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Gardenia Problem

Gardenias are notoriously difficult to grow in normal indoor conditions. Look for signs of insect infestation such as sucking insects - aphids, scale or mealybugs - or spider mites. We think we see some signs of insects on the surface of the leaves pictured at the top right but the photo pixilates when we try to expand the photo and so cannot be sure. Take a few of the affected leaves to your local garden center for confirmation of the problem and recommended control. If it is a sucking insect such as scale, aphids or mealybugs, they can be washed off by hand or if the infestation is extensive, a horticultural oil can be used as a suffocant. You can even use a q-tip dipped in alcohol to wipe away aphids or mealybugs, but rinse with water afterwards.
In the meantime, here are a few care tips: They like bright light, but avoid direct sunlight, especially during summer.Water:Keep soil continuously moist, but reduce watering in the winter.
Temperature: Above 60ºF is preferred. Avoid cold drafts if temperature drops lower.
Soil: Use a nonalkaline soil mix, such as a rhododendron mix. They prefer slightly acidic soil.
Cold temperatures and inconsistent watering, which will cause bud and leaf drop. A well-tended gardenia will be compact, with deep green leaves, and bloom in the late summer, when the nighttime temperatures are above 60ºF/15.55 celsius and daytime temps are between 75ºF and 82ºF. or 23.88 to 27.77 celsius.

By | 2015-11-26T17:01:51-08:00 November 26th, 2015|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Boomerang Lilac

Although it's impossible to say for sure what happened to your lilac, here are some of the things to think about when a plant looks like yours.

1. Plants usually droop like this from either too much or too little water. To little and they can't keep their stems straight, and if it's too much their roots rot and so can't absorb the water they need for firm stems, leaves and flowers.
2. Did you put this in a container that has a drainage hole? If not, it might be too wet. Did you water the entire plant well, let it drain, and then water again once the soil felt dry? Sometimes people error by giving a plant just a little water (because they are afraid of over-watering) but a little water isn't enough to moisten the entire root ball and surrounding soil.
3. Did you pot this in good quality potting mix? The color and texture of what we see in this photo look odd - like maybe it's peatmoss, woodchips, or vermiculite instead of potting soil. If so, remove it from this material and repot using new potting mix.
4. Did anything get sprayed or dumped on the plant before or after you potted it? Hot water, perhaps? This will kill the roots so the plant will look as if it is dry and wilted.

Additionally, lilacs usually do best when planted outdoors in the summer or fall and left to grow with a dormant period. Keeping one alive indoors is challenging under the best of circumstances. lilacs are prone to powdery mildew and while it's unlikely that this would kill a plant, and it's a cosmetic problem on established lilacs, that on a young plant inside it might weaken the growth.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:33-07:00 November 25th, 2015|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Rose Leaf Problems

It's hard to diagnose a problem based on a photo of one leaf. There are so many variables and much depends on if ALL the leaves on the shrub look this way or only some of them. For example: If these are the oldest leaves (lower on the shrub) then yellowing leaves is a sign of drought stress. The plant has dried up in between waterings so it is shedding older growth in order to protect the new. If all the leaves are yellow that's often a sign of too much water and possible root rot. If the leaves have more brown spots than this one you've sent a photo of, that's a sign of black spot on roses, which is a fungal disease. Some roses are more prone to blackspot than others, and once the plant has the problem no fungicide will cure it, but will only protect (somewhat) the undamaged foliage.

In general, roses need to be watered deeply (not hand watering!) every four to six days depending on the temperatures. Water in the AM not in the evening and try not to get the foliage wet especially at night. Fertilize with a rose food according to directions and mulch to hold in moisture and add organic matter to soil - adding an inch of manure on top of soil in the spring is desirable. Start spraying with the fungicide of your choice early in the season (may) and continue according to directions.

That said, if you have a hybrid tea rose that's prone to diseases there is little you can do to protect it once something such as black spot has taken hold.

