Poor Soil

/Poor Soil/

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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Tomato Troubles

Your plants show several symptoms which may be coming from more than one source. The yellowing on some of the leaves might be from the early stages of a fungal infection (more about that below) or it could be insect or mite damage. Look under these leaves to see if the underside looks dirty, a sign that a sucking insect such as aphids, white fly or mites have been at work. If you see this, or the presence of insects, spray with insecticidal soap on the underside of the leaves.

Blackened leaves: There are several leaf diseases that tomatoes are prone to and without culturing in a lab it's hard to say which one is affecting your plants. This could be bacterial leaf spot, early blight, late blight or another fungal leaf disease.

That said, the treatment for the home gardener is the same:
1. Pull off the leaves that are spotted and/or yellow so the plant can be better monitored and some of the spores are removed.
2. Never get the foliage wet when watering. It's amazing how many people routinely spray the leaves of plants every evening because they think that they are somehow "refreshing" the plant. This is a prescription for every leaf disease in the book. Instead, water deeply less often, trying to do so in the morning so that the foliage has plenty of time to dry.
3. Start spraying immediately with a copper fungicide - this is an organic treatment that is a bit stronger than other organic fungicides. If the garden is right next to a pond, lake or stream, however, do not use copper as it is toxic to aquatic life. (In such cases I would use Actinovate, a natural bacteria.) Spray under the leaves and the stems too. Although the fungicide won't "cure" the problem it can protect the newer growth long enough so that tomatoes can be harvested. Next season start spraying early first using something like Actinovate or Seranade, and switching to the copper once the plant has a problem. (Do not alternate these - the copper will kill the bacteria in the other two products.) Always start with the mildest of treatments for plants.
4. Next season mulch your plants as soon as you plant them so that no fungal spores will splash up on the foliage when it rains.
5. Many people ask if they can "treat the soil" to get rid of such diseases, but most are not only soil-borne but also wind-borne so usually it's not helpful to apply a fungicide to the ground. Additionally, a fungicide applied to the ground would kill of the "good guys" as well as anything harmful, ultimately making conditions worse since nature's balance would be upset.

By | 2015-11-19T11:00:04-08:00 November 19th, 2015|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
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Tomato Disorders

This is probably not an infectious disease, but it is disorders caused by cultural care practices and environmental issues. We often see tomato stems and leaves curl downward after flooding of soils around the root system. This disorder is called Epinasty and is a result of ethylene production by the plant in response to the lack of air in the soil. We've all done this - let the soil get too dry and then try to make-up for it by applying extra water. This usually just creates more problems. In short, there are several visible abnormalities in leaf color, size, and curling that can all be accounted for by the inconsistency in watering that you mention. We also recommend that, if possible, you move the planter box away from the bright-colored wall, as the increased heat and light intensity reflecting off of the wall can also cause tomato plants to develop abnormally. The plants should be placed in a sunny location where they will receive 6-8 hours of full sun every day, but away from any fences or walls. From this point, continue to water for even soil moisture (do not fluctuate between very dry and very wet) and then fertilize with a complete fertilizer (you can find them in garden centers) when the plant begins to develop flowers and tomato fruits. We've included a weblink with information about tomato culture and common pests, diseases, and disorders.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/tomato.html

By | 2015-11-18T16:45:08-08:00 November 18th, 2015|Plant Diseases|0 Comments
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Monilina Vacciniicorymbosi

