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What is Cedar Hawthorn Rust? Caused by a fungus called Gymnosporangium globosum, Cedar hawthorn rust disease is a disfiguring condition of hawthorns and junipers. Although it rarely kills trees, the trees never recover from the damage. You can prune out the worst of it, but once it affects the entire tree, your only choices are to learn to live with it or take the tree down. In addition to the rust-colored spots on the leaves, hawthorns may have rusty-looking “fingers” projecting from the fruit....

Growing Chamomile Lawns Growing chamomile lawns have a few advantages over grass turf. They do not require regular mowing, fertilizing, or edging and are ideal in areas where mower access is a challenge and foot traffic is minimal. The German variety, Matricicaria chamomile, grows between 1 and 2 feet (31-61 cm.) tall and is used around beds or amongst the garden proper. It is grown not only for decorative purposes, but this type of chamomile is used for its herbal, medicinal qualities....

What Age Do Citrus Trees Produce Fruit? A lot goes into growing citrus trees that are healthy and productive, so be sure to do your homework before you choose and plant a tree. One of the most important questions you need answered is ‘How old is a citrus tree when it fruits?’ If you aren’t aware of when a tree will begin to produce, you could be really disappointed. Citrus tree fruiting depends on citrus tree maturity, and when exactly a tree will be mature depends on the variety....

What are Coccid Scales? Though it is sometimes confused with a plant disease or fungus, soft scale on plants is actually an insect infestation. Like vampires, these insects suck the sap from the vascular system of plants. The plant itself will yellow and wither; it may also grow distorted and stunted. A sticky, scale-looking substance may be visible on the underside of leaves and stems. Gray mold oftentimes will grow over the top of the scale....

About Zone 3 Roses If you hear or read of someone mentioning “,” those would be some that were developed by Dr. Griffith Buck to survive in harsh climates. There are also the Explorer Series rosebushes of Canada (developed by Agriculture Canada). Another of those growing and testing rosebushes is a lady named Barbara Rayment, the owner/operator of Birch Creek Nursery near Prince George, in British Columbia, Canada. Right smack in Canadian zone 3, she puts roses through rigorous testing before they can be placed on her list of roses for zone 3....

When fungal diseases, such as tar spot or powdery mildew, are in an area, unless your landscape is in its own protective bio-dome, it is susceptible. You can take preventative measures, treat your own plants with fungicides and be religious about garden clean up, but you can’t catch every airborne spore or infected leaf that may blow into your yard. Fungus happens. So what do you do in autumn when you have a yard full of fungal infected fallen leaves?...

How to Grow Container Carrots Grow carrots in containers in soil that is lightweight and well drained. Grow carrots in containers that are deep enough for the carrots’ development. Containers should have drainage holes, as root crops may rot if left in soggy soil. Miniature and Oxheart varieties are most suitable when you grow carrots in containers. Roots of these carrots are only 2 to 3 inches (5-7.6 cm.) long at maturity....

Contorted Mulberry Info The leaves of this attractive tree are a light green color, somewhat glossy, and heart-shaped. They turn yellow in the fall. From mid to late summer, small yellow flowers bloom followed by fruit similar in shape and size to a blackberry. Fruit is white and ripens to a pink or light violet. Depending on variety, it can take up to ten years for a tree to start producing fruit....

The plants grew so well that, within five years, nearly all of oats planted in Iowa and half planted in North America were the Victoria strain. Although the plants were rust resistant, they were highly susceptible to Victoria blight in oats. The disease soon reached epidemic proportions. As a result, many oat cultivars that have proven to be resistant to crown rust are susceptible to Victoria blight of oats. Let’s learn about the signs and symptoms of oats with Victoria blight....

Controlling Grubs in Containers The most effective way to eliminate grubs in potted plants is getting rid of the infested soil. This won’t hurt the plant if you work carefully; in fact, your plant may benefit from repotting, especially if the roots are crowded in the pot. Here’s how to eliminate grubs in container plants: Put on a pair of gloves, then spread a sheet of plastic or newspaper over your work area and remove the plant carefully from the pot....

