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Pests of Yucca Yuccas make great additions to the landscape. After all, these tough, water-saving plants look beautiful in almost any surrounding and produce a dramatic flower spike in the summer. There’s not much to dislike about these easy-care plants. Even their pest problems aren’t all that serious, though there are a few insects that affect yuccas. Most pests on yucca are very minor problems, but knowing which yucca plant bugs are worrisome and which aren’t so serious can help you decide how to best handle your yucca’s bug issues....

What Causes Mushrooms Growing in Houseplant Soil? Mushrooms growing in houseplants are caused by a fungus. The mushrooms are the fruit of that fungus. One of the most common mushrooms found growing in houseplants is the Leucocoprinus birnbaumii. This is a light yellow mushroom with either a balled or flat cap depending on how mature they are. The spores that are the cause of mushrooms growing in houseplant soil is normally introduced by contaminated soilless mix....

No Blooms on Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow Yesterday, today, and tomorrow plant is often called by its proper botanical name, Brunfelsia. Getting Brunfelsia to bloom isn’t usually a problem, but if it doesn’t have what it needs to thrive, it may not come to flower. Let’s take a look at the plant’s requirements. Brunfelsia grows only in the southernmost parts of the U.S., where it is rated for Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11....

Why are My Orange Tree Leaves Turning Yellow? Cultural practices, environmental conditions, disease, and pests may all be at the root of yellowing leaves on orange trees. Disease Yellowing leaves on orange trees are often the result of a disease, most often a fungal disease such as Phytophthora gummosis (foot rot), Phytophthora root rot (caused by the same fungus as gummosis), and Armillaria root rot (oak root fungus). Phytophthora gummosis – Phytophthora gummosis presents itself as an orange tree with yellow leaves that drop with gummy, inner bark; dry, cracked bark with sap-oozing lesions; and eventual spread to the crown and roots....

Groundcover Peanut Varieties The peanuts we know and love as the main ingredient in our PB and J sandwiches is an annual plant. However, it has a relative that is perennial and can be used for year-round groundcover. Other groundcover peanut varieties would be the edible running types, but these will die back in winter and require replanting when temperatures warm up. The ornamental peanut is Arachis glabrata and native to Brazil....

Pecan Planting Guide: Location and Preparation Plant the tree in a location with soil that drains freely to a depth of 5 feet (1.5 m.). Growing pecan trees have a long taproot that is susceptible to disease if the soil is soggy. Hilltops are ideal. Space the trees 60 to 80 feet (18.5-24.5 m.) apart and well away from structures and power lines. Pruning the tree and the roots before planting will encourage strong growth and make pecan tree care much easier....

Why a Pepper Plant Won’t Produce One reason for a pepper plant with no flowers or fruit may be the weather. Peppers are warm season plants suited to USDA zones 9b through 11b that thrive in temperatures of 70 to 85 degrees F. (21-29 C.) during the day and 60 to 70 degrees F. (15-21 C.) at night. Cool temps retard the plant’s growth, resulting in pepper plants that aren’t flowering, and thus, pepper plants not fruiting either....

Considerations on Catnip in Containers Watching a feline roll in delight as it enjoys the potent oils of a catnip plant is always amusing. Cats seem to be disposed towards this member of the mint family and, fortunately for us, it grows like a weed and can be harvested and dried several times without complaint. In smaller gardens, potted catnip plants may be the only way your cat can have a consistent, fresh supply....

How Do You Grow Watercress in Pots? If you have a water feature in the garden, it is a great place for growing watercress in containers, as you are able to mimic the native watery conditions in which cress thrives. You may also grow container watercress herbs in a bucket with 2 to 3 inches (5-7.5 cm.) of water, allowing the soil to stay saturated. The key is to keep the roots submerged under water....

The most expensive Monstera ever sold was a variegated species. Also known as Swiss cheese plant, due to the attractively cut leaves, one plant sold for nearly $5,000.00 USD with over 180 bids as collectors vied with each other for the specimen. The plant featured huge white and green, split foliage, and is one of the more rare species. You don’t have to spend that kind of money to get your hands on a white and green Monstera though....

