African Violets with Botrytis Blight African violets are beloved houseplants with sweet little blooms and engaging fuzzy leaves. The most common diseases of African violet are fungal. Botrytis blight affects many types of plants but is prevalent in the African violet population. It may also be called bud rot or gray mold, descriptive terms that point to the symptoms of the disease. African violet blight control starts with plant isolation, just as you would with a potentially fatal contagious disease in animals and humans....

Are All Bleeding Hearts the Same? The short answer is no. If you expect different bleeding heart plants to be similar, think again. In fact, bleeding heart vine and bleeding heart bush belong to different families. One difference between a bleeding heart bush and vine is that each as its own scientific name. Bleeding heart bush is called Dicentra spectablis and is a member of the Fumariaceae family. Bleeding heart vine is Clerodendron thomsoniae and is in the Verbenaceae family....

Successful Babiana Bulb Growing The various types of Babiana species originated in Southern Africa. Babiana plants are commonly called the baboon flower after the same-named, old-world monkeys who would use the Babiana corms as a food source. The flowers range in color from brilliant hues of blue and lavender to deep pink. They make excellent cut flowers and, as long as no baboons escape from the local zoo, baboon flower care is pretty straightforward....

Help, My Bananas are Cracking Open! No need to panic about banana fruit cracking. Among all the possible banana tree problems, this one is minimal. Why do bananas split on the bunch? The reason the fruit is cracking is likely due to high relative humidity of over 90% combined with temperatures over 70 F. (21 C.). This is especially true if bananas are left on the plant until ripe. Bananas need to be cut off the plant when still green to promote ripening....

Tips on Growing Fino Verde Basil Fino Verde basil plants are perennial in USDA plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. In cooler climates, the plant is grown as an annual. Place the plant where it receives at least six hours of sunlight per day. You can also grow Fino Verde basil plants on a sunny windowsill. Like most Mediterranean herbs, Fino Verde basil plants require well-drained soil. Outdoors, dig in a little compost before planting....

Common Basil Diseases Fusarium Wilt Fusarium wilt is among the most common basil diseases. This basil wilt disease most commonly affects sweet basil varieties, but other basil varieties are still somewhat vulnerable. Symptoms of fusarium wilt include: stunted growth wilted and yellowing leaves brown spots or streaks on the stem severely twisted stems leaf drop Fusarium wilt is caused by a fungus that can be carried by either the soil that affected basil plants have been growing in or by seeds from infected basil plants....

One of the best ways of attracting bats to your yard is by building a bat house. Learning how to attract bats to a bat house takes a little effort, but it’s definitely worth it. Just think about how pleasant it will be to sit outside on a balmy, bug-free summer night watching the swoops, dips, and squeaks of your very own nighttime entertainment. That’s what building a bat house can offer....

About Bay Tree Pruning Bay trees can grow to 30 feet (9 m.) tall without getting leggy or thin. If you want yours this tall, there is no immediate need to learn about pruning bay trees. However, even healthy bay trees can suffer damage from winter weather or wind scorch. Branches can also become diseased or break. If this happens to your bay trees, you’ll want to remove or trim back the damaged branches....

Cercospora Leaf Spot in Beans As mercury rises, garden diseases become increasingly larger problems. Leaf spot on beans isn’t new, but it certainly can be frustrating to discover that your plants are suddenly infected. When temperatures exceed 75 degrees Fahrenheit (23 C.) and the conditions are humid, it’s important to keep your eyes peeled for problems in the garden. Cercospora leaf spot in beans can start either as a seed-borne illness, stunting and killing young plants as they emerge, or more commonly as a leaf spot that can spread to bean pods....

Choosing Flowers For Hanging Baskets By far, intense sunlight and the speed at which soil moisture evaporates are the biggest concerns when hanging flower baskets in full-sun exposure. Choosing flowers which are well adapted to hot, dry conditions is recommended. Two popular choices are Calibrachoa and Black-eyed Susan vines. Also called million bells or trailing petunia, Calibrachoa were introduced in the 1990’s and soon became a favorite in hanging baskets for full sun and heat....

