What is Sunblotch? Sunblotch on avocados was first reported in California during the late 1920’s, and it has subsequently been reported in avocado growing regions around the world. It was several decades until biologists confirmed that the disease, initially believed to be a genetic disorder, is actually caused by a viroid – an infectious entity smaller than a virus. The viroid is known as avocado sunblotch viroid. Avocado Sunblotch Symptoms Sunblotch in avocado damages the fruit and is introduced by grafted wood or from seed....

Are you gardening in your yard, nurturing plants in pots, using containers on an urban deck or balcony, or gardening on a grand scale? We understand that a vital part of your gardening success is having the best tools for the tasks. Deadheading tiny blossoms, pruning bushes and trees, digging and turning soil, watering and weeding – Centurion has developed a perfect, precisely engineered tool for every DIY job related to your gardening projects, large or small....

One tree that works perfectly for bonsai styling is the apple. If you are interested in learning about dwarf bonsai apple trees – or creating one – read on. We’ll give you the information you need to get started. Apple Tree Bonsai How small is a bonsai? There are a range of possible sizes for bonsai trees. These can be very short – under 5 inches (12.7 cm.) tall — to some 30 inches (76 cm....

Types of Cucumbers There are two main types of cucumbers: slicing and pickling. Each type comes in several different varieties. The slicing types are long and usually grow to about 6 or 8 inches (15-20 cm.) in length while the pickling types are shorter, reaching around 3 to 4 inches (8-10 cm.) once mature. There are now many bush or compact varieties of cucumbers available that are ideal for growing in limited spaces....

About Money Tree Money tree (Pachira aquaitica) is also known as Guiana chestnut or Malabar chestnut. In its native range it can grow up to 30 feet (9.1 m.) tall. It’s a popular houseplant for its decorative foliage and large size and is often sold with a braided trunk. Some people also grow it small as a bonsai. Like some other tropical houseplants, money tree will be happy as a clam in the right spot but reacts badly to being moved....

Can You Use Out-of-Date Seeds? The simple answer is planting old seeds is possible and okay. No harm will come from using old seeds. The flowers or fruit that come from out-of-date seeds will be of the same quality as if they were grown from fresh seeds. Using seeds from old vegetable seed packets will produce vegetables that are just as nutritious as those from current season seeds. The question is not so much about using old seeds, but rather your chances of germinating old seeds....

Why Won’t My Dahlias Bloom? Getting dahlias to bloom may be as simple as getting their light and water requirements down. Dahlias bloom best in full sun, meaning at least six hours of direct sunlight every day. Even a little less than that means your dahlias produce only some flowers. Partial or more shade will probably mean your dahlias do not bloom at all. Water is another major cause of dahlias not flowering....

Burning Bush Relocation Burning bush transplanting is best done in the fall so the roots have all winter to establish before spring growth starts. It can also be done in very early spring before the plant has woken up from dormancy, but the roots will have much less time to grow and establish before energy is diverted to producing leaves and new branches. The best way to go about transplanting a burning bush is to prune the roots in the spring and then do the actual move in the fall....

About Southern Blight on Beets Southern blight is a fungal disease that is scientifically known as Sclerotium rolfsii. In addition to beet plants, it can affect over five hundred plant varieties. Some fruits and vegetables it commonly affects are: Tomatoes Peanuts Peppers Onions Rhubarb Melons Carrots Strawberries Lettuce Cucumber Asparagus Southern blight can even affect ornamental plants such as: Dahlias Asters Daylilies Hostas Impatiens Peonies Petunias Roses Sedums Violas Rudbeckias...

Cankers on Poplar Trees The microscopic organisms that cause poplar tree diseases enter the tree through wounds and breaks in the bark. A canker, or dark, sunken area on a branch or trunk, gradually spreads around the tree. If it grows to cover half or more of the circumference of the trunk, the tree will probably die. Cankers on branches cause the branch to wither and die, and the disease can spread to the trunk....