A fungus called Monilina vaccinii-corymbosi can infect blueberry fruit with a disease called mummy berry. Fruit falls on the ground and withers into shriveled-up berries that seem deceased. But it turns out those "mummies" are actually the fungal version of the fruit — undead berry corpses, if you will. The fungus overwinters in mummified fruit on the ground. The spores of the fungus come from little mushrooms on the ground and attack developing buds in the spring. Its spores prefer to develop in warm and wet conditions. If it rains for more than a day and the temperature rises above 45 degrees in early spring, mummy berry could rise again.
Mummy berry must infect blueberries twice every year to survive. In the first stage of infection, mummies sprout small mushroom-like structures called apothecia, which produce billions of spores. Wind and rain can spread spores to the developing flowers, Pscheidt said. Infected flowers turn brown and collapse.
In the second stage of infection, which happens about three weeks after the plant is first infected, new spores form on the collapsed plant tissue. Wind, rain and pollinators spread these new spores to open flowers. If you cut open the fruit, you can see spongy white fungal growth on a cross-section of the fruit.
The gardener's best defense against this ruthless fungus is to regularly pick up shriveled fruit off the bush and ground and dispose of it as soon as you first see it, Pscheidt advised. Dispose of the mummies in a hot compost pile, toss them in the dumpster or bury them more than an inch under the soil, he said. Take care to rake up fallen berries every 2-3 weeks, Pscheidt said. Rake gently because blueberry plants have shallow roots. You can also add about 2 inches of a mulch of sawdust or leaves as an extra layer of protection.
If you are battling a mummy berry apocalypse, you may want to consider starting over and planting cultivars that resist the fungus, the blueberry varieties Bluetta, Liberty, Darrow and Olympia, among others, are resistant to mummy berry and can be grown in home gardens.

By | 2015-11-18T13:51:12-08:00 November 18th, 2015|Plant Diseases|0 Comments
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Potassium Deficiency Citrus

This not an infectious disease, nor does it appear to be caused by insects that normally feed on citrus leaves; it does however look like a deficiency of Potassium and probably Iron. Potassium is one of the 3 macro-nutrients, along with Nitrogen and Phosphorous, used by plants in the greatest amounts (some say 6 macros and include Calcium, Magnesium and Sulfur as they are used in the second greatest amounts). The downward leaf-roll is characteristic of a lack of Potassium (in the absence of insects like Aphids and Leaf miner that can cause leaf curl and distortion), and the chlorosis (yellowing) of the upper leaves is caused by a lack of Iron. From your comments it is apparent you've tried fertilizers and are conscience of watering, but the symptoms we see in your photo are very characteristic of these deficiences. We've included a link for your reference (scroll down to the bottom to see Potassium), so we recommend asking your local garden center or agricultural supply store for a citrus fertilizer. Apply the fertilizer according to label directions, and time the applications according to the info in this weblink. Citrus should only be fertilized at certain times of year. As for watering - it can become difficult to apply the appropriate amounts when trees are grown in containers. It is easy to overwater if the roots have not developed enough to absorb the amount held in the soil/pot size, and easy to underwater when the tree is outgrowing the pot size. Make sure your tree is in full sun for 6-8 hours per day for maximum water uptake and movement thru the plant. Under and over watering cause roots to either dry out or rot, and become non-functional which results in insufficient nutrient uptake. Soil and water pH also impact the plants ability to take up nutrients. We recommend you make any necessary adjustments after doing a pH test of the soil when its moist and if the pH is not in the appropriate range of 6.8 -7 you will need to amend with the appropriate materials. You may also consider moving the tree to a different pot (sort of a start-over approach) with new soil.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/C107/m107bpleaftwigdis.html

By | 2015-11-18T08:31:18-08:00 November 18th, 2015|Plant Diseases|0 Comments
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A Very Sad Chinese Evergreen

We can tell you care about this plant because you've kept it for 20 years but the hard truth is that it will never be healthy or happy in the circumstances you describe. This is an Aglaonema and it is struggling. Your plant needs brighter light and it also needs a period of darkness. 24 hours of fluorescent light is not good. The fact that the soil stays wet is also cause for concern. This plant is fairly drought tolerant and should only be watered when the top half inch of soil is dry. If you water it once a week, even when the soil feels wet, then you are over watering and this can lead to root rot which can kill the plant. If it were our plant we would thank it for its service and add it to the compost pile. If you are determined to try to save it, you may attempt the following (but we make no promises it will work!)
1) Cut back all the stems EXCEPT THE ONE STEM WITH THE MOST LEAVES to about two inches above the soil. These leaves will photosynthesize to keep the plant alive while you try to stimulate new growth.
2) Bring the plant home and put it in an east or west facing window. If you can't do this, forget about saving it. A grow light will not be sufficient to jump start a plant in such a sad condition.
3) Water ONLY when the top half inch of soil feels dry.
4) If and when you see new growth emerge from the cut stems and a few leaves have unfurled, cut back the one long stem to two inches above the soil.
If you decide to undertake this experiment, please let us know how it goes. Good luck!

