getting hurt and some small black dots are growing over the scars. How can I cure this?


texts:
Is it harmful? What should I do about it?

It was undoubtedly caused by the excess water on the surface from the drippers. Those are now off.


texts: What type of soil for transplanting bamboo?

texts: Do you need special soil to transplant bamboo? Also, do you have to keep it in water or can you use potting soil? I have tried regular potting soil, but the bamboo died.


texts: Can I overwinter runner bean seedlings for cropping the next season?

texts:
Clearing up my vegetable plot this autumn I have found several young runner beans have self seeded and have put up new plants currently 10-15cm high. I've not seen this before but we have had a very mild autumn.

Are these viable seedlings and would they produce proper runner beans in the spring? Would they give me a much earlier crop of runners (which would be great as it's always a long wait till August for a runner bean crop).

All this assumes of course I can get them through the winter (I would of course bring them under glass). Am I even going to be able to keep them alive, as runners are not of course traditionally an autumn sown crop?


texts: What is this strange looking tree with hairy-type growths near the leaves?

texts:
What species is this tree? What are the hairy balls on it?

click on the photo for full size


texts: How can I mitigate azalea lacebug infestation without harming bees?

texts:
I have several azaleas and some rhododendron that have become infested with lacebug. Some sites say to remove the plant and start over though this seems a bit draconian to me.

One suggestion was to use a soil drench with imidacloprid. Many commercial products use this but I'm rather worried about creating a toxic environment for bees. There is some debate over whether systemic use puts enough toxin in pollen to affect bees but I don't really want to risk this.

My questions:

Has anyone successfully rid themselves (or their plants) of lacebug? How?
Any data on systemics and their role in CCD?


texts: What are the green shoots coming out from under my tree?

texts:
I just moved into my first house, :) and I have two big bushy trees in the front yard. (I'm unsure of the identification for them. Anyone know?)

At one time it looks like they were lanscaped, but since have started growing sturdy green shoots from the base.  See below pictures.  Am I safe to hack that weed like thing out of there?  It's pretty tough.  Any recommendations how to do this if that is so?  (Ax?)


texts: Are my pineapple plant and papaya plant saveable?

texts: I have a white pineapple (sugarloaf pineapple), and a papaya tree that that were growing all spring and summer in Salt Lake City, UT. They were both doing very well, and I was planning on taking them down to my parents who live in a warmer climate for the fall and winter. However, we unexpectedly got a cold front recently and both plants were subjected to temps of 28 degrees F (-2 degrees C), and both looked sick the next morning. Since then I’ve been bringing them inside at night, and back out in the warm sunlight during the day. Do you think they’ll survive? Or is it too late?


texts: How to get my strawberry to grow runners?

texts:
I have a year and a half old mini-strawberry (the small-fruit kind) plant. I have heard a lot about strawberries growing runners, but mine never did.

Is there something I should do to "coax" it to start?


texts: Is There Powdery Mildew On My Lily Plants?

texts:
Recently, there was a large rainstorm in my area, which soaked my lilies’ leaves thoroughly. Afterwards, and even for a while before then, I had noticed small white dots on their leaves.
If this is powdery mildew, what should I do about it? I’m hesitant to use milk and water on them, since it seems like water would only make the problem worse, but I’ve heard that neem oil works well. Might it also help to move them into a shallower pot (the one I have is pretty deep)?


texts: My Hindu rope plant has yellow like pollen on some new shoots is this ok?

texts: I have a beautiful variegated Hindu Rope.  It seems to have new buds. They are covered with a yellow pollen like substance. Is this ok?


texts: Can any one identify this shrub from these leaves pics?

texts: Can any one identify this tree from these leaves pics?


texts: What vegetables could I grow in an indoor garden in winter?

texts:
I live in a city and love gardening, but have no spare room especially for gardening. I am planning to make a garden on my windowsill. I live in the Netherlands, so outdoor temperatures in winter are -5 to 10 °C and I have double glass and the window is on the sunny side.

As I do not have a garden, balcony or rooftop, the vegetables will have to grow indoors until they will be harvested.

The space is 200x20 cm and the height does not matter.

As winter is coming, I was wondering what vegetables I will be able to plant in October to December.


texts: What is the result of "unpredictable" cross-pollination of beets?

texts:
I inherited a community plot this summer along with a sprinkling of second-season plants which were overlooked at harvest in the fall. I have one beet which is currently bolting (do you say bolting for beets?). I was planning on collecting the seeds, but then I read online that beets can wind pollinate with chard from up to 2 miles away!

I did a search to find out what possible chard-beet hybrid might result, but I couldn't find any descriptions.

I understand that the results of cross-pollination are unpredictable, but what might I expect? Less tasty/sweet roots? Smaller roots? More chard like foliage? Is it just not worth taking the risk, and should I just buy more carefully cultivated seeds?


texts:
I have an area on the hill I want to protect against water eroding the soil. I will be putting large rocks there, but I also wanted to put some plants to reinforce soil with plant roots. I have a lot of cedars on my property and was thinking about transplanting some to areas I need to reinforce.

Will this work? What is the largest size tree I should be transplanting? How big hole and a ball I need to make? Any other tips?


texts: When can potted Strawberry Seedlings be safely transplanted outside considering Squirrel attacks?

texts: Southern California resident here. I have strawberry seedlings and would like to transplant them outside. How old should they be to avoid being eaten by squirrels? I've had days-old seedlings get their crowns crunched off by these little devils.


texts: Will planting Pachysandra terminalis affect existing shrubs?

texts:
I'm considering planting Pachysandra terminalis around the base of a few shrub/tree stands, but am concerned it may negatively effect the growth of the existing trees/shrubs.

The first area is around the base of 4 established 8-10' Emerald Green Arborvitae.
The second is around a mixture of 2-3' Green Giant Thuja, Thuja (standishii x plicata) 'Green Giant', Leyland Cyprus, Cupressus × leylandii, and Japenese Cedar, Cryptomeria japonica that were planted this spring.

Do you think it's safe to plant the Pachysandra this fall without jeopardizing the existing plantings?


texts:
I forget the variety, but it is one of the oblong types. They taste great, much of the radish is solid as normal. But the centers have these voids (see photo). They are not from insects, and otherwise the radish tastes normal. These slices are slightly larger than a quarter in diameter, so I don't think they're overly large.

Other detials:
regular water
6+ hrs sun
high organic material sandy soil in a raised bed
Long Island, New York growing area.

