Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) is one of the most common viruses in the plant world. It’s an intimidating diagnosis for your plants, but without understanding the disease, you’ll never be able to manage it properly. What is INSV? INSV is an aggressive plant virus that can quickly infect greenhouses and gardens, and is especially common in impatiens plants. It results in total losses, since plants affected by impatiens necrotic spot virus are no longer marketable, cannot be used for seed-saving and can continue to spread the virus as long as they’re present....

What is Peach Yellows? Peach yellows is a disease caused by a microorganism called a phytoplasma– this group of pathogens shares characteristics with both viruses and bacteria. It can affect any tree in the genus Prunus, including cherries, peaches, plums, and almonds, both wild and domestic. In fact, the wild plum is a common silent carrier of peach yellows disease. It is transmitted through infected tissues when grafting or budding and vectored by leafhoppers....

What is Phenomenal Lavender? Plant breeders have really hit a home run with (Lavandula x intermedia ‘Phenomenal’) plants. Not only are they adaptable to very cold and hot temperatures, but the plants tolerate a variety of soil conditions provided it is well draining. The biggest tip when growing Phenomenal lavender is sun. In full sun, this plant will provide no fuss beauty and scent in your garden. Phenomenal is a French lavender hybrid especially developed for winter hardiness combined with heat and humidity tolerance....

Side Dressing with Sulfur – Why? Sulfur is a secondary nutrient, until your plants are deficient. This is when it becomes important and can be added like a primary nutrient, using a technique like side dressing. One big reason to side dress with sulfur is that because a deficiency in this nutrient will reduce a plant’s ability to take up the primary nutrients’ nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Sulfur deficiency is becoming a bigger problem, although the signs of it are not easy to see....

If you haven’t yet gotten your garden in by June, it’s not too late. Gardening in the southwest is a dream in many ways due to the heat and plentiful sunshine. But it can also be a challenge, as dry soil and extreme weather can wreak havoc on the garden. A regional growing guide can help you decide what and when to plant. Southwest Planting in June There are few things more satisfying and pleasant than watching your garden flourish....

About Mulch for Strawberries Strawberry plants are mulched once or twice a year for two very important reasons. In climates with cold winters, mulch is heaped over strawberry plants in late fall or early winter to protect the plant’s root and crown from the cold and extreme temperature fluctuations. Chopped up straw is normally used to mulch strawberries. This mulch is then removed in early spring. After the plants have leafed out in spring, many farmers and gardeners choose to add another thin layer of fresh straw mulch under and around the plants....

What is Etiolation? Etiolation in plants is a natural phenomenon and is simply a plant’s way of reaching for a light source. If you have ever started seeds without sufficient lighting, then you have seen how the seedlings grow rather spindly with a long, abnormally thin, pale stem. This is an example of etiolation in plants. We generally know it as plant legginess. Etiolation is the result of hormones called auxins....

A Caution on Edible Weeds Before you start eating the weeds from your garden, make sure you know what you are eating. Not all weeds are edible and some weeds (flowers and plants as well, for that matter) are highly toxic. Never eat any plant from your garden without first knowing that it is edible and whether it is toxic or not. Also note that, just like fruit and vegetable plants, not all parts of edible weeds are edible....

Why Does Heather Bloom in Winter? Heather is a low-growing, flowering evergreen shrub. Heather that flowers in winter is likely Erica carnea (actually a type of winter-blooming heath), which grows in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 7. Some sources indicate Erica carnea survives in zone 4, and maybe even zone 3 with adequate protection. Alternatively, your winter-blooming heather may be Erica darleyensis, which is hardy to zone 6, or possibly even zone 5 with winter protection....

Winterhazel Plant Info: Winterhazel vs. Witch Hazel Don’t confuse winterhazel with the more familiar witch hazel, although both are hardy shrubs that flower when most plants are dormant, and both have similar hazel-like leaves. Winterhazel produces long, drooping clusters of yellow, bell-shaped blooms, while the spidery, long-petaled witch hazel blooms may be red, purple, orange, or yellow, depending on the variety. Also, witch hazel reaches heights of 10 to 20 feet (3-6 m....