How to Protect Blueberry Plants from Birds Blueberry plant protection may involve more than one tactic. Birds, like most any other creature, become accustomed to things over time, so what may initially work suddenly ceases to deter them within a couple of weeks. So, blueberry plant protection may become an ongoing, ceaseless process. That is, of course, unless you try exclusion. Exclusion just means you’re going to prevent the birds from entering the blueberry patch by means of netting....

Instructions for Pruning Roses I am a “spring pruner” when it comes to pruning roses. Instead of pruning roses bushes way down in the fall after they have gone dormant, I wait until early spring when I see the leaf buds starting to form up well. My taller rose bushes do get a pruning down to about half their height once they have gone dormant in the fall. This fall rose pruning is to help prevent damage to the overall bush from winter winds and heavy snows, either whipping the canes around or breaking them over all the way down to the ground....

While climbing is the main purpose of tendrils, they may also have some negative consequences as well. Given that there are downsides to tendrils on vine plants, should tendrils be removed? What are Tendrils for? There are two types of tendrils: stem tendrils like those found on passionflowers or grapes and leaf tendrils such as those found on peas. Stem tendrils grow out of the stem and leaf tendrils are modified leaves that emerge from a leaf node....

Recognizing Cowpeas with Rust Fresh cowpeas (black-eyed peas, southern peas) are a sweet, nutritious treat during the growing season. Along with the good sometimes comes the bad, and such is the case in southern pea vines. Rust in cowpeas or southern peas is prevalent in many regions, not just the South. It occurs during periods of warm, moist weather. There are not any listed resistant varieties yet, but scientists have isolated the genetic marker that bears resistance and new cultivars are sure to be on the way soon....

What is a Sandbur Weed? The first step to sandbur control is recognizing your foe. Sandbur (Cenchrus spp.) is a grassy annual weed. There are a couple of different types, some of which may get 20 inches (50 cm.) high. The common lawn pest is more likely a spreading carpet of flat blades with hairy ligules. The ends bear burs in August, which detach easily and carry seed. Sandbur is a light green color and blends easily with turf grasses....

Winter’s icy grip can cause potential problems for our plant friends. As long as a plant is used in the correct United States Department of Agriculture zone, it should be able to withstand whatever weather winter dishes out. However, a combination of conditions, sustained cold and ice, and an unhealthy plant can all contribute to winter damage of shrubs even in the correct hardiness zone. Types of Cold Injury in Shrubs The most obvious of the types of cold injury in shrubs is physical....

Growing Veggies in Hot Climates The primary benefit of growing veggies in hot climates is, of course, the extended, sometimes year long, growing season. Southern vegetable gardening requires warm soil and air temps, not too hard to come by, for germination, growth, and yield. Of course, many of these heat loving vegetables will not tolerate frost and can be damaged or even die when temps remain at 45 degrees F. (7 C....

When to Spray Plum Trees for Insects Creating a schedule for when to spray plum trees for insects is helpful if you are as absentminded as I am. You can do this by specific dates or, more importantly, maintain your schedule by the stage of the tree. For instance, is it in a dormant phase, is it actively growing or is it fruiting? Whichever works for you, the important thing is to stick to the annual spray maintenance schedule for when and what to spray on your plum trees....

Info on Christmas Star Orchids Although there are over 220 species in the genus Angraecum and new ones are still being discovered in the Madagascan forests, star orchids are a stand-out specimen. Star orchids are also known as Darwin’s orchids or comet orchids. These epiphytic plants are native to the coastal forest of Madagascar. In their native habitat, the plants bloom from June to September, but in North America and Europe, these orchids bloom once a year between December and January....

About Thai Basil Plants Thai basil (Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflora) is a member of the mint family and as such has a particular sweet flavor reminiscent of anise, licorice, and clove. Popular among the cuisines of Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, growing Thai basil has a pleasing aroma similar to sweet basil and is generally used fresh in recipes. Also referred to as ‘Sweet Thai,’ Thai basil plants grow to a height of between 12 to 18 inches (30....