Any idea what's going on and what can be done about it?


texts: I live in the country and have no grass growing. My land looks like a field and I have no experience

texts:
My land has no grass growing. Its full of stickers and other weeds. Don't know what they're called. Do I need a Tiller for the area where I want grass seeds to grow? I'm a widow with limited income, and could not afford to have that done by a professional. I only like to have grass growing just in front of my house. Could I just throw grass seed out on the area where I want grass to grow? Would it choke out those stickers and other weeds? I'm 77 years old and not in the best of health. Is there a easy way for me to get a small patch of real grass to grow and enjoy walking on it, without having those annoying stickers stuck to my shoes? Could that be accomplished? I live 23 miles going South out of Abilene, TX. Since my husband died, it has been my dream to have a always green patch of grass to walk on. You would make my wish and my dream come true, if you could tell me, that it is possible.
Thank you for reading my maybe impossible dream. Sincerely, G. Hammer.


texts: We were at the Sonoran desert museum and saw a plant that grew in or on the limbs of a desert hardwood tree. Anyone know what this plant is called


texts:
I have just discovered I have some Deadly Nightshade plants growing on my property, and I'm not sure of the best way to deal with them. The plants seem pretty well established - they must be about 2 meters high.

My thinking is along the following:

First pick off the berries and dispose of these (i.e. throw them in my tip - I have kids and would prefer these are not around)
Next spray the plants with glyphosate on a sunny morning and leave for a few weeks.
Cut the top half of the plants and burn (or chop into logs and put into tip. Attempt to pull the bottom half of the plants out and burn, along with the roots. If the plants won't come out at roots, cut them off at ground level.

Is this a practical solution - are there better ideas?


texts: Sequencing for tick, weed and fertilize treatments for lawn

texts:
Northeastern US here in case that makes a difference in the answer. I have a back lawn as pictured below. Section A is a grassy slope and Section B is flat grass lawn. We have two small kids that are allowed to play in Section B, but they are not allowed to go on the slope of Section A.

I would like to:

Spray/spread both sections for ticks (deer ticks if I have to choose, but ticks of any kind are a concern)
Spray/spread both sections to kill weeds
Spray/spread both sections to fertilize and grow good quality grass

There is a spigot in the backyard and I have more than enough hose to get to each area of both Sections. I also have a seed spreader so that is an option as well.

What types of typical products (that you could find in your local Lowes/Home Depot/Ace Hardware) could be used for ticks, weeds, fertilizer and grass seeds, what time of year is best to apply them and, most importantly, what is the correct order to apply them in?


texts: Why has my orange tree turned yellow and stopped bearing fruit?

texts: I live in Spain, and this year my orange tree has turned yellow all over, with no flowers or fruit. What could it be? I have taken a picture.


texts:
I've had this plant for about 2 years- always in the same spot. So far it seems to be ok with watering about once a week and occasionally spraying its leaves. It is growing new leaves quite often but recently one of them turned red. I'd like to know:

what kind of plant is it?
are the red leaves a warning sign of an issue?
how often should I water it?
should I repot it to a bigger pot? and what type of soil does it typically need?

Thanks!

Update 23 June: 5 leaves turned more orange. 3 of them fell off


texts: White/brown patch on a young monstera leaf - what to do?

texts: I was happy when I saw my Monstera growing a new leaf, but recently I noticed a white/brown patch on it and I'm getting worried. What does the patch signify? How can I help the plant?


texts: My lucky bamboo's leaves tips  started turning brown so I moved it to get more light.  This increased the problem.  Just read that direct sunlight is a no-no.  Now, the leaves are yellow to almost white. I read that the most likely situation is too much chlorine from tap water.  We have a well, so I don't think that is the problem.  I don't fertilize, but I read that they really don't need fertilizer.  I will check to see if it is root bound.  It is growing in rocks in a painted container, so I will have to remove to analyze.  However, I don't think that this is the problem either.  I will remove out of the sun, clean the water once again and check the roots.  If this does not work.......any suggestions?   Thanks


texts: How to attract white stork (Ciconia ciconia) to a garden?

texts:
Is there any way to attract white stork (Ciconia ciconia) to a garden?

I found this on the internet, but without much further info: A wikimedia photo of a man-made structure for stork's nest: (is it necessary to construct this to attract storks? is it effective?)


texts: How far do you dig from a maple tree so as not to cause damage to the tree?

texts:
A family member wants to put up a fence behind her condominium and the plans state that the fence will be 3 foot away from a small maple tree in the back yard. The association members say that this is too close to the tree and it will do harm to the tree.

What is the perfect distance away from the tree to dig to put in the fence post?


texts: Why has my prickly pear cactus gone limp?

texts: I have a new prickly pear that I love and it just went limp on me tonight. I checked the soil and it feels moist but not wet and top inch is bone dry. Around the roots is a little damper. The top stems are wrinkled and limp. Is this a sign of over or under watering? The plant is bright green with a few brown spots which most of them they had when I purchased the plant. I did also put it in a really 12"w pot on the advice I should go a bigger in anticipation of its growth. The plant gets full direct southern sunlight.


texts: How do I remove oak seedlings which sprouted in my garden?

texts:
I have an oak tree at the bottom of my garden and it has produced small trees due to fallen acorns in the grass.

I need to remove them. How do I do that?


texts: What is the best way to pick tomatoes? Removing the stem+tomato from the plant or simply removing the tomato only, leaving the stem on the plant? Does it matter?


texts: I moved my Japanese Maple tree from a pot and planted it in my garden over a year ago. Since the leaves shriveled and died the tree seems to also have dried out and is not producing new buds, has it died completely or can it be saved? I have posted pics below.


texts:
I have a lemon and a satsuma tree in my yard that I planted roughly 2 years ago. So they are still fairly young. I planted them in a bad location and realized that in a few years they are going to end up taking over the area. So I would like to move them, but a few people warned me that it is a bad idea to do so and that the trees would die.

While I know that is a risk, are there any steps I can take while moving them to put the odds back in my favor? What time of the year would it be best to move them?


texts: The seedling is not even 3 inches tall and has a leaf bigger than itself. This is a polyembryonic honey mango seed. It gets 1 hour of sunlight daily and the pot has no drainage holes. I also am probably overwatering it. I water it once a day.


texts: What is this branching, brown-stemmed and fleshy-leafed plant?

texts:
Please help me identify this one. I’ve got no idea where it comes from. Even the specialists at FlowerChecker couldn’t help me.

