Whitefly

/Whitefly/

Whitefly

If you flick a leaf, so they fly away, then settle back down? If so, these are whitefly. (If not, they're probably aphids.) Whitefly live on plants throughout their three life-stages. During the first stage, whitefly lay eggs which appear on the underside of leaves as white patches arranged in regular curves. Each female can produce 100-200 eggs at a time. After the eggs hatch, they become larvae that suck out the nutrients of the leaves and stems. (The stickiness you feel is called honeydew, a fancy word for the excretions of the insects.) And as adults they become flying insects that lay more eggs and the cycle repeats itself. Spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap that are direct-contact controls. Another organic remedy is Spinosad that has a 7-10 day residual.

By | 2016-04-02T13:12:22-07:00 April 2nd, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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American Beautyberry

Great shrub. Native. Fall berries. Attracts birds. Wildlife beneficial. A fast grower that can be pruned way back (even to the ground) by deer or shears and rebound in no time. American beautyberry has fragrant, fuzzy green foliage that is considered moderate in its preference to deer. In mid-summer, each leaf axil is surrounded by loads of small, pinkish to bluish flowers followed by clumps of powerfully bright, purple drupes. The flowering to fruiting works its way slowly up each stem until the leaves begin changing to yellow in the fall. After leaf fall, the persistent drupes stay put until the deer and birds nab them. Although tolerant of shade and drought, the best fruiting and growth occurs with plenty of sunlight on a fertile and moist but well drained site.

By | 2016-04-02T12:24:30-07:00 April 2nd, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Tomato Leaf Curl

Rolling of Tomato leaves usually results from one of four things: persistent wind, heat, herbicide damage, or virus. If it's wind, put up a windbreak. If it's heat, just keep the plant well watered. If it's a virus, leaves will eventually show a pattern of spotting or widespread discoloration. If all of your other varieties are fine, it is possible this variety does not have good root characteristics or may suffer more easily from conditions that don't cause the same response in other tomato plants. Here are a couple of links that you might find helpful: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/files/2010/10/E-626-What-Makes-Tomato-Leaves-Twist-or-Curl.pdf
http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/hot_topics/2008/05tomato_leaf_roll.html

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:02-07:00 April 2nd, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
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Seed Head Of Clivia

We think this is a species of Clivia of which there are several, prized for its pendant clusters of flowers, but all Clivias have strap-shaped foliage, a perennial from tuberous rhizomes. Native to South Africa, it bears primarily orange, red, or yellow clusters of funnel-shaped flowers on stalks that emerge above the clumps of foliage in late winter-spring. Following the spent flowers, seed head berries appear that typically ripen to red-orange or yellow. Does not tolerate much frost and, when grown outdoors, it needs partial to full shade, regular water, and a slow-release fertilizer formulated for blooming plants. It should be watered when the top inch of soil feels dry. Does not like to be transplanted so leave as long as possible.

By | 2016-04-02T09:08:43-07:00 April 2nd, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Hosta Damage

It appears that your hosta has some slug damage. If this is all the damage you have this late in the season, you are not doing too badly. (Do an online image search for hosta slug damage to see what we mean.) You can use a slug repellent but the growing season for hostas is just about over as you will probably have frost soon.

There are many different approaches to combating slugs. One is to go out every night after dark with a flashlight and pick them off. Another is to trap them with beer in a dish, however, some say this actually attracts more slugs! Others have good results sprinkling diatomaceous earth in a circle around each hosta. This winter would be a good time to do some research and choose one or more methods to try next spring.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:02-07:00 April 2nd, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Begonia

This is a Begonia species. Begonia are native to South America and are tropical plants requiring good moisture and frost free conditions. They are used extensively world wide as house plants and as bedding plants and also as perennial garden plants in tropical or nearly frost free areas. Thousands of hybrids are produced and available. They come in many shapes and colors.

Since there are so many different ones available, and they change varieties from year to year, we can only make an educated guess with this. It may be part of the new Non-Stop Series from Proven Winners. Sorry, but that is the best we can do.

If you know where it was purchased, you can ask someone in the annuals department, to tell you which "brands" they carried this year.

By | 2016-04-02T08:50:26-07:00 April 2nd, 2016|Tropical Plants|0 Comments
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Croton

Your plant appears to be a Croton, a tropical plant prized for its amazing variation in contrasting colors and markings. Outdoors where there is no frost, needs rich, well-draining soil, full sun, and fertilizer twice a year if you desire new growth. Does not tolerate freezing temperatures. Crotons have a wide variety of variegation possibilities, ranging from green with pink ribs and spots to flecked with yellow or wildly colored with red and yellow and even dark green. There are even new leaf shapes and sizes. Generally more intense sunlight brings out more intense variegation. Also popular as a houseplant - indoors, does best in bright indirect light, regular water and feed with a slow release or organic fertilizer formulated for container houseplants.

By | 2016-04-02T07:50:50-07:00 April 2nd, 2016|House Plants|0 Comments
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Cyclamen

Your plant belongs to the Cyclamen genus of which there are many species and hybrids. A native of Europe, the Mediterranean region and Asia, these plants are prized for their flowers and attractive clumps of green or variegated foliage. Depending on the cultivar, the flowers look like shooting stars or butterflies and come in hues of pink, red, magenta, white or bi-colors. In your area does best in partial shade or filtered light. Water when the top of the soil feels dry. Continue to care for Cyclamen until the foliage yellows and dies back. From tubers, it will go dormant in the summer, but will return in the cooler seasons. These can be tricky to re-bloom: let the bulbs rest in their pots for about a month and then begin watering again.

By | 2016-04-02T06:59:32-07:00 April 2nd, 2016|Perennials|1 Comment
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Quince

We think this is likely a flowering quince, rather than an ume. We do not see much of the branches, but quince is noted for gnarled, twisted branches and bark. These twisted branches are as much of an indicator as the leaves, which are green above and whitish beneath. Fruit is large, yellow when ripe, a bit fuzzy, and can't be eaten raw; it's too astringent. But it has one of autumn's best fragrances, cooks into wonderful jellies, and is great combined with apples in pies if raised organically. Be sure to have this id confirmed locally and in-person before you eat! To confirm its identity, you might ask the school if you could take a cutting so that you can show it to a horticulturist at your local garden center such as Berkeley Hort or botanic garden.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:02-07:00 April 2nd, 2016|Trees|0 Comments
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Silver Carpet

This is a slowly spreading, very flat (just a few inches tall at best) groundcover with 1-2 inch long narrow leaves, that are a gray-green on top with white tomentum beneath. Though flat to the ground, the white undersides are exposed to view as the leaf margins edges roll up and inward, particularly, when grown dry and thus giving the plant an appearance of being variegated. Small yellow daisy flowers bloom amongst the foliage in summer. Plant in full sun to light shade in a well-drained soil. This plant grows rapidly with irrigation, but it has deep succulent roots and can be very drought tolerant, though notably slower growing. It is hardy to about 25-30 degrees F. About the only things that this plant does not tolerate well is a heavy or otherwise non-draining soil and gophers.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:02-07:00 April 2nd, 2016|Ground Cover Plants|0 Comments
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