Posts

Can I Put Wood Chips In My Compost? If you want to put wood chips in compost, the process will work best if the chips are as small as possible, preferably 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm.) at most. Be patient; composting wood chips is a long, slow process that can take as long as three or four years. The larger the chips, the longer the process takes. Some types of wood, including cedar, cypress, oak, redwood, and American mahogany, are especially slow to decompose....

Recognizing Mangoes with Sunburn The importance of sunscreen in humans is indisputable but can mangoes get sunburnt? Sunburn occurs in many plants, whether fruiting or not. Mango trees are affected when grown in areas with temperatures that exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 C.). A combination of moisture and high sun and heat are the culprits of mango sun damage. Preventing mango sunburn occurs with either chemicals or covers. There are several studies on the most effective methods....

Can You Regrow Lettuce? The simple answer is yes, and regrowing lettuce in water is a super simple experiment. I say experiment because regrowing lettuce in water will not get you enough lettuce to make a salad, but it is a really cool project– something to do in the dead of winter or a fun project with the kids. Why won’t you get much usable lettuce? If the lettuce plants growing in water get roots (and they do) and they get leaves (yep), why won’t they we get enough useful leaves?...

About Coreopsis Overwintering Care of coreopsis in winter actually takes place during autumn. Once you’ve taken care of a few critical steps, you can stay indoors and enjoy a good book with the assurance that you, and your coreopsis plant, are snug and warm. The number one question when it comes to getting coreopsis plants ready for winter is “Should coreopsis be cut back in autumn?”. Many sources will tell you to cut coreopsis nearly to the ground in autumn....

How to Plant Daffodil Bulbs If you live in USDA zones 4 to 6, the best time to plant daffodils is as soon as they are available in early autumn. When growing daffodils, you should plant them in groups of ten or more. All you do is make a loose circle with about seven bulbs and put three in the middle. For aesthetic reasons, you don’t want to mix different cultivars within each planting group....

What Is a Weeping Forsythia? Weeping forsythia is native to China but has become naturalized in many parts of North America. The plant spreads by taking root anywhere a branch touches the ground. Although it spreads easily, it isn’t likely to escape cultivation, so it isn’t on any of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s invasive plant lists. One reason that it fails to thrive in the wild is that many animals feed on the plant, including deer....

About Catnip Herb Plants Catnip, Nepeta cataria, is an herbaceous perennial that is native to Eurasia but has become widely naturalized in temperate areas of the world. It is hardy to USDA zones 3-9 and hails from the mint, Lamiaceae, family. Catnip contains high levels of terpenoid nepetalactone in its essential oil. This is the stuff that drives kitty wild. Humans are generally not as receptive to the oil, or at least to its aroma, and variously describe it as a combination of thyme and oregano, or downright skunky....

What is Cherry Rust? Rust in cherry trees is a fungal infection caused by Tranzschelia discolor. This fungus infects cherry trees as well as peach, plum, apricot, and almond trees. It can be damaging to trees because it causes the leaves to drop prematurely, which weakens the tree overall and may affect yield. However, this kind of damage generally happens late in the season, so the disease doesn’t have a major impact on the fruit produced....

What are Green Columbine Plants? The two common names for this plant, green-flowered columbine and chocolate soldier columbine, seem contradictory, but this unique variety produces flowers that have touches of both pale green and chocolate brown. For those not familiar with columbine, the flowers are inverted and bell or bonnet shaped. On the green flower columbine, the sepals are pale green and the petals chocolate brown to purple. This variety of columbine grows to about 12 inches (31 cm....

Growing Trees in Zone 5 Since there are a number of trees that can easily be grown in zone 5 gardens, here are some of the more commonly planted types: Crabapple – While you might not get the tastiest fruit off of them, crabapple trees are very low maintenance and can be visually stunning with brightly colored flowers, fruits, and leaves. Japanese Tree Lilac – A showy tree all year-round, the Japanese tree lilac has fragrant white blossoms in summer after all other lilacs have faded....