Treating Virus in Cactus Plants Opuntia vulgaris, also known as Opuntia ficus-indica and more commonly as Indian fig prickly pear, is a cactus that produces tasty fruit. The pads of the cactus can be cooked and eaten as well, but the main draw are the edible orange to red fruits. There are a few common Opuntia diseases. Identifying a virus in cactus plants is essential, as some are much more of a problem than others....

Trees that Handle Drought All trees need some water, but if you are planting new trees or replacing those in your backyard, it pays to select trees that handle drought. You can identify drought tolerant deciduous trees and drought resistant evergreen trees if you know what to look for. A few species – like birch, dogwood and sycamore – are decidedly not good dry-weather species, but many others species resist drought to some extent....

Trimming Star Jasmine You love your star jasmine but it’s expanded too much and is growing out of control. Don’t worry. Cutting back star jasmines isn’t difficult and the plants recover quickly. You may want to start cutting back star jasmines on an annual basis to keep the plants within bounds. If you inherit a neglected plant, you may need to do severe pruning to get it back on a better track....

Common Willow Tree Problems Willows are not picky trees and most thrive in almost any kind of soil as long as there is adequate sunlight. They grow best in sites with full sun. However, the tree is vulnerable to several diseases and pests, including a few that cause willow tree bark peeling. A few of the most serious willow tree problems do not cause peeling willow bark. These include infestation by gypsy moth caterpillars, willow leaf beetles, and bagworms that will defoliate the tree....

Why Turning Compost Helps At a basic level, the benefits in turning your compost come down to aeration. Decomposition happens because of microbes and these microbes need to be able to breathe (in a microbial sense) in order to live and function. If there is no oxygen, these microbes die off and decomposition slows down. Many things can create an anaerobic (no oxygen) environment in a compost pile. All of these problems can be reduced or eliminated by turning your compost....

Tips for Growing Low Water Vegetables While there are a number of drought tolerant vegetable varieties available, without some planning, extreme drought and heat will kill even the hardiest. Planting at the correct time is crucial. Sow the seeds earlier in the spring to take advantage of the warm weather and jump start the growing season, or plant later in the fall to minimize the use of irrigation and use the seasonal rains to your advantage....

What is Durian Fruit? Durian fruit (Durio zibethinus) is a member of the family Bombacacea, along with hibiscus and okra. Unlike the other members of Bombacaceae, which typically have showy blooms and woody pods filled with tiny seeds and cottony fibers, durian stands alone. Durian has large seeds surrounded by fleshy arils. The spiked husk may be green to brown, round to oblong, and filled with creamy to saffron-hued bulbs....

How to Revitalize Vegetable Gardens If you’ve thrown in the “trowel” for the year, don’t worry. Reclaiming a vegetable garden is not terribly difficult. Even if you’ve recently purchased a new property and are dealing with a very old vegetable garden, following these simple steps can have you going from weed patch to veggie garden in no time: Remove weeds and debris It’s not uncommon for a neglected vegetable garden to contain bits and pieces of gardening equipment such as stakes, tomato cages, or tools hidden among the weeds....

How Often Do I Water a Rose Bush? Some roses, such as Tuscan Sun (floribunda), will let you know right away when they need a drink. Other roses will tolerate things for a long while and then, seemingly all at once, look sick and droopy. I guess what I mean to say is that different roses have different watering needs. Note how long it takes your rose bush getting droopy and water it slightly more often than it takes for the rose plant to start to droop....

Types of Watermelon All varieties of watermelon share a distinct, mouth-watering, thirst-quenching, sugary flesh encased by a solid rind. Some watermelon types have higher sugar content and are sweeter; and some varieties have different colored rind and flesh. Most of us are familiar with the oblong, dark green watermelon with vibrant, ruby red pulp, but melons may also be light pink, yellow, and even orange. Size can vary among watermelons from small 5 pounders (2 kg....