Cyclamen

/Cyclamen/

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 outdoors where winter temperatures remain mild. Indoors place where there is bright indirect light. Water when the top of the soil feels dry. Do not allow plant to sit in water as this leads to root rot. 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 in their pots for a month and then begin watering again.

By | 2016-03-08T20:04:42-08:00 March 8th, 2016|House Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Tomato Problems

Tomato diseases are very difficult to identify in person -- making a diagnosis by a image is even more so. Having said that I can recommend two sources below that I use on a regular basis, having written the one from the Missouri Botanical Garden while I was there.Yes, it's from Missouri but anthracnose is anthracnose regardless of the location. We recommend that you contact John Warner Scott, a professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida's Gulf Coast Research Center. Scott, who is known far and wide in the tomato business as “Jay,” is one of the most prolific breeders of new tomatoes in the state. Over his three-decade career at the university he has developed more than 30 varieties. Contact him at 813-633-4135 or jwsc@ufl.edu.


http://erec.ifas.ufl.edu/tomato-scouting-guide/id-keys/disease-key.shtml
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/Portals/0/Gardening/Gardening%20Help/Visual%20Guides/Tomato%20Foliage%20Problems.pdf

By | 2017-10-08T01:37:23-07:00 March 8th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
Read More

Spider Mites

Don't worry about the cut stems. They will dry up. The webbing on your plant could be spider mites. We've included a link so you can see what these little sap sucking spider-like organisms look like, but at this stage of damage, you may want to remove the affected leaves and treat with an appropriate pesticidal product as recommended below, or in the web link provided. For future reference, if you catch the problem before it gets too bad, you can control them by spraying with neem oil or pesticidal soap, which can be purchased at most garden centers. Be careful to read the labels and apply any of these types of products properly. Be careful to spray the undersides of the leaves, the stems, and the tops of the leaves. Repeat the application as recommended on the product label to kill any new mites that hatch from eggs afer the first application.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/QT/spidermitescard.html

By | 2016-03-08T16:54:09-08:00 March 8th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
Read More

Pansy Seeds And Fungus

The seeds that you see here are pansy seeds. They are more noticeable than usual here because of the rot on the plants. The seeds are normally made by pansies all the time, however, and aren't related to the fungal condition here. The death of this plant could have been caused by overwatering, or a combination of too wet and cold. If the plant happened to have been hit with something such as hot water (usually from sun-heated hose), cleaning products, or other garden chemicals that initially killed it, the rot might be secondary and just forming on that dead tissue. This plant kind of looks like it died first and then rotted.

In general, water plants deeply less often and don't water late in the day or evening so that the plant stays wet overnight. Let the foliage dry out in between waterings.

Right now clear this plant from the garden and toss it out. Hopefully you have other pansies and signs of spring or early summer growth!

By | 2016-03-08T15:02:49-08:00 March 8th, 2016|Annuals|0 Comments
Read More

Too Small A Container

It looks like your plant is in a relatively small container and it may be getting too much or not enough water for the size of the root system. Nutrient/salt excess can also cause the browning of the leaf tips/edges as we see in your photo; however we're leaning toward too much water because the affected stems are yellow. Roots that are drowning or too dry cannot function to bring the necessary water and nutrients up thru the stems and leaves. Also, this plant will perform much better if you plant it in a sunny, well drained area of your garden. If you must grow it in a container, we recommend only watering as the soil begins to dry out on top. As the plant grows you'll need to put it in a larger container, but be careful not to go too large, and don't over-water. As the root system fills out the pot (and good leaf development is occurring) you can begin to water more, keeping the soil evenly moist.

By | 2016-03-08T13:41:49-08:00 March 8th, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
Read More

Insects On Rosemary

Without looking at this plant with a hand-lens it's impossible to be sure, but this type of mottled leaves is typical of the damage done by either a sucking insect or spider mites. The reason that leaves end up stippled and pale with such infestations is that the insect or mite pierce the leaf again and again as they feed, and this kills the cells in the leaf. Initially the leaves just look stippled, but over time the entire leaf can die.