All I know is that it’s quite robust (i.e. undemanding) and is able to quickly develop new branches.


texts: How do I trim the grass that's growing between the links of a chain link fence?

texts: I have a long stretch of chain link fence, and there is some grass that grows into the links.  When I try to trim it using a basic lawn trimmer, all that ends up happening is I chew up trimming wire and the grass stays put.  Is there anything I can do to trim this down easily?


texts:
I'm reading this question What is the average lifespan of most maple trees? and the answer mentions:

  Silver maple 100 years (I cannot imagine why you would want to plant this species)

followed by a comment:

  Silver Maples in urban areas are trouble. Their roots seek water and infiltrate water pipes. They have a poor branch structure that unusual weather can cause broken branches or splits in branches.

With such bad press about this tree, I looked it up and googled the images and lo and behold, that's my tree!

It saddened me a bit since my brother-in-law gave me this seedling from his yard (as mine was barren of any trees) and I've been really happy with how fast it's been growing.  The leaves are full and pretty and it's about 15 feet high.

I really don't want to take down this tree, so what can I do to improve the branch structure?  How realistic a concern is infiltrates water pipes? (the main water pipe to the house is not that far away from the tree)  Are the roots drilling through metal?


texts: What should I use to get rid of some kind of weed in my onions

texts: I bought Lentagran herbicide but in its package is written that it is used against three other weeds but not the one I am having problems with. It says that Lentagran WP can be used to control weeds like: black nightshade, cleavers and fat hen. I will post a photo of my onions (you can barely see them from the weed). Is it possible that the herbicide I bought works on these kind of weed too and if not what should i use?


texts:
I have pretty flowers growing outside in my yard, but I don't know what they are.

Video on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BiWzE9xHtHx/

Violets seem close, but... not quite.

One Facebook friend commented and said they look like Blue Boys, but that appears to be a slang name for any number of flowers.


texts: What is this plant growing in my olive tree pot?

texts:
I have a small olive tree (Olea Europaea) growing in a pot. It has been living in my greenhouse (NW England) for two years, along with a load of carnivorous plants, mostly Drosera and Sarracenia. I sometimes get small little shoots growing the carnie pots, and have been told that these are probably Utricularia. They are always a single stalk, a couple of inches tall, with a very small yellow flower on top. Don't have any at the moment, so can't include a photo.
I now have something growing in the soil with my olive tree, which bears some vague resemblance to the Utricularia, but is much more bushy, with much larger shoots...

I've never seen anything like this in my greenhouse before. It wasn't there when I got the tree, and only seems to have grown this year.
Anyone any idea what it is? I rather like it, and would be quite happy to get some growing in its own pot if that's possible.


texts: What is the best way to keep a tree growing straight?

texts: When most trees get over ten feet tall, they seem to be trying to grow every way but up. Staking would be impractical because of scale, and pruning often helps but does not force the tree to grow up. What is the best way to keep them growing straight?


texts: Green long caterpiller like bugs [pics included] on my Cassia fistula

texts:
This fowering plant is in its early developing stage, but these tiny soldiers are carving it upside down(the leaves). Take a look:

Another lovely plant, that is fully grown, just next to it.

This is the smallest of all, now they've grown in to pinky-sized pirates!
What can I do? Any home-made remedies (there are huge amounts of these, 2 per leaf)


texts: Sugar maple transplant stress or root rot?

texts: I got a sugar maple moved with a tree spade last spring, it seemed to be doing great all last year. Last spring it's leaves looked normal, this spring they have a few yellowish streaks in most of them. They looked a little curled as though it was short on water so I watered it and the leaves uncurled. The thing that has me concerned is the slight yellowish streaks that remain in the leaves, will they stay all season this season or are they a symptom of root rot or some other condition I should watching for or treating?


texts: Is there a weedkiller I can use at the foot of hedges?

texts:
I have mature hedging all round my garden, the hedging consisting of dozens of different plant species, but mostly blackthorn, holly, laurel (I think) and box (?).

Annually the foot of the hedge gets into a royal mess of nettles and brambles and some other tedious weeds. In previous years I've tried hand weeding but it's not all that successful. In the densest parts of the hedge the weeds can at best be decapitated (can't reach the roots), which is next to useless.

I want to tackle the weeds more aggressively. I'd like to blitz the foot of the hedge with weedkiller but obviously I don't want to harm the hedge.

Is that possible?

If recommending actual brands, UK brands please. I have in mind something like the broad-leaf herbicide which I currently use on pasture. Kills docks, nettles etc and leaves grass alone.


texts:
We encountered this fruit in a garden in Los Angeles.  It was on a bush. We opened a small one and it had a soft but solid interior, with no obvious seeds or pits, but again, the one we opened was very small and possibly immature.  The normal fruits were about the size of an egg.  The point at the end of the fruit shown was a common feature among the full-sized fruits.

Any idea what it is?

The bush was about waist high (maybe a little higher), and probably about the size of a kitchen or dining room table?  I have no sense of smell, but my companions didn't notice any strong scent either.


texts:
Our patio is square with 8 foot sides.  For added privacy I was thinking about installing bamboo fencing on both sides and leaving the front open.

I came across bamboo material similar to this:

Sample Bamboo Fencing

My question is how would I secure this in the ground?  I'm assuming fence posts but how big and how many?  Also, how would you secure the bamboo to the fence posts?  Is there any other secure method I could use without using concrete?


texts:
You are looking at a rare specimen of estimated 50 years old honeysuckle: (the honeysuckle is in the foreground; there is a high dark green conifer in the background, but it is not essential for this question)

It grows from just a small piece of soil, surrounded by a brick wall and a concrete patio:

The trunk has a formidable size (20cm diameter). However, it interacts with a decorative iron fence: (there is 3/4 of the full circle of iron around the center of the decorative area, the central part of the spiral - this is partially visible on photos, try to spot a black metal curved piece right in the center of the ornament, it 'hugs' the curved double trunk)

Is the trunk of this honeysuckle in danger of being strangled?

The plant seems otherwise healthy and vigorous.


texts:
Some leaves show white patches or (fewer) holes. The main symptom to my eye are leaves that are tightly folded up along their main axes with both halves apparently glued together by some "foreign" substance. (One such folded leaf is depicted in the lower right part of the 1st image. An unfolded leaf is depicted in the 2nd image.)

I planted this Ipomoea relatively late in our season: it has grown fast but has no blooms (yet).