By | 2015-11-18T01:02:31-08:00 November 18th, 2015|House Plants|1 Comment
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Cherry Leaf Spot

It is a challenge to identify problems from a photograph, but we suspect if this is on just a few leaves, it may be cultural - lack of too much water, weather conditions. Or your tree may have cherry leaf spot, caused by the fungus Blumeriella jaapii. Cherry leaf spot targets the foliage of cherry trees but can also infect stems and fruit. Small purple spots on the tops of leaves are generally the first symptom of this fungal disease. The spots turn brown and begin to enlarge and collapse, leaving a hole in the foliage. Older leaves will yellow and drop from the branches, and the cherry tree can lose all its leaves, which weakens the fruit tree and increases its susceptibility to cold damage. Be sure to clean up all of the fallen leaves and dispose of in your garbage. Suggest you take a few sample leaves to a horticulturist at your local garden center or public botanic garden (in a baggie) to see if the problem can be confirmed in hand as well as recommended controls, if needed.

Properly timed applications of fungicide will help prevent cherry leaf spot. Start fungicide preventive sprays at the petal fall stage and repeat every seven days until harvest. Some say way until the new leaves in the spring and others to start treatment now. It would be best to confirm that this is the problem and go from there. This happens a lot in humid weather places with often with overhead watering.

You may want to get a second opinion and take a sample to your local cooperative extension for confirmation. They will also be your best source for treatment of the problem.

By | 2015-11-18T00:54:35-08:00 November 18th, 2015|Plant Diseases|0 Comments
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Snails And Slugs

Sorry for the delay in responding to your questions. The "chewing" damage we see could have been caused by one of several insects, or slugs/snails. If you know you don't have slugs/snails, then we suggest you look for grasshoppers and other insects, like beetles. Grasshoppers, in large numbers can do alot of damage, so you'll want to watch for them, but sometimes its only one that feeds and then moves on. They're hard to catch and control with pesticides so we recommend you look for them every other day or so in case they've laid eggs (they sometimes blend in with the foliage very well) and if you begin to see multiple insects and can't catch them to dispose of them, you could consider a pesticide. It would have to be either systemic or have a long residual to be effective. We've included a link about grasshoppers, and one about snails and slugs, to help you determine if its one of them. Baits formulated for control of slugs and snails are only effective if used exactly right, and some can be very toxic to other organisms (children included). Non-chemical methods are more effective for the long term. The best way to control them is to trap them. You can easily make traps out of melons (carved out, after eating them) or just about anything that will provide a dark, moist place for them to hide under during the day in your garden. (make sure they have room to slither under the trap!) Then you just pick up the trap every day, and dispose of the ones you've caught; then repeat until you think you've got them. Beware that one snail/slug can lay lots of eggs in the soil, so regular cultivation or tilling of the soil surface helps to eliminate the eggs (and helps with weeds too)!
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74103.html
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/QT/snailsslugscard.html

By | 2015-11-17T19:39:40-08:00 November 17th, 2015|Perennials|0 Comments
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Tomato Troubles