Leaf hoppers, lacewings and whitefly are three insects that suck plant juices and cause similar damage. If you look closely, or with a hand-lens, and see webs it's likely that spider mites are the cause.

Since most people want to eat their herbs you of course don't want to use systemic or other chemical insecticides. Also, mites aren't killed by some insecticides. You could use one of the insecticide/miticides made from neem or cinnamon however. Another good practice in such situations is to spray the plant with a hard stream of water once a week.

By | 2016-03-08T12:45:21-08:00 March 8th, 2016|Plant Pests|1 Comment
Read More

Dracaena Leaf Blotch

Although without seeing the plant "in person" or culturing tissue in a lab it's impossible to say for sure, here are the most likely causes of the problem you see on this dracaena:
1. Fluoride toxicity. Dracaenas are very sensitive to too much fluoride, whether it's in the water or in fertilizers that are high in phosphate, which has fluorine in it. Try removing the plant from the pot, gently take off some of the old soil and repot. In the future water with bottled/distilled water if your town adds fluoride to the water. Ask at your local garden center for a houseplant fertilizer that's higher in nitrogen and lower in phosphates.
2. Leaf scorch from too bright light (direct sun) can cause leaf blotches. This is often combined with damage from low-humidity. These plants like bright light but not direct sun.

Be sure to let this plant dry out a bit in between watering, and check it to see if it's root bound and needs a new pot.

By | 2017-10-08T01:37:23-07:00 March 8th, 2016|House Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Gardenia Problem

As an evergreen shrub, it is normal for older leaves of a gardenia to turn yellow and drop. This typically occurs during early spring before new growth appears. If chlorosis (leaf yellowing) occurs at other times of the year and there is no evidence of insect pests or disease, and the remaining leaves look healthy, then there may be an environmental or cultural factor causing yellow foliage. As with bud drop, several stressors, including insect infestations, nematode feeding, over-watering, under-watering, poor soil drainage, insufficient light, soil temperatures below 70 °F and poor nutrition may cause leaf yellowing and drop. Gardenias are acid-loving plants that grow best in a soil with a pH of 5.0 to 6.0. Iron is an essential nutrient that plants use to produce the green pigment, chlorophyll. While iron is rarely deficient in soil, if the soil pH is above 7.0, the iron may be in a form that is not available to the plant.

By | 2016-03-08T06:28:44-08:00 March 8th, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
Read More

Ginseng Ficus Bonsai

Its form and foliage resembles the Ficus genus, possibly F. microcarpa also known as F. retusa. Ficus are known for their dramatic roots that survive above ground resembling bulbous structures. It makes an ideal houseplant/bonsai provided there is bright indirect light, regular water, and a slow release or organic fertilizer formulated for container plants. Make sure the plant does not sit in water because this may lead to root rot. Feed with a water soluble organic
or slow-release fertilizer formulated for container plants at 1/2 the recommended dilution rate
during its growth cycle. Again, make sure the container has adequate drainage and allow to drain out completely, but do not allow it to sit in water. Also be aware that most Ficus do not like their locations changed and will show their displeasure by dropping its leaves. Once you find a good site with bright, indirect light and it is thriving, try to keep it there.

By | 2016-03-08T05:14:11-08:00 March 8th, 2016|House Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Water Issues

You may not be keeping the soil evenly moist? Tomato fruit will crack when extreme fluctuations in moisture occur at the root zone. When conditions are dry (or there's too much salt (including fertilizers) in the soil) leaves may turn brown a the tips and edges. Fruit may appear to be okay but then when water is applied it causes the fruits to swell and crack. We've included a link about growing Tomatoes with info about their common issues/challenges, but we can recommend watering more deeply less often, rather than applying smaller amounts every day. Tomatoes are deep rooted plants, and if water is available will be healthier. Do not allow extreme fluctuations in soil moisture, but try to water according to the plants needs (temp and humidity affect those needs). You can water when the upper 2inches of soil is dry and apply an adequate amount. Use "water cycling" if water does not enter the soil quickly.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/tomato.html

By | 2016-03-08T04:19:29-08:00 March 8th, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
Read More