If you want more information send a shot of a couple of branches, plus one of the entire plant and we'll see if there is anything that we can expand on.

By | 2015-11-13T20:54:30-08:00 November 25th, 2015|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Leaf Damage On Annabelle Hydrangea

In this photo it looks like the damage is mostly on the bottom leaves near the ground, is that true? If so, that argues for something different that's going on in that area, such as the plant getting hit with a sprinkler that's watering a nearby lawn, for example. But whether the damage is seen just near the ground, or over the entire plant, there are several possible causes and you can think about what's most likely for your plant. (After the list we've also given you a recommended course of action even if you can't figure out what has caused this damage.)
1. Look under the leaves to see if there are small, green larvae (they look like worms) eating the tissue under the leaves. There are green "fruit worms" that sometimes eat the underside of hydrangea leaves, which causes the top tissues to brown and die. If you see any green larvae either pick them off and smash them, or spray the underside of the foliage with a product containing spinosad, an organic treatment that kills a wide range of larvae when eaten.
2. Fungus: the most common cause of leaf-spot on plants is a wide range of fungi. This is especially likely if parts of this plant are getting hit with water on a frequent basis, either by hand watering with a hose or a sprinkler system. Picking off the worst of the leaves and watering deeply less often (once a week) in the AM so that foliage has a chance to dry usually solves the problem. The good news is that leaf-spot fungus is usually just a cosmetic issue and doesn't kill plants.
3. Contact damage. This type of damage happens if foliage gets hit with something that kills the leaf tissues when it lands. Hot water from a sun-heated hose, liquid fertilizer mixed too strongly, cleaning products used to wash decks or windows, herbicides or drift from other garden products can all damage foliage. If this was the cause the damage won't continue unless what caused the problem also continues.

No matter which of these has caused your situation, picking off the worst looking leaves will help you to determine if the problem is still going on and will improve the look of the plant. If you suspect a fungal leaf spot you can use one of the organic fungicides such as Serenade, Actinovate or Sulfur, but that won't cure tissues that are already infected, it will only help to protect any undamaged leaves.

Know that most insects and diseases are very host-specific, so you don't have to worry that this is something that will "spread to everything else in the yard", which is understandably a common concern but not likely to happen.

By | 2015-11-24T12:25:12-08:00 November 24th, 2015|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Pink Jasmine

The cultural requirements of Jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum) are simple but exacting. When your plant arrives, put it in a cool room and set it in a window that receives bright light but little or no direct sun. Flowers will open and last longer with cooler home temperatures.

Jasmines are also sensitive to the dryness created by radiators, hot-air vents, and wood-burning stoves. The best way to increase the humidity around your plants is to run a humidifier nearby. You can also set plants in trays filled with pebbles or gravel. Add water to a level just below the tops of the pebbles (if the potting mix in the pots comes in contact with the water, the mix will draw water into the pot, which will cause the mix to become saturated, eventually leading to rot). Refill trays frequently to replace water lost through evaporation. (Our Humiditrays perform the same function without the need for pebbles.)

Water only when the top half inch of the potting mix is dry to the touch; Jasmine won't tolerate soggy potting mix. If these conditions are met, flowering generally begins in late January or early February.

After bloom, give your plant at least 6 hours of direct sun and normal room temperatures. When the danger of frost has passed, we recommend that you set the plant outdoors for the summer, shifting it gradually from a shady spot to full sun. Fertilize every 2-4 weeks during the growing season -- generally from early spring to early fall. Withhold fertilizer entirely during fall and winter, when the plant is resting. Use a water-soluble fertilizer designed for houseplants mixed at just half the rate suggested by the manufacturer. As with watering, plants suffer if overfertilized.

