What Causes Citrus Twig Dieback? Citrus twig dieback can be caused by common environmental conditions, disease or pests. One simple reason for any citrus dieback, including twig dieback, limb decline, and leaf or fruit drop, is that the plant is stressed from something. This could be a pest infestation, disease outbreak, old age or a sudden environmental change such as drought, flooding, or extensive root or storm damage. Basically, it is a plant’s natural defense mechanism so that it can survive whatever threat it faces....

Smoke Tree Wilting Smoke trees offer gorgeous foliage from the early buds of spring through the fabulous fall display. But the plant gets its common name from the pale pink, frothy flower clusters. The fluffy buff-pink clusters are light and hazy, looking a little like smoke. The tree lights up the backyard, and is both drought resistant and easy care once established. A smoke tree wilting is not a good sign....

While many hybrid cultivars offer growers vegetable varieties that perform well under a wide range of conditions, many may prefer open pollinated varieties. What does open pollinated mean when it comes to selecting seeds for the home garden? Read on to learn more. Open Pollination Information What are open pollinated plants? As the name would imply, open pollinated plants are produced by seeds that have resulted from the natural pollination of the parent plant....

Bladder Senna Info Bladder senna shrub is woody and deciduous and grows very rapidly. It tops out at 11 feet (3.6.m.) tall by 9 feet (3 m.) wide. Native to the Mediterranean region of Europe, you see quite a lot of it in the southwestern and northeastern parts of the United States. Bladder senna bushes bear little, pea-type flowers in summer, pollinated by bees. Some are bright yellow, others pink or orange....

Climatic conditions will dictate which type of fern homeowners may incorporate into their landscape. One type of fern, called the deer fern, is especially adapted to growth in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. What is a Deer Fern? Deer fern, or Blechnum spicant, is a type of evergreen fern native to hardwood forests. Commonly found growing in deeply shaded areas, these plants reach sizes of 2 feet (61 cm....

About Eldorado Dwarf Peach Trees Unfortunately for the home orchardist, there are quite a few limitations that must be taken into consideration when planting fruit trees. Most prominently among these limitations is the amount of space required by fruiting trees. While some mature fruit plantings may need to spacing as much as 25 ft. (8 m.) apart, dwarf trees are an excellent option for small space growers. Depending upon the size and type of fruit trees that gardeners wish to grow, planting fruits can take up valuable garden real estate for homeowners....

What is a Fiddle-Leaf Fig? So exactly what is a fiddle-leaf fig? Fiddle-leaf fig trees (Ficus lyrata) are evergreen trees with enormous, fiddle-shaped, green leaves. They can get 15 inches (38 cm.) long and 10 inches (25.5 cm.) wide. Native to African rain forests, they only thrive outdoors in the warmest climates like U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10b and 11. The only places where you can start growing fiddle-leaf figs outdoors in the U....

Liberty Bell Tomato Info What is a Liberty Bell tomato? Bred with cooking and stuffing in mind, the Liberty Bell tomato has very thick, sturdy sides and big seed chambers with lots of empty space inside. In fact, its shape and structure are very similar to those of a bell pepper, earning it its “Liberty Bell” name. The average fruit usually reaches 3 inches (7.5 cm.) in diameter, and weighs about 7 ounces (200 g....

How to Grow a Living Centerpiece Growing a centerpiece is not all that difficult. It just requires a little time and creativity. There are many living centerpiece plants that you can use as well. Your imagination is the limit! Here are a couple ideas to get you started. Living Centerpieces with Potted Plants One way to create a beautiful living centerpiece is by embellishing terra cotta pots and slipping your houseplants inside or planting directly in the pot....

How do you go about making staycation backyard gardens? Read on for a few staycation garden ideas that are sure to pique your creativity. How to Make a Staycation Garden The idea of a staycation garden isn’t to create a ton of work for yourself, which is completely counterproductive to the end goal. Here are a few basics for creating a staycation garden to streamline and simplify so you can spend more time in the comfort of your own space: Rely on perennials, which require very little attention once they’re established....