What (perhaps who) is this and how can I get rid the cause?


texts: What does "prune back to new wood" mean?

texts: Re blueberries, this URL says "prune back to new wood".  The meaning is not obvious to me.  They don't say to remove all old wood, from the base.  In fact, from the context, the rule seems meant to apply to tips/ends.  But, wouldn't any such necessarily be 'newer' than what they're growing out from?


texts: How old should be a tamarind plant to make a Bonsai from it?

texts:
I have planted couple of Bonsai seeds and both have been germinated in 4 weeks. Now they are 2 weeks old.
I want to convert them to Bonsai. How old should be a Tamarind plant to convert it into a bonsai?

Also please provide specification on soil for this bonsai which I can get easily in India.


texts: My mint plant leaves are slightly yellowish and seems to be dropping. Does anyone know why is this so?

texts: I bought my mint plant somewhere in January, but now I noticed the mint plant's stem are very long, and the leaves are slightly yellowish. The leaves are very fragile, and soft, not strong like they used to be. The plant also seem to be drooping slightly. What should I do?


texts:
I purchased a home in Utah with an existing Xeriscaped landscaping area, and discovered later that some of the "native" plants were, in fact, Myrtle Spurge, a ground cover that's considered a noxious weed in at least Colorado and Oregon, but other states are quickly becoming wary of the plant.

It tends to grow quickly and spread, and I find that I am removing the new plants each year.

I'm thinking of eradicating all of it, but it does have some aesthetic qualities. I don't mind replacing it with another succulent plant, but I wonder if the noxious weed status is fully warranted?

Should I remove all trace of this plant from my xeriscape?


texts: Why are my cucumber leaves turning yellow?

texts:
My cucumber plant's leaves are turning yellow.

Could it need nutrients already? It only germinated 24 days ago, but is my biggest plant already.


texts: What plant is this? How do I take care of it?

texts: I recently came across this plant, can anyone tell me what is it called and how do I take care of it. Before I received it, it was placed in a very dimply lit room with no direct or indirect sunlight. On touching the leaf easily comes off.


texts: I’m making a self sustaining ecosystem which has both a terrestrial part with plants and bugs, and a water part with some pond water. I’ve had it for a few months, and then this started popping up everywhere. Anyone know what it is?


texts:
I'm based in London, UK. I planted Cayenne around mid-may 2018, this is how they are currently looking like (leaves look a bit too big to me compared to other pics of the plants I've seen). So at around 60 days, I haven't seen any flowers blooming yet, so I'm thinking my plant will just be growing leaves and bearing no fruit, please look at the picture and assist if possible. Also how much water should I feed it please?:

Many Thanks!


texts: How steep can a landscaped path/ramp be to qualify as accessible?

texts:
If I'm building a ramp, as mentioned in this answer, what are the slope and width requirements to ensure that it qualifies as accessible?

(I recognize that there may be varying local regulations. Good answers will qualify the specs with which regulations they conform to, and possibly where they're applicable.)


texts: Is there any way to tell if a tomato is determinate or indeterminate before it starts to bear fruit?

texts:
I got some seeds in a tomato-growing kit and I have no information about what variety they will be.  I don't even know if they are determinate, indeterminate or "semi-determinate".  One of the seedlings has started growing quite well and I've planted it in an upside-down container where it seems to be thriving.  I gather that one type of tomato should be pruned and the other shouldn't.  It's also been suggested that one type might work better in an upside-down container than the other.  But since I don't know which type I have, I can't act on any of this information.

So is there some way to determine what type of tomato I have before it fruits?


texts: this is my grandmothers rosemary plant. have had her for a few months now and 3 days ago i went on vacation and came back to it turning brown. the leaves are still flexible but i don't know how to save her! i cant loose her! shes got too much meaning to me! i used to take leaves from her when i was younger and make potatoes and fried chicken with her! PLEASE HELP!!!!!


texts: How to read plant pictogram instructions?

texts:
I bought a plant (I think a Echinocactus grusonii), which came with pictograms as instructions:

For most of them I can make some educated guesses:

 small amounts of water
 indoors
 outdoors
 low light conditions
 sunny conditions
 minimum temperature
 maximum size

But what about:

 Could be a calender with a water bottle? So only water the plant in march and april?!
 Could be a calender with a bloom? So the plant blooms from march to august?
 Something about the height


texts: Why haven't my Birch and London plane tree leafed out yet

texts: In the fall I bought a few trees from Arbor Day. I planted the birch and plane tree on the north side of my house and they haven't budded, bloomed, or leafed yet while my other trees have. I did the scratch test and they're still green under the bark although the plane tree's top did die back. I'm in Chicago zone 5b/6, we had a very mild winter so I don't know want the problem is


texts: Our Red Maple (Acer rubrum) trees have leaves drying and falling in July. No sign of insects, just dry brown leaves. What's wrong?


texts: Are mondevilla adequate to cover balcony?

texts:
We have a small balcony that’s covered with a metal grid (something like this balcony). We want to cover it with a vine, and the end result  is something like this.

I was thinking of buying a mondevilla plant for that purpose. I’ve gone to many home depots, plus a few nurseries, and nobody has anything for this purpose, and I just noticed that our local supermarket brought two mondevilla plants.

What do you think? Would it work? This is the actual mondevila plant that I would buy.


texts: What is a soil spreader called in the U.S? Are they available here?

texts:
I just watched a YouTube video on how to top dress your lawn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M77S86Sib1I

The guy who does the video is in Australia. He has a handy tool that he calls a soil leveler. I found a link to one:

http://www.bunnings.com.au/cyclone-top-soil-spreader_p3361061

But I can't find one for sale here. Do we have these in the U.S.? And if so, what are they called and where can I get one?

Thanks!


texts: Options for building a ramp on a steep hill

texts:
I have ten acres and all of it is hillside. When you get to the top of the hill, it's wonderful! It flattens out, it's beautiful and I love spending time up there.  My house sits at the bottom of the hill and the problem I have is that the bottom of the hill is very steep due to hillside erosion. I would guess standing at ground level that the really steep part goes up in height to about six feet.

I have been researching options on how to put together a ramp of some kind (for an ATV) and there seem to be a few options. I can't have one part of the hillside to become structurally unsound (by moving dirt from it) at the expense of a trying to create a decent slope.

Obviously I would love to find a cost effective way to put some sort of ramp and maybe there are options I just don't know about. I haven't priced out the cost of having someone to move bring in rocks and dirt for this.

Are there any ramp experts/excavators who could chime in on this or at least point me to some resources?

