Frost Aster

/Frost Aster/

Frost Aster

This appears to be Frost Aster, a gorgeous natural aster found in prairies and woodlands in the region. Frost aster is an easy plant to grow, so easy that it is often considered a little "weedy". It's a great plant to grow if you have a lot of room and don't mind a lot of volunteer seedlings popping up. Frost aster needs full sun to partial shade. Because of its "weedy" nature it is great at colonizing disturbed and "waste places". It protects soil from erosion and provides food for wildlife where more sensitive plants cannot yet grow. It is called frost aster because it continues blooming late into the fall, unfazed by frosty nights. Because of its late blooms it is extremely valuable to pollen and nectar eating insects which don't have as many food options in the late fall.

By | 2016-03-21T12:30:03-07:00 March 21st, 2016|Weeds|0 Comments
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Chewing Insect

Chewing insects include caterpillars and beetles, as well as larger critters like grasshoppers, snails and slugs. Damage done by chewing insects can be controlled by hand-picking and disposing or with an organic product such as Spinosad, an organic control for chewing insects that has a residual of 7-10 days. Spray in the early evening after the bees have returned to their hives, once the spray has dried, it is safe for beneficials. There are chemical controls as well available at your local garden centre. Suggest you show a few cuttings to a horticulturist at your local garden centre for confirmation of the problem and recommended treatment. For snails and slugs, use an organic control formulated with iron phosphate - it is safe to use around pets and children.

By | 2016-03-21T09:53:12-07:00 March 21st, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Cyclamen

Your plant belongs to the Cyclamen genus of which there are many species and hybrids. A native of Europe, the Mediterranean region and Asia, these plants are prized for their flowers and attractive clumps of green or variegated foliage. Depending on the cultivar, the flowers look like shooting stars or butterflies and come in hues of pink, red, magenta, white or bi-colors. In your area does best in partial shade or filtered light. Water when the top of the soil feels dry. Continue to care for Cyclamen until the foliage yellows and dies back. From tubers, it will go dormant in the summer, but will return in the cooler seasons. These can be tricky to re-bloom: let the bulbs rest for a month and then begin watering again.

By | 2016-03-21T09:05:45-07:00 March 21st, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Lantana Hybrid

This is likely a Lantana which is grown for their colorful flowers during the warm months. They are fast growing with abundant flowers over a long season. Plant in full sun or partial shade and any soil that drains well. Water deeply and infrequently once established. Feed with a slow release or organic fertilizer formulated for blooming plants. Many different cultivars and selections are available. Butterflies, hummingbirds and other beneficials in gardens love the flowers. The berries are poisonous if ingested. They come in a wide range of colors from white, yellow, orange, red, pink, and purples as well as mixes of these colors. Treat as an annual where winter frosts are common, as a perennial where winters are mild.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:18-07:00 March 21st, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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American Beautyberry

Great shrub. Native. Fall berries. Attracts birds. Wildlife beneficial. A fast growing perennial that can be pruned way back (even to the ground) by deer or shears and rebound in no time. American beautyberry has fragrant, fuzzy green foliage that is considered moderate in its preference to deer. In mid-summer, each leaf axil is surrounded by loads of small, pinkish to bluish flowers followed by clumps of powerfully bright, purple drupes. The flowering to fruiting works its way slowly up each stem until the leaves begin changing to yellow in the fall. After leaf fall, the persistent drupes stay put until the deer and birds nab them. Although tolerant of shade and drought, the best fruiting and growth occurs with plenty of sunlight on a fertile and moist but well drained site.

By | 2016-03-21T07:04:36-07:00 March 21st, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Ants

Ants themselves aren't necessarily a problem unless indoors. But outdoors they often indicate the presence of other insects; aphids, scale, or mealybugs that are "farmed" by the ants for the other insects "honeydew" (excreta). Those insects such as scale, mealybugs or aphids are all sucking insects that may damage your plant, so look for them on the undersides of leaves. Ants harvest the sucking insects ecreta called honeydew and also drink nectar from flowers, which doesn't hurt the plant. Indoors and outdoors there are safe remedies available at your local garden center. Capture a few and show them to your local garden center.Ideally use a bait that ants will take back to their nest so that the entire colony can be killed.

By | 2016-03-21T06:14:25-07:00 March 21st, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Sun Burn Or Lack Of Nutrients

Your citrus is either suffering from sun damage or lack of nutrients. Citrus should actually be grown in full sun all day, so we don't often see sun damage; however if the plant is in shade for part of the day, and then you get intense sun and heat (and/or dry soil or weather) suddenly, it can happen. Otherwise, we recommend keeping the soil evenly moist (only water when the top 2-3 inches of soil is dry) by watering until water drains from the bottom of the pot. Avoid fluctuations in very dry and then very wet soil. Once watering is done properly, if the plant still appears to have yellowing leaves, then you'll want to fertilize with a material formulated for the needs of citrus trees. As your local garden center for an appropriate materials for use in container grown citrus.

By | 2016-03-21T06:04:16-07:00 March 21st, 2016|Trees|1 Comment
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Spanish Bayonet

This is likely a yucca, a full-sun succulent with great architectural value in the garden. Its flower spikes are taller than the plant itself. Water this drought-tolerant plant sparingly. Depending on the species or cultivar some remain 3 ft. tall but others can grow 10-12 ft. tall and 8 ft. wide so be careful about siting it near walls, sidewalks, and irrigation pipes.Once established they are difficult to move. As Yucca mature, their trunks become a bulbous mass and can crack walls, pipes, etc. and the leaves are very sharp. Feed with a slow-release or organic fertilizer only if you want the plant to grow faster. Most species tolerate temperatures below freezing. If this is a Spanish bayonet, it will reach 8 ft. tall or more and almost as wide.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:18-07:00 March 21st, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
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Mealy Bugs

These look like mealy bugs on the stem and fruits, a common pest and found in great numbers this year in your region on many different plants. You can spray the tree with soapy water to get rid of them while the fruit ripens, but you will probably see them again. If the infestation is persistent there are commercial sprays available at garden centers for this, but confirm the problem with a horticulturist at your local garden center and follow their recommended control. Usually the label will call for 3 sprays made 8 days apart to break up the life cycle, but make sure it is formulated for fruit trees. Next winter, use a horticultural oil spray while the leaves are off the tree - spray trunk and branches after pruning.

By | 2016-03-21T04:42:23-07:00 March 21st, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Salt Damage

It appears to be the result of salt damage to your Dracaena. This is quite common in house plants. The salts accumulate in the soil because they are not being leached out properly when watering. If possible, about every month or two, give your plant a nice shower using room temperature water. Let the water flow through the pot and out the drainage holes in the bottom. When watering in between showers, if possible, water in a sink or outside until the water comes out the drainage holes in the bottom. Try not to let it sit in the drained water. If you fertilize, do so lightly as this is another source of salts in the soil. Here is a link that might be helpful:
http://coopext.colostate.edu/4dmg/Plants/guidline.htm#Signs of dehydration and overwatering

By | 2016-03-20T17:19:24-07:00 March 20th, 2016|House Plants|0 Comments
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