Prune as necessary to control size or to maintain shape, but stop pruning by August 1, because the plant sets flower buds in late summer.To encourage the formation of flower buds for next winter, be sure your plant experiences the cooler temperatures and shorter days of early autumn. The plant needs 4-5 weeks of nighttime temperatures between 40° and 50°F, plenty of sunlight, and the complete absence of artificial light after sundown. Bring the plant indoors before frost. Then give it cool temperatures and indirect light until it blooms again in late winter.

By | 2015-11-23T20:42:53-08:00 November 23rd, 2015|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Winter Damage On Broad Leaf Evergreen

This is winter damage. Winter damage turns whole or part of broadleaf evergreens brown and often makes small leaf imperfections and leaf spots from the previous summer more noticeable. Winter damage is caused by cold winds and/or sunburn from the sun reflecting off of the snow. The plants that most frequently show winter damage are the broadleaf evergreens such as Cherry Laurel, Rhododendrons, Holly, Camellias etc. Boxwoods and Euonymus often turn dry and tan.

Because these plants have leaves that are scorched, the areas on the foliage that had some leaf spot damage from last summer are more evident. You'll see dark spots, or white spots where the leaf tissue actually died last summer or fall and now is turning tan or white. On some plants, such as cherry laurel, such dead leaf tissue often drops out and leave holes.

At this point there isn't anything that you need to do - the plant will drop this scorched foliage this spring and will put on new growth. Once you see that new growth appearing you can clip off any toasted twigs or branches that are not responding with new leaves, and prune any odd looking limbs away.

To help prevent leaf spot in the spring and summer, make sure that the plants aren't getting hit with water from a sprinkler on a frequent basis, as this is a prescription for leaf-spot fungi. To help protect broadleaf evergreens in advance of winter you can use an anti-desiccant product in October, although in a really cold or snowy winter plants will still show some winter damage.

By | 2015-11-23T16:01:53-08:00 November 23rd, 2015|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Wilted Leaves On Azalea

When a plant is still wilted after watering well, there might be several causes of this problem. We'll list them here and you can decide what might be making your plant wilt.
1) Is the watering REALLY the same between this and other plants? If you're relying on an automatic sprinkler system and assuming that it's delivering the same amount of water to all the plants because the soil looks damp on the top, that might be the problem. Dig down near each plant and see if the soil is truly soaked down at least 10 inches. Sometimes automatic systems soak one area but only dampen the surface near the other plants. Double check. If you are hand-watering, or using a sprinkler, is it possible that this plant is in more sunshine so although the watering is adequate for the other plants it isn't enough for this one? Again, dig down 10" and check to see how moist the soil really is.
2) Although we associate wilting with being dry, plants also wilt because they are TOO wet. If this plant is in an area that retains more moisture or is wetter for other reasons (leaky irrigation system for example) the roots might be rotting. Rotting roots don't allow the foliage to get the moisture they need so the plant wilts even when the plant is constantly wet.
3) Stem disease or damage. If the stem has been damaged by a string trimmer, an animal eating the bark, or a disease such as canker, the water won't be taken up into the twigs and leaves. Look carefully from the ground up at the main trunk for damage or sunken tissues.

If the roots have rotted, or the stem damaged there isn't a good cure. If the plant is really thirsty you might be able to bring it back to health by a deep soaking every five to seven days.

By | 2015-11-13T20:35:33-08:00 November 21st, 2015|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Poor Soil

