What Causes Wilting Asters? Aster fusarium wilt is a fungal issue that is soilborne and may remain in your beds indefinitely. It may also come in with soil your plants are potted in. Aster wilt most often attacks those in bloom. Leaves on the bottom or one side yellow and buds and blooms drop from the infection. A brownish fungal discoloration of vascular tissue is present on the stem near the base....

Problems Growing Astilbe Astilbe grows best in a shady location with well-draining soil. Too much sun can cause wilting or leaf scorching. Overall, this perennial is generally healthy. However, it can suffer from astilbe plant diseases that can kill the plant if left untreated and several that are untreatable from the get-go. Diseases of Astilbe Plants Powdery mildew and cercospora leaf spot are two astilbe plant diseases that are fungal in origin....

Which Fall Flowers are Perennials? When it comes to filling flower beds with autumn color, perennials are among the most reliable options. While it’s true that the purchase of perennial flowers requires some investment, many attractive varieties can be started from seed at relatively little cost. In time, established perennial plants will reward gardeners with a profusion of color and interest each autumn. Both perennial shrubs and smaller plant specimens can offer dramatic visual impact in the landscape....

Can Avocado Trees Grow Indoors? Avocado trees can reach 80 feet (24+ m.) in height. Most plants do poorly where freezing temperatures may occur. Gardeners in United States Department of Agriculture zones 8 and below should be wary of trying to grow these trees as outdoor plants. This fact leads to the question, “Can avocado trees grow indoors?” The simple answer to this question is yes. In fact, there are several dwarf varieties, which can help the cold and temperate season gardener produce the healthy fruits in their own home....

Hardy Banana Tree Growing Hardy banana trees like to be grown in full to partial sun and well-drained, moist soil. The hardy banana tree is actually an herbaceous perennial (the world’s largest) despite being referred to as a tree. What looks like a trunk is actually tightly bound banana tree leaves. This “trunk” is botanically referred to as pseudostem, which means false stem. The interior of the banana tree pseudostem is where all the growth of the plant takes place, similar to a canna lily....

Reasons for Begonia Leaf Curl As with any garden question, the reason behind why begonia leaves are curling may be difficult to diagnose. A begonia with curled leaves may have been affected in a number of ways in order for this to occur. First, growers will need to carefully observe recent changes in water, fertilization, or even weather patterns. Each of these issues can cause begonia leaf curl. Temperature – Since many begonia plants are native to tropical regions, curling begonia leaves may occur when plants have been exposed to wide temperature change....

Using Vinegar in Gardens It has been said that one of the benefits of vinegar in the garden is as a fertilizing agent. Nope. Acetic acid only contains carbon hydrogen and oxygen — stuff the plant can get from the air. Vinegar has been recommended for use to up the pH levels in your soil. Apparently not so. The effects are temporary and require large amounts of vinegar in the garden before anything noteworthy occurs....

Most gardeners welcome birds and even create havens for their flying friends. However, in some cases, the little guys decide to nest in hanging baskets and other containers. It is easy to see why they find such sites attractive, with their leafy protection from predators and weather. You have a couple of choices if the birds become a nuisance or you are worried about damaging the nests. Bird Proofing Hanging Baskets The first line of defense is prevention....

What is Blossom Midge? There are over 100 species of midge (Contarinia spp.). Each species attacks a different type of plant or a small group of closely related plants. Some of the flowers affected by blossom or gall midge insects include: Daylilies Orchids Plumeria Violets Jasmine Hibiscus They also attack vegetable crops including: Tomato Pepper Potato Eggplant Bok choy They aren’t all bad guys though. Some species of Contarinia are beneficial insects, such as the aphid midge, which attacks aphids....

Boston ferns are made for container gardening. As houseplants, they are easy to care for and add lush greenery to your home. Boston ferns are a cultivar of the Sword fern. The variety was discovered in 1894 in a shipment of these ferns. Today many cultivars exist of the fern, which is as popular now as it was in the 19th century. As a foliage plant, the fern can’t be matched, but Boston fern browning on fronds minimizes the attractiveness....

