Wax Plant Hoya Wayetii

/Wax Plant Hoya Wayetii/

Wax Plant Hoya Wayetii

Blooms readily, easy care, and adaptability are all traits for this plant. It will in all likelihood be mislabeled as Hoya kentiana which is very similar but not very common to run it to. This succulent vine is native to the Philippines and has dark pink to maroon-purple, fuzzy ball-shaped flowers, which are sweetly fragrant and so shiny they appear to be made of wax. The fragrance is very sweet like butterscotch and the flowers last about 5-6 days. The leaves get beautiful reddish edges if grown in higher light or some direct afternoon sun. Plant in a rich, very well-draining soil, provide very bright light to part sun. Water the hoya by drenching the soil. Let it dry out to ½" below the surface before watering again during the growing season. Reduce water frequency during the fall and winter allowing the soil to dry out almost completely between waterings. Spring bloom production will be enhanced by drier winter conditions. Protect from frost.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:23-07:00 February 24th, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
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Aechmea Fasciata Silver Vase Or Urn Plant

This is a bromeliad, a direct relative of the pineapple. In your area it will be a house plant although you can grow it (better for the plant) outdoors in your frost free months. In the tropics it grows up in trees. Inside it grows best in bright indirect light (an unobstructed east or west facing window.) It should be watered when the potting mix feels dry down to your first knuckle. The best way to water is to water directly into the vase allowing it to overflow into the pot. This keeps the water in the vase from becoming stagnant and smelly. They require little feeding so an occasional application of an all purpose liquid houseplant fertilizer mixed to half the strength of the directions can be poured into the vase or more effectively right into the soil of the pot. When the flower of a "vase" has finished, that plant will not flower again and will die but should have already started new plants at the base to replace it and bloom as well.

By | 2016-02-24T13:50:46-08:00 February 24th, 2016|Tropical Plants|0 Comments
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Aphids On Leafy Vegetables

It is really hard to tell from this photo but these look like they could be aphids. They will typically feed on the newest plant growth. You can identify Aphids (with a magnifying lens) by the two "cornicles" (structures that look like tiny tailpipes) extending from the rear. If you see the cornicles, you will want to control these insects with a pesticidal soap, available at your local garden center or wash off with a strong stream of water. These insects reproduce rapidly (giving live birth, rather than laying eggs), so you can also narrow the possible insect species down if you see that some of them are smaller versions of the larger ones. Sometimes an adult will develop wings and they look a bit different than the rest, but they'll still have the "tailpipes". Also, the white bits are probably the cast-off exoskeletons of aphids, while the green or grayish moving creatures are the aphids themselves. They can be controlled by many synthetic insecticides but a strong stream will wash them off and they will not climb back.

By | 2016-02-24T09:30:20-08:00 February 24th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Bougainvillea

Your lovely plant is bougainvillea, an impressive woody and thorny 'vine' or shrub bearing colorful bracts (the real flowers are the small inconspicuous white flowers in the center). A South American native, it does not tolerate much frost but is a fast-growing, vigorous plant that needs a sturdy support such as a trellis, wall or fence. Needs full sun and moderate water. Bougainvillea blooms best in nutritionally poor soils. They come in many different colors.
Bougainvillea are tropical and must be protected from frost. In Zone 8 and cooler, you are almost limited to growing them in some kind of container unless you treat them as an annual (plant a new plant outdoors each year), but you are in a mild winter region and do not have to worry about this. Bougainvillea thrives in full sun. At least 5 hours a day of direct sunlight is the minimal light required for good bloom. More hours of direct sun are better. Less than 5 hours and the plant may not bloom very well.

By | 2016-02-24T08:07:20-08:00 February 24th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Powdery Mildew Or Botrytis On Tomatoes Indoors

We're assuming that you're growing tomato plant indoors or in a greenhouse since it's long past the first frost in your area. There are many plants that are more tricky to grow inside. If you are a commercial grower of tomatoes in hoop houses, we suggest that you contact your cooperative extension at Cornell: http://www.cce.cornell.edu/Pages/Default.aspx

There are a couple of leaf disease for tomatoes that look like this. Powdery mildew is the first and botrytis, aka gray mold, is the second. Without a lab culture it's impossible to be sure what is wrong with your plants. Since you are growing veggies we assume you would prefer to treat organically, and you might try one of the organic fungicides asap. Look for a copper-based fungicide, or any other organic product that's labeled for both botrytis and powdery mildew. There are several on the market.

