Sharpshooter Pests in Gardens Sharpshooter pests in gardens are a real problem for fruit trees and a wide range of plants, including: Asparagus Grape Crepe myrtle Sunflower Blueberries Bougainvillea Peppers Other than the nasty liquid mentioned above, sharpshooter damage consists primarily of transmission of Xylella fastidiosa, a bacterium that causes potentially deadly plant diseases, including several types of leaf scorch and Pierce’s disease of grapes. When a pest feeds on an affected plant, the bacterium multiplies in the pest’s mouth and is transferred when the sharpshooter moves on to feed on a different plant....

What are Soil Mites? So what are soil mites and are they dangerous? Potting soil mites make their home, with many family members, in soil. These tiny creatures are about the size of a pinpoint and are very easy to miss. They may appear as little white dots walking along the surface of the soil or along a plant container. There are many species of soil mites and all are close relatives to ticks and spiders....

About Variegated Song of India Dracaena The Song of India variety of dracaena (Dracaena reflexa ‘Variegata’), also known as pleomele, is native to islands in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar. In the wild or in a garden with the right conditions, this dracaena will grow as tall as 18 feet (5.5 m.), with a spread out to eight feet (2.5 m.). Indoors, as a houseplant, you can keep this variety much smaller, and, in fact, they generally only grow to about three feet (1 m....

Identifying Snakes in Southern Regions Learning to identify snakes in your area can prevent undue fear and unnecessary eradication of environmentally beneficial snakes. Even a pit viper is harmless when observed from a distance and left alone. Southern snake varieties include the venomous copperhead, coral snake, cottonmouth, Western diamondback rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake, prairie rattlesnake, western massasauga, and western pigmy rattlesnake. Nonvenomous snakes in the South include the glossy snake, black rat snake, scarlet snake, racer, bull snake, ring-necked snake, brown snake, common kingsnake, milk snake, western ribbon snake, western hognose snake, and common garter snake....

About Spring Allergy Flowers Severe allergy sufferers may be afraid to have landscapes and gardens full of flowering plants. They avoid showy ornamentals like roses, daisies, or crabapples, thinking that with all the bees and butterflies these flowers attract, they must be loaded with allergy triggering pollen. In truth, however, bright, showy blooms that are pollinated by insects usually have larger, heavier pollen not easily carried on a breeze. It’s actually blooms which are wind pollinated that allergy sufferers need to worry about....

Spring Checklist While it is a fact that a spring checklist may vary from region to region due to weather and temperatures, there are some garden tasks for spring that everyone should undertake. Spring garden chores will include general maintenance, propagation, fertilizing, and getting a jump on handling pests and weeds. Spring is also a great time to plant bare root trees and plants. Garden Tasks for Spring Depending upon your area, the ground might be particularly boggy....

What Causes Hollow Squash? When squash fruit is hollow, it may be the result of inadequate fertilization of the flowers. On hot, dry days, the interior parts of the flower may dry out, leading to poor pollination. Most often, poor pollination comes from a scarcity of pollinating insects. It takes several hundred grains of pollen to completely fertilize a female flower so that it can form fruit that is well-filled out in the center....

About Storage Cabbage Varieties Storage cabbages are those that mature just prior to the fall frosts. Once the heads are harvested, they can be stored into the winter months, often as long as early spring. There are a number of storage cabbage varieties available in either red or green cabbage types. Storage No. 4 cabbage plants are one of long-term storage cabbages as are Ruby Perfection, Kaitlin, and Murdoc varieties....

Let’s learn about terracotta pots and how using them provides the most benefits. About Terracotta Pots Terracotta plant pots get their rusty tinged hue from the type of clay that is used to fire them. The color seems to provide a perfect foil for many types of flowers and foliage. It is this unmistakable hue that easily identifies a terracotta clay pot. The containers are plentiful, affordable, durable, and come in many different sizes and shapes....

How to Care for a Poinsettia Tree Within their preferred range, outdoor poinsettia plants can grow to reach impressive heights. Though highly ornamental, these frost sensitive shrubs are simply not able to survive outside very specific growing conditions. Over the years, however, many plant professionals have taken great interest in replicating this same growth habit in new ways to make it more accessible to home gardeners. This passion, in tandem with the plant’s natural popularity, would eventually give way to the creation of much smaller, cultivated poinsettia trees....