J


texts:
What is this plant with two different kinds of flowers? It is loved by bees and other polinators.

How come it has flowers of two colors on the same plant?


texts: How can I verify the total extraction of dandelion roots?

texts:
I've started unearthing those dandelions (why do I bother? What exactly do they do to my lawn). The root is notoriously long and brittle.

How do I know if I got the whole thing out? It always looks broken to me on the bottom. Even if I dig further, I can't tell if I got it or not.


texts: Identify mint types and solve existing problems

texts:
I have several mint types growing on my window sill indoors. I have noticed that some problems with them:

Leggy stems. I have found on internet that this caused by insufficient light.
Curly leaves - one side of leaf becomes a bit twisted downwards and towards central leaf stem. Reason unknown
Small discoloring towards yellow color on leaves. Reason unknown.

What may be the source to 2 and 3 problem? What do you recommend to solve them? I do water them regularly, tried to add some universal liquid fertilizer.

Also here are some pictures of mint that I have. Please help me identify them.

Thank you!


texts:
I recently bought a home that has an apple tree in the backyard. I don't know much about apples (or gardening in general for that matter) and I need help with a couple of things.

I'd like some help identifying the type of apple if possible (see pictures below; click to enlarge).
About half of the apples are rotting out while still on the branches. Is this some type of infestation? There are plenty of other apples that show no brown spots - will those be OK for consumption?

I live in south-east Wyoming at 7200 feet in altitude - it's a rather cool and dry climate here. We have already had several nights this month that have gotten down to the high 30s.

Here are some photos of both intact and dissected apples. One taken from tree and two taken from ground. I'm not seeing any evidence that suggests the presence of any pests (at least to my untrained eye).


texts:
Waking at 1 am, I get my shoes on to run out to my greenhouse.  I've had a heck of a time getting my garden in this year.  I've lost quite a few plants to 'pop' freezes and I'm probably getting paranoid.

The weather report said the low would be 40 degrees F but the sky is clear and it feels very cold.  In the greenhouse the thermometer reads 39 degrees. My emergency heater is low on propane.  I've got no row cloth left.  I check the temperature again and now it says 37 degrees.

There are squash, sweet potatoes, bean plants that are very vulnerable.  There are artichokes, salad stuff galore, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli that are huge and beautiful but a freeze will set them back.  What should I do?


texts:
I'm in the process of systematically removing all the weeds from my backyard -- starting with dandelions and thistle. All of a sudden, this thing sprouted in the middle of a bare patch. What on earth is it?

If it helps, I live in southern Ontario, near Toronto.


texts:
On a whim, I bought a pair of plants for my container garden. They were labelled raspberry and blackberry; however, I'm not certain about the blackberry plant. The blackberry that used to grow by my old house looked a lot more like the raspberry than the blackberry I just bought:

(Now that I look at it again that's a terrible photo. I can take a better one if you want.)

Obviously that raspberry plant is going to want a trellis, and they'll both need bigger pots. But will the blackberry also want a trellis? Or will it grow into more of a bush shape?


texts: I was reading up on garlic fertilizing, and was wondering how much potash to give my garlic plants. I don't know much about it, except the fact it is garlic from a single clove off a bulb.


texts:
We have a wonderful weeping mulberry (Morus alba pendula) (male, so no fruit) in our front yard.
It's massive - probably 15' tall and at least that diameter. The problem is that it's growing larger and larger - every year it sends out a new layer of branches that hang over the previous ones, so the diameter increases. I'd say it's a good 3' larger in diameter than it was when we moved in 9 years ago. The fence used to be visible here, and the sidewalk was clear:

At this rate, we won't have a sidewalk in 5 years. What's the best way to get this under control? It's mostly dead wood underneath. We've had a couple arborists out and asked about it and gotten nothing more than "just leave it alone", which unfortunately isn't working anymore!


texts:
A couple years ago I had someone repair and replace front yard yard watering rubber piping with pvc, and replace drip system lines.  He did not put heads on the drip lines.  I have noticed that the lines do not seem to have the pressure that they used to have with the old system. I should have notified the contractor sooner, but I was disgusted with his services and did not want to deal with him.
He also laid sod in the back yard that only partially took.

How can I get more pressure in the drip lines?  is there something I can do or do I have to hire someone to fix the problem?


texts: When properly spacing out plants how much of an opening do you need to consider something to be full sun?

texts:
I'm looking at the space required for the plants I have on order, and some require full sun, and others can tolerate shade, so how much space do I need to leave between trees, and bushes to consider them to be full sun when they get older?

examples:
pression is 50 foot tall with a 40 foot span could be next to a hansen's bush cherry which is a 5 foot bush with an 8 foot span
a russian mulberry is a 40 foot tree with a 20 foot span could be next to a blackberry which is 7 foot bush with a 15 foot span


texts: What is the safest way to transplant a sycamore maple sapling (Acer pseudoplatanus)

texts: We have a sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) seed that sprouted in a soil filled pot with no other plant in it. Its about 2 inches tall. We'd like to try to salvage it by transplanting it to a larger pot with a 2 foot diameter and about 3 foot depth. We aren't sure what the safest way to transplant the sapling would be. We are assuming it would be safe to grow in a large pot for a year or so until it is big enough to plant at my grandfather's place without being trampled on by lawn mowers and kids running around.


texts:
I chitted more seed potatoes today that I had room for in my raised bed and am wondering:

How long will they keep before I have to plant them?

In other words, will they go bad?

Thanks!

doug


texts: I've scoured the internet to try and find what variety of Crassula this is, and the closest I could find was Crassula Haemispherica.


texts:
Well, Christmas is coming, and I'd like a Christmas tree.

But I hate the idea of having to throw it away every year.

So I'd like a tree which

would be happy in a tree pot,
can live indoors,
at least vaguely resembles a Christmas tree (so maybe a conifer)
stays green in winter
can withstand some decorations
doesn't grow too big (2 m high would be a maximum)

Does such a tree exist ?


texts: What is causing my lavender's leaves to turn grey and wizen?

texts:
I am trying to grow a lavender plant on the windowsill of my apartment in Brooklyn. I got this more succulent lavender after some more delicate french lavender had died on the same sill. This plant has lasted longer, but some of the leaves have gone silver and wizened.

I am trying to water it quite infrequently, as I believe the last lavenders died from overwatering. We've oscillated between very hot dry weather and cooler damp weather in Brooklyn over the past month.

