Pests on a Rubber Plant Here are the most common rubber plant insects you may come across: Aphids are tiny, pear-shaped pests that gather en masse on the undersides of leaves or the joints of leaves and stems. The pests are usually green, but different species may be red, brown, black, or yellow. Aphids damage rubber trees by sucking the sweet nectar from the leaves. Scale are tiny rubber plant pests that attach themselves to all parts of the plant and, like aphids, they feed on sweet plant juices....

Lemon Balm Companion Planting Lemon balm companion planting is a real boon in the garden, as this perennial herb attracts bees and other beneficial pollinators, while the strong, citrusy odor deters several unwelcome pests, including gnats and mosquitoes. Some gardeners even claim that lemon balm helps keep weeds in check. Finding companion plants for lemon balm is easy because there are really no bad lemon balm companions! However, companions for lemon balm should be plants that thrive in the same growing conditions – rich, moist, well-drained soil, and full sun or light shade....

Identifying Bindweed Before you can get rid of bindweed, you need to make sure that the weed you have is bindweed. Bindweed (Convolvulus) is often called wild morning glory because it looks like morning glory. Bindweed is a climbing vine. Normally, the first signs that you have bindweed will be thin thread-like vines that wrap themselves tightly around plants or other upward objects. Eventually, the bindweed vines will grow leaves, which are shaped much like an arrowhead....

Linden Borer Information Not all insect damage is caused by pests imported into the U.S. Native insects can become pests too, given the right circumstances. Take the linden borer (Saperda vestita), for example. This long-horned beetle is native to the eastern and central regions of the country. The adult insects are olive green and ½ to ¾ inches (12.5 – 19 mm.) long. They have antenna that are just as long as and sometimes longer than their bodies....

Pests of Naranjilla The naranjilla plant is a spreading, herbaceous shrub that grows to 8 feet (2.5 m.) high. It is native to South America and is cultivated throughout Latin America for its small orange fruit with a thick, leathery peel. The naranjilla fruit are smaller than oranges, usually only 2 ½ inches (6.25 cm.) across, but they are filled with yellow-green, juicy pulp. It is delicious, tasting like a pleasant mixture of pineapple and citrus....

What is Reseeding? Self-seeding plants are often annual or biennial flowers. You may also find your fruits and vegetables are prolific re-seeders, sometimes springing from your compost heap. Any seeds that are allowed to mature and sprout the next season are often called volunteers. These plants don’t sow themselves in well-behaved rows but in unruly abundance and mix among themselves. This can give a flower bed a unique charm and lively color....

Water Lily Weed Info Though beautiful, water lily management is necessary when plants begin to invade the vast majority of the pond. Too many plants growing in the water may be a major cause for concern, such as the reduction of available oxygen (which the plants absorb at night) and negative impact on the overall health of fish. However, water lily management may be somewhat challenging. How to Stop Water Lilies As one would imagine, the underwater nature of these plants makes water lily control quite interesting....

Are Crepe Myrtle Roots Invasive? The crepe myrtle is a small tree, rarely growing taller than 30 feet (9 m.). Beloved by gardeners for its luxurious summer blossoms in shades of pink and white, the tree also offers exfoliating bark and an autumn foliage display. If you are thinking about planting one in the garden, don’t worry about the invasiveness of crepe myrtles and their roots. The crepe myrtle root system will not harm your foundation....

About Pruning Crown of Thorns There are a couple of important things to know before you begin pruning crown of thorns. First of all, this gorgeous plant was named for a reason – the thorns are wicked. You’ll need long sleeves and a pair of sturdy garden gloves for pruning crown of thorns. Even more importantly, be aware that the gooey, milky sap that oozes from a cut plant may cause severe skin irritation in some people, and it can do serious harm if it gets in your eyes....

What is Monkey Grass Crown Rot? Monkey grass crown rot, like any crown rot disease, is caused by a fungus that thrives in moist and warm conditions. Normally, this problem is found in warmer, more humid states, but it can occur in cooler areas as well. Symptoms of Monkey Grass Crown Rot The signs of monkey grass crown rot are a yellowing of the older leaves from the base of the plant....

