White Rust Disease – What is White Rust? What is white rust? It’s a disease that causes distinctive chalky white spore masses sometimes referred to as pustules that first show up on the underside of leaves. These blister-like masses, called sori, form under the leaf’s dermis (skin) and can’t be scraped off without damaging the leaf. The stem and leaves can become twisted and deformed. White rust disease can and will infect the floral parts as well....

Why are My Yucca Leaves Curling? When you see yucca plant leaves curling, it’s easy to panic and worry that your plants are perched at the edge of the abyss between life and death, but usually these problems are ugly and very minor. In fact, more often than not, the biggest damage linked to curled leaves is the cosmetic defect itself. However, if you notice curling leaves on yucca, it’s important to find the source....

Why Does My Holly Have Spots on its Leaves? White spots on holly leaves can almost always be chalked up to one of two things – scale or mites. Both are tiny pests that stab into the leaves of the plant and suck out its juices. If you have a scale infestation, the white spots will be slightly raised and conical in shape – this is the shell that protects the tiny creature underneath....

Should You Avoid Planting When Soil is Wet? Soggy soil conditions in the spring are a common problem for many gardeners. Some years are worse than others. At times, it can feel like the gardening season is slipping away each day planting is delayed due to wet weather. So is planting vegetables in wet soil really all that bad? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Planting when soil is wet destroys the healthy soil structure you’ve worked so hard to build....

Why Won’t My Impatiens Bloom? Of all the possible reasons impatiens are not blooming, one of the most common is improper sun exposure. Impatiens plants bloom best with some shade, a requirement that often leads to misunderstanding. While some impatiens bloom well in full shade, for the most part they’ll perform better with at least some sun. On the other hand, too much sun will cut down on blooming, too. Avoid planting your impatiens in full sun....

About Japanese Maple Winter Damage Heavy snow is often the culprit when your slender maple tree suffers broken branches, but winter damage of Japanese maple can be caused by various aspects of the cold season. Often, when the sun is warm in winter, cells in the maple tree thaw during the day, only to refreeze again at night. As they refreeze, they can burst and ultimately die. Japanese maple winter dieback can also be caused by drying winds, scalding sun, or frozen soil....

Reasons for Wisteria Not Leafing Out Still Dormant There are actually several reasons why wisteria does not have leaves. Most commonly this can be due to weather. Those having cooler than normal spring weather can often expect delays in trees and other plants, such as wisteria, leafing out. So how do you know if your wisteria with no leaves is simply slow to start (dormant) or actually dying? Check for stem flexibility first....

What Does International Women’s Day Mean? Occurring each year on March 8th, International Women’s Day was created to celebrate the achievements of women, as well as bring to light issues surrounding gender equality. Though the exact origins of International Women’s Day are not known, many political and social movements throughout the early 1900’s are believed to have laid the foundation for the now annual celebration. At its core, the values which the day represents are said to include: equality, respect, hope, dignity, and justice....

Creating a Worm Bin with Kids Creating a worm bin is easy and brings the lessons of composting and natural degrading processes into the home or classroom. All you need is some worms, a few simple materials, and kitchen scraps and the kids will be well on their way to unique and tutoring new pets. Often when we think about worms, images of slimy, squishy creatures leap back out of our brains....

Yucca vs. Dracaena What’s the difference between yucca and dracaena? While both yucca and dracaena have long strap-like, pointed leaves, this is where the similarities between the two end. First of all, yucca hails from the family Agavaceae and is native to Mexico and the Southwest United States. Dracaena, on the other hand, is a member of the family Asparagaceae, which encompasses an additional 120 species of trees and succulent shrubs....

Japanese Maples for Cold Climates Japanese maples charm gardeners with their graceful shape and gorgeous fall color. These charming trees come in small, medium, and large and some cultivars survive chilly weather. Can Japanese maples for cold climates live through zone 4 winters though? If you have heard that Japanese maples grow best in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 7, you have heard correctly. Winters in zone 4 get considerably colder than in zone 5....

Peach Trees for Zone 4 The hardiest peach trees for cold climates tolerate temperatures as low as –20 degrees F. (-28 C.). Zone 4 peach tree varieties won’t perform well in warmer areas. That’s because warm spring weather stimulates the flowers, and if the warm spell is followed by a cold snap, the buds die. These trees need a climate where the temperatures stay cold well into spring. Here is a list of peach trees suited to the area....

Growing Bulbs in Zone 9 Lilies, amaryllis, callas, and gladiolus…these are but a few common zone 9 bulbs, but there are also some truly unique and crazy plants that will thrive in those regions. Try a voodoo lily or a spider-like Ismene (Peruvian daffodil). Or perhaps a pineapple lily will make you wonder at the world. There are more bulbs for zone 9 than we have space for here, but a few of the most outstanding ones deserve mention....

While all plants need some water for survival, having suitable drainage is important to prevent root rot. For this reason, you need to add a few holes for potted plants so the water can escape. It’s not complicated if you follow basic instructions and precautionary measures when drilling a drainage hole. (Always wear protective eye-wear when using a drill.) Adding Drainage Holes to Containers Plastic and wood planters are among the easiest to fit with drainage holes....

Plant propagation may be accomplished in numerous ways. Seeds are the simplest method, but often maturity will take months or even years. Additionally, plants started from seed are not always identical to the parent plant. In order to ensure an identical copy, you need the genetic material. In other words, you literally use the plant itself. Layering propagation will produce genetically parallel new plants which will carry all the characteristics of the parent and one of the most popular forms of layering is air layering....

More Information About Alaska Climate Zones – USDA Alaska Planting Zone Map Above is the USDA Alaska planting zones map. This map has been created to help gardeners know what kind of plants will survive in Alaska climate zones. When you understand your Alaska USDA zones, you can plant trees, vegetables, flowers, and other plants that will flourish in your area. In order to figure out your specific Alaska USDA zone, match the color on the map in your area with the color on the legend....

How to Create an All Green Foliage Garden Designing a garden with foliage plants is not only easy but when all the elements of foliage are incorporated, it can also be quite impressive. So don’t think of all green gardens as dull or unappealing. With or without flowers, a foliage garden can be filled with interesting textures, forms, and colors. Texture Leaf texture is an important element in the foliage garden....

Andromeda Plant Info Japanese andromeda is an evergreen shrub with many uses in the landscape. Use it in shrub groupings or as a foundation plant, or let it stand alone as a specimen plant that few other shrubs can rival. The plant is a bit fussy about soil and light exposure, but if azaleas and camellias do well in the area, Japanese andromeda will probably thrive too. Here are some noteworthy cultivars:...

Angel Wing Begonia Flowers Learning how to grow an angel wing begonia indoors provides a houseplant with attractive year-round foliage. Speckled or streaked foliage appears on glossy green leaves with red tints or backing. An angel wing begonia houseplant blooms in pendulous clusters of flowers if located in the right area. Large clusters of flowers in a range of white, orange, pink, or red appear on the happy angel wing begonia houseplant....

Basic Anthurium Care Anthurium plants can tolerate all levels of indirect light, but anthuriums growing in low light will have fewer flowers and will grow slower. These plants cannot tolerate direct light, however, as this can burn the leaves. They grow best in bright, indirect light. Anthurium care also requires that the soil be free draining but hold some water. If you are growing this plant as a houseplant, a half and half mix of potting soil and orchid soil or perlite will provide the kind of soil anthuriums prefer....