I have three questions about it:

What is causing the leaf damage?
How can I mitigate it?
Should I remove the wizened leaves? (By cutting them off at the stalk, I assume?)


texts: When moving large quantities of mulch, are more tines worth it on a pitchfork?

texts: I'm going to be moving large quantities of arborist wood chips this summer, and am wondering if it would be worth the investment to get a 10 tine pitchfork as the 4 tine is too wide to hold wood chips, and snow shovels are hard to pile the wood chips on?


texts: For a patchy lawn, is it better to apply pre-emergent or a lawn patch kit in the spring?

texts:
I live in Middle Tennessee, and the heat of this past summer was brutal on my lawn, which is a mix of fescue and bermuda grass.  We aerated and overseeded it in October to help fill in and fix the patchy parts of the lawn that died off and were overtaken by dallisgrass and crab grass because of the heat.  I put some compost over the parts that were especially barren, and the grass seed there is coming in really nicely.  In retrospect, I should have put compost over all the patchy parts, because I have a few sections of lawn that look like this, where grass is coming in nicely via the aeration holes but still looks pretty patchy otherwise:

(Also, pardon the sloppy look of the lawn - after a few weeks of watering the new seed, I finally mowed the thicker, healthier parts of my lawn but tried to leave the areas with the new grass seedlings untouched).

Long story short, I'm curious about what my next step should be in early spring to increase the health of my lawn.  Would it be wiser to apply a lawn patch kit to fill in the remaining patchy areas with more grass seed?  Or should I apply a pre-emergent instead, to fight the seeds left by the above-mentioned weeds that plagued our lawn?  The latter obviously counteracts the former, and with my goal being to continue to fill in the barren parts of my lawn, I didn't know if one would be better than the other in the springtime.


texts: What should I consider before vacuum-sealing seeds for storage?

texts:
This year I have harvested more seeds than I will use next spring. I plan to vacuum-seal them and I want to know if, except for drying them really well, I should consider anything in particular.

These seeds were harvested from plants that belong to the following genera: Calendula, Celosia, Centaurea, Cosmos, Dianthus, Echinacea, Helianthus, Lavatera, Matricaria, Tropaeolum and Zinnia.


texts: Is it a good idea to make a brick patio on my septic tank?

texts: I have a pile of bricks and pavers (left behind from the previous owner). My septic tank is exposed a little in one corner, right at the base of my porch steps. I was thinking of scraping the tank clean then throw the bricks right on that, and then have some overlap onto dirt/sand. Is this advised? I'll make sure the opening is easily accessible. Should I throw a layer of sand down first?


texts: Ficus elastica (robusta): what larva are these, and what is this white buildup?

texts:
my ficus has been doing well and growing well over the past 3 years. But recently two things have started happening:

New leaves all become yellow and mushy, and sticky strings are sticking out of them (like residue from a hot glue gun). When I open a new leaf, it often contains small larvae (see picture). However, I can't find what kind of larvae they are. Do you know what larvae these are? I read that it would be a good idea to rub the leaves with some soapy water to get rid of them, but does that also apply for these?
The older leaves have started to form blobs composed of many small white specks (see bottom left of pic). They are mostly the lower, older leaves. Do you know what these are? Do they indicate illness? What can I do to make my ficus healthier again?


texts: When to move Euphorbia milii to full sun?

texts:
Yesterday I bought a Euphorbia milii (Crown of Thorn) in a 6" pot from my local Home Depot. At the store it never received full sun.
I know that this plant thrives with direct sun, so I'll be moving it to my rooftop, and it'll receive 90+-degree heat and many hours of direct sun.
My question: should I just move it to the rooftop now or should I leave it downstairs a few days so it gets used to the change in environment? I ask because yesterday it was at a store in shade and now it'll be in Death Valley.
Also, when should I move it to a bigger pot?


texts: I have a Japanese Maple about 7-8 ft. tall that is at least 40 years old. This winter was hard on most of the small trees in my yard having a late 12 inches of snow after a warm spell. the maple is a "feather-leaf" type and has been very healthy all its life but now the leaves are sparse and the crown has no leaves. The leaves on it are healthy, but the tree is looking sad. How long does a tree of this type live and should I expect it to recover?


texts: Are raised beds considered a change of grading?

texts: Are there any permits required? What can be done to prevent problems with authorities in this regard?


texts: Identify this plant in a woodlands setting?

texts: A very short plant growing along the edge of a Zone 8 forest. They're growing in a groundcover type formation. The area is very shady.


texts: Cucumber cotyledons turn yellow and shrivel too soon

texts:
I am growing cucumbers in pots to transplant. Some of them are doing well. But on others the cotyledons turn yellow and shrivel before the true leaves get big enough to grow. The seedlings stay stunted. Some have died.

I don't know if the problem is disease, nutrient lack, or pest. But it seems to be spreading from the sick to the healthy.

Any ideas on diagnosis and treatment?

ADDED INFORMATION:

Whatever it is, it seems to be spreading from seedling to seedling. When it infects the plant, the plant stops growing. That makes me think it is a pest (maybe mites) or a virus. Unfortunately, I think the seedlings will be a total loss, including the ones in the ground. Only three seem to be thriving, and I guess it's too late to just isolate those.

I'll guess I'll have to start over and try again.

ADDED INFORMATION:

Stormy, thanks for your comments. I sprouted the seeds in a wet paper towel and then planted the sprouts in egg cartons using Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix. At first I had them in a sunny window and then gradually moved them outside most of the day. I usually water them once a day, but sometimes skip a day.

The seedlings in one egg carton have done quite well, so I planted some in the ground and re-potted the others in 3 inch pots.

Here are the seedlings in the barely alive egg carton:

Here is a top view and side view of a plant just turning sickly.

Here is a row of potted seedlings, some of which seem to be thriving and some starting to sicken.


texts: Citrus plant with strong growth but yellowish/lime-green leaves

texts:
I know that (generally speaking) yellowish to lime-green leaves combined with slow/weak growth in a plant are an indication of inadequate nitrogen, and one must fertilize accordingly.

However, does the same apply for a plant that is showing considerable growth but with pale-colored leaves?

Consider this calamansi (citrofortunella microcarpa):

The previous growth (before I bought it) consists of small, dense, dark-green leaves. The growth since then takes the form of much larger and paler foliage.

I do fertilize (though not too much), and the leaves are from the same stem so it's not graft vs host.

