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What is Choanephora Fruit Rot? Choanephora wet rot in plants begins in the flowers, which will bear a powdery white residue. Once fruits begin to form and the flower withers away, the flower end of the fruit shows signs of mushiness and rot along with white or purplish powder. It progresses into the fruit, stunting growth and destroying much of the edible tissue. Once the disease is on your plants, it can spread quickly, so controlling Choanephora fruit rot immediately is essential to saving the crop....

Reasons for Changing Clivia Colors Different flower color in Clivias from the same parent can happen because of genetic diversity, cross-pollination, or dominating color. Changing Clivia colors also happens when the plant is young and up until maturity. Even offsets from a parent may bloom with a slightly different shade than the parent. Such Clivia color change is part of the charm of the plants but is a frustration for true collectors....

What are Clock Gardens? The floral clock garden originated with Carolus Linnaeus, an 18th-century Swedish botanist. He hypothesized that flowers could accurately predict time based on when they opened and when they closed. In fact, many such gardens were planted in the early 19th century using his designs. Linnaeus used three groups of flowers in his clock garden design. These clock garden plants included flowers that changed their opening and closing depending on weather, flowers that changed opening and closing times in response to the length of the day, and flowers with a set opening and closing time....

Common Lima Bean Diseases Butter beans (or lima beans) are susceptible to several diseases, both fungal and bacterial. Some of these diseases are specific to bean plants, while others may affect a wide array of garden plants. Below are some of the most common causes of lima bean sickness and its symptoms. Fungal Lima Bean Diseases Leaf Spot Disease – Caused by the fungus Phoma exigua, leaf spot disease may start as a small reddish-brown spot the size of a pinhead on the foliage....

Pests on Dill Plants Dill isn’t bothered by too many pests. That said, there are a few frequent insects that enjoy feasting on these plants. Aphids One of the more common pests on dill plants is the aphid. This comes as no surprise since aphids seem to enjoy munching on everything. A few aphids are no big deal, but aphids tend to multiply rapidly and can then severely weaken the plant....

Placing plants in a candle holder is a decorative, DIY solution for a planter. Learn how to grow a plant in a candle jar for a unique potting solution. Starting a DIY Candle Planter Candle jar planters are a neat way to use up leftover containers after all the wax has burned away. A DIY candle planter is a pretty solution for using up the holder and just needs a few touches to really make it special....

An herbal vinegar infusion is simply vinegar with herbs which can come from your own garden, or purchased. Many herbal vinegar recipes can be found, but they are all in tune on the basics. Materials for Herb Infused Vinegar To make DIY herbal vinegars, you will need clean, sterilized glass jars or bottles and lids, vinegar (we’ll get to that later), and fresh or dried herbs. The bottles or jars need to have corks, screw-on caps, or two-piece canning lids....

Eastern Red Cedar Facts Eastern red cedars (Juniperus vinginiana) are also known as juniper, savin evergreen, cedar apple, and Virginia red cedar. The trees are shaped like a pyramid or column with grayish to reddish-brown bark. The foliage is blue-green to green and needlelike. Female and male cones are borne on separate trees. Female trees have little blue balls adorning the branches – the fruit. Inside the fruit there are 1-4 seeds that are spread by birds....

Facts About Chrysanthemum Flowers Chrysanthemums were cultivated in China as early as 15th century B.C. The plants were used as herbs and the roots and leaves were eaten. The plant migrated to Japan several centuries later and thrived in the temperate climates of Asia. Today, the plant is a common fall garden sight and gift plant. One fascinating bit of chrysanthemum information is that its favorable reputation in the U.S. doesn’t translate to some European countries where it is known as a death flower....

Fertilization of Coconuts The coconut is the most important palm economically. It is the most widely grown and used nut in the world, utilized for its copra – which is the source of coconut oil used to make everything from soaps, shampoos, and cosmetics to a myriad of foodstuffs. The trees can be propagated from seed –a coconut — but are generally purchased as young palms from a nursery. On an interesting note, the coconut fruit can float for long distances in the ocean and still germinate once it has been washed ashore....

