Separating and Repotting Yucca Offshoot Pups While yuccas do produce seeds, they are normally propagated through the division of offshoots or “pups.” Yucca pups are the small but fully formed plants that grow at the base of your yucca plant. These pups can be removed in order to produce new, self contained plants. These pups do not need to be removed from the parent plant but, if the pups are not removed from the parent plant, they will eventually grow up on their own where they are and you will have a clump of yucca....

Compost Uses in the Garden Compost is called “black gold” for a reason. It adds nutrients and richness to soil to help plants grow better, healthier, more fully, and more productively. Here are a few of the basic methods for applying compost and making use of this natural material: Mulch. You can use compost as a layer of mulch around plants in your garden beds. Like any mulch type, it will help hold moisture in the soil and keep the soil warmer....

What is Collar Rot? Collar rot is a fungal disease that begins at the tree union. Over time, the fungus will girdle the trunk, which prevents important nutrients and water from moving into the vascular system of the plant. The causal agent is a water mold named Phytophthora. Treating collar rot starts with creating a well-drained planting site and watching young trees carefully for any signs of disease. It seems there are endless diseases that can infest our plants....

Juniper Twig Blight Disease Juniper twig blight can be caused by Phomopsis, Kabatina, or Scllerophoma pythiophila but the more commonly found is the Phomopsis fungus. Fungi thrive when there is adequate moisture and warm temperatures, which is why this juniper disease shows up in spring. It not only affects juniper but also arborvitae, white cedar, cypress, and false cypress. Twig Blight Symptoms Juniper twig blight is characterized by the dieback of the terminal growth of an afflicted evergreen plant....

Growing Lemongrass Herbs When you go to the grocery store, find the freshest lemongrass plants you can buy. When you get home, trim a couple of inches (5 cm.) off the top of the lemongrass plants and peel away anything that looks somewhat dead. Take the stalks and put them into a glass of shallow water and place it near a sunny window. After a few weeks, you should start seeing tiny roots at the bottom of the lemongrass herb stalk....

How to Start Compost for Gardens There are a number of ways to compost, but on average, compost can be created using five methods: holding units turning units compost heaps soil incorporation vermicomposting The focus of this article will be on heap composting for beginners, as this is the easiest and least expensive method for most people. With heap composting, there are no structures required, though you may use a compost bin if desired....

List of Highly Invasive Herbs All Mints, including Peppermint and Spearmint Pennyroyal, a member of the mint family Comfrey Bee Balm Lemon Balm Invasive herbs can be kept in check very easily by keeping them in individual containers, or compartments, in the garden. By keeping your invasive herbs separate, you not only keep them from choking out or taking over your other herbs and plants, but you’ll be assured that each of your herbs keeps their individual and distinctive scent and flavor....

What Does Iron Do for Plants? Iron is a nutrient that all plants need to function. Many of the vital functions of the plant, like enzyme and chlorophyll production, nitrogen fixing, and development and metabolism are all dependent on iron. Without iron, the plant simply cannot function as well as it should. Symptoms for Iron Deficiency in Plants The most obvious symptom of iron deficiency in plants is commonly called leaf chlorosis....

Phlox vs. Thrift Plants Is thrift a kind of phlox? Yes and no. Unfortunately, there are two completely different plants that go by the name “thrift.” You guessed it, one of them is a kind of phlox. Phlox subulata, known as creeping phlox or moss phlox, is also frequently called “thrift.” This plant is a true member of the phlox family. Especially popular in the southeastern U.S., it is actually hardy in USDA zones 2 through 9....

What is Foxtail Weed? Foxtail weed (Setaria) has wide leaf blades, much like the turf grass in which it may grow. The base of the leaves has fine hairs and the stem rises from a collar at the base of the leaf. Stems bear 3 to 10 inch (8-20 cm.) long spikes of flowers, which yield to seeds at the end of the season. The plant is often hard to spot when mixed in with grass, as it starts out low to the ground with leaves parallel to the soil....

