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What is a Red Banana Tree? Ornamental red banana trees can belong to either the Ensete or Musa genera. Ensete, also known as enset, is an important food crop in Ethiopia, and an ornamental plant enjoyed in landscapes around the world. Though the bananas they produce are not edible, Ensete plants do produce food in the form of a starchy corm (underground storage organ) and a starchy stem base. Enset farmers in Ethiopia dig up the corms and lower stems of mature trees and process them into bread or porridge....

With all the materials available, it won’t take long to finish decorations for several tables. When possible, try to include someone who’s familiar with the little nuances of putting together a succulent display, but if nobody is available, look for instructions online. What is a Succulent Party? There are many reasons for a succulent party, as mentioned above and others. You can throw a succulent party just for entertainment. The growing popularity of low care succulent plants has piqued everyone’s interest in this favorite plant....

Trellis Support for Plants Trellising in gardens does, indeed, allow and encourage the upward growth of bountiful blooms or attractive foliage. A trellis is often attached to a pergola. Using them together provides upward growth on the sides and spreading growth on top. That said, they’re most often freestanding. A trellis is used for more than ornamental greenery and blooms though. It can be a great support for many fruits and vegetables that grow in your edible garden....

What is Apple Soggy Breakdown? Apple soggy breakdown is a problem that affects certain apple varieties during storage. Among the varieties most often affected include: Honeycrisp Jonathan Golden Delicious Northwest Greening Grimes Golden Symptoms of Soggy Breakdown The signs of soggy breakdown disorder can be seen when you cut an affected apple in half. Brown, soft tissue will appear inside the fruit, and the flesh may be spongy or mealy. The brown area will appear in the shape of a ring or partial ring under the skin and around the core....

What is Cachexia Xyloporosis? Not everyone is familiar with the citrus xyloporosis virus, and this includes many who grow citrus crops. So exactly what is cachexia xyloporosis? Cachexia xyloporosis is a plant disease caused by a viroid, a small, infectious RNA molecule. Cachexia, also known as xyloporosis cachexia of citrus, can be identified by distinctive symptoms. These include severe pitting and gumming in the bark and wood. Xyloporosis cachexia of citrus attacks some tangerine species including Orlando tangelo, mandarins and sweet lime....

What is Down Lighting? Down lighting is simply lighting up your garden with lamps that are angled down, not up. When you place lamps above an object instead of below it, the result imitates natural light. This is especially true when the light fixture is concealed in a tree or underneath some element of hardscaping. All a garden visitor sees is the warm glow without being able to determine where it comes from....

What is Kweik Lettuce? Kweik is a variety of butter lettuce. Some common varieties of butter lettuce that you’re likely to see in the grocery store are Bibb and Boston. Butter lettuces are known for forming a loose head of light to bright green leaves, a tender texture, and a less bitter, sweeter flavor than other types of lettuce. Among butter lettuce varieties, Kweik is fast-growing, tolerates cold, and produces loose, lime-green heads....

What is Mint Mulch? Mint hay compost is a byproduct of the peppermint and spearmint oil industry. The most common method for commercially extracting the essential oils from mint is by steam distillation. This process starts with the fall harvest of mint plants. Commercial mint crops are harvested in much the same way as grass and legume hay, hence the name mint hay. Mature plants are cut by machine and allowed to air dry in the fields for several days....

What is Palmer’s Grappling Hook? The arid inhospitable desert regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico are home to very adaptable plant and animal species. These organisms must be able to withstand searing heat, long drought periods, freezing night temperatures, and low nutrient food sources. Palmer’s grappling-hook is native to the desert and coastal sand areas of California and Arizona as well as Baja and Sonora in Mexico. Other members of its plant community are chaparral, mesquite, creosote bush, and coastal scrub....

Growing Patty Pan Squash Plants With a delicate, mild flavor, much akin to zucchini, the patty pan squash, also referred to as the scallop squash, is a small variety of summer squash. Lesser known than its relatives, yellow squash or zucchini, patty pans have a distinct shape which some people describe as similar to a flying saucer. The fun shape of the fruit growing on patty pan squash plants may also be an enticement to getting the kids to eat their veggies....