Sunflower Companions Many gardeners have heard of the Three Sisters planting system. It is an ancient practice that native people used for centuries. When the majestic sunflower is added to the trio, the Four Sisters have even more power in the garden. The classic sunflower companions in the Three Sisters are beans, corn, and squash. These pair beautifully with sunflowers, both visually and as a beneficial grouping. The companion planting sunflower is a hard working specimen that is a valuable support for scrambling vines and towering stalks....

About the Bird’s Nest Fern Plant The bird’s nest fern plant gets its name from the fact that the center of the plant resembles a bird’s nest. It is also occasionally called a crow’s nest fern. Bird’s nest ferns (Asplenium nidus) are identified by their flat, wavy or crinkly fronds. Their appearance can bring to mind a seaweed plant growing on dry land. Bird’s nest fern is an epiphytic fern, which means in the wild it typically grows on other things, like tree trunks or buildings....

There are several varieties of watermelon that, while green on the outside, actually have yellow flesh inside. One popular option is the Black Diamond Yellow Flesh melon. Keep reading to learn more about growing Yellow Flesh Black Diamond watermelon vines in the garden. Yellow Flesh Black Diamond Info What is a Yellow Flesh Black Diamond watermelon? The explanation is honestly pretty simple. Perhaps you’ve heard of the Black Diamond watermelon, a large, deep red variety that was developed in Arkansas and was very popular in the 1950’s....

Black Succulent Varieties Keep in mind that black colored succulents are not really black, but a deep purple that can appear black in some lighting situations. Getting them to their darkest shade may require adjusting their lighting, water, and sometimes their temperature conditions. This is sometimes called stress. It’s acceptable to stress out your succulents to a point. Aeonium arboreum ‘Zwartkop’ – Commonly called Black Rose aeonium, this dark leaved plant is beautiful in the outdoor planting bed or container....

Blue Atlas Cedar Care The Blue Atlas cedar is a stately and majestic evergreen with a strong, vertical trunk and open, almost horizontal limbs. With its stiff, blue-green needles, it makes an exceptional specimen tree for big backyards. Blue Atlas cedar care starts with selecting an appropriate planting location. If you decide to plant a Blue Atlas cedar, give it plenty of room to spread out. The trees don’t thrive in restricted space....

When to Fertilize Blueberries While there is not a first or last date to fertilize blueberry bushes, the general rule of thumb is to fertilize blueberries in the spring before their leaves have grown in. This is so that the blueberry fertilizer has time to penetrate the soil and make it to the roots of the blueberry bush before it enters active growth. You should be fertilizing blueberries once a year....

What is a Bog Garden? Creating a bog garden in your landscape is an enjoyable project that allows you to experiment with different plant species. So exactly what is a bog garden anyway? Bog gardens exist in nature in low-lying areas or around ponds, lakes, and streams. Bog garden plants love overly moist soil, which is waterlogged, but not standing. These marshy gardens make a lovely attraction in any landscape and can quickly turn an unused, water-logged spot in the yard into a wonderful scenic attraction....

Bonsai Soil Requirements Soil for bonsai has to meet three different criteria: It must allow for good water retention, drainage, and aeration. The soil must be able to hold and retain sufficient moisture yet water must be able to drain immediately from the pot. The ingredients for bonsai soil must be large enough to allow for air pockets to provide oxygen to the roots and to microbacteria. What is Bonsai Soil Made Up Of?...

Accidents happen. If your prized flower or plant container has been smashed or cracked, there are ways to resuscitate it. Keep reading for ideas on how to repair a broken container, or use the shards in creative projects. Broken Planter Ideas Methods to fix broken planters vary and are subject to the amount of damage the container has sustained. For a severely smashed broken flower pot, you might not be able to put it back together, but you can use the pieces for fun crafts....

Why is My Astilbe Changing Color to Brown? It’s always disappointing to find a part of your garden isn’t thriving. With astilbe, you may see some browning in the flowers, but brown leaves are a more typical sign of problems. Here are some of the possible causes: Foliar nematode: This microscopic worm-like creature can infect astilbe. The signs are brown spots on leaves bounded by the veins. The spots mostly form on an affected plant’s lower leaves....