Agave Attenuata Cutting Transplant

/Agave Attenuata Cutting Transplant/

Agave Attenuata Cutting Transplant

I know how hot it is, I'm in San Diego also. Your cutting is showing damage due to the fact that it has no real root system yet to sustain it. In the long run it will probably be okay but you will have to wait for it to grow out of the damaged foliage. I would suggest that you put up some kind of sun protection to start, and as odd as it seems, don't water it for a couple of weeks. Other than that one root you said it had, it will sprout more new roots if you deprive it of water. After a couple of weeks, give it a good deep soak and then don't water again until the soil has become nearly dry - keep the sun screen up. In the case of your other cutting, (and it would have been a good idea for the first larger one as well) pot it up in a container (with a well draining soil mix) that is not too much larger than the plant and treat it the same way leaving it dry for a week or two and then giving it a good drink. The advantage of starting it in a pot is that you can put it somewhere in filtered sun (out of direct sunlight) without having to provide sun protection. Once it gets rooted well in the pot then you can pretty much plant it anywhere you want in your landscape and not worry about the leaves burning. There will be enough of a root system for you to plant it and give it ample water to grow and flourish.

By | 2016-01-02T05:57:18-08:00 January 2nd, 2016|Plant Diseases|1 Comment
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Kohlrabi

This appears to be a Kohlrabi, also known as German turnip or Turnip cabbage. Kohlrabi has been created by artificial selection for lateral meristem growth (a swollen, nearly spherical shape); its origin in nature is the same as that of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts: they are all bred from, and are the same species as the wild cabbage plant (Brassica oleracea).
The taste and texture of kohlrabi are similar to those of a broccoli stem or cabbage heart, but milder and sweeter, with a higher ratio of flesh to skin. The young stem in particular can be as crisp and juicy as an apple, although much less sweet.
Except for the Gigante cultivar, spring-grown kohlrabi much over 5 cm in size tend to be woody, as do full-grown kohlrabi much over perhaps 10 cm in size; the Gigante cultivar can achieve great size while remaining of good eating quality. The plant matures in 55äóñ60 days after sowing. Approximate weight is 150 g and has good standing ability for up to 30 days after maturity.
There are several varieties commonly available, including White Vienna, Purple Vienna, Grand Duke, Gigante (also known as "Superschmelz"), Purple Danube, and White Danube. Coloration of the purple types is superficial: the edible parts are all pale yellow. The leafy greens can also be eaten.

By | 2016-01-02T03:31:14-08:00 January 2nd, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
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Rhododendron Leaf Curl

Leaf curl on Rhododendrons is most frequently seen when the plants are under stress from drought, stem injury or cold temperatures. Sometimes one or more of these are contributing factors because if the rhodys went into the winter season dry from summer drought they are then more likely to be further stressed by cold winters. If heavy snows break branches, so that they can no longer take water up to the leaves, this too causes foliage to curl and die.

What's to be done now? In the spring we all play a waiting game. If the leaves of your plants haven't recovered in the next week or two they are unlikely to do so. You can take one of two actions: 1. Clip off the wilted foliage just above the last two leaves. This will prompt new growth from the area where you've left two leaves. 2. Wait and see how the plant recovers in late-May. Some Rhododendrons drop those curled and soon to be dead leaves but will put out new foliage from those stems in late May. Other plants will continue to die back and you'll see in early June that these branches are indeed dead, at which point you can cut them off.

Fertilizer won't fix the problem so don't go there. But a light application (an inch thick) of composted manure around the base of the plants is never a bad idea, so by all means put this down and then wait and see what happens.

By | 2016-01-02T00:28:29-08:00 January 2nd, 2016|Shrubs|2 Comments
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Gerbera Daisy

The large daisy-like flower is a Gerbera daisy. Gerbera daisy flowers exhibit large (4") blooms, often with yellow/orange or other contrasting colored central disks surrounded by colorful rays. The rays are most commonly yellow, red, or orange. However, growers have also produced varieties in white, pink, and violet. 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 | 2016-01-02T00:20:01-08:00 January 2nd, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Tomatoes End Of Season Decline

There are several causes of yellowing leaves on tomatoes and often what we see is the combination of several problems.
1. Leaf spot fungus. This is very common on tomatoes - be it septoria leaf spot or another fungal disease. In general get accustomed to picking off the worst of the leaves and spraying the plants with an organic fungicide from early in the season on. Ask at your garden center for an organic fungicide and use according to directions.
2. Once your plant shows signs of yellowing and spotted leaves you might have more success with a copper fungicide, which is also an organic treatment. Use once a week according to directions to extend your season of harvest.
3. End of season cool temperatures. Tomatoes do best in hot weather. When the temperatures cool at the end of the growing season the plants start to shut down. The older leaves naturally turn yellow and any leaf-spot damage shows up more. This is natural and nothing that needs treatment. Clip off the worst of the leaves and any spotted or rotting fruit and throw it in the garbage. Pick ripening tomatoes early and let ripen on the windowsill if necessary.
4. Enjoy every single ripe fruit or other produce from your garden - at this time of year things start to close up shop, so we need to be especially appreciative of every harvest we get!