Before we talk about diseases, let's review general care for tomatoes. Leaves can turn yellow if tomatoes aren't getting enough nutrients from the soil. Since you are growing your tomatoes in pots, you need to fertilize regularly with a fertilizer suitable for tomatoes according to package directions. Yellow leaves can also be a sign of over- or under-watering. Make sure the containers aren't sitting in a pool of water and don't get so dry that they wilt. It looks as though your plant may be partly shaded. Tomato plants want to be in Full Sun. Low light levels will also contribute to problems.
There are several leaf diseases that tomatoes are prone to and without culturing in a lab it's hard to say which one is affecting your plants. This could be bacterial leaf spot, early blight, late blight or another fungal leaf disease.
That said, the treatment for the home gardener is the same:
1. Pull off the leaves that are spotted and/or yellow so the plant can be better monitored and some of the spores are removed.
2. Never get the foliage wet when watering. It's amazing how many people routinely spray the leaves of plants every evening because they think that they are somehow "refreshing" the plant. This is a prescription for every leaf disease in the book. Instead, water deeply less often, trying to do so in the morning so that the foliage has plenty of time to dry.
3. Start spraying immediately with a copper fungicide - this is an organic treatment that is a bit stronger than other organic fungicides. If the garden is right next to a pond, lake or stream, however, do not use copper as it is toxic to aquatic life. (In such cases I would use Actinovate, a natural bacteria.) Spray under the leaves and the stems too. Although the fungicide won't "cure" the problem it can protect the newer growth long enough so that tomatoes can be harvested. Next season start spraying early first using something like Actinovate or Seranade, and switching to the copper once the plant has a problem. (Do not alternate these - the copper will kill the bacteria in the other two products.) Always start with the mildest of treatments for plants.
4. Next season mulch your plants as soon as you plant them so that no fungal spores will splash up on the foliage when it rains.
5. Many people ask if they can "treat the soil" to get rid of such diseases, but most are not only soil-borne but also wind-borne so usually it's not helpful to apply a fungicide to the ground.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:34-07:00 November 17th, 2015|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
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Nutrient Deficiency

From the photo it appears that there may be a nutrient deficiency showing in the older leaves. If the plant is growing "in-ground" deficiencies are usually not due to lack of nutrients in the soil, but usually caused by over or under-watering for the plants needs. Watering can sometimes cause damage or yellowing to the foliage. Over-watering can cause the plant to produce vegetative growth rather than flowers, and underwatering is stressful for the plant and it may respond by not producing flowers. In water stressed situations, plant roots either begin to rot or dry out and therefore can't function sufficiently to absorb nutrients along with water. We recommend watering more deeply and less frequently rather than providing smaller amounts more frequently. If the water does not soak into the soil quickly and begins to runoff before you can provide a sufficient amount, you can apply water until it just begins to runoff, let that water soak in, apply more again until just before runoff, let that soak in, and repeat this several times during one irrigation (in the same day). We recommend keeping the soil evenly moist, and avoiding fluctuations between dry and flooded soils to keep the salts diluted in the moist soil.
The addition of compost and fish fertilizer may be sufficient, but depending on the micro-nutrients in these products you may need to add an additional fertilizer. It is recommended to use a well balanced fertilizer for Citrus. An example of a well balanced fertilizer is something that includes both macro and micro nutrients. Macro for Citrus is usually 14 (Nitrogen)-10 (Phosphorus)-14 (Potassium), or similar as long as there is a number for each N-P-K. Micro-nutrients are the trace elements that are needed for healthy growth and sometimes are lacking in fertilizers. The product will note whether or not micro-nutrients are included or not. Here is a link to some of the more common citrus deficencies and problems: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/C107/m107bpleaftwigdis.html Your Citrus may be deficient in the micro-nutrients: Zinc or Manganese. A well balanced fertilizer will include all of these and prevent the foliage from getting worse and appearing on more growth. The other possibility is sunburn. Citrus are very sensitive to sunburn, especially if moved from one spot to another or any changes in light intensity. Ideally Citrus are kept to a full and globular shape to help prevent sun damage on the stems and trunk.

By | 2015-11-17T14:21:55-08:00 November 17th, 2015|Fruit Plants & Trees|0 Comments
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