Leaf Miners

/Leaf Miners/

Leaf Miners

Not to worry these are just leaf miners. A tiny fly visited your plant last week and deposited a single egg between the upper and lower leaf surface. The egg has hatched and turned into a hungry little worm which is eating all of the good stuff inside. First of all -- they will not effect the quality of quantity of the tomatoes. They don't bother the fruit and they're so small the plant can still produce tomatoes with a few leaf miners eating their way through your leaves. It's okay. The easiest way to get rid of them is to simply remove the leaf and throw it away. You can also squish the little worm inside by squeezing the entire leaf between your thumb and forefinger a couple of times -- ugh :( Or, you can just leave him alone. It's not hurting anything.

By | 2016-04-09T14:34:46-07:00 April 9th, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
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Scale Infestation

This appears to be a type of scale, cottony cushion scale, and is a sap sucking insect that attaches itself to the leaves and stems. Wiping them off with a damp cloth can be effective if caught early, but yours may be more extensive. Organic controls include spraying with horticultural oil being sure to coat all leaf surface. Make sure you spray in the early evening to prevent sun scald. Or cut off the worst of the infected leaves if it will not defoliate your plant. If you wish to undertake chemical control, look for a systemic formulated for scale and for maple plants. Use according to directions for your plant.
Here is the same link on pests that you might find helpful: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7408.html

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:00-07:00 April 9th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Fiddle Leaf Fig Problem

The symptoms on your fig may be cultural. The brown edges could be the result of chlorine and/or fluoride in the water. Many houseplants are endemic to the tropics and are sensitive to salts and other chemicals used to treat our water. Try using distilled steam iron water or let tap water sit in an open container overnight so that the chlorine will dissipate. Also the fiddle leaf fig should not be overwatered - water only when the top inch or so of soil is dry. Raising the humidity may help - set the pot on a tray of gravel and fill the tray with water (but do not let the pot sit in the water as this may lead to root rot). Feed with a slow release or organic fertilizer formulated for container houseplants and try to stay away from chemical fertilizers that are high in nitrogen and salts.

By | 2016-04-09T10:58:18-07:00 April 9th, 2016|House Plants|10 Comments
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Mildew And Black Sooty Mold

The black sooty mold is probably the result of sucking insect damage such as aphids, mealybugs or scale and the white powdery substance is likely mildew or it might be due to whitefly. For sucking insects and mildew spray with a suffocant such as a horticultural oil but spray in the early evening to avoid burning the foliage during the heat of the day. There are also chemical systemics available for ornamental plants as another option, but you would need to get rid of the current problem first and the systemic would be for future control. If you have whitefly, spray with Spinosad, another organic control for chewing insects. Spray after the bees have returned to their hives in the early evening. Once the spray is dried, it is not harmful to beneficial insects.

By | 2016-04-09T10:30:49-07:00 April 9th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Wood Violet

Your plant might be the fragrant wood violet. Leaves are heart-shaped and the plant makes a good ground cover especially under shrubs or trees. Its fragrant blue-violet, pink, or white petite flowers appear in spring-summer. Prefers partial shade and regular water. Control spread by cutting back runners in autumn or digging out if you do not want it spreading to other areas. If you disagree, please take another photo showing the open flower facing the camera as well as any other information you might have about it and we will try to help you identify it, but from this photo we think it might be a V. odorata. Or you can take a few clippings to a horticulturist at your local garden center to see if it can be identified in hand.

By | 2016-04-09T06:56:46-07:00 April 9th, 2016|Perennials|1 Comment
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Tomato Problem

This is puzzling. Do you see anything on the leaves? Doesn't look like insect damage or sun scald. If there is erratic weather from hot to cold or irregular watering, this could also lead to die-back of branches. And there was a heat wave this week. This website may help you figure it out. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/tomato.html. You could also take a sample to a local nursery for identification of the problem. Also suggest you clear the bark from the main stem of the plant so that the bark is not directly up against the stem where excess moisture may build up leading to disease. Feed with a slow-release or organic fertilizer formulated for tomatoes and supplement with a liquid organic foliar feed such as liquid kelp. Tomatoes are heavy feeders.

By | 2016-04-09T04:10:58-07:00 April 9th, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
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Verticillium Wilt

This could well be verticillium wilt, which unfortunately attacks lilac trees, although rarely. It's caused by a soil inhabiting fungus which clogs the plants vascular system. Wood under the bark may exhibit discolored streaks or bands. Confirmed ID is only possible through laboratory tests.

There is no chemical cure. Infected trees should be watered throughout the growing season. High nitrogen fertilizers increase wilt severity; applying a 10-10-10 may help. Remove all dead branches, pruning back to wood showing no streaking. If you replace your tree, choose a species that's not subject to verticillium. Particularly susceptible plants—ones to avoid—include maples, smoke bush, sumac, barberry, Catalpa, redbud, and roses.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:00-07:00 April 9th, 2016|Plant Diseases|0 Comments
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Mildew On Citrus

The white fluffy appearing residue might be from one of the many forms of mildew, many of which are called powdery mildew. Most are prolifc in conditions of warm weather and high humidity. Or it could be residue from overhead spraying with water or chemicals. We cannot tell for sure. Suggest you take a few clippings to a horticulturist at your local garden center or botanic garden to confirm the problem and the recommended control. Also if the citrus is in full sun for 6-8 hours and receives regular water and fed with a slow release or organic fertilizer formulated for citrus, it should be flowers and fruits. But if it was planted less than three years ago, fruiting trees usually bear sizable crops after three to five years.

By | 2016-04-09T01:34:39-07:00 April 9th, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Rhododendron

Your stunning flowering shrub is a Rhododendron. As plants, many kinds of these showy evergreen shrubs are grown in various parts of the country. It is a genus of 500-900 species of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs. Some can reach the height of 80 ft and some can creep at ground level so you see them as prostrate shrubs. In order to help with identification they have been divided into 5 groups. They are grown for their showy flowers and beautiful array of colors. They like moist, well drained acidic soil. Shallow planting is essential in that they will not tolerate deep planting. Most like dappled shade in sheltered conditions. They do not tolerate heat well so you see them in the northern, cooler climate regions.

By | 2016-04-08T21:14:04-07:00 April 8th, 2016|Shrubs|0 Comments
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Draceana Care

Dracaena do best in bright, indirect light. Do not place in hot, direct sun. These plants are prone to root rot if overwatered, especially in lower light. In high light areas be sure you do not let the soil dry out completely. In lower to medium light, you should water Dracaena when soil has dried down 1/2 to 3/4 the depth of the pot. If in very bright light, allow the soil to dry down about 1/2 the depth of the soil depth before watering thoroughly. Make sure drainage occurs from the bottom of the pot with each watering. Use a slow release fertilizer formulated for tropical houseplants according to the fertilizer label recommendations. We do not give advice about the affects of animals eating plants and recommend you check with a vet in these situations.

By | 2016-04-08T20:30:38-07:00 April 8th, 2016|House Plants|0 Comments
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