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Juniper Twig Blight Disease Juniper twig blight can be caused by Phomopsis, Kabatina, or Scllerophoma pythiophila but the more commonly found is the Phomopsis fungus. Fungi thrive when there is adequate moisture and warm temperatures, which is why this juniper disease shows up in spring. It not only affects juniper but also arborvitae, white cedar, cypress, and false cypress. Twig Blight Symptoms Juniper twig blight is characterized by the dieback of the terminal growth of an afflicted evergreen plant....

What is Foxtail Weed? Foxtail weed (Setaria) has wide leaf blades, much like the turf grass in which it may grow. The base of the leaves has fine hairs and the stem rises from a collar at the base of the leaf. Stems bear 3 to 10 inch (8-20 cm.) long spikes of flowers, which yield to seeds at the end of the season. The plant is often hard to spot when mixed in with grass, as it starts out low to the ground with leaves parallel to the soil....

Types of Kiwi Fruit Kiwis were once thought to be tropical to sub-tropical vines, but careful breeding has resulted in cultivars that thrive in temperatures down to -30 degrees F. (-34 C.), such as the Arctic kiwi or Actinidia kolomikta. This is good news for kiwi lovers who want to produce their own fruit. Different varieties of kiwi may have seeded or seedless, fuzzy or smooth, green, brown, purple, or red skin, and green or golden yellow-fleshed fruits....

Kordes roses have a reputation for beauty and hardiness. Let’s look at where Kordes roses come from and what, exactly, is a Kordes rose. History of Kordes Roses Kordes roses come from Germany. This rose type’s origin roots date back to 1887 when Wilhelm Kordes founded a nursery for the production of rose plants in a small town near Hamburg, Germany. The business did very well and was moved to Sparrieshoop, Germany in 1918 where it is still in operation to this day....

Sunlight for Your Herb Garden First and foremost, you’ll need to choose a site that receives at least six to eight hours of sunlight per day. Most herbs need plenty of sunshine in order to grow and reach their full potential. Herbs, like most sun-loving plants that don’t receive their minimum daily allowance of sunlight, will end up leggy, awkward-looking, and unproductive instead of lush, beautiful, and useful. Before digging, spend a day making note of all the sunny spots in your yard....

The Cost-Effective Garden When we identify veggies for a cost-effective garden, we aren’t necessarily discussing the cheapest vegetables to grow. Instead, we’re comparing cost of growing veggies at home to the price one would pay for the same produce at the local grocery store or farmer’s market. This is best illustrated by looking at a crop like peas. Most home gardeners would find it more economical to buy a bag of frozen peas at the supermarket than to purchase seed and spend the time growing, shelling and freezing garden peas....

There are a variety of potential causes for small fruit on orange trees. Read on for an overview of causes of your tree’s small orange problem. Why Orange Tree Has Small Fruit If your orange tree has small fruit early in the season, the situation may be normal. These citrus trees are known for dropping a number of tiny fruits early on when the tree has produced too many. However, if the oranges that mature on the tree are also undersized, you have a small orange problem....

Ornamental Grasses with Plumes There is a wide range of ornamental grasses with plumes. These might include pampas grass, Miscanthus, and fescues. The plume is the plant’s version of a flower and produces seed. They are airy, sometimes colored inflorescences that grow up above the slender foliage on sturdy stems. Female plumes are larger and more feathery, while male plumes are thinner and narrow. Most pluming grasses need full sun locations and well-drained soil....

Dogwood is both a native and introduced species across North America, especially the cooler climates. The plants may be trees or shrubs in form, but all of them offer extraordinary color and many of them flower. Many of the varieties are deciduous and provide a rich fall color display followed by bright green, yellow, coral, and orange revealed stems. They are quite winter hardy but are sensitive to mechanical injury and a variety of pests and diseases....

Propagating Persian Buttercups Another beautiful contribution from Persia to our blooming gardens, Persian buttercup plants (Ranunculus asiaticus) are easy to grow in the right conditions. Hardy in USDA zones 7-10, gardeners find they are a beautiful addition to the late spring or early summer flower garden. Plantings in zone 7 benefit from winter mulch. In more northern zones, you may maintain the same plant for years if you dig, divide and store the bulbs for winter....

