Dieback

/Dieback/

Dieback

Typically seen on sheered shrubs, dieback is caused by a variety of diseases and causes the plant to drop it's leaves and the plant becomes "thin." The spores are rain splashed or transmitted by infected shears. If you cut one part of a hedge that was sick and then went another shrub without disinfecting the sheers the spores can be spread. It's good practice to spray clipper blades with Lysol before moving onto another plant. Spray existing plant Daconil and see if it resprouts. If not, prune out dead branches and spray again. If the shrub does bit resprout after pruning the entire plant may have to be replaced. Keep in mind that the fungus will remain in the soil and as a result, you may have to consider removing the entire hedge and replant an alternative selection.

By | 2016-03-22T23:36:06-07:00 March 22nd, 2016|Vine Plants|0 Comments
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Environmental Stress

This looks like some type of stress. More than one environmental / cultural stress can cause similar symptoms. For example, Avocado trees are very susceptible to excess soil moisture, which damages roots so they cannot function in proper water and nutrient uptake. Sometimes this results in wilting even though there may be plenty of water in the soil. Nutrient deficiencies can also show as different colors in leaves, however some Avos produce new growth that is more tender and sometimes of a different color; the leaf toughens and changes to dark green as it matures. For more help, you might like to take your photo to a local nursery, Master Gardener clinic or Cooperative Extension office. The more details you can supply as to the growing conditions, the better someone can assist you.

By | 2016-03-22T22:17:05-07:00 March 22nd, 2016|Trees|0 Comments
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Sasanqua Camellia

This appears to be a Sasanqua Camellia, an evergreen shrub that blooms in fall or winter, depending on the cultivar. (Yours may be the popular 'Yuletide'.) Sasanquas do best in full sun to part shade and well-draining soil. Growing only to about 6ft. and more compact than it's larger cousins (the spring blooming Camellia) This camellia needs much more sun in order to bloom well as opposed to the spring bloomers who love partial shade.
You can use an acid fertilizer (suited to rhododendrons) after the flowers are spent. While in bud and bloom, the plant is dormant and does not need fertilizer. Camellia sasanqua drops its spent flowers, so it could be considered "self-cleaning" as opposed to the spring-flowering Camellia japonica, which holds onto its dried-up flowers.

By | 2016-03-22T22:04:12-07:00 March 22nd, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Mealybugs

Photo is a bit distant so cannot see the details of the infestation, but are the white markings on the left side of the plant mealybugs, especially if they have a cottony, fuzzy appearance and feel sticky? Mealybugs suck the nutrients out of the plant and will eventually kill it if left untreated. Consult your local garden center for confirmation of the problem and remedies. If they are mealybugs, you can hand remove them with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol and then rinsed off, but if there are a lot, you may want to wash them off with a strong stream of water, followed by a spray with insecticidal soap or pyrethrin product. If this is just a reflection, then the yellowing of the leaves may be due to irregular watering or possibly it is a plant that is sensitive to salts in the water.

By | 2016-03-22T17:21:18-07:00 March 22nd, 2016|Plant Diseases|0 Comments
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Poison Ivy

This may be poison ivy. The adage "leaves of 3, let it be" is important for poison ivy because it can be a shrub or a woody vine. Found most everywhere, it adapts to sun or shade conditions, various soil types, as well as wet or dry environments and can have different leaf shapes. When the plant is young, its stems are a light reddish-green to red and can be hairy or hairless. When the plant matures more, the stems become brown and woody. In the summer, the leaves tend to have a shiny coat, making it difficult to spray with a product to kill it. Also forms tiny flowers in the summer followed by berries. If it is growing in your garden , we suggest you dig it out and wear gloves. Dispose in the trash, not a compost pile, and do not burn as the toxins will become airborne.

By | 2016-03-22T16:03:50-07:00 March 22nd, 2016|Weeds|0 Comments
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Stem Cutting Propagation

You can re-cut the stem about 5-6 inches below the longest leaves, remove the damaged leaves (that were previously cut back) from the stem being careful not to damage the stem. Place this cut stem in moist soil, firm the soil around the stem so that it stands up-right, place in a brightly lit location (indoors is fine - out of direct sunlight) and wait for roots to form on the stem (below the soil). Do not water the soil again until it feels dry up to the middle of your index finger. These plants will usually form roots in about 8 weeks. You can tell when roots have formed by giving a slight upward tug on the stem - if it feels "caught" then you have roots. Care for the rooted stem like most any house plant - do not overwater!

By | 2016-03-22T15:44:36-07:00 March 22nd, 2016|House Plants|2 Comments
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Cymbidium Orchid

Your plant is a Cymbidium orchid of which there are many, many species and cultivars. If you have ever attended an orchid show, you will be amazed at the array of Cymbidiums in all shapes, sizes, colors, etc. As a plant indoors, it needs bright indiirect light, regular water but make sure the water drains out - do not allow the plants to sit in water as this leads to root rot, and feed with a slow release fertilizer formulated for blooming container plants. After you have enjoyed the flowering spikes and the flowers are spent, it would be best to place outdoors in a little more sun or partial sun. When temperatures dip in winter, that will signal your cymbidium to form flowering spikes again, but does not tolerate frost.

By | 2016-03-22T15:31:39-07:00 March 22nd, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Hosta Cultivar

There are thousands of Hosta cultivars and we cannot identify this specific cultivar for you. If you want or need to know more about it we suggest you contact a local Hosta Society to see if they can't tell you more about the plant. These plants love moist, well drained soil in light or full shade. There is a database of photos that might help you: http://www.hostalibrary.org/ If someone says, "Oh, that might be such-and-such" then you can look it up in the library to verify. This is a VERY popular shade plant not only for the variety of color and leaves but also for the blooms. They are pretty hardy, will die back in the fall and show up right on time in early spring. Just remove the spent foliage to protect the dormant plant from diseases or overwintering pests.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:17-07:00 March 22nd, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Tillandsia Xerographica

Tillandsias can live where few other plants can because in nature they live perched on branches and rocks and need no soil. Their soil-less habit is why they are called air plants. T. xerographica is native to Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. A majestically slow growing plant with silvery gray leaves that are wide at the base, then taper to curly points. Soak the entire plant in a bowl or bucket once every 5-7 days. Rain, pond or fish tank water is best, but if these are not available use bottled water. Chlorinated tap water can cause problems over time. Tip it upside down, give a shake to get water out of center and let it dry bottom end up. This will insure that no water is trapped, which causes rot. Does best in full sun to very bright light.

By | 2016-03-22T12:28:34-07:00 March 22nd, 2016|Tropical Plants|0 Comments
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We Do Not See A Problem

If there is a disruptive pest or disease here, we do not see it. Please take another photo showing the problem as well as any other information you might have about it and we will try again to help you. Some Pachira or money plant care tips include: regular water and feed with a slow-release or organic fertilizer formulated for container plants. They also need bright, indirect light and high humidity. Suggest you set up a tray of pebbles under the pot that you can fill with water to raise the humidity, but make sure the pot is not sitting in the water-place a brick underneath the pot. Also make sure you are feeding the plant during its growing cycle during the spring and summer. You can decrease the watering during the fall-winter months, but do not allow it to go completely dry.

By | 2016-03-22T12:10:49-07:00 March 22nd, 2016|House Plants|0 Comments
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