What are Brambles? Bramble is not a scientific term, but it is commonly used to describe certain members of the rose family of plants. It includes the shrub-like Rubus genus of plants that have thorns and produce edible fruit. The most well-known brambles are raspberries and blackberries, but there are numerous varieties of these as well as other types of brambles. Many bramble bushes often grow wild in certain areas but are also cultivated for the berries....

What is Bud Blast? Bud blast is a term used to describe flowers that have prematurely aborted before or soon after opening, such as with scape blasting in daylilies. Most often, flowers develop to a certain point and simply stop growing. Other bud blast symptoms may indicate the exact cause of flower bud blast. For example, flower buds that become paper-thin and dry may be suffering from botrytis blight, a common landscape fungus....

What are Purple Pod Garden Beans? As the name would imply, purple pod garden beans are produced on compact bush plants. Reaching lengths of about 5 inches (13 cm.), royalty purple pod bush beans yield deeply colored pods. Though the pods do not retain their color after cooking, their beauty in the garden make them well worth planting. Growing Royalty Purple Pod Beans Growing royalty purple pod beans is very similar to growing other bush bean varieties....

My Butterfly Bush Looks Dead Butterfly plants not leafing out in the spring is a common complaint, but it’s not necessarily a sign of doom. Just because they can survive the winter does not mean they will come bouncing back from it, especially if the weather has been particularly bad. Usually, all you need is a little patience. Even if the other plants in your garden are beginning to produce new growth and your butterfly bush is not coming back, give it some more time....

How Often Do You Need to Water Cactus? Cactus plants are actually quite juicy. Think of an aloe when you cut it open and the mucilaginous goo that is inside the leaves. Cactus plants actually hoard moisture in their plant cells so they have some water during extremely dry, drought-like conditions. They are remarkably tolerant to water neglect but certain signs in the leaves, pads, or stems will indicate that the plant is becoming stressed due to a lack of moisture....

Cambridge Gage Information Greengage or just gage, is a group of plum trees that originate in France, although the Cambridge was developed in England. The fruits of these varieties are often green but not always. They tend to be juicier than over varieties and are great for fresh eating. Cambridge gage plums are no exception to this; the flavor is high-quality, sweet, and honey-like. They have a green skin that develops a slight blush as they ripen....

Eucalyptus Growing Indoors Outside, eucalyptus trees (Eucalyptus spp.) grow to 60 feet tall (18 m.) and those half-moon-shaped leaves flutter in the breeze. They are tall evergreen trees with aromatic leaves. But the tree grows well indoors too. Potted eucalyptus trees can be grown as container perennials until they get so big that they must be planted in the backyard or donated to a park. Eucalyptus houseplants grow so fast that they can be grown as annuals....

If you live in the Southwest (or even other parts of the U.S.), you may have spotted something in the produce section called “nopales.” These are the pads of the prickly pear cactus and have been a food source to native people of the area. Looking around at all the flora in the genera, edible cactus plants make up just a fraction, but they do exist. Are Cactus Plants Edible?...

Considerations for Banana Plants for Zone 9 Bananas are native to the tropical and semi-tropical areas of the world. The plants come in several sizes, including dwarf varieties. Can you grow bananas in zone 9? Outside of the hardy varieties, bananas are suited for United States Department of Agriculture zones 7 to 11. This puts zone 9 gardeners right at the middle of the range. Zone 9 banana trees will thrive, especially with some thoughtful site conditions and judicious care....

Candlestick Plant Info Candlestick senna, previously called candlestick cassia (Cassia alata), is described as a small tree or shrub, depending on which candlestick plant info one reads. When growing candle bush in the warmest of USDA plant hardiness zones, the plant may return for several years, allowing the trunk to develop to tree size. In more northern areas of the south, grow candle bush as an annual that may return following unusually mild winters....