Recent Q&As
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What chewed the root on my new peach tree? It fell over!
Voles can cause serious damage to young peach trees by chewing through the roots, sometimes leaving so little root structure that the tree can be blown over by the wind. Pine voles and other vole species often hide beneath mulch while feeding, making fruit trees especially vulnerable. Keeping mulch pulled back from the trunk, removing hiding places, and using traps, baits, or castor bean oil repellents can help discourage voles and protect the roots of peach trees and other fruit trees.
Related Videos: Voles Vole Proofing and Planting Hostas Peach Trees: How-to and Information Keep Voles at Bay: Building Wire Cages to Protect Your Plants Related Resources: Voles Controlling Voles in Horticulture Plantings and Orchards in Missouri Voles |
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What is this vine growing in my plants? A: Carolina Moonseed
This is Carolina moonseed, also known as Carolina snail vine. It is a native vine in the southeast and southern Midwest that can grow aggressively. Its triangular leaves and clusters of red fall berries make it distinctive, but the berries are toxic to people, pets, and children. If removal is needed, careful treatment at the base with herbicide can help control the vine without damaging nearby plants.
Related Videos: What Is This Strange Purple Flower? What is this plant? A: Limelight Hydrangea Related Resources: Cocculus carolinus Cocculus carolinus |
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Why are the leaves on my peppers curling? They have stopped growing.
Bell pepper plants that suddenly stop growing, develop curled leaves, and produce brown or abnormal fruit may be affected by aster yellows, a disease that can cause severe stunting and distorted growth in a variety of plants. Although aster yellows is not commonly seen in peppers, it can occur and is spread by insects. Bacterial wilt can cause similar symptoms and is another possibility, particularly when several plants in the same area are affected. Overwatering and poor drainage can also contribute to pepper plant problems, especially when landscape fabric or other mulch materials slow water from escaping and keep the root zone excessively wet. Because diseases such as aster yellows and bacterial wilt cannot be cured once a plant is infected, affected pepper plants should be removed, placed in a bag, and discarded rather than added to the compost pile.
Related Videos: Growing Peppers Nutrient-Deficient Pepper Fix Related Resources: Aster yellows Aster Yellows |
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Why are my chrysanthemums blooming in May?
Chrysanthemums can bloom as early as May, although the timing depends on weather, variety, and the amount of darkness they receive. Left unpinched, chrysanthemums may produce flowers from May through July, while the familiar fall-blooming plants sold in garden centers are carefully pinched back during the growing season to encourage branching and create a full, rounded plant before allowing them to flower. Chrysanthemums are sensitive to day length, responding primarily to the length of the night, so plants growing in different locations can bloom at different times. Varieties also naturally fall into early-, mid-, and late-season bloomers. For chrysanthemums that flower in the fall, regular pinching when shoots reach about 6 inches and again when new branches reach 6 to 8 inches can help delay flowering and produce the classic fall display.
Related Videos: Chrysanthemums Caring for Chrysanthemums (Mums): A Guide to Choosing and Maintaining Mums Chrysanthemum Lace Bug Related Resources: Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum Care |
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My dogwood is wilting. Does it have a disease?
A 25-year-old dogwood that appears to be wilting may not have a disease at all. In this case, the symptoms point more toward water stress, particularly because there was no visible leaf discoloration, powdery mildew, or dead branches. Dogwoods are naturally understory trees, so one growing in an open, sunny lawn can experience greater water stress, especially during drought. Because dogwood roots are relatively shallow and extend well beyond the tree’s drip line—potentially two to two and a half times the width of the canopy—it is important to water the entire root zone rather than concentrating water only beneath the tree. Avoid damaging these shallow roots with lawnmowers or other equipment, and provide thorough watering during dry periods to help the tree recover.
Related Videos: How do I get my dogwood tree to bloom? Why did my 3-year-old dogwood die when I watered it during a drought? Related Resources: Dogwood, Kousa Growing Flowering Dogwood Trees |
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How do I get rid of bishop weed?
Bishop weed is a difficult perennial weed to control because it can regenerate from portions of the plant, including pieces of its root system, so repeated pulling may not provide lasting control. One option is to cut the foliage back and apply a concentrated systemic herbicide such as glyphosate to the freshly cut stems, allowing the herbicide to move into the roots. For larger infestations, another approach is to cut the plants back, treat the remaining stumps, and cover the area with black plastic topped with mulch for about a year to smother any remaining growth. Patience and persistence are important when dealing with bishop weed, as it can be an aggressive spreader. Gardeners should also be cautious when purchasing cultivated, variegated forms of bishop weed from garden centers, since these plants can escape cultivation and spread into areas where they are not wanted.
Related Videos: Three Ways to Wipe on Herbicide Soil Solarization Kills Weeds Related Resources: Bishop's Goutweed What can be done to control Bishop’s weed? |
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What is causing these small dark spots on my mums?
