Common Carrot Diseases at a Glance Carrot diseases may stem from fungal, bacterial or other causes. Here are some of the more frequent issues you may come across. Fungal Diseases Crown and root rots are caused by Rhizoctonia and Pythium spp. pathogens. Common symptoms to look for are the tops of carrot roots turning mushy and rotting, and the foliage may die to the ground as well. Roots also become stunted or forked....
Gravel Weed Plants Before attempting to eradicate the weed population in your gravel areas, you should first identify what type of weed you are going to battle with to figure out the best method of elimination. There are three basic types of gravel weed plants: broadleaf weeds, grassy weeds and woody weeds. Broadleaf weeds – these have just that, broad leaves with prominent veins. The leaves atop the weed are alternate and the others appear opposite one another....
Finding Community Garden Volunteers In order to start a public garden space, you need to know how to organize volunteers. Volunteers in community gardens should work to their skill and physical levels, but there is something almost anyone can do. Planning is crucial to recruiting and organizing volunteers efficiently. If you have no plan, work will go slowly, volunteers may get frustrated and quit, and resources will not get used effectively....
Delicata Squash Information All winter squashes are members of the Cucurbit family, which also claims cucumbers and zucchini amongst its members. Most varieties fall into three species groups: Cucurbita pepo Cucurbita moschata Cucurbita maxima Delicata winter squash is a member of C. pepo and is a relatively small variety of winter squash. Additional Delicata squash information tells us that this heirloom variety was introduced in 1891. As with most winter squash, the Delicata’s fruit is grown on a vine most commonly, although there is also a bush variety....
Different Succulent Colors Many of the plants contain colorful, protective pigments that encourage color changes because of various environmental factors. For instance, I’ve noticed some of my outdoor jade plants taking on red hues and leaf rims as temperatures turn cooler. Leaves of ‘Hobbit’ and ‘Baby Jade’ become edged in red. The Kalanchoe ‘Paddle Plant’ is splotched so heavily that leaves are mostly red. Stems become more colorful too. Some succulent plants become more blue or purple as they’re exposed to additional sunlight....
Dogwood Tree Types Of the 17 species of dogwood native to North America, the four most common garden types are native flowering dogwoods, Pacific dogwood, Cornelian cherry dogwood, and kousa dogwoods. The latter two are introduced species that have earned a place in American gardens because they are more disease resistant than native species. Other native species are best left in the wild because of their coarse texture or unruly habit....
Elderberry Types Recently, newer varieties of elderberries have been introduced into the market. These new elderberry bush varieties have been bred for their ornamental characteristics. So now you not only get the lovely 8 to 10 inch (20-25 cm.) blossoms and prolific dark purple fruit but, in some varieties of elderberry, colorful foliage as well. The two most common types of elderberry plants are the European elderberry (Sambucus nigra) and the American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)....
Evergreen Trees for Landscaping Most evergreen trees are needle-bearing while evergreen shrubs also include broadleaf varieties. In addition, their growing characteristics vary greatly among species. Therefore, it’s important to recognize the differences between them before adding these plants to the landscape. Needled evergreen trees make great additions to the landscape, especially when scattered amongst other plantings. They have an extraordinary range of shapes and sizes and are well adapted to many soil types and growing conditions....
Ideas for Fall Containers Fall can be heralded in by refreshing worn out summer foliage whether it’s in window boxes, large containers, groupings of pots, or hanging baskets. You can stick with cool season loving annual flowers or combine perennials with annuals. If you are planting a large scale fall planter, be sure to start at the center or rear of the container if it is against a wall and build out from there with successively shorter plants along with some hanging specimens around the edges....
Since focal points in gardens draw the eye to something, it is important to decide what to use when creating focal points. When creating a focal point, one will want to consider what to add for a focal point and placement in the landscape. Learning How to Use Focal Points Learning how to use focal points is all about one golden rule: Less is more. Avoid the temptation to overuse and crowd an area with objects you have decided are the “cat’s meow....
