Getting knowledge on how to fix sooty mold on camellia begins with learning the causes of this black leaf coating. What Causes Camellia Sooty Mold? A camellia with black leaves likely has an insect problem. It’s not the insect’s feeding that causes the phenomenon but its waste. Several types of fungus form on the surface of that waste and develop into sooty mold on camellias and many other ornamental plants....

Composting Corn Husks The husks – these form the outer layer that protects the developing corn – are discarded when you peel them away to expose the corn kernels. Instead of tossing them in the trash, simply toss them in your compost pile. For composting corn husks, you can use green husks, which are removed before eating fresh corn, or brown husks, which are left intact around the ears of corn to be used for harvesting seed or feeding livestock....

How to Grow Chamomile Indoors One of the best things about growing chamomile indoors is that it can be planted in the winter. Requiring only four hours of light per day, your chamomile will be fine as long as it has a spot by a south-facing window. It will probably grow no higher than 10 inches (25 cm.), but the plant will still be healthy and the flowers fragrant. Sow your chamomile seeds directly in the soil....

Can Magnolia Trees Grow in Zone 5? Many types of magnolias are available in commerce, including trees with flowers that are pink, purple, white, or yellow. Most magnolia blossoms are very lovely and fragrant. They have been called the emblematic flower of the old south. If you think of magnolias as only heat-loving southern belles, think again. You can find magnolia trees suited for virtually every growing location and many different hardiness zones....

How to Grow a Spider Plant Outside The easiest way to grow spider plants outside is just to move your potted spider plant outdoors when weather permits and indoors when it is too cold. Spider plants make excellent plants for hanging baskets, with small white, star-shaped flowers arching down on long flower stalks. After flowering, grass-like new little plantlets form on these flower stalks. These little spider-like hanging plantlets are why Chlorophytum comosun is commonly called spider plant....

Can You eat Green Pumpkins? Nothing says fall like squash and pumpkins. Unfortunately, the colder weather and lack of sunshine can mean much of our produce didn’t ripen properly. It doesn’t have to go to waste though. Consider the fried green tomato, a thing of such delicate flavor as to make your mouth sing. Are green pumpkins edible? Well, they won’t kill you, but the flavor may lack sweetness. Green pumpkins happen....

Growing Lychee in a Container Lychee is a flowering and fruiting tree that can grow as tall as 30 to 40 feet (9-12 m.). It is native to southern China and needs a warm climate to grow; the lychee is only hardy to zones 10 and 11. The fruit, which is really a drupe, grows in clusters. Each one is a pink, bumpy shell encasing the edible part. The white, almost transparent interior is juicy and delicious....

Tetrastigma Voinierianum Info Tetrastigma voinierianum info tells us that this plant is native to Laos and can be found under the names chestnut vine houseplant, wild grape, or lizard plant. A rampant climber, chestnut vine may grow a foot (30 cm.) or more in a month in ideal conditions. A member of the Vitaceae family, chestnut vine is a vigorous climber with lush foliage and 8 inch (20 cm.) or longer tendrils....

Perennials for Northern Gardens Perennials in North Central states like North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Illinois must be able to survive long, cold winters and hot summers. Between native plants that naturally thrive in this region and others that grow in similar climates around the world, there are plenty of options to choose from: Purple coneflower: Also known as Echinacea, this is a solid and reliable perennial great for beginner to advanced gardeners....

Treating Bugs in Cauliflower Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable, delicious either cooked or raw. Common signs of an insect invasion may be holes in leaves, tracks on foliage, missing vegetation and poor vigor. Some of the larger insect pests are easy to detect but others are too small or only come out at night, and diagnosis can pose a problem. Knowing the most common cauliflower pests is a good start to vetting the problem and annihilating these annoying and destructive bugs on cauliflower plants....

Common Garden Nursery Abbreviations So, what’s the key to understanding landscape abbreviations? Some plant abbreviations are very simple and often mean the same thing from nursery to nursery. One of these is “cv,” which stands for cultivar, a distinction given to a type of plant that has been developed by humans and does not grow in nature. Another is “var,” which stands for variety. This is a specific type of plant that does grow in nature....

