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What is a Japanese Horse Chestnut? The Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) is a member of the family Hippocastanaceae along with other varieties of horse chestnut and buckeye. It is native only to Japan, on the island of Hokkaido and the central and northern regions of Honshu. Under ideal conditions, Turbinata chestnut trees can grow rapidly and attain heights of up to 10 feet (30 m.). It has compound, palmate leaves with five to seven toothed leaflets attached at the same point on a central stalk....

King of Hearts Melon Plants The watermelon ‘King of Hearts’ is ready to eat in around 85 days. What is a King of Hearts melon? Botanically known as Citrullus lanatus, this is one of the top long vine melons. By long vine, we mean it needs a lot of space in which to grow and produce those summer fruits. There are more than 50 varieties of watermelon grown around the world....

What is a Scotch Pine? What is a Scotch pine? Scotch pine trees usually reach a height of 40 to 50 feet (12-15 m.) and a spread of 30 feet (9 m.). Their needles are blue-green in the summer and usually 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm.) long. The needles will often change color in the winter, turning more of a yellow-green. The bark is orange and peels away from the trunk and branches in an attractive pattern....

What is Scab on Avocado Fruit? Avocado scab disease is caused by the fungus Sphaceloma perseae. Scab symptoms on avocadoes present as oval to round, raised areas of corky scab. The first lesions that appear are generally black/brown and scattered across the fruit’s skin. The lesions begin to coalesce and merge, potentially affecting almost the entirety of the fruit. Symptoms of scab on the leaves are more difficult to ascertain, as the most visible signs are in the uppermost portions of the tree’s canopy....

What is Botryosphaeria Canker? Botryosphaeria canker is a common fungal disease of trees and woody shrubs, but it only attacks plants that are already stressed or weakened by other pathogens. Cankering can become quite extensive within the cambian layers, heartwood and inner bark of woody plants, cutting off the tissues that transport water and nutrients throughout the plant. Affected tissues develop black, pimple-like fruiting structures or cankers on bark surfaces. When the bark is peeled back, the wood underneath will be reddish brown to brown instead of a healthy white to pale green....

What is Death Camas? Death camas plants include several species of Zigadenus. At least 15 species are native to North America and grow in all kinds of habitats: moist mountain valleys, dry hills, forest, grassland, and even coastal and marsh areas. There may be some variation in toxicity level from one species to the next, but ALL should be considered dangerous. It is mostly livestock affected by death camas poisoning. When they graze, as little as a half a pound of leaves consumed can be deadly....

Mojave Sage Information Mojave sage, sometimes referred to as rose sage, giant-flowered purple sage, blue sage, or mountain desert sage, is easy to confuse with other types of sage or salvia plants. To eliminate mix-ups, be sure to request the plant by its botanical name: Salvia pachyphylla. Hardy to USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 8, Mojave sage plants are sturdy, drought-tolerant perennials that thrive in poor, dry, alkaline soil. Look for this easy-to-grow plant to reach mature heights of 24 to 36 inches (61-91 cm....

What is Oleander Leaf Scorch? Oleander leaf scorch is a disease that kills oleander shrubs. Gardeners first noticed the lethal disease in southern California some 25 years ago. It causes scorched leaves on oleander plants. This disease doesn’t kill the plants immediately, but it does kill them. Experts say that more than 90% of infected trees will die over the next three to five years. What Causes Leaf Scorch on Oleander?...

How to Grow Red Rubin Basil Plants Red basil plants add beauty and interest to the garden. Plant red basil in containers or tuck a few in a bed along with other annuals. The plant is ornamental, and the leaves can be used for cooking or to make flavored vinegars. The flavor is a bit more pungent than other types of basil, so use it sparingly. Red Rubin basil is easy to grow from seed after all danger of frost has passed in spring, or plant seeds indoors six to eight weeks ahead of time....

What is Tomato Buckeye Rot? Buckeye rot on tomatoes is caused by three species of Phytophthora: P. capsici, P. drechsleri and P. nicotiana var. parasitica. Phytophthora species vary by tomato-producing region. Tomatoes with buckeye rot most commonly occur in the southeast and south central regions of the United States. Tomato buckeye rot typically follows prolonged warm, wet conditions and the disease is important wherever there is high humidity and abundant soil moisture....