What is a Fruit? Fruits are the reproductive organs produced by flowering plants that contain seeds. So a fruit is basically an enlarged ovary that develops after the flower has been pollinated. The seeds develop and the extraneous parts of the flower drop off, leaving the immature fruit which gradually ripens. Then we eat it. This description encompasses nuts as well as many fruits previously (even currently) referred to as vegetables– like tomatoes....
That said, a good evaluation may be needed for making over your garden to keep up with upgraded lifestyles and overgrown landscapes. Let’s find out how to make over the garden. How to Make Over the Garden Easy makeovers for your home and garden need only require common sense. In evaluating your existing garden, you may find that some plants may not perform as well as they used to due to thicker shrubbery or taller trees....
What is a Swale? Whether you live in drought stricken California or another part of the state, water conservation is a topic on everyone’s lips. Swales in the garden provide excellent storage spaces for water while also cleaning and dispersing it. Swales, ditches, berms, and water gardens are all part of municipal water management in many regions. What is the difference between a berm and a swale? Berms are the raised sides of a swale that contain filtering vegetation and porous soil....
What is a Cordyline Houseplant There are several members of the Cordyline genus commonly grown as houseplants, including the Hawaiian Ti or Good Luck plant. Most have lance-shaped foliage which radiate outward from a central stem. The mountain cabbage tree plant is readily identified from other species by its blue-green foliage. Also called blue dracaena or simply the cabbage palm, this Cordyline houseplant has broader leaves with a thicker midrib than most of its brethren species....
Winter Barley Cover Crops Winter barley cover crops are cool season annual cereal grains, which when planted, provide erosion control, weed suppression, add organic matter, and act as a topsoil protectant crop during times of drought. Other information about winter barley cover crops indicates its low price point and ease of growth, as well as its large area of growth tolerance. Winter barley cover crops prefer cool, dry growing regions and are hardy to USDA growing zone 8 or warmer....
What are the Health Benefits of Goldenseal? Native Americans used goldenseal to treat a variety of conditions including fevers, ulcers, and skin disorders. Today the herb is often used to treat colds, nasal congestion, and respiratory ailments–frequently in combination with Echinacea. Goldenseal is also taken to relieve tummy complaints such as ulcers, diarrhea, and constipation as well as a variety of skin conditions and rashes. An eyewash made of goldenseal is believed to help eye infections and mouthwash is used for painful gums....
How to Grow Herbes de Provence Most herbs prefer a sunny location with well-draining soil. Before planting, amend the soil with organic matter. The herbs used in herbes de provence seasoning can also be grown in pots inside the home over the winter. Oregano – After all danger of frost, plant oregano seedlings about 12 inches (31 cm.) apart or direct sow seeds and thin. Pinch back flower buds for a more robust flavor....
Potatoes and Late Spring Frosts If you’re asking, “Can potatoes handle frost in the spring?” The answer is yes. Let’s say your newly planted seed potatoes have begun to send up stalks of green foliage when Mother Nature decides to play a trick on you. You wake up in the morning to an unexpected frost. As you check your garden, you notice the above ground growth on the potato plants is damaged....
Ginger beer is comprised of just a few ingredients. The old time ginger ale recipe would not have used a carbonated beverage substitute as we can today. It would have been fermented to produce the bubbles, which can still be done in today’s recipes. The benefits of home fermenting include the lacto-bacteria and their properties for the gut. But you can skip that step, which takes up to 10 days, and substitute purchased club soda....
Methods for Propagating Blueberries There are several ways to propagate blueberries. These include seed, sucker, and cutting propagation. Seed Propagating Blueberries Growing blueberries from seeds is possible, but it tends to be restricted to lowbush blueberry plants. Blueberry seeds are tiny, so it’s easiest to separate them from the fruit in large batches. First, freeze the blueberries for 90 days to stratify the seeds. Then pulse the berries in a blender with plenty of water and scoop off the pulp that rises to the top....