Cold Hardy Prickly Pears When flowers fade, the plant produces tunas, a semi-sweet and juicy fruit. These are popular and collected on a large scale worldwide. They’re used in jams, chutney, or cactus pear jelly. This cactus family member grows primarily in the eastern area of the U.S., hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9. Opuntia humifusa originated in the northeastern plains of the U.S., although the plant is said to be rare in many areas....

What is Burr Medic? Burr medic (Medicago polymorpha), also known as burr weed, is a type of trifoliate weed that can quickly spread throughout the lawn and garden if not controlled. You can recognize this weed by its green serrated leaves and reddish purple colored stems that creep closely along the ground. It also has small yellow flowers. After flowering, the tiny green pods produce prickly burrs. These will eventually dry up and turn brown, spreading seeds everywhere....

What is Cucuzza Squash? Cucuzza is a summer squash in the botanical family of Lagenaria, which boasts a plethora of other varieties. This edible squash is related to the calabash, also known as water gourd or bird’s nest gourd. A vigorous squash, fruit is born from vines that can grow 2 feet (61 cm.) a day. The fruits are straight, green gourds, occasionally with a minor curve to them. The skin is dark green and medium hard....

What is Manzanita? It’s important to learn about manzanita plants before growing them in your yard because they are native to a very specific region and require just the right conditions to thrive. In those areas, namely coastal and northern California, manzanita is prevalent. It is only hardy in USDA zones 8 through 10. It grows mostly in the dry foothills of the Sierra Nevada and Coast Range mountains. There are a few species of manzanita, but the one most often referred to and abundant in northern California is common manzanita....

What is Sophora Japonica? If you have not read much pagoda tree info, it is natural to ask, “What is Sophora japonica?” Japanese pagoda tree is a deciduous species that grows quickly into a 75 foot (23 m.) tree with a broad, rounded crown. A delightful shade tree, it doubles as an ornamental in the garden. The tree is also used as a street tree since it tolerates urban pollution. In this type of location with compacted soil, the tree rarely rises above 40 feet (12 m....

What is Southern Corn Leaf Blight? In 1970, 80 to 85 percent of the corn grown in the U.S. was of the same variety. Without any biodiversity, it is easy for a fungus to move in and wipe out a crop, and that is exactly what happened. In some areas, the loss was estimated at 100 percent and amounted to a monetary loss of around a billion dollars. We are smarter about the way we grow corn today, but the fungus lingers....

What is Sweet Vernal Grass? Sweet vernal is a small, 2 foot (61 cm.) tall, cool season perennial grass. It grows best in sun to light shade. It is sometimes referred to as vanilla grass because of the aroma emitted when it is cut – the smell of fresh hay with a hint of vanilla. This sweet, fresh hay smell comes from the substance coumarin, also found in sweet woodruff. Sweet vernal plants flower earlier than most other grasses, from early to midspring, with dense yellow clusters which are a favorite food plant for the larvae of brown and skipper butterflies....

Leggy Plants Indoors There are a couple of reasons a plant might become leggy. Some plants, like the easy to grow pothos, are prone to growing and looking rather rangy. Luckily a leggy pothos plant is an easy fix; and you end up with pothos plants to share with friends. The other reason a plant may become leggy is because it is stretching to reach a light source. This results in long spaces between leaf nodes making the plant look a bit scraggly....

Can I Grow Wheat at Home? It is very possible to grow your own wheat. It seems like a daunting task given the specialized equipment and large farms that commercial wheat farmers utilize, but the fact is that there are a couple of fallacies regarding growing wheat yourself that have turned even the most die-hard gardener from the idea. First off, most of us think you would need acres and acres to produce even a little bit of flour....

White Hydrangea Bushes White hydrangea flowers are an extremely popular option due to their versatility. Easily blending into already established landscapes, planting white hydrangea is an excellent way to add dimension and interest to flower beds and borders. To select and begin growing white hydrangeas, gardeners will need to determine which cultivars are ideal for the planting site. This includes consideration of the plant’s size and its needs related to light, irrigation, and soil conditions....