By | 2016-01-01T23:26:05-08:00 January 1st, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
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Variegated Mugwort Artemisia

This appears to be variegated mugwort, which is related to the plain variety, which is an aggressive weed that grows in sun to shade and tolerates a wide range of soils. The flowers are small and unobtrusive. It's used in herbal medicine and for making smudge sticks. If you dig up this plant, you will likely see a ropey, white root that travels sideways underground. This is how it spreads. Any roots left behind will re-sprout. While the variegated form is attractive, it forms an upright, bushy clump with attractive foliage that has a tendency to quickly spread all over the border. Leaves are medium green, brightly splashed with creamy-yellow to ivory. A great use for this selection is in containers with other perennials, therefore the foliage can be enjoyed from up close but the plant may be easily controlled. For best effect, cut back hard in late June to rejuvenate the plant with new growth. Plants should not be allowed to set seed or you will have a monster on your hands -äóñ trim off flowers heads as they appear. DO NOT unleash this plant in areas where it can invade in roadsides or along forested regions. If concerned about its invasiveness, dig it out immediately.

By | 2016-01-01T20:41:36-08:00 January 1st, 2016|Weeds|1 Comment
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Hops Yellowing

Kudos to you for growing hops in Colorado! They are beautiful vines. The non-uniform holes could be hail damage. Because of their large leaves, hop plants are subject to hail damage and Colorado is famous for hail! However, you might want to look closely at the back side of several leaves with the holes, preferably with some magnification, to see if there is evidence of any bugs, specifically aphids. Here's a website with images of some of the more common hop pests so you can identify them - http://freshops.com/hop-growing/hop-diseases-and-pests/

The yellow leaves can be a sign of under and over watering. However, the tips of the surrounding green hop leafs have some browning on the edges, suggesting they may have been underwatered. Closely monitoring the soil moisture and keeping the soil moist, not soaked, may help prevent further leaf yellowing. Hops plants do best with drip irrigation instead of overhead watering which can encourage leaf diseases. We recommend removing the yellowed leaves both for plant hygiene and appearance. If watering changes don't minimize the yellowing of leaves, you may want to take a few of the yellowed leaves to a local nursery or the County Extension office for examination. Here's a link to your local office - http://www.extension.colostate.edu/boulder/

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:29-07:00 January 1st, 2016|Plant Diseases|0 Comments
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Scale

This is a serious infestation! From the photo, it is hard to tell the disease. Golden euonymus (Euonymus japonicusäóÖ Aureomarginatusäó»), the plant affected, is prone to both scale and mildew on a grand scale. If the spots on the leaves rub off, then it is probably scale. Use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to touch each one. Follow up with a weekly spray of Insecticidal Soap for 3 weeks to break up the life cycles of these piercing and sucking insects. Since so many of your Euonymus leaves were affected, you might be better off removing this shrub and starting over.

Scale insects are mostly immobile, so once removed, it is not likely to move to the other plants. They suck the nutrients out of the leaves and branches, and if untreated, can seriously damage a plant. Many insecticides cannot penetrate the insect's shell, so you'll need something specially formulated for scale. We suggest you take a few leaves into a local nursery and explain your problem. They can recommend a horticultural oil or systemic poison formulated for ornamentals. Good luck!

By | 2016-01-01T17:06:17-08:00 January 1st, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Peace Lily Problem

We do not see any disease problem but there are a few cultural care tips that might help. Peace Lily plants do best indoors in bright, indirect light, w/regular water, but do not allow the plant to sit in water as this may lead to root rot. Since peace lilies are low light plants, do not place where there is direct sunlight, but do provide bright, indirect light. Black or brown leaf tips sometimes develop when humidity is low or irregular watering practices; place your plants on a pebble tray with water place the pot on a brick so that it does not sit in the water to raise ambient humidity. Peace lilies are susceptible to salts in tap water which sometimes causes blackening of leaves. Try using distilled water (steam iron water). Some other things to check on: how often do you fertilize? Make sure you feed with a slow-release or organic fertilizer low in salts that is formulated for container houseplants. Again, make sure the pot has drainage holes, water in the sink and allow the salts to leach out and do not allow it to sit in a saucer or pot with water. Peace lilies are dramatic wilters when they get too dry. They bounce back but it weakens the plant.

By | 2016-01-01T12:22:45-08:00 January 1st, 2016|House Plants|2 Comments
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Basil Problem

There's really not enough shown here for us to tell whats happening. It may be basil downy mildew, but we would need to see two photos of those browned or yellowing leaves - one from the top and one of the underside of the leaf. If it's downy mildew you'll see gray mold-like growth underneath and the tops will be yellowing turning to brown.

No matter which fungal or downy mildew condition might be causing the problem you could 1) Be sure not to water too frequently or get the foliage wet when watering 2) Use Actinovate, a bacterial fungicide labeled for both downy mildew and assorted other fungal problems, being sure to spray not only tops but the underside of stems and leaves. Mix according to directions and spray weekly. 3) Fertilize with the liquid fast-food synthetic fertilizer (no time for organics to kick in this late in the season) of your choice to stimulate new growth that you can pick and use the new growth even as the disease-infected leaves continue to decline. (No harm to humans from eating leaves infected with any of these problems.)

By | 2016-01-01T11:19:10-08:00 January 1st, 2016|Plant Diseases|0 Comments
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