Fungal Kale Plant Diseases Fueled by longer nights, heavy dew and cooler temperatures, fungal diseases are the biggest problems gardeners are likely to experience in fall crops of kale. Add a few days of rain and the entire crop can be compromised. Here are the most common fungal diseases of kale crops: Alternaria leaf spot (Alternaria brassicae or Alternaria brassicicola) – Symptoms include small, circular spots with concentric (target-like) rings. The rings can range in color from purplish-black, to gray or brown and sometimes the centers fall out....

About Common Mallow Plants Malva neglecta, commonly called common mallow, is in the mallow family along with hollyhock and hibiscus. Growing 6 to 24 inches (15-61 cm.) tall, common mallow has pink or white hollyhock-like flowers atop long stems covered in circular, wavy-edged leaves. Its resemblance to hollyhock is undeniable. Common mallow plants flower from early spring to mid fall. Sometimes called ‘cheese weed’ because its seeds resemble cheese wheels, common mallows are self-sowing annuals or biennials....

How to Grow Corn in a Container First of all, when growing corn in pots, you must select a container. Use your imagination. Not only will a clay pot work, but lined wooden crates, garbage cans, laundry baskets, barrels, etc. will all suffice. Just be sure they have adequate drainage and are big enough to support fully-grown corn plants: at least 12 inches (30.5 cm.) wide and over 12 inches (30....

Cotton Harvest Time Try some of the “old-time” homestead crops our ancestors used to grow. Gardeners growing small plots of cotton today may be interested in learning not only about picking ornamental cotton, but in carding, spinning, and dying their own fibers. Maybe they’re doing it for fun or are interested in creating an organic product from start to finish. Whatever the reason, harvesting cotton by hand requires some good old-fashioned, back-breaking, sweating type of work....

Why Homemade Plant Markers First, you can choose not to label your plants, but that can lead to confusion, especially when growing plants with different growing conditions. Labels will help you keep different varieties and types of plants identifiable so you can provide the right water and fertilizer. You could just buy those plain white plant labels at the garden center, but DIY plant markers have a few benefits. You can make your own for less money, depending on the materials, and recycle what you would otherwise throw out....

Rhubarb is an example of a perennial addition to the home garden, and the ‘Crimson Cherry’ variety is especially known for its sweet taste. Crimson Cherry Rhubarb Info Rhubarb plants are a popular choice for gardeners who wish to use the stalks in recipes for sauces, pies, and other baked goods. Rhubarb plants are unusual in that only some parts of the plant are edible, while other parts are toxic....

Crimson Pygmy Barberry Information Anyone growing a dwarf Crimson Pygmy barberry will be thrilled by the deep, rich color of the foliage. Dwarf barberry shrubs are only knee high, but the small, deep-burgundy leaves make quite a statement. Dwarf barberry shrubs also produce flowers, small and bright yellow. They smell sweet and the color contrasts nicely with the leaves. But according to Crimson Pygmy barberry information, they cannot compete with the gorgeous crimson foliage for ornamental value....

Why are Cucumbers Dropping Off? Like most plants, a cucumber has one goal: to reproduce. To a cucumber, that means making seeds. A cucumber plant drops fruit that doesn’t have many seeds because it has to expend a lot of energy to raise a cucumber to maturity. Allowing the fruit to remain isn’t an efficient use of energy when the fruit isn’t likely to produce many offspring. When seeds don’t form, the fruit becomes deformed and misshapen....

What Causes Pumpkin/Squash Rot on Vines? There are a number of diseases that can afflict a cucurbit crop. Black rot – One of the more prevalent diseases resulting in pumpkin or squash rotting on the vine is called gummy stem blight, or black rot, and is caused by the fungus Didymella bryonia. This disease is particularly fond of pumpkins and squash, so if your pumpkin fruits are rotting, this is a likely culprit....