About Mugwort Weeds Prior to a big kill campaign, you should know your enemy. Mugwort leaves look like chrysanthemum leaves with smooth, dark green upper leaves and a lighter green underside that is hairy. The hairs have a whitish cast and give the leaves the impression of being silver. Leaves are elliptical and deeply notched, growing 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm.) long. Mugwort weeds are sprawling, spreading plants that bloom from July to September....

Many people use Virginia creeper as a ground cover in large open spots and control rapid growth by clipping it frequently. Even though the vine is attractive, it can easily become a nuisance because of its aggressive climbing habit. When this happens, it helps to learn ways for getting rid of Virginia creeper. Virginia Creeper or Poison Ivy? Although Virginia creeper is often found growing with poison ivy, they are two distinctly different plants....

That being said, if you want a little adventure and some fresh air, then cutting your own Christmas tree can be a lot of fun. You can either go to a Christmas tree farm where they provide the saws and nicely groomed trees or you can venture out into the woods to find your own. Check with a forest ranger ahead of time if you plan to go tree hunting in the wild....

Cyclamen Seed Info As houseplants, cyclamen are either deadheaded too frequently to produce seed or they just don’t survive long enough. By not deadheading all the cyclamen blooms on florist cyclamen, you can allow viable seed to grow for propagation of new plants. After blooms fade, the flower stems will elongate and curl, spiral, or arch down toward the soil. Some describe these curled stems as looking like snakes. At the end of each stem, a round seed capsule will form....

Cypress Tree Info Cypress trees have a straight trunk that tapers at the base, giving it a soaring perspective. In cultivated landscapes, they grow 50 to 80 feet (15-24 m.) tall with a spread of 20 to 30 feet (6-9 m.). These deciduous conifers have short needles with a feathery appearance. Most varieties have needles that turn brown in winter, but a few have lovely yellow or gold fall color. Bald cypress has a tendency to form “knees,” which are pieces of root that grow above the ground in odd and sometimes mysterious shapes....

Outdoor Bug Control for Houseplants It is so important to take care of bugs on outdoor houseplants before bringing them back indoors for many reasons. The most important reason is to protect the spread of pests to any plants that have remained indoors. Prevention and early control are key in successful pest eradication. Debugging houseplants does not have to be complicated, but it is an important part of houseplant care....

What are Double Hellebores? Also known as Lenten Rose or Christmas Rose, hellebores are early blooming perennials for zones 4 through 9. Their nodding flowers are oftentimes one of the first plants in the garden to start blooming and their foliage may be semi evergreen to evergreen in most climates. Due to their coarse, serrated foliage and waxy blooms, hellebores are rarely eaten by deer or rabbits. Hellebores grow best in part to full shade....

Prior to Feeding a Dracaena Plant Before we discuss feeding a dracaena and dracaena fertilizer needs, let’s talk about some problems that might resemble fertilization errors. Leaf tips and edges may turn brown from the wrong kind of fertilizer. However, they may display this problem from too little humidity as well, so before you fertilize, correct humidity issues if needed. Mist daily, place a pebble tray nearby, or purchase a room humidifier....

Why the Leaves on Amaryllis are Drooping Amaryllis is an easy-care plant, provided the basic needs are met. When they don’t get the right amount of water, fertilizer or sunlight at the proper time in their bloom cycle, it may result in limp, yellow leaves. You can prevent this situation and increase your plant’s lifespan by keeping its basic needs in mind. Water: Amaryllis need frequent watering and excellent drainage. Although some kits are designed for growing amaryllis in a water culture, with this method these plants will always be sickly and short-lived – they simply aren’t designed to sit in stagnant water all day....

Early Prolific Plum Info Rivers Early plum trees need a full sun location to produce their best. With good soil and careful establishment, Early Prolific plum care is minimal, requiring just annual pruning and feeding, and attention to water. United States Department of Agriculture zones 6 to 8 are perfect for Early Prolific plum tree growing. Early Prolific is an English variety developed in Herfordshire around 1820. The parent is a Precoce de Tours....