Ornamental Garden Calendar For September
Trees and Shrubs Perennials Annuals Weeds Lawns Miscellaneous Photo credits: all photos taken by the author. All rights reserved Terms of use Continue reading Ornamental Garden Calendar For September
Fasciation Causes Unusual Growth of Flowers, Stems, or Fruit
The word fasciation comes from the Latin word fascia, to fuse, and that is often what this growth abnormality looks like. Affected stems, fruit or flowers appear as though 2 or more have been fused or banded together. At times the unusual new growth looks quite spectacular and unique and breeders attempt to reproduce the … Continue reading Fasciation Causes Unusual Growth of Flowers, Stems, or Fruit
Ornamental Garden Calendar For August
Trees and Shrubs Continue to watch your lilacs, flowering crabapples, ninebark and currant bushes for signs of powdery mildew and continue your protective treatments. Maintain even soil moisture and try to avoid overhead watering. Gypsy moths are still in flight and laying their eggs. Pheromone traps may be used to trap some of the moths. Seeking … Continue reading Ornamental Garden Calendar For August
Powdery Mildew Verses Downy Mildew
Two common diseases in both vegetable gardens and ornamental gardens are powdery mildew and downy mildew. While the two diseases have many similarities the pathogen is different, symptoms are expressed differently, and each flourishes in different types of environmental conditions. Learning to prevent and recognize the symptoms of each disease is key to managing these … Continue reading Powdery Mildew Verses Downy Mildew
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica), formerly Fallopia Japonica, is one of the most invasive weeds in the world. It produces extensive and powerful networks of rhizomes below the soil surface, so powerful that they can damage foundations and building structures, not to mention choke out other vegetation. The rhizomes burrow down up to 3 m (10ft.) … Continue reading Japanese Knotweed
Ornamental Garden Calendar For July
Trees and Shrubs July traditionally is a drier month and a good time to prune evergreens like boxwood. Continue to watch your lilacs, flowering crabapples, ninebark and currant bushes for signs of powdery mildew. If it has been a problem in past spray with a solution of 1 Tablespoon of baking soda and 1 Tablespoon … Continue reading Ornamental Garden Calendar For July
Lily Beetles
Lily Beetles (Lilioceris lilii) are a damaging pest insect for lily (Lilium spp.) growers. The pest chews on the leaves, flowers and stem leaving them looking ragged. If the pest numbers are high enough complete defoliation can occur. Early detection and vigilance are key to managing this pest naturally. Damage to Plants Both the larvae … Continue reading Lily Beetles
Designing a Drought Tolerant Garden
Water conservation is a hot topic these days. Water shortages have caused many municipalities to impose watering restrictions (at least during heat waves) and rising water costs have motivated many home owners and municipalities to establish more drought tolerant gardens and landscapes. For those living rural or on well water, plants that can survive mostly … Continue reading Designing a Drought Tolerant Garden
Four-lined Plant Bug
Four-lined Plant Bugs (Poecilocapsus lineatus) are small and fairly attractive insects, but they are capable of quickly creating extensive damage to many herbs and ornamental plants in the garden. This is largely due to the powerful digestive enzymes contained in their saliva, which is injected into the plant tissue while they are feeding. Most of … Continue reading Four-lined Plant Bug
Cut Worms in Home Gardens
Cutworms are a destructive pest insect of a wide variety of plant material. Many home gardeners have encountered them in the vegetable garden, where they chew through the stems of their seedlings, cutting them off near the soil line. There are hundreds of species of cutworms and appearances can vary, as well as habitat, food … Continue reading Cut Worms in Home Gardens
Loading…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Follow My Blog
Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.
Horticulture For Home Gardeners 