Sounds like you have a case of clay soil. If the soil doesn't drain well and stays wet, your plants are essentially sitting in a bathtub and drowning. A classic case of overwatering. (The tricky part is that overwatering exhibits the same symptoms as the plant is just not able to take up the water it needs because the vessels in the plant clog up and cannot transport water to the plant.) Clay take a long time to change its structure.
(We do not usually endorse products here but the following I have had good luck with.) There is a soil amendment from Kellogg called N'RICH that will help a bit. You should be able from any big box store. Follow label directions. Link: http://www.kellogggarden.com/products?brand=kellogg&category=kellogg-soils#8
Next you need to plant things that will do ok in your soil. Here are links to 3 articles that give some ideas:
http://www.bhg.com/gardening/flowers/perennials/best-plants-to-grow-in-clay/
http://www.birdsandblooms.com/gardening/gardening-basics/top-10-plants-clay-soil/?item=0#top-ten-item
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/Portals/0/Gardening/Gardening%20Help/Factsheets/Clay%20Soils%20-%20Annuals5.pdf
Some of theses plants are from out of our climate Again, I mention the Sunset Western Garden Book - Ninth Edition to use as a guide to tell you what zone you are in and what will grow there. (You can get it at a reasonable price on Amazon.)
You may also want to enlist the help from your local Cooperative Extension office. Not sure if you are LA County or Ventura County so here is yet another link:) :
http://ucanr.edu/County_Offices/
Best of luck. And please get back to us if you should need more assistance.

By | 2015-11-13T20:38:24-08:00 November 20th, 2015|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Leaf Scorch

This is leaf scorch, not a disease or insect problem. The most common causes of leaf scorch include the following:
1. Plant getting hit with a household or garden product, liquid fertilizer, herbicide or hot water from a sun-heated hose. Although any of these can kill individual leaves, unless the entire plant is hit such damage seldom kills the entire plant.
2. Sunburn - this would normally happen if a plant is raised in a greenhouse or very shady spot and suddenly moved into strong sun. It might happen if a shading tree is suddenly moved. This doesn't look like what has happened to your plant, but we list it to be complete.
3. Heat - exhaust from equipment working next to the plant etc.
4. Burn from being covered - if someone draped a tarp over the plant temporarily, for example, and that magnified the heat of the sun.
5. Salt spray. High wind off the ocean, salt water from other sources.
6. Drought combined with any of the conditions above.

Sometimes we don't ever figure out what damaged a plant, or it might suddenly occur to us after time goes by. In any case, since it's the end of the season and these plants will soon lose their leaves it's unlikely that your shrub will be permanently damaged. Water the ground all around this hydrangea very well to wash anything out of the soil that might have been applied to the ground as well as the plant. If you want to be really nice to this shrub, apply a layer of composted manure all around the plant on the surface of the soil.

By | 2015-11-17T01:56:14-08:00 November 17th, 2015|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Poor Soil

Looks like you have clay soil. If the soil doesn't drain well and stays wet, your plants are essentially sitting in a bathtub and drowning. A classic case of overwatering. (The tricky part is that overwatering exhibits the same symptoms as the plant is just not able to take up the water it needs because the vessels in the plant clog up and cannot transport water to the plant.) Clay take a long time to change its structure.
(We do not usually endorse products here but the following I have had good luck with.) There is a soil amendment from Kellogg called N'RICH that will help a bit. You should be able from any big box store. Follow label directions. Link: http://www.kellogggarden.com/products?brand=kellogg&category=kellogg-soils#8
Next you need to plant things that will do ok in your soil. Here are links to 3 articles that give some ideas:
http://www.bhg.com/gardening/flowers/perennials/best-plants-to-grow-in-clay/
http://www.birdsandblooms.com/gardening/gardening-basics/top-10-plants-clay-soil/?item=0#top-ten-item
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/Portals/0/Gardening/Gardening%20Help/Factsheets/Clay%20Soils%20-%20Annuals5.pdf
Some of theses plants are from out of our climate Again, I mention the Sunset Western Garden Book - Ninth Edition to use as a guide to tell you what zone you are in and what will grow there. (You can get it at a reasonable price on Amazon.)
You may also want to enlist the help from your local Cooperative Extension office. Not sure if you are LA County or Ventura County so here is yet another link:) :
http://ucanr.edu/County_Offices/
Best of luck. And please get back to us if you should need more assistance.

By | 2015-11-13T20:50:20-08:00 November 16th, 2015|Shrubs|0 Comments
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