Signs of Shot Hole Fungus Shot hole disease thrives in wet conditions, especially during extended wet periods. The disease is most noticeable in spring, as new growth is most susceptible. Shot hole fungus commonly overwinters inside the infected buds, as well as twig lesions, where the spores may thrive for several months. Therefore, it is important to thoroughly inspect trees after leaf fall for any symptoms. Most signs of shot hole disease occur in spring, causing spots (or lesions) on new buds and young leaves and shoots....

Exploring Mother’s Day flower ideas that are both creative and long-lasting is another option. Using flowers for Mother’s Day in interesting ways is sure to leave quite an impression. Flowers to Get for Mom Traditional Mother’s Day flowers commonly consist of blooms that have been shipped thousands of miles. Instead, consider sourcing flowers from local farmers. Local specialty cut-flower farmers are guaranteed to have blooms that are fresh, beautiful, and will have a much longer vase life....

Transplanting Hydrangeas The best time for hydrangea transplanting is just after the bushes have gone dormant in the autumn. This means the flowers have all died back and most, or all, of the leaves have dropped. In cooler climates, the best time for moving hydrangea bushes is November, when the bush is dormant but the ground is not yet frozen solid. In warmer climates where the ground doesn’t freeze, you can do your hydrangea transplanting between December and February....

If you are interested in growing these berries in your backyard, read on for information about small trees and shrubs with black berries. Blackberry Bush The best-known bush bearing black berries is the typical blackberry bush. It’s a bush that many of us have had growing wild in our backyards at one time or another. If you don’t have a blackberry patch yet, it’s as easy to grow as raspberries and each cane offers an abundant harvest....

Ready to try unconventional Christmas trees? Read on for our take on top Christmas tree alternatives. Unusual Christmas Trees Ready, set, let’s wade into unusual Christmas tree territory by thinking about a tree constructed of succulents. You can probably find one for sale online and you’re good to go. If you are a succulent fan, this is a DIY project that may appeal to you. All you need to get started is a cone of chicken wire, some sphagnum moss, and lots of little succulents or succulent cuttings....

Uses for Black Currant Leaves Proponents of the plant claim that herbal black currant leaf may: Boost the immune system Reduce joint or muscle pain and inflammation Decrease the buildup of plaque in the heart Increase blood flow throughout the body Improve eye function, including night vision Benefits the kidneys, spleen, pancreas, and liver Improves lung function Helps with sore throat and hoarseness Relieves diarrhea Eases coughs and colds Stimulates appetite and digestion...

Steer Manure Lawn Fertilizer Manure contains a number of nutrients and adds organic matter to the soil. Improving the soil quality of your lawn can result in greener grass and less maintenance. An important consideration when fertilizing with steer manure is its high nitrogen content. While nitrogen is required for strong, green plant growth, too much will ultimately burn plants. Fresh manure is much too strong for use. Therefore, it should be well-aged or composted prior to use....

Vegetables That Grow in Heat and How to Help Them Thrive Choosing vegetables that grow in high heat will go a long way toward saving your sanity. Check your local garden stores and southern seed specialty catalogs for the cultivars and varieties that do well in your area. You can also check with your local university extension agents in the U.S., who know what vegetables grow well in heat. Also, if you prefer transplants, local nurseries will offer hot weather vegetable plants....

Can Any Type of Earthworm be Used for Vermicomposting? The best types of worms for vermicomposting are red wigglers (Eisenia fetida) and redworms (Lumbricus rubellus). These two species make great worms for the compost bin because they prefer a compost environment to plain soil, and they are very easy to keep. Worms that feed on vegetable waste, compost, and organic bedding produce richer casting than those that feed on plain soil....

Read on and learn about a few of the most effective weeding tools. Tools For Weeding: Tips On Choosing Easy Weeding Tools When it comes to choosing weeding tools for gardens, no single tool is right for everybody. Here are a few things to consider before you rush out to buy tools for weeding: Type of weeds: Do you fight weeds with long taproots? If you don’t get the root, little pieces left behind will generate a new plant....