Citrus Fruit Brown Rot Brown Rot is caused by a common garden fungal pest, Phytophthora spp. This fungus is also responsible for diseases like damping off, which kills seedlings as they’re developing. Due to its flexibility, the Phytophthora fungus can appear during nearly any stage of growth and wreak havoc among a wide range of garden plants. In citrus, it primarily targets mature or nearly mature fruits. Brown Rot of citrus fruit typically starts as a small, discolored spot, but rapidly spreads across the affected fruit’s surface, creating leathery lesions that have a potent smell....

Cold Hardy Tropical Plants or Bushes for Ponds Corkscrew Rush The corkscrew rush is fun and looks like an exotic tropical plant. The stems of this plant grow in a spiral and add an interesting structure to the garden. Burhead The large leaves of burhead plants give them the look and feel of tropical rainforest plants. Creeping Jenny The long stems of creeping jenny plant can create the feel of long tropical vines coming over the edges of walls and pond banks....

How to Store Finished Compost Any good gardener plans ahead. This may mean that your compost for the following year is finished before it is time to lay it. That means keeping compost in a condition where it’s still moist and nutrient rich for the next season. One of the easiest methods of compost storage is on the ground covered with a tarp or plastic sheeting. This will prevent excess moisture from rain and snow runoff, but allow a bit of humidity to seep in and keep the pile damp....

If you are interested in growing small trees in pots, read on. We’ll tell you the best conifers for this purpose and how to take care of them once they are in containers. Dwarf Conifers for Containers Conifers are trees that bear cones to hold their seeds. They are excellent landscape plants, adding subtle shades and interesting shapes as well as textural contrast. But pines and spruce trees are too big for many yards....

About Gray Mold on Strawberries Botrytis rot of strawberry is a fungal disease caused by Botrytis cinerea, a fungus that afflicts a number of other plants, and is most severe during bloom time and at harvest, in particularly rainy seasons accompanied by cool temps. Infections begin as small brown lesions, usually under the calyx. Spores on the lesions begin to grow within a day and appear as a gray velvety mold....

What is Copper Fungicide? Copper is a metal that, in dissolved form, penetrates plant tissues and helps control fungal diseases such as: Powdery mildew Downy mildew Septoria leaf spot Anthracnose Black spot Fire blight That said, its effectiveness is limited against late blight of potatoes and tomatoes. Since copper is toxic, it can also cause serious damage by killing plant tissues. If you are considering using copper fungicide, be sure to read the label carefully....

What is Seedling Blight in Corn? Seedling blight is a disease that affects seeds and seedlings of corn. The blight may occur in the seeds before or after they germinate, and if they sprout, they will show signs of the disease. Causes of seedling blight in corn are soil-borne fungi, including Pythium, Fusarium, Diplodia, Penicillium, and Rhizoctonia. Symptoms of Corn Seedling Blight If the disease sets in early, you will see signs of blight in the seeds, which will appear rotten....

What are Cover Crops? Cover crops are plants grown strictly to improve soil fertility and structure. Cover crops also provide insulation that keeps the soil cool in summer and warm in winter. What are Green Manures? Green manure is created when fresh cover crops are incorporated into the soil. Like cover crops, green manure increases the level of nutrients and organic matter in the soil. Cover Crops vs. Green Manure So what’s the difference between green manure and cover crops?...

Symptoms of Black Rot on Creeping Phlox Creeping phlox with black rot may initially look like the plants lack fertilizer. When infections are mild, older leaves are often yellowish green, while younger leaves may take on a reddish tint. As the disease progresses, lower leaves curl downward. The roots of rotting creeping phlox plants display light brown spots and lesions develop on the stems. Eventually, the roots shrivel and turn brown or black....

Symptoms of Dahlia Root Knot Nematode Damage The primary symptom of root knot nematodes in dahlias is swelling or galls on the roots. The swellings make tiny, pimple-like bumps as large as an inch (2.5 cm.) across. If you aren’t sure, carefully dig the plant and shake off the loose soil to see what you’re dealing with. Dahlia root knot damage may also include yellowing of the leaves and wilting, especially during hot weather when the plant is water stressed....