Why are My Orange Tree Leaves Curling? Citrus trees may be affected adversely by pests, diseases, environmental conditions, and/or cultural practices. There are four major reasons for leaf curl in orange trees: pests, disease, water stress, and weather. Sometimes it’s a combination of all four. Citrus Tree Leaf Curl Treatment and Pests If you observe orange leaves that are curling, one culprit may be an insect pest, or rather many insect pests because they never seem to travel alone, do they?...

What are Leafrollers? Leafrollers are small caterpillars, reaching about an inch (2.5 cm.) in length, often with dark heads and bodies in colors ranging from green to brown. They feed inside nests made from leaves of their host plants, rolled together, and tied with silk. Once inside their leaf nests, leafrollers chew holes through the tissue, sometimes adding more leaves to the nest to keep themselves protected from predators. Leafroller damage is usually minor, but some years it may be quite severe....

Big Bluestem Grass Information Big Bluestem grass is a solid stemmed grass, which sets it apart from most grass species that have hollow stems. It is a perennial grass that spreads by rhizomes and seed. The stems are flat and have a bluish coloring at the base of the plant. In July through October the grass sports 3 to 6 foot (1-2 m.) tall inflorescences that become three part seed heads that resemble turkey feet....

What is Lemon Bee Balm? Monarda citriodora is a member of the mint family. Some other common names for lemon bee balm plants are purple horsemint, lemon mint, plains horsemint, and horsemint. Lemon bee balm is an herbaceous annual that is native to the central and southern U.S. and northern Mexico. It’s fairly common along roads and in pastures or prairies in these areas. Lemon mint grows to about 30 inches (76 cm....

Diseases Affecting Lettuce Plants Diseases affecting lettuce plants are either bacterial or fungal. Fungal lettuce diseases, such as damping off or sclerotinia drop (white mold), are caused by soil borne fungi that thrive in cool, damp soil and are primarily lettuce seedling diseases. Treat these lettuce diseases by spacing the plants apart to provide airflow, and by reducing the amount of irrigation the seedlings receive. If you live in an area of more consistent precipitation and cooler temperatures, try planting fungal disease resistant lettuce such as ‘Optima’ to prevent lettuce seedling diseases from taking hold....

Leaf Spot Linden Tree Problems Leaf spots are common diseases of linden trees. You can recognize these linden tree diseases by circular or splotchy spots on the leaves. They grow larger and merge over time. These leaves fall prematurely. Leaf spot diseases of linden trees can be caused by many different fungi. These include an anthracnose fungus and the leaf spot fungus Cercospora microsera. Sick linden trees weaken because photosynthesis is interrupted....

Why Use Liriope as a Border? If you want an easy-to-grow, low-maintenance border that stays short and has no major issues, look to Liriope grass. This tough, adaptable evergreen plant makes a lovely edging in formal gardens, outlines paths and pavers well, or can be used as a hillside erosion stabilizer. Using Liriope as a border offers an easy solution for many landscape problems. Liriope is also known as lilyturf, border grass, and monkey grass....

Even today, when it’s easier than ever to take photos thanks to cell phones, botanical images have a role to play and many find sketching plants a relaxing hobby. Read on for botanical drawing information, including tips on how to draw plants yourself. Botanical Drawing Information Photographs cannot take the place of botanical illustrations. Artists making drawings of plants can provide detail that a photograph may not reveal. This is especially true for cross section drawings that include many layers of detail in a plant....

Pests and Gardening Down South Many vegetable growers prefer not to use any pesticides in the garden to keep produce wholesome and chemical-free. It’s always best to start out with the least invasive action and work your way up to chemical controls, if necessary. Then, use the least toxic products first. A few pests are normal, and there is no need to panic when you see them. Try to identify whether it is a pest or a beneficial insect....

How Long is the Mandevilla Bloom Period? How long is the mandevilla blooming season, and does mandevilla bloom all summer? Yes, you’ll usually see the first mandevilla flowers in early summer and the mandevilla bloom period lasts until the first frost in autumn. This beautiful vine is tougher than it looks, but it is killed by frost in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 and 9. However, the roots are still alive and the plant will grow back in spring....