During much of his young life, my son carefully checked every food he put in his mouth. You could also call this a picky meal. But one day he happened to want to eat carrots. Even better, if I bought some colorful organic products from the supermarket, he would say: …
Read More »Persian shield: an exotic plant species
STROBILANTHES DYERIANUS Persian shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus) is a stunning ornamental plant that comes from the warm and humid nation of Myanmar and grows there as an evergreen perennial. It belongs to the Acanthaceae family, which mainly consists of flowering tropical plants. With its unique iridescent purple leaves, S. dyerianus has …
Read More »Use of egg shells in the garden for soil, compost and for pest control
While eggs can be the delight of many home cooks, Egg shells can be the bane of many home composters. I remember my reaction when I dug in to harvest my very first batch of finished compost. I was thrilled that all of my food waste and garden waste had …
Read More »How to identify and control soot stains and flyspeck in apples
Imagine this scenario with me: you examine your fruit trees, some that you have been growing for years. Much to your horror, most of your apples have nasty-looking sooty spots that can band together to cover all of the fruit, or spots that look like fly waste. Extension agents often …
Read More »How to manage root rot in fruit, nut and landscape trees and shrubs
Many fruit, nut and landscape trees can succumb to root rot caused by three types of fungi and a group of water molds (formerly considered fungi). These include the fungi Armillaria, Phymatotrichum and Xylaria as well as the water mold Phytophthora. The trees show different symptoms of these different diseases. …
Read More »How to draw purple martins in your garden
After a long flight from South America, a bird could use a juicy meal and a place to rest, right? For purple martins, these delicious insects and summer accommodations could be in your garden if you provide a decent home for these attractive and melodious birds. With the exception of …
Read More »Fight plant pathogens with the biofungicide Bacillus subtilis
Bacillus subtilis is a type of bacteria that can survive in the soil for a long time. Many strains are highly effective in colonizing plant roots and fighting plant pathogens. They can work directly against other microbes by producing a variety of antibiotics that infect fungi or bacteria. They can …
Read More »Vegetable seeds: which ones to sow outdoors or indoors?
You have your seed packs, you have the seeds you need, and you have a garden plan – it sounds like you’re ready to plant and grow a garden! But are you sure that you know which seeds can go straight into your garden floor and which ones better when …
Read More »How to identify and prevent Southern Blight on apple trees
Sclerotium rolfsii What is the name of a fungus that can infect hundreds of plant species and live on organic matter in the soil for years? A gardener’s nightmare! In this case, the nightmare is called the southern plague or southern tribe. An insidious mushroom called Sclerotium rolfsii (also known …
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