What is Urushiol? The name urushiol is derived from the Japanese word for lacquer, urushi. In fact, the lacquer tree (Toxicodendron vernicifluum) is in the same family as many of the other urushiol containing plants, which is Anacardiaceae. The genus Toxicodendron contains the bulk of the urushiol wielding plant species, all of which can cause allergic reactions in up to 80% of individuals if they come into contact with the plant’s sap....

Help, All My Plants are Dying! Never fear, we are here to help figure out why all your plants are dying. Again, the most likely reason has to do with plant root problems. Roots perform many vital functions. They take up water, oxygen, and nutrients from the soil. When roots are damaged or diseased, they cease to be able to function properly which, indeed, can kill a plant. Why are All My Plants Dying?...

Winter Damage to Arborvitae Winter injury on arborvitae bushes is not uncommon. Desiccation, or drying out, is one important cause of winter damage to arborvitae. The arborvitae dry out when the needles lose water faster than they can take it up. Arborvitae needles transpire moisture even in winter, and uptake water from the ground to replace the lost moisture. When the ground freezes below the root system, it cuts off the water supply....

Recognizing Cole Crops with Wire Stem Cabbages with soft head rot and black, sunken lesions on radishes, turnips, and rutabagas are cole crops with wire stem disease. Damping off is also a symptom in wire stem of cole crops. The fungus responsible is Rhizoctonia solani, but there are several ways to prevent it from killing your plants. Wire stem of cole crops is not a common disease but can kill its host....

Also known as windflower, wood anemone plants (Anemone quinquefolia) are low-growing wildflowers that produce dainty, waxy blooms rising above attractive, bright green foliage in spring and summer. Flowers may be white, greenish yellow, red, or purple, depending on the variety. Read on for tips on growing wood anemone plants. Wood Anemone Cultivation Wood anemone uses in the garden are similar to other woodland plants. Grow wood anemone in a shady woodland garden or where it can border a perennial flower bed, much as you would with other anemone windflowers....

How Many Composting Worms Do I Need? Vermicompost worm amount in the composting bin will be dependent on the amount of scraps produced. Gardeners should begin calculating the number of worms in compost by weighing the amount of compostable materials produced during one week’s time. The weight of the scraps in pounds will relate directly to the surface area and amount of worms needed for the vermicomposting bin. Unlike traditional piles, vermicompost containers should be relatively shallow to ensure proper movement among worms....

Xeriscape Landscaping for Clay Soil Amend the soil– No matter what you intend to do with your clay heavy garden, you should always work towards amending the soils by adding organic matter. When coming up with xeriscape landscape design ideas, this is even more important as this will make it easier to manage your drought tolerant landscape as the years progress. Plant clay and drought tolerant perennials– Planting drought tolerant perennials that are also happy growing in clay soil will guarantee a beautiful drought tolerant landscape....

How to Prune Yarrow Yarrow flowers will become faded and brown over the course of their growing season. You will want to deadhead these unattractive spent flowers not only for aesthetic reasons, but also to encourage further blooming. This deadheading, or yarrow trimming, is advocated because yarrow is an aggressive self-sower. Removing the spent blooms will prevent the yarrow flowers from drying out, going to seed, and spreading all over your garden....

What Makes Clematis Leaves Turn Yellow? The delicate trailing, climbing stems, and leaves of clematis create a fairytale look draped over a trellis or trained to an arbor. Once the elegant flowers appear, the entire vision is of dancing blooms and a riot of color and texture. If a clematis vine has yellow leaves, you might look first to the soil and drainage, site, and lighting. If correct cultivation conditions exist, the problem may be pests or even disease....

Hardy Camellia Plants Camellias for zone 6 are usually categorized as spring blooming or fall blooming, although in warmer climates of the Deep South they may bloom all throughout the winter months. Cold winter temperatures in zone 6 will usually nip the flower buds, giving zone 6 camellia plants a shorter bloom time than warm climate camellias. In zone 6, the most popular hardy camellia plants are the Winter Series, created by Dr....