Pomegranate Tree Types Some types of pomegranate fruit trees bear fruit with a rind of yellowish pink all the way up through the color spectrum to a deep burgundy. Varieties of pomegranate come in not only different exterior hues, but they may have soft to hard arils. Depending upon what you plan to use them for, this may be a consideration when choosing a plant. For example, if you plan to juice the fruit, hard or soft doesn’t matter, but if you want to eat it fresh, softer is the more likely choice....

What is Rice Sheath Rot? Rice is actually a member of the grass family and its arrangement is very similar. For instance, the sheath, which is a lower leaf that wraps around the stem, is much the same as any other grass plant. Rice with sheath rot will have that tubular, clasping leaf turn brownish black. This clasping leaf enshrouds the budding flowers (panicles) and future seeds, making the disease damaging where the sheath dies or infects the panicles....

Propagating Dahlias by Taking Stem Cuttings Want to try your hand at rooting dahlia cuttings? Just follow these simple steps. Bring your tubers out of winter storage in late January or early February. For growing dahlia cuttings, choose the firmest, healthiest tubers. Place the tubers in a plastic bag and put the bag, with the top open, in a warm room for a couple of weeks. Note: This step isn’t absolutely necessary, but allowing the tubers to warm in this manner will speed sprouting....

Why Grow a Houseplant from Seed? Can you grow houseplants from seed? Yes, and propagating houseplants from seeds will often result in stronger, healthier growth because they are adapted to your home’s unique conditions, such as light and humidity, from the beginning. This early houseplant seed care ensures their chances of survival are much greater than their purchased counterparts. Another consideration is cost. Houseplant seeds are relatively inexpensive when compared to the cost of fully grown plants....

For this reason, it’s important to learn about safe pesticide usage. The proper use of pesticides, should you decide to go this route, can alleviate many safety concerns. Types of Garden Pesticide There are many different types of garden pesticide serving many different needs. These include insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides. There are botanical forms of pesticide that are available as well. These are generally derived from plants and considered ‘organic’ by some, however, these may still be toxic to beneficial insects and wildlife....

When Does Rubber Plant Need a New Pot? If your rubber plant is still small and/or you don’t want it to grow much or to grow slowly, your plant may only need a little top dressing. If this is the case, simply scrape off the top half inch to inch (1.2 to 2.5 cm.) of soil and replace it with an equal layer of potting soil, compost, or another medium that contains slow-releasing nutrients....

South African Persimmons African persimmon, or jackalberry persimmon trees (Diospyros mespiliformis), are also sometimes referred to as African ebony. This is due to their renowned dense, fine-grain, dark wood color. Ebony is prized for use in the making of musical instruments, such as pianos and violins, and wood carvings. This heartwood is very hard, heavy, and strong – and is resistant to the termites it’s surrounded by. For this reason, ebony is also prized for use in floors and high-quality furniture....

Sugarcane Plant Info A tropical grass native to Asia, sugarcane plants have been grown for over 4,000 years. Their first use was as a “chewing cane” in Melanesia, probably in New Guinea, from the indigenous strain Saccharum robustum. Sugarcane was then introduced into Indonesia and the farther reaches of the Pacific via the early Pacific islanders. During the sixteenth century Christopher Columbus brought sugarcane plants to the West Indies and eventually the indigenous strain evolved into Saccharum officinarum and other varieties of sugarcane....

Hostas are easily moved once you know how to. To transplant hosta plants, you’ll need a good shovel, nutritious additives for the soil, and, for larger specimens in particular, a means to move your plant. When to Transplant Hostas Before we discuss how to transplant hostas, we need to talk about when to transplant hostas and that involves both the time of day and time of year. The best time to transplant hostas is in the spring, but that’s really because it’s easier on you, the gardener, than on the transplant....

Grass Fertilizer Numbers Lawn maintenance is more than just mowing, thatching, and aerating. Turfgrass is a heavy feeder and requires regular moisture to look its best. All plants benefit from basic macro- and micro-nutrients. Grass, in particular, needs extra macro-nutrients which can come from air and water, but which are used in such quantity that supplemental applications are beneficial. These main nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium and are symbolized on grass foods as N-P-K....