Fungal Leaf Disease in Wisteria The fungal leaf diseases commonly known as powdery mildew and leaf spot are frequently observed in wisteria, but they’re not a major concern. Both may start as small yellow spots on leaves, but powdery mildew eventually develops a white, fuzzy coating that may engulf the whole leaf. Leaf spots don’t generally spread, but they may dry out, turn brown or give affected leaves a shot hole appearance....

What are Wool Sower Galls? You might not notice it immediately, as the wool sower gall takes two years or longer to develop. Galls and abnormal growths on landscape trees are concerning to property owners, but generally not damaging to the trees. Leaves may turn brown and fall off, but this is generally cosmetic. The galls, also called oak seed gall, are a protective structure for the cynipid gall wasp. They are only considered a pest if you dislike what they’ve left on your oak trees....

Benefits of Xeriscape Garden Shading Xeriscape shade gardens may seem a novelty at first but consider the properties of shade. Shade helps reduce moisture evaporation, it provides shelter from the scorching sun, and it can often protect lower story plants from the leeching and damage that occurs from the wind. In its simplest form, the shade comes from trees and larger bushes. Construction options also exist such as trellises, pergolas, rockeries, and other man-made, shade-producing alternatives....

Cold Hardy Clematis If someone mentions clematis, even novice gardeners usually know what plant is being cited. These vigorous vining plants have several pruning and blooming classes, which are important to note, but their hardiness is another trait required when purchasing these lovely flowering vines. Clematis vines in cold climates should be able to survive the extreme temperatures that often occur. Extended winters with excessive cold temperatures can kill the root system of any plant that is not adapted to that level of cold....

About Growing Cherry Trees in Zone 5 Sweet cherries, the ones most commonly found in the supermarket, are meaty and sweet. Sour cherries are generally used to make preserves and sauces and are smaller than their sweet relations. Both sweet and sour are fairly hardy cherry trees. Sweet varieties are suited to USDA zones 5 to 7 while sour cultivars are suited to zones 4 to 6. Thus, there is no need to search for cold-hardy cherry trees, as either type will thrive in USDA zone 5....

Choosing Vines that are Evergreen Why pick vines that are evergreen? They provide year-round foliage and vertical appeal in your backyard. Evergreen vines for zone 9 add a permanent and imposing feature to your garden. You’ll want to be certain that the vines you are selecting are zone 9 evergreen vines. If they are not hardy for your planting zone, they won’t last very long no matter how well you care for them....

If you think of birch trees as having papery white bark and green leaves, you aren’t wrong. Many varieties of birch trees share these features. But did you know that there are dozens of varieties of birch, even without counting birch tree cultivars, and that some have a very different appearance? What Are the Different Types of Birch Trees? If you are wondering about the different varieties of birch trees, read on....

Wreath Making with Air Plants Air plants grow without soil and without much of the care we must provide to other living plants. You can DIY air plant wreaths simply and easily, with a result that provides months (or longer) of beauty. Air plants are natural air purifiers and need only regular misting or some form of light watering to keep them going. The happy air plant will often produce blooms....

Ali Baba Information If you like your watermelons big and sweet, think Ali Baba watermelon plants. They have been winning praise from home gardeners and watermelon lovers alike. The thick, tough rinds on these melons make them easy to store and easy to ship. But what home gardeners rave about is the taste. Many term these the best-tasting watermelons available today. Watermelon plants are warm-season annuals in the same family as cucumbers and squash....

What can you make with corn? The list is pretty long actually. Read on for information on unusual corn uses and tips on how to use corn in new ways in the kitchen. What is Corn Used For? Corn (also called maize) is one of the basic foods for much of the world. Combined with rice, it creates a complete protein relied on for sustenance in much of Africa and South America....