Dark spots on chrysanthemum leaves can be caused by feeding from fourlined plant bugs, an insect that produces a very distinctive pattern of damage. As the bugs feed, they inject a chemical into the leaf tissue that liquefies the cells, allowing them to suck out the damaged tissue through their piercing mouthparts. This creates depressed, nearly circular spots that eventually develop darker areas as the tissue dies. Organic control options include insecticidal soap, horticultural oils, and neem oil. These products should be used carefully, especially during hot, sunny weather, because they can cause phytotoxicity or damage to plant foliage. For gardeners willing to use conventional insecticides, products containing permethrin or bifenthrin can provide effective control and longer residual activity. Identifying the characteristic circular feeding damage can help confirm fourlined plant bugs as the cause before selecting a control method.
Related Videos: Chrysanthemums Chrysanthemums Caring for Chrysanthemums (Mums): A Guide to Choosing and Maintaining Mums Related Resources: Chrysanthemums Chrysanthemums are a fall favorite | Mums in the home garden |
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Is there an organic way to control grass in a vegetable garden?
Controlling grass in a vegetable garden without synthetic herbicides can take some work, but several organic methods are effective. For small areas, dig out the grass with a shovel, going deep enough to remove as much of the root system as possible. Another option is to lay cardboard over the area and cover it with mulch to block sunlight and smother unwanted grass. Concentrated acetic acid is another organic herbicide option, but it works only as a contact burn-down, damaging the plant tissue it touches without moving into the roots. This makes it less effective on perennial grasses such as Bermuda grass and means repeated applications may be necessary. Because acetic acid can damage vegetables and other plants it contacts, careful application is important.
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What are these bare patches in my Bermuda lawn? They get larger every year.
Bare spots in a Bermuda grass lawn can have several causes, including white grub damage, hunting billbugs, and fungal diseases such as spring dead spot. When bare patches expand from year to year without clearly defined edges, grub feeding on grass roots is one possibility worth investigating. A simple lawn test involves cutting a one-foot square of sod near the advancing edge of the damaged area, peeling it back, and checking the soil for white grubs. Billbug damage can also affect Bermuda and zoysia lawns and may resemble winter injury; look for small feeding holes near the base of the grass blades. Fungal problems can vary depending on the type of turfgrass and the season, with spring dead spot being a concern in Bermuda grass. Properly identifying the cause of expanding bare spots is the first step toward choosing the right lawn treatment and restoring healthy Bermuda grass.
Related Videos: Spring Dead Spot Is there a way to get rid of fairy rings in our lawn? Summer Lawn Diseases Related Resources: Turfgrass Diseases and Their Control Lawn Diseases Turfgrass Diseases in Georgia: Identification and Control |
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My wisteria has splotchy leaves. What should I do?
Splotchy leaves on wisteria don’t necessarily mean trouble. This American wisteria (‘Amethyst Falls’) may simply need a larger container, better nutrition, or attention to minor aphid activity. Learn how to keep ‘Amethyst Falls’ healthy in a container or plant it in the ground, plus why its more controlled growth makes it a great alternative to invasive wisteria varieties.
Related Videos: How do you get a wisteria to bloom? How do I get wisteria seeds to sprout? Related Resources: Wisteria A Mystery for Most Gardeners Wisteria blooms are early signs of spring |
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What is happening to my bee balm? It is not blooming.
This bee balm is being affected by powdery mildew, a common problem on Monarda, especially late in the season. However, it usually affects the plant’s appearance more than its health. Learn why bee balm may not bloom well, how full sun and good air circulation can help reduce powdery mildew, when to cut plants back, and how choosing powdery mildew-resistant cultivars can help. These strategies can lead to healthier-looking foliage and better blooms. Here is a link to the monarda (bee balm) study Celeste talked about: https://mtcubacenter.org/trials/monarda/
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How do I get rid of algae
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How do I get rid of a large area of ground ivy without using chemicals?
Ground ivy or creeping Charlie is in the mint family and likes to grow in shady areas that are poorly drained. To get rid of it now you could try to pull it out, but you need to get all the roots or it will come back. For a large area you could close mow it repeatedly, or solarize the ground. To solarize, cover the ground with plastic for a few days in the hot summer and let the heat build up underneath. That will kill all the plants that are growing in that area, including the ground ivy. Long term, get more light into the area and improve drainage.
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When is a good time to seed bare areas in my fescue lawn?
Fescue is a cool season grass. In the southern United States cool season grasses grow in the fall and winter. UT Extension Agent Booker T. Leigh says the best time to sow seeds is when the grass starts growing in the fall. He recommends using a garden rake or even a tiller to loosen up the soil a little to help the seeds make good soil contact. Also, keep the ground moist until the new plants are established. Booker says you may want to come back in March and overseed the area again to get a thick stand of grass.
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How do I get rid of chocolate vine? It is taking over my yard!
Chocolate vine is a beautiful plant, but its aggressive growth habits can make it a difficult invasive vine to remove from the landscape. Horticulture experts explain why chocolate vine keeps returning, how its root system allows it to spread, and the best methods for long-term control. Learn about persistent removal strategies, proper timing for herbicide applications, digging techniques, and why patience is essential when dealing with tough perennial vines.
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