What is Pythium Rot in Barrel Cactus? Pythium is an internal soft rot that affects cacti and many other types of plants. In barrel cactus, it occurs when conditions are moist, when the plant is too deep in the soil, and when the cactus sustains an injury. For this reason, clean sterile soil and proper planting methods must be observed to prevent the pathogen from invading your cactus. Once the plant has the disease, there is no effective pythium root rot treatment....

The fungus produces Fusarium wilt disease, which is also called “yellows.” This self-explanatory name indicates the major symptom of the disease. In crop and greenhouse settings, controlling Fusarium wilt is of primary importance, as it has the capacity to run rampant among closely grown plants. About Fusarium Fungus The fungus attacks plants in the nightshade family such as tomatoes and peppers. It is also found in greenhouse flowers and some trees....

Weather and Rain Activity Lessons For gardeners, measuring the amount of moisture that falls can help determine what plants will perform well with minimal outside irrigation. It can also inform you of how much moisture to collect if you were to install a rain barrel. A DIY rain gauge is one of the easiest ways to assess rainfall, plus it is a family friendly project with teaching potential for the kids....

About the Tundra Growing Season Northern gardeners may find special challenges finding landscape plants that can exist in a tundra climate. Growing tundra plants enhances the landscape while providing foolproof greenery and diversity that will flourish without constant babying and special attention in such conditions. Some suggested tundra gardening information might include: Evergreen shrubs like rhododendron Native sedges like cotton grass Low-growing plants in forms akin to heath or heather Rugged, small trees or bushes such as willow...

The Self-Sustaining Food Garden Simply put, a self-reliant garden provides all or a significant portion of your family’s produce needs. Not only does growing a self-sufficient garden reduce dependency upon the commercial food chain, but knowing we can provide for ourselves and our families in a time of crisis is downright satisfying. Whether you’re new to gardening or you’ve been at it for years, following these tips will help when planning a self-sufficient garden....

Can You Plant Potatoes in Compost? Timesaving techniques are relished by busy gardeners alike, so asking “Will potatoes grow in compost bins?” is understandable. Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer. First and foremost, one has to consider the composition of the compost. No two compost piles are the same. Compost made with high nitrogen ingredients, like poultry manure, will naturally have higher nitrogen to potassium and phosphorous ratios. Excess nitrogen is often associated with leggy growth and poor crop yields when growing potatoes in compost....

What is Sapodilla Fruit? The answer to, “What is sapodilla fruit?” is quite simply a delicious tropical fruit ranking among the likes of mango, banana, and jackfruit. Sapodilla answers to quite a few monikers such as Chico, Chico sapote, Sapota, Zapote chico, Zapotillo, Chicle, Sapodilla plum and Naseberry. You may recognize the name ‘Chicle,’ which refers to the latex excreted by the sapodilla fruit and is used as a chewing gum base....

Harvesting Olive Trees Harvesting olive trees begins in late August through November depending upon the region, variety, and desired ripeness. Since olives are picked for both eating and processing into oil, the degree of ripeness matters. All olives start out green and then gradually become rosy and finally black. Depending upon the type of oil the grower is making, a combination of all three may be used for pressing. Traditionally, picking olives is done by hand, even in commercial groves....

Hops Plant Propagation Methods Approximately 98% of the world’s hops are used in the production of beer. Plants grow from a perennial crown that produces annual shoots, or bines. Bines may grow up to 25 feet (7.5 m.) in length. Once established, hops are hardy, resilient plants with taproots that penetrate 15 feet (4.5 m.) into the earth. Growing hops rhizomes is the quickest method to establish new plants but propagating hops plants from bine cuttings or seed is also possible....

Read on and learn about a few easy-to-grow shade flowers for hummingbirds. Choosing Shade Plants Hummingbirds Like Hummingbirds need flowers with tubular blooms which hold nectar and accommodate their long beaks. They are drawn to red, yellow, pink, and orange flowers, either solid colors or blends and variegations. Fuchsia plants – Fuchsia, with dangling, tubular flowers from midsummer to fall, is ideal for a hummingbird shade garden. There are more than 100 species of fuchsia, both annual and perennial, in shades of reds, pinks, blues, and other colors that hummingbirds love....