Aloe Vera Color Change

/Aloe Vera Color Change/

Aloe Vera Color Change

Your aloe should do fine outdoors as long as it doesn't freeze. Moving into the sun is a good thing and they rarely have that bright green color when grown outdoors. In fact in full sun they usually take on kind of a bronzey-pink cast to them. They will also grow in a much tighter rosette with the leaves more upright rather than splayed out the way they look now. I would suggest making the move to full sun gradually, starting with filtered sun so as to not possibly burn it due to its tender "indoors" skin. The only other thing I can offer is that when you water it, do it thoroughly, but don't water again until the soil has become some what dry first, say a couple of inches down in the pot. The easiest thing to do is just stick your finger in and give a feel.

By | 2016-04-05T05:19:05-07:00 April 5th, 2016|Plant Diseases|0 Comments
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Shrubby Stonecrop Crest

Sedum praeltum, native to Mexico, forms a shrub to 3' in height. Spatulate leaves are shiny lime green, often with red margins in bright light. This is an unusual cristate form that grows laterally as fan shapes that are densely topped with lime green leaves. Cristate forms generally occur when injury occurs to the plant at a young age (this damage can be due to insects eating the growing tip, or from many other causes, including a genetic predisposition). In reaction to the "injury", the cells at the tip of the branch where growth occurs begin to multiply at a much faster rate and the normal growing tip "goes crazy", creating fantastic whorls and fans. Porous soil with adequate drainage. Bright light to full sun. Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch. Protect from frost.

By | 2016-04-05T05:19:02-07:00 April 5th, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
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Agave

The plant appears to be an Agave of which there are many species and cultivars but all are monocarpic, meaning once it blooms the "mother" plant will die. Usually there are offsets or "babies" of the mother plant that will take its place. Many do take over 20 years to bloom and the spectacular process may take months. The flowering is the natural culmination of its existence. Once the bloom has dried, many people keep it as a cut dried flower if they have the room! Outdoors provide excellent drainage, full sun and water sparingly, only when soil feels dry to the touch. Prized for its tapered, pointed leaves. Indoors, provide the brightest, indirect light possible. At this stage could also be another Yucca, but we think it is an Agave.

By | 2016-04-05T05:18:49-07:00 April 5th, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
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Twospined Spider

Your two-spined spider, Poecilopachys australasia, is endemic to Australia but has established itself in New Zealand since the 1970s. The female is the larger and more colorful compared to the smaller male. When mature, the female develops 2 distinctive spines or horns. Nocturnal, during the day, they can be found on the undersides of leaves, especially citrus. Considered harmless and non-aggressive to humans, it captures moths and other insects that are much larger than its own size. Suggest you free this beneficial arachnid and allow it to prey on insect pests outdoors.
Here is more information for you:
Two Spined spider(Poecilopachys Australasia) - TER:RAIN
www.terrain.net.nz/.../spiders/spider-two-spined-poecilopachys-australasi...‎

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:01-07:00 April 5th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Watermelon Problems

There are a variety of things that could cause your watermelon to be small. It could be either underwatered, undernourished, or possibly too mature when you planted them (if you planted seedlings rather than seeds). Vegetables need soil rich in organic matter, which can usually be found in a high quality compost. They also need the right food sources, fertilizers, to meet their needs, plus ample water.
Or, you may have planted a small "icebox" size watermelon in the first place. Varieties that mature quickly (what we need in our short growing season) tend to be smaller.
For maximum size, allow just one or two melons to mature per vine and remove the rest. That way the plant will put all its energy into just those few fruit.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:01-07:00 April 5th, 2016|Vegetable Plants|2 Comments
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Cineraria

Your plant is likely known as a Cineraria, but is really Pericallis x hybrida (also Senecio x hybrida 'Senetti'), prized for its colorful flowers in shady areas or on a patio. Will grow 2 ft. tall and as wide with clusters of daisy-like flowers in a wide assortment of colors. Typically bloom in late winter or early spring. Does best in well-draining soil and although technically a perennial, most treat it like an annual. Will bloom again in summer if after the spring blooms are spent, the plant is cut back by about 50%. Primarily a cool-weather plant, it will stop blooming during intense summer heat. Needs to be kept moist, but not soggy, and is not considered a drought tolerant plant. Do not allow plant to sit in water as this may lead to root rot.

By | 2016-04-05T02:50:55-07:00 April 5th, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Star Flower Carrion Flower

Native to Africa, flowers are very showy, star-shaped, and pale gold vividly patterned with rich burgundy speckles and transverse lines. This is a member of the Stapeliad family that includes Stapelias, Orbeas, Huernias, Carralumas, and others, and their main natural pollinators are flies. They mimic the smell (and in some cases the look as well!) of a dead animal to attract the flies. Requires porous soil with adequate drainage. Bright light and ample airflow. Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch. Water less during extreme heat and during temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Will tolerate extreme heat as long as light is not intense. Prefers winter temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Protect from frost.

By | 2016-04-05T02:38:07-07:00 April 5th, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
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Fir Tree Problems

This appears to be a fir tree, but without a close-up of the needles, we can't be sure. Firs have needles that are flat and flexible, and not overly sharp. Spruces look much the same, but their needles are square and painfully sharp.
Your tree's failure to thrive could be due to a number of factors. What's under the gravel? If there's plastic, it could be blocking air and water from the soil. Both firs and spruces appreciate a cool spot and extra irrigation at lower elevations. The reflected heat from the rocks could pose a problem. The roots should extend at least twice the distance past the edge of the foliage as from the trunk to the edge of the tree. Do you irrigate in that area? Has the soil been improved, and do you ever feed the tree?

By | 2016-04-05T01:21:28-07:00 April 5th, 2016|Plant Diseases|0 Comments
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Citrus Problem

Sounds like there are a number of things going on including citrus leaf miner (the drying, curled leaves), lack of nitrogen and sooty mold (if the mold is black and sticky--usually caused by scale). Start with a good citrus fertilizer which includes micronutirents-zinc, iron and manganese. Citrus leaf miner can be controlled with systemics (Bayer Advanced Fruit Citrus and Vegetable Insect Control) or repeat sprays of spinosad but they don't threaten the tree. Scale is usually controlled with summer oil sprays. Your local nurseryman can help you select control measures but here's some more info: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/citrus.html. Make sure you also know about Asian Citrus Psyllid, which has also been found in your area.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:01-07:00 April 5th, 2016|Fruit Plants & Trees|0 Comments
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Salvia Browning

Your salvia isn't dying - it's just doing what these plants do in the summer after they flower. They go to seed and the flowering stems get brown. Sometimes this browning is made worse by the plant getting hit too frequently with water. (Such as from an automatic irrigation system that comes on more than once a week.) So be sure that the plant is only getting watered ever 6 to 7 days. Cut off all the brown parts, leaving the lower foliage only. In the future you can do this right after it stops flowering, usually in early July. Then plant another perennial, or better yet an annual such as Profusion Zinnias or Blue Horizon Ageratum, near the plant so that those will have the flower power for the rest of the summer and into the fall.

By | 2016-04-05T00:09:48-07:00 April 5th, 2016|Perennials|6 Comments
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