Soil Conditions

/Soil Conditions/

Soil Conditions

Hard to say for sure but it may be excess salts (either from water or fertilizers), or it could be a mold growing in the organic matter, and finally it could be a sign of an insect called mealybug (or root mealy bug), but we doubt its the bug. Leaching the soil (running water thru it until you don't see the white stuff after the soil dries) will help remove salts, however, if its a fungus you'll want to get rid of it, and the easiest way to do that is to replace the soil and clean/scrub out the pot with bleach water before you use it again. To avoid this in future, avoid overwatering and move any empty pots or open bags of potting soil out of the elements to help keep it dry.
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/dustylooking-mold-soil-houseplants-41109.html
.

By | 2016-04-01T06:21:50-07:00 April 1st, 2016|Plant Diseases|0 Comments
Read More

Jerusalem Cherry

Native to Peru and Ecuador, they can survive frosts and cold weather, and is grown as a houseplant. Jerusalem Cherries are not edible and should be planted in a rich, well drained potting soil, and kept moist during their active growing cycle. They grow best in a bright, sunny window. (south facing)
Feed with a liquid 5-10-5 'blooming houseplant' fertilizer every two weeks while the plant is growing vigorously.
Discontinue feeding as soon as your plant has finished blooming.
After all the 'cherries' have dropped, cut your plant back drastically, and next spring, after all danger of frost has passed, plant it outside in a partly sunny part of your garden.
These are related to tomatoes but are highly poisonous to dogs, cats, and some birds. Do not eat them.

By | 2016-04-01T06:05:53-07:00 April 1st, 2016|House Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Zz Plant Zanzibar Gem

Zamioculcas is grown as an ornamental plant, mainly for its attractive glossy foliage. It can be kept outdoors as long as the temperature does not fall below 60 degrees. Over-watering may destroy this plant; erring on the side of dryness is preferable to risking tuber rot. A quarter or eighth strength liquid fertilizer such as fish emulsion or worm-cast liquid may be used once a month at the warmest period for potted specimens. To avoid leaf sun scald, provide bright, indirect light for Zamioculcas, although it will tolerate very low light. Some sun will be tolerated, very early in the morning for hot districts – morning or afternoon for cooler districts. Do not use leaf shine products on the leaves. Indoors does best in bright indirect light.

By | 2016-04-01T05:28:27-07:00 April 1st, 2016|House Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Purple Shamrock

Your plant appears to be an Oxalis bred for its dark purplish-maroon-pink triangular shaped foliage. This plant is ideal in containers. Indoors needs bright indirect light. Leaves fold up when light levels drop. Grows from a bulb. Outdoors does well in full sun or light shade during mild weather. When planted in protected places in the northeast it may even live through mild winters, but it isn't considered a perennial in your area.

Sometimes these plants lose their leaves as winter goes on - don't worry, it's not dead if yours does this. Keep the soil slightly moist but not wet, and when summer returns put the pot outside in a shady or part-shade location, and start to fertilize. Very quickly you'll see new growth emerge.

By | 2016-04-01T04:21:12-07:00 April 1st, 2016|House Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Lime Tree Leaf Problem

We had a look at your leaf and zoomed in as best we could. It could be scale sucking the nutrients from the stems and starving the leaves of moisture and nutrients, We can vaguely see white spots, and the main rib appears pronounced. So it could be a slow starvation causing the browning and brittle appearance.
However, there are most likely several other issues that need to be checked. Here are some websites with great information on lime tree care and diseases. The first website resource covers growing tips and problems and is very informative - http://citrus.myindoorgreenspot.com/icitrus.htm
The second website is from the University of California and has pictures of actual disease processes and insect damage - http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/C107/m107bpleaftwigdis.html

By | 2016-04-01T02:55:24-07:00 April 1st, 2016|Plant Diseases|0 Comments
Read More

Spider Plant Problem

This kind of damage is fairly typical for spider plants. This plant doesn't look that bad actually. It just needs some grooming. Trim off all the brown sections. Cut the leaf tips at an angle so they don't look odd. However, without inspecting the soil and container it is hard to say what the problem is. Are there drainage holes in the bottom of the container? How much sun is it getting? What kind of soil is it planted in? Make sure the container has drainage holes so that the water can drain out completely, otherwise root rot may result. Place in an area that receives bright, indirect light and water when the soil feels dry down to the first knuckle. And the potting soil medium should be a commercial, sterile mix that is well-draining.

By | 2016-04-01T00:41:29-07:00 April 1st, 2016|House Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Soft Scales

The soft scales that do show up, on occasion, typically move up and down the twigs and branches and feed on the vital fluids that they find. Most times natural predators and even environmental conditions will keep them in check so the plant stays healthy. The pest experts feel that keeping the tree thriving and healthy will keep them from doing much damage. But if they begin to injure the tree there are insecticides that will kill the more immature scales but the problem then becomes the adults who linger and are harder to kill. Most experts recommend chemical controls that can be applied in the spring. For those guidelines we would recommend you contact your local cooperative extension agent who can help you with the right product and the right timing.

By | 2016-03-31T23:15:50-07:00 March 31st, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
Read More

Juniper Damage

Based on the picture it appears as though the damage is localized to just one branch. If that's the case, it's possible that this branch has been damaged from critters, snow load (we're aware of your recent non-springlike weather) or something else. Remove the branch back to the point where there's healthy plant tissue, that may be the main trunk. Also, juniper actually prefer to live on the dry side and can be killed with kindness aka too much water. Here's a link to the Colorado Extension Agency with information on healthy pruning cuts, in case you're not familiar with pruning a tree or shrub, and general evergreen care and watering needs:
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/Gardennotes/617.html
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07403.html

By | 2016-03-31T21:26:34-07:00 March 31st, 2016|Plant Diseases|0 Comments
Read More

Sunburn

This plant has sunburn. This frequently happens with young veggies that are raised in the house or greenhouse and put directly out into a hot, sunny garden. In the future you might put your young plants in a place where they will get morning sun and afternoon shade for three or four days so that they can "toughen up" gradually. Mulching around these plants will help keep the moisture in the soil, and a deep soaking less often will encourage the plants to develop good, strong deep root systems. If you're hand watering consider using a soaker hose or sprinkler - most people get bored before the plant gets a deep soaking, and hand watering only dampens the soil right around the plant - if the soil is only wet around the plant the roots won't grow beyond that small, damp area.

By | 2016-03-31T19:09:47-07:00 March 31st, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Crystalline Ice Plant Common Ice Plant

This is a prostrate succulent herb covered in large bladder cells, giving it a distinctive glistening appearance. Introduced from Europe and Africa, its unique physiology and ability to accumulate salt has enabled it to establish in disturbed and saline areas in ranges far from its native habitat. It is found on a wide range of soil types, from well-drained sandy soils (including sand dunes), to loams and clays. It prefers acid, neutral or alkaline soils, but can tolerate nutritionally poor or saline soils. It is a salt accumulator. After plant death, the salt leaches from the decaying plant into the surrounding soil. This increased salinity stops other, less salt-tolerant species from establishing. Needs occasional water, full sun, and protect from frost.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:02-07:00 March 31st, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
Read More