Daffodil Plant Facts What are some different types of daffodils and how many types of daffodils are there? Including hybrids, there are over 13,000 distinct daffodil varieties in existence. Those can be divided, however, into about a dozen different types of daffodils that are characterized by the size and shape of their petals (the outer part of the flower) and their coronas (the inner petals that are often fused into a single tube)....

Is Moonflower a Datura? Datura (Datura stramonium) is a type of plant that belongs to the Solanaceae family. There are several species of Datura with many common names including moonflower, devil’s trumpet, devil’s weed, loco weed, and jimsonweed. The common name moonflower also is used for another plant. This one is known as moonflower vine, which helps to distinguish it from Datura. Moonflower vine (Ipomoea alba) is related to morning glory....

Can I Transplant Cannas? Not only can you transplant and divide canna lilies, but you actually should do so every few years to prevent overcrowding, disease and pests. Pests and disease often occur on weak, unhappy plants, and will develop in dense, crowded plant structures with poor air circulation and lots of hiding places. Canna flowers are not true lilies and their root structures are more like irises than lilies. Like iris plants, canna rhizomes multiply quickly and eventually older rhizomes in the center of the mass can be choked out....

Do Thrips Pollinate? Do thrips pollinate? Why yes, thrips and pollination do go hand in hand! Thrips eat pollen and I guess you could consider them messy eaters because they end up getting covered in pollen during the feast. It has been estimated that a single thrip can carry 10 to 50 pollen grains. This may not seem like a lot of pollen grains, however, pollination by thrips is made possible because the insects are almost always present in large numbers on a single plant....

Dodder Plant Info Dodder weed has thin, twining stems either pale green, yellow, or bright orange in color. It is either leafless or with tiny, triangular leaves. The weed bares cream-colored bell-shaped blooms containing a seed capsule with two to three seeds. The rootless seedlings have a limited ability to photosynthesize and rely on the host plant to provide them with energy. A dodder seedling can live five to ten days without a host but will soon die....

Does Amaryllis Need Fertilizer? Amaryllis is often given as a gift during the holiday season wherein folks treat the plant as a one-shot, single blossom plant, almost like cut flowers. Once the bloom is gone, the entire bulb is often tossed as well. However, amaryllis can be grown year-round, and you can even entice it to bloom again by feeding amaryllis plants. Proper amaryllis bulb fertilizer is the key to a healthy plant and show-stopping bloom....

Douglas Aster Plant Info Douglas aster plants grow in the wild in the area known as the coast forest in California, Oregon, and Washington. This is the area extending from the ocean to the subalpine mountain area. You’ll also find Douglas aster flowers in northwestern Canada and throughout Alaska. The blooms of this perennial look a lot like New England aster flowers. Douglas aster was named after David Douglas, a botanist working in the northwest region of the United States....

Why are My Dracaena’s Leaves Turning Brown? Foliar changes on houseplants occur occasionally. In the case of browning Dracaena leaves, the cause could stem from many things. These tropical plants thrive in temperatures of 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (21-26 C.) and can experience leaf browning in cooler temperatures. The most common cause when Dracaena leaves are brown arises from the type of water you use. Dracaena’s are extremely sensitive to excess fluoride....

What are Cold Hardy Xeriscape Plants? Xeriscaping is all the rage. Conserving our natural resources and avoiding waste while keeping our utility bills down is the goal. Sadly, many xeriscape plants hail from regions with consistent warm temperatures year-round and are not suitable for zone 4 gardens. There is light at the end of the tunnel, however, as zone 4 regions such as Colorado, Montana, and North Dakota extension services have compiled lists of plants that will not only survive but thrive in these cold season climates....

What is Drunken Composting? Getting a compost pile hot and combining it with the correct ingredients can be a time-consuming task. Using a homemade compost accelerator speeds up the process, but does fast composting work? Drunken compost has nothing to do with becoming intoxicated but refers to accelerating the decaying process by introducing beer, soda (or sugar) and ammonia. Fast composting with beer, soda and ammonia actually does work. Compost will be ready in a scant few weeks as opposed to months....