There are few flowering vines that command as much visual appeal as do Clematis. Many varieties offer near diner plate size blooms on plants that can bloom for weeks on end. Growing these amazing Clematis vines naturally, without the aid of chemicals is not only do-able but from the plants point of view preferable. For big beautiful blooms on healthy low maintenance Clematis plants try these all … Continue reading Gardening Naturally With Clematis
There are several potential causes of leaf spots on Iris including fungal infection, bacterial infection, various viruses, insect damage and various environmental factors. Of these factors fungal leaf spot is the most common and widely spread. Leaf spot diseases greatly mare the appearance of Iris plants and can kill whole leaves and eventually plants if not brought under control. Fungal Leaf Spot of Iris Iris … Continue reading Leaf Spot Diseases of Iris
In order to understand the difference between root nodules, that are caused by nitrogen fixing bacteria and root-knot disease, caused by nematodes, one must first have a clear understanding of what each is. Root Nodules Caused by Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria Nitrogen-fixing bacteria are able to transform atmospheric nitrogen (a form the plants cannot absorb) into fixed nitrogen (a form plants can absorb). There are 2 main kinds … Continue reading Root Nodules Caused by Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria Verses Root-Knot Nematode Disease
Many gardeners are familiar with the little green soft bodied insects that feed on the growing tips and flowers of many of their favourite garden plants. Aphids however are actually a very large and diverse group of insects with between 4,000-5,000 species worldwide. They come in a range of colours including green, black, brown, red, yellow, purple, gray and white. Size wise they vary in … Continue reading The Many Faces of an Aphid
By: Kimberley Pacholko Jan. 25, 2021 What Are Beneficial Insects? Beneficial insects are deemed beneficial from a human perspective, for their ability to either pollinate plants or to control pest insects. Creating an environment that is hospitable to beneficial insects usually involves refraining from the use of insecticides and other chemicals in the garden, providing a variety of plant material including brightly coloured pollinating plants, … Continue reading Beneficial Insects In Home Gardens
Box tree moths (Cydalima perspectalis), BTM for short, are an invasive species new to Canada in 2018. The first case was found in Toronto. Since that time, they have been gradually spreading. The United States reported its first cases in 2021. Several government bodies, universities, nursery and landscape trades have banded together to try to monitor and control it’s spread. Why all the concern? Since it’s … Continue reading Box Tree Moths (Cydalima perspectalis)
There are 90 or more plant nutrients, 17 of which are essential to plant health. Nickle was the newest to the list in the 1980’s. Without these nutrients plants cannot complete their life cycle. For a review on the role each of the nutrients plays in plant health visit 17 Essential Soil Nutrients For Plant Health. Silicon, cobalt and vanadium are also important nutrients to many plants … Continue reading Plant Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms and How to Correct Them
When we hear the word topiary it usually conjures up images of grand old castle gardens or botanical gardens and the such. However topiary has also long been used for the ornamental home garden, albeit with less grandiosity. Topiary plants do have a more severe look about them and are typically more work but they make excellent feature plants and can lend a tone of … Continue reading Topiary In Ornamental Home Gardens
Helleborine 🔈 (Epipactis helleborine) is a wild orchid and quite weedy. It has been showing up in more and more home lawns and gardens. It’s ability to sprout from any small fragment of it’s rhizomes, left in the ground, makes it a very difficult plant to weed out or eradicate; especially considering these rhizomes can be deeply established. This coupled with it’s dust like seeds … Continue reading The Wild Orchid Helleborine
For those of us who live in temperate zones the wild fluctuations in temperature can be particularly hard on plants. Making informed plant selections is the first place to start. Even with wisely selected plant material some of your garden plants may still need a little help. Fortunately their are several things you can do to help protect your garden plants during the winter months. … Continue reading Winter Protection For Your Garden
Identification Fall webworm nests: are composed of silky threads wrapped around the leaves and branches encapsulating the caterpillars. The nests are loosely constructed and messy looking, occurring at the branch tips, and enlarging as food runs out. Large colonies can encapsulate an entire tree in their webbing. The caterpillars feed inside the nest (unlike tent caterpillars) and as such the nest is full of frass … Continue reading Fall Web Worms
Poisonous Hemlock (Conium maculatum) is an extremely poisonous plant. There is great concern over this plant due to the personal safety of humans, foraging domestic animals and wild life. Most of the cases of poisoning to humans has been the result of foragers misidentifying the plant, believing the root to be that of the edible cow parsnip, or the leaves that of wild celery. Although … Continue reading Poisonous Hemlock (Conium maculatum)
There are hundreds of large crane fly species in North America, belonging to the Tipulidae family. They are sometimes referred to as daddy-long-legs, mosquito hawks or water spiders. They have a variety of habitats, from moist woodlands to grassy or aquatic areas, depending on the species. Most are not considered pests of home turf, golf courses, gardens, crops or pastures. There are however two problematic species … Continue reading Crane Flies and Leather Jackets Turf Damage and Control
What is Lilac Witches’ Broom? Lilac witches’ broom is a serious systemic disease of lilacs for which there is no cure. Infected lilacs typically gradually decline until they die. The characteristic symptom is the development of witches’ broom (tight clusters of short, thin branches that all stem from the same point). These witches’ brooms tend to form near the base of the lilac but they … Continue reading Lilac Witches’ Broom
Purple leaf sand cherry (Prunus cistena) are susceptible to a large number of potential insect and disease pests. One of those insect pests is the European fruit lecanium scale (Parthenolecanium corni) or EFS for short. This native, soft bodied scale insect primarily feeds on fruit trees, although other trees and shrubs, such as maples, can be affected. They can cause significant damage and susceptible trees and … Continue reading European Fruit Lecanium Scale on Purple Leaved Sand Cherry
In my region of Southern Ontario we are experiencing above average rainfall this year and the lawns and vegetation are lush and green. For many other provinces and states however they are experiencing above average temperatures with little rainfall. Keeping lawns and gardens thriving during these times can be challenging. Following are a few tips to help your lawns and gardens survive the summer heat … Continue reading Lawns and Gardens- Tips For Surviving The Summer Heat And Drought
Clematis vines are a popular choice for ornamental home gardens. Large flowered, early blooming varieties are particularly popular. These show stopping, head turning vines both amaze and delight all who cross paths with them. A fairly common disease of clematis to be on the look out for is clematis wilt (Phoma clematidina). You will sometimes hear it referred to as clematis leaf and stem spot. … Continue reading Clematis Wilt
Tent Caterpillars Tent caterpillars construct their silky tent like nests in early spring in the crotches of trees such as cherry (Prunus) and apple (Malus). They feed during the day, then at night they return to the tent for protection. Your first line of defense should be to begin looking for these nests in early spring, about the time saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana) and … Continue reading Insect Pests To Be On The Lookout For In The Garden
Springtails (Collembola ) are anthropods within the class of hexapoda. Many specialists now classify them in a separate subclass called Entognatha due to the fact that their mouth parts are not external (like insects) but rather they are internal (or mostly so). They are named for most of the species ability to jump short distances by using their tails as a spring board. This special … Continue reading Springtails
Pine bark adelgid (Pineus strobi) is an aphid like insect that feeds on the plant juices of white pines and occasionally Scotch and Australian pines. Taxonomically they are part of the Adelgidae family which are traditionally classified under the super family Aphidoidea, but they can also be found classified under their sister taxon Phylloxeroidea. You are not likely to see the insect itself but rather the … Continue reading White fluff on Pine Trunks and Branches…Pine Bark Adelgid
Horticulture For Home Gardeners 