Beyond that, provide good air circulation with fans, always water in the AM, and don't handle uninfected plants after touching those with these symptoms.

By | 2016-02-24T06:16:39-08:00 February 24th, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
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Variegated Smooth Agave

A medium sized upright agave that forms an upright urn-shaped rosette with 3' long by 4" wide leaves terminating in sharp reddish-brown spines. The leaves are bright green with yellow variegation along the margins. It is highly regarded as a landscape plant because of its color, shape, smaller stature, and the fact that the spines are minute or nonexistent along the margins. It is quick growing and often produces many offsets. Plant in full sun. Drought tolerant. Hardy to around 25° F and a little lower for short durations. Prefers well-draining soil but tolerates most types. After blooming the main plant will die but usually leaves behind many new "pups" that form around the base. The flowers on the flower spike also very readily produce "bulbils" which are small plants instead of where there would normally be seed pods. There can be hundreds of these on a spike and they can all be planted as a new plant.

By | 2016-02-24T05:02:52-08:00 February 24th, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
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Swiss Chard

Please accept our apologies for the delay in responding to your question! Your chard plant could be suffering from one of several things, including an infectious disease or a non-infectious (abiotic) disorder that arose from environmental stresses. These two types of plant disorders can be difficult to tell apart because symptoms can be very similar. From what we see in your photo, it could be that your plant is suffering from too much water and/or high humidity, (we'd more info about that), or that a fungal disease is responsible for the condition of the leave, which could be encouraged by too much moisture, splashing water on the leaves and/or not enough sun (again we'd need more info). We've included some links about growing chard and common diseases for your reference. We hope this helps.
http://www.harvesttotable.com/2009/06/beets_and_chard_growing_proble/
http://bonnieplants.com/growing/growing-swiss-chard/

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:23-07:00 February 23rd, 2016|Plant Diseases|0 Comments
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Caterpillars

This is a caterpillar. Also known as the larvae of a butterfly or moth.
Good guy/bad guy status depends on the opinion of the person. All caterpillars are there to do one thing and one thing only and that is EAT to get to their next stage of life. Some of us would consider that a bad guy. Others of us would consider it a good guy based on that fact that they are pretty to look at and could be considered pollinators in some cases.
You can hand pick and destroy those that you find on your plants. You could also use something known as Bt or Bacillus thuringiensis. It is a bacteria that you spray on your plant when the caterpillars are present (they must ingest the bacteria for it to be effective) and they will eventually get eaten from the inside out. It is not a quick solution but it is a safe one. You should be able to find it in the garden dept of any big box store or at your local independent garden center. Be sure to follow the directions on the label.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:23-07:00 February 23rd, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Gerbera Daisy

Gerbera daisy flowers exhibit large (up to 4") blooms.. The rays are most commonly yellow, red, or orange. However, growers have also produced varieties in white, pink, and violet. All have contrasting disc flowers, usually yellow. Gerbera daisy flowers reach a little over one foot in height, with a width slightly less than that. Popular in cut flower arrangements. Provide indoor, potted Gerbera daisies with bright, all-day sunlight in spring, summer and fall. Typically supply the indoor daisies with at least three to five hours of direct, morning sunlight, and provide them with afternoon shade. They prefer morning sunlight when planted outside too. They have medium water requirements. Water the daisies when the top 1/2 inch of their soil begins to dry. Indoor plants typically require watering every three to five days. Empty the water that collects in their pot's drip tray after each watering session. Reduce the amount you water the plants during winter, but don't allow their soil to dry completely.

By | 2016-02-23T19:02:57-08:00 February 23rd, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Peace Lily

This is a peace lily plant prized for its white blooms (actually spathes, the real flower is the spike in the center of the spathe) and characteristic of this plant. It grows best in bright, indirect light indoors, never direct sunlight. If the plant doesn't get enough light, it won't bloom, but if it gets too much direct sun on the leaves, it may get leaf burn. Give it regular water and feed with a slow-release fertilizer formulated for blooming container plants. Must have good drainage. If the first few inches are dry, water it until water runs out the bottom and let drain thoroughly. Do not allow plant to sit in water as this may lead to root rot. It is sensitive to chlorine, so if you water is chlorinated allow the water to sit for a day before using it to water the plant. Also, it is a houseplant and will not tolerate frost or cold temperatures, so do not place outdoors this time of year. With proper care, peace lilies can live as long as eleven years.

By | 2016-02-23T18:01:05-08:00 February 23rd, 2016|House Plants|0 Comments
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