Am I doing anything wrong or is everything normal?


texts: What is this tall spring plant with yellow flowers?

texts: The plant shown below puts up new green stalks in early spring, growing to 3 to 7 feet tall.  It puts out its yellow flowers in late March or early April (in the Willamette Valley of Oregon), soon after leaves begin to emerge on the stalks.  It's in a garden area and not seen elsewhere, so unlikely to be native to the area.


texts:
Does any one know the cause of these black spots on my rubber plant? None of the leaves are drooping, but most are getting these black spots.

Thanks!

Edit: Thanks for the answers. I had a feeling it was a fungus infection. I have put it into a room with the brightest light. Should I be removing the infected leaves?


texts:
I bought 31 thujas a couple of months ago and some of them are really struggling. I installed a drip line a week ago, but am wondering if these trees are completely dead.

Here are a bunch of pictures. Click on them to see larger views.

Is there any way to bring these back?


texts: Need guidance on pruning multi-varietal apple tree

texts: I am in zone 9b and have an apple tree (multi-varietal) that has been growing in all directions because of lack of proper pruning. I am interested in knowing when I can prune this tree in my zone and how best to prune it.  As you see from the picture some of the unwanted stems are pretty thick and I want to know is cutting them off is a good idea in addition to where else I can prune to get the tree back in shape.


texts: Should I pick my peppers early or wait till they mature (ripen) on the plant?

texts: I planted a small assortment of pepper plants a month ago, and I have a couple of small jalapeño and anaheim peppers hanging off of their respective plants. I'm wondering if I should go ahead and pick these early peppers before they mature, so that the plants are encouraged to do more vegetative growth, or if I should just let them sit on the plants and ripen and pick them later.  Will it even make a difference to the plants whether I pick them or not?


texts: White spiky mushroom/fungus growing in lawn

texts:
I found this growing in my lawn the other day. It is a white spiky object, that I believe to be some sort of mushroom or similar plant as it has the same texture.

I have so only found the one. Can it be identified?

I am located in Pittsburgh, PA, USA.


texts: Are asphalt roofing panels suitable for raised garden bed walls?

texts:
I'm planning out my garden build and I'm trying to figure out the most economical way of doing so. I'd like to build my beds out of something rot resistant, chemical free, and affordable. My garden will have four 5'x3' boxes and two 1'x8' boxes. To build these boxes out of typical cedar wood will cost nearly $200 more than my other alternatives.

I'm considering framing 10" strips of these asphalt roofing panels with cedar and building the boxes that way. My question is, are there any health concerns I should be aware of if using these panels? From the manufacturer's website, I got this information:

  ONDURA roofing sheets and tiles are comprised of 50% recycled organic fibers that are processed to increase durability, formed into a corrugated panel, and then infused with asphalt to create a weather protection barrier.


texts: How do I encourage lemongrass to produce a strong stalk for culinary use?

texts:
I am growing some lemongrass (in a pot) and it's doing very well so far: over the past month, it went from a stump, to about 20-30cm high, with long thin leaves.

My question is: what the best way to encourage its growth in such a way that it produces the strong stalks that are typically used in cooking (afaik, the soft part of the leaves aren't good for that use). And how/when should I go at pruning/harvesting them without stunting further growth?

PS: probably not relevant but just in case: my local weather is about sub-tropical levels of hot and humid (Japanese Summer).


texts: We are slowly working to refurbish our landscaping. There is an area next to the driveway the previous owner had covered with weed barrier and tanbark. The barrier is ineffective against weeds, but I have now gained the advantage over the weeds and want to put pavers down in place of the tanbark. Can I place another layer of a better quality weed barrier over the tanbark as preparation for placing paver sand, since we're looking only as using the area for appearance only, and not foot traffic, or is it better to remove the tanbark entirely, put down the better quality weed barrier, and then use the paver sand. Thanks.


texts: What is this lawn weed with whorled leaves found in New Brunswick, Canada?

texts:
I had new sod laid in July '15. I noticed a few of these weeds in Summer of '16.  Now, in Spring of '17, there are clumps of them all over my lawn.  There are none in my neighbor's or at the side of my house where it's still original grass.  I'm figuring it came with the sod but I don't know what it is.

Any help and treatment ideas would be appreciated.  I live in NE Canada/New Brunswick.


texts: Placing nitrogen fixers around established trees?

texts:
I have several young (1-4 years old) fruit trees and am considering planting nitrogen fixers around/underneath:

white clover (ground cover)
lupine (herb layer)
siberian pea shrub (shrub layer)

It seems intuitive that the N-fixers will only provide a benefit as far as their roots extend.

I don't want to damage the tree roots by digging too close. I think the tree roots will extend further outward over time as the trees grow.

Does it make sense, and is it safe for the trees, to dig planting holes for the lupine just outside the drip line of the trees? Or is there more potential for harm than good?

If I go to the effort of digging there (digging isn't easy here), I'd probably amend the general area with manure.

Similarly with the clover, I'm thinking about scraping away the mulch and scattering seed underneath the trees then covering with 0.5" or so of composted manure. (Or covering the area with 1-2" of compost and spreading seed there.) Are there any potential problems with this?


texts: Why does my Basilikum have small leaves?

texts: As you can see, my basilikum plant is quite tall however the leaves are too small.  When I bought it a month ago it had really healthy and big leaves. I have cut them to make pesto, and after that they don't grow big enough again.


texts:
So I've had this snake plant fit and healthy for the last 4 years or so, but recently some of the leaves have been thinning around the edges, going almost paper like.

It was recently repotted, and I'm somewhat suspicious that the new soil (although labelled as being for cacti and succulents) may not be draining correctly.  Would you say this is a symptom of over-watering / root rot?  Or something else.  Any advice appreciated.

Also, at this point I'm assuming those two leaves are pretty much done for, should I trim them?  Or leave them be.


texts: Why are there small white organisms spreading to all of my indoor ferns leaves?

texts:
I bought this fern a few months ago and it has lived on the office desk at home ever since. The small white bugs are around 1mm in size and began on just one leaf about a month ago. I noticed several weeks ago when new leaves were developing that these bugs were migrating towards them. Now they are over all the leaves! I am not sure what I am doing wrong and how they got there. Does anyone know what these are and how to get rid of them?

Also, as inhumane as it is, I did squish one to see if it was mould. From what I can see, I don't think it is a mould.


texts: The pictured evergreen shrub was planted in Seattle about ten or twelve years ago. It was about 2 feet high at the time, and is now about 4 ft. high by 3 ft. wide, so is rather slow-growing. It blooms in late March, as shown in second photo. There is little to no scent in the flowers or leaves.


texts:
I appreciate this is a hard question to answer, I just wanting to get people opinions on whether I can give up on these plants?