What is Pierce’s Disease? Some grape species are prone to a disease known as Pierce’s disease. Pierce’s disease in grapes is the result of a type of bacteria known as Xylella fastidiosa. This bacterium is found in the xylem of the plant (the water-conducting tissues) and spreads from plant to plant by a particular sap insect known as a sharpshooter. Symptoms of Pierce’s Disease There are several signs occurring in mid to late summer that indicate the disease is present....

What is RBDV (Raspberry Bushy Dwarf Virus)? If you’re seeking raspberry bushy dwarf info, you’re not alone. Many raspberry growers are shocked by the signs of raspberry bushy dwarf disease when they first appear, especially the fruit symptoms. Instead of setting healthy fruits, raspberries infected with raspberry bushy dwarf virus have fruits that are smaller than normal or crumble at harvest time. Yellow ring spots may appear briefly in the spring on expanding leaves, but soon disappear, making detection difficult if you’re not in the brambles frequently....

Why is soil percolation important? Read on to learn what soil percolation is and how to test soil percolation. What is Soil Percolation? Anytime you plant or sow seeds, the instructions will most certainly say to plant in well-drained soil. This is because while it is a simple matter to introduce more water, it’s quite difficult to remove an excess of water in the soil. Percolation in the soil is simply the movement of the water through the soil and a soil percolation test is the means to measuring this movement....

What is Tomato Gray Leaf Spot? You head out to inspect your bountiful tomato plants only to discover brown to gray lesions with a yellow halo. This is a common fungal disease that affects plants at any stage of their life. This is a fungal disease and doesn’t affect those marvelous fruits, but it can diminish the health of the plant and, therefore, the quality of fruit production. Gray leaf spot on tomatoes is caused by the fungus Stemphylium solani....

What is “Winterkill Grass?” “Winterkill” is a catchall term used to describe lawn problems after winter. It is caused by a variety of factors such as desiccation, crown hydration, cold temperatures, ice sheets, and snow mold. Winter lawn damage varies greatly depending upon environmental conditions as well as other factors such as drainage and the type of grass being grown. Why has My Lawn Died over Winter? Low temperatures are one of the biggest causes of winterkill grass....

Common Bergenia Issues Bergenia prefers to grow in moist, but excellent draining, soil in part shade. While it can tolerant dry soil, it cannot tolerate extreme heat, intense afternoon sun, drought, or waterlogged soil. One of the most common bergenia issues is simply being planted in the wrong site with one or more of these environmental factors causing damage. In areas with intense afternoon sun, bergenia may experience sunscald. Sunscald can cause foliage to turn yellow and wilt or dry up, turn brown, and become crumbly....

What’s Wrong with My Calendula? As mentioned, even easy-to-care for calendula can fall victim to pests and diseases. Insects One of the most common problems with calendula is a tiny insect that likes the blooms as much as you do. Aphid feeding causes curled leaves and they also produce honeydew which attracts ants. Aphids love to feed on the undersides of the leaves, but a good blast with the hose will knock many of them off or, if this calendula problem is severe, treat the plants with insecticidal soap....

When to Start Seeds in Zone 6 As mentioned, zone 6 has a frost-free date range of March 30th to April 30th with a more definitive first freeze-free date of May 15th and a last freeze-free date of October 15th. These dates are intended to be a guideline. Different areas of zone 6 may vary by as much as two weeks depending upon the microclimate, but the above dates will give you a gist of when to start seeds in zone 6....

Houseplants With White Flowers The following houseplants that are white will make great additions to your home (keep in mind that this is merely a list of popular types, as there are numerous white flowering houseplants to choose from): Peace Lily. The peace lily is a great option for houseplants with white flowers and is commonly available. They prefer lower light than most flowering houseplants and have beautifully glossy leaves, producing many white flowers (or spathes) when suitable growing conditions are met....

Hens and chicks are so named because the main plant (hen) produces offsets (chicks) on a thin runner, often in abundance. What happens when you notice drying leaves on hens and chicks? Are they dying? What, if anything, can be done to remedy the issue? Why are Hens and Chicks Dying? Also known as ‘forever alive,’ the Latin translation for Sempervivum, there’s no end to the multiplication of this plant....