I have another plant from the same crop and it still have one or two leaves, and some green colour in the stems.


texts: Geranium is short with leaves only no flowers in July

texts:
I put down the seeds for geranium around mid or late May in 2020. I live in Pacific Northwest.
Now it is just like this after almost 2 months

It's only 4-5 in tall and no flowers yet. It's been cool this summer. Should I worry? Will it bloom or should I just pull and give up?


texts: Do all plants emit CO2 at night and day?

texts:
Do all plants emit CO2 at night? I heard that plants do respiration all the time but in sunlight they utilises more CO2 and releases more oxygen. During day with sunlight: CO2>Oxygen. At night or plants that are in shade, they don't produce oxygen at all but produce CO2? Correct?

Also, If suppose a tree is getting light but only one part, What will be the consequence of this?

(I am okay if this question migrates to Biology if this is not suited here)


texts: Is there any merit to my wacky idea to grow a Purslane lawn?

texts:
I have this wacky idea to plant Purslane instead of grass in my desert yard (zone 7a, 9 inches of rain annually). I'm not keen on having high-maintenance turf; the only grass in the running against the Purslane idea is Curly Mesquite grass, which I've read can grow on 5 inches. But I like the idea of Purslane instead because since it's a weed, it will more or less grow on its own, and it's edible! I think it's delicious and love the idea of being able to graze on my own lawn. The seeds are also available dirt cheap.

But Purslane is an annual and I worry about how the yard will look after it dies and before it re-grows the next year. Is this a legitimate worry? And if I carpet a whole area with it, will it reliably re-seed itself for the next year?


texts: Why shouldn't I water a Blue Spruce tree during and after transplanting it?

texts:
I live in Massachusetts, Northeastern United States, in Hardiness Zone 6, where the temperatures get down to −10°F (−23.3°C). We're getting to the coldest time right now, although so far this year has been a bit warmer than usual, so the ground isn't fully frozen.

On Friday, December 16th, we purchased a 4 feet tall living Blue Spruce (Picea pungens), to use as a Christmas tree. It was dug up on that day. (The tree was referred to in my previous question).

Since the whole point is to keep the tree alive, we've been careful to follow the instructions of the arborist from whom we purchased it.

While inside:

Keep the rootball intact in its original burlap
Put it in a tub with a diameter just a few inches larger than the rootball
Water it every few days from the top, keeping the rootball moist but not soggy or sitting in a lot of stagnant water
Keep it in a cool room if possible. (Our 3-season room stays in the 50s or so during the day and 30s at night. We've only heated it to room temperature for a few of the total number of days.)
Don't use hot Christmas lights, and only leave them on for short periods of time

For planting:

Before purchase, dig a hole at least 36 inches wide and 24 inches deep
Plant the tree outside within 10 to 12 days
Set it into the hole with the rootball level with the ground
Backfill the hole with its own dirt and some light mulch or shredded leaves
Don't water the hole, the dirt, the rootball, or the tree during planting
Don't water the tree at all until about 3 months from now, at the end of March

We're planning on putting it out in a few days, and I have a question about the watering instruction. Is it true that we shouldn't water it? (Out of curiosity, if it shouldn't be watered, is that true of all trees or just evergreens?)  If in fact we should water it, what would the regimen be?

I've never planted or transplanted a tree. However, in my experience with bushes and other plants, the hole and surrounding area should be wet, and once planted, a good soaking is required. Also, the area should be kept consistently moist during the initial settling-in period.

Obviously we don't water our other trees during the winter, so it makes sense that, once established, it would rely on the elements. What I don't understand is why we shouldn't add water after planting. How will the roots spread in the cold dry ground without an initial burst of assistance?

The pictures are of the tree inside; a close-up of the root ball in the pot; the entire planting hole; and a close-up of the bottom of the hole. The soil in the bottom of the hole seems clay-like. It's thick and slimy. It almost feels like mud, just not quite as wet.

Click on all pictures for bigger, closer views.

Update: The tree is fine!

My husband planted it on the 11th day after it had been dug up. He did it by combining the advice from the arborist from whom we purchased it, the generous people who answered me here, and this excellent question/answer. He unfolded the burlap gently. It had no nails and no mesh bottom. Since the rootball was moist and holding together nicely, he removed the entire burlap. Without watering the hole, he gently laid in the tree at the proper depth, and backfilled it with the dirt from the hole, together with some other loose dirt and crushed leaves. No needles dropped and no branches fell. We're glad we didn't water it, as it rained the next day. We had our first deep frost that night, so the timing was perfect! It was a wonderful experience all around. I encourage people to use this method for their Christmas trees. The tree costs much less than it would from a regular nursery; adds to the landscape; provides a great place for birds and squirrels; and doesn't become a side-of-the-road casualty.

I didn't get any great pictures, but for reference as to location, we put it exactly where last year's pre-cut (not planted) Christmas tree was just sitting dead on top of the ground!  More pictures of the area can be found in my previous question.

Click on the pictures for bigger, closer, views.


texts:
I live in San Francisco bay area (Fremont, hardiness zone 10b).
I have planted pittosporum tenuifolium as hedge plant. I have about 30 plants, these are growing very healthy for the last one year and are about 6' tall now. However in the last one month few of them dying (one died, one partially died, one started dying. See attached photos).
Any idea what could be the reason. I water them once a week and one died in fact near to lawn where lawn is watered twice week.,
I had gopher problems before, however I don't see any gopher activities in the last few months.
Any idea what could be the reason these plants dying?
Starting to Die

Partially dead

Dead


texts: What should I do with Hostas planted in heavy clay soil?

texts:
My landscaper (I use this term very loosely) planted some hostas in my front yard.  The soil there is very heavy clay and also covered with mulch. Some of the bulbs seem to be doing alright, others are alive but definitely not thriving.  Clearly they should have done something to correct the soil before planting.

It's there anything I can do now that they have been planted? They've been in the ground about 3 months.

These poor bulbs also get Sun from about 11 to 5 each day.


texts: What is causing the rotting/brown spots on my plum fruit?

texts:
I inherited a plum tree in my garden. I haven't yet been able to get a healthy looking plum from it. All the plums that turn to a ripe purple colour seem to have the following problem -

Can anyone identify the problem and what I need to do to prevent it? I have just gone and removed all the plums left on the tree that are showing these symptoms. I've still got a good crop left and would love to get some healthy ones.