Why is My Loquat Tree Dropping Leaves? There are a couple of reasons for loquat leaf loss. Since they are subtropical, loquats do not respond favorably to drops in temperature, specifically in the spring when Mother Nature tends to be rather moody. When there is a sudden dip in temps, the loquat may respond by losing leaves. With regard to temperature, loquat trees will tolerate temperatures down to 12 degrees F....

Ridding the Garden of Monkey Grass Monkey grass is normally a favorite addition among gardeners, as it is extremely easy to grow and care for. It’s also the plant’s hardiness and carefree nature that can result in its invasiveness though, as the eagerly growing monkey grass begins to turn up in unwanted areas of the landscape. That’s when monkey grass control becomes necessary. How to Get Rid of Monkey Grass Removing monkey grass can be difficult but not impossible....

When to Prune Rosemary Rosemary pruning can be done anytime during the spring or summer up until four to six weeks before the first frost. Pruning rosemary after this time, or in the fall and winter, can cause the rosemary shrub to focus on growing new, tender growth rather than hardening off and protecting the growth that it has. If a rosemary bush does not harden itself off, it will be more susceptible to winter damage which can kill it....

Ruffled Fan Palm Care Growing ruffled fan tree is pretty easy if you follow the basic care advice below: The ruffled fan palm houseplant prefers partial to complete shade. It can tolerate more sun when it is more established, but prefers shadier conditions. Too much direct sunlight will turn their leaves brown. This is a fantastic palm to grow in cooler climates since they can tolerate a minimum temperature of about 32 degrees F....

Palm Weevil Damage Weevils on sago palms can kill the plants. The eggs don’t damage the plants, nor do the weevil adults. It is when the weevils are in the larva stage that palm weevil damage occurs. The life cycle of the palm weevil begins when the adult female weevils lay eggs on or near the sago palm trees. The larva hatches out of the eggs in a few days and bore into the living tissues of the tree....

Where do Seedless Watermelons Come From? First off, seedless watermelons are not completely seed-free. There are some small, almost transparent, seeds to be found in the melon; they are unremarkable and edible. Occasionally, you will find a “true” seed in a seedless variety. Seedless varieties are hybrids and are derived from a fairly complex process. Hybrids, if you remember, do not breed true from seed. You may end up with a mutt of a plant with a mix of traits....

How Does Self-Pollination of Fruit Trees Work? Most fruit trees must be cross-pollinated, which requires at least one tree of a different variety located within 50 feet (15 m.). Pollination occurs when bees, insects, or birds transfer pollen from the male part (anther) of a blossom on one tree to the female part of the blossom (stigma) on another tree. Trees that require a cross-pollinator include all types of apples and most sweet cherries, as well as some types of plums and some pears....

There are numerous gardening tools for seniors and methods to assist a gardener that is experiencing the march of time. Senior gardening activities may require some adaptation and knowledge on elderly accessible gardens. Creating an Easy Care Senior Garden Low stamina and limited mobility are two of the biggest impacts of aging. Continued enjoyment in the garden may be diminished if it is difficult to get around or the routine of work is too vast....

Identifying Septoria Leaf Canker Septoria on tomato leaves manifests as water spots that are 1/16 to 1/4 inch (2-6 mm.) wide. As the spots mature, they have brown edges and lighter tan centers and become septoria leaf cankers. A magnifying glass would confirm the presence of small black fruiting bodies in the center of the spots. These fruiting bodies will ripen and explode and spread more fungal spores. The disease doesn’t leave marks on the stems or fruit but does spread upward to younger foliage....

Are Shore Flies and Fungus Gnats the Same? Both fungus gnats and shore flies thrive in moist conditions that are commonly found in a greenhouse. They are especially prevalent during propagation, plug production, and prior to well-established root systems on plants. Both fungus gnats and shore flies fall into the order Diptera along with flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and midges. While both are annoying to humans, only fungus gnats actually inflict damage to plants (normally the roots from larvae feeding), so no, they are not the same....

Should I Bag My Fruit? When you installed those fruit trees in your backyard, you probably did not intend to start growing fruit in bags. But you may not have realized, either, just how much maintenance they would require. For example, commercial growers who want beautiful, blemish-free apples, spray the trees early and often with pesticides and fungicides. The spraying starts in late winter/early spring. It is repeated, often on a weekly basis, through harvest....

What are Soil Borne Pathogens? All soil ecosystems contain various soil borne organisms. It is not until these organisms in the soil are able to infect plants via suitable conditions or susceptibility that they begin to cause issues for garden crops. Pathogens are organisms in the soil that cause problems or disease. Diseases caused by soil borne pathogens can impact plants in a variety of ways. While pre-emergent pathogens can cause damping off or failure of seedlings to thrive, other organisms in the soil may cause issues within the root zone or crown of plants....

Best Plants for South-Facing Gardens There are plenty of plants that tolerate south-facing light, and many that will thrive. You need plants that enjoy full sun but also do well in the heat. During the summer, even in northern climates, sunny, southern areas can get very hot. Here are some great choices for your south-facing border, bed, or lawn: Sunflower: A classic plant for bright, sunny locations, the sunflower comes in a number of varieties and sizes for nearly any garden space....

For example, large trees should be no closer than 15 feet (5 m.) from a building. Whatever tree you are considering, find out if diseases and pests are frequent issues. It is very important to know the height of the mature tree to be sure placement is correct. Also, be sure to watch out for those power lines! Below are recommended shade trees for South Central states— Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas....

Veronica Speedwell Info An easy to care for perennial with flowers in an array of vibrant blues, pinks, and white, the speedwell is drought resistant but should be watered in the summer when there is less than an inch (2.5 cm.) of rainfall per week. The plant has a long blooming season, from June to August, and is fairly pest and disease resistant as well, with the exception of some issues like powdery mildew, spider mites, and thrips....

Which Spring Flowering Branches Can Be Forced? Almost any spring flowering shrub or tree can be forced indoors. Some of the more popular spring flowering branches for forcing are: almond apple cherry dogwood forsythia hawthorn honeysuckle lilac magnolia pear pussy willow quince redbud serviceberry spirea wisteria witch hazel How to Force Branches to Bloom Indoors When forcing branches to bloom inside the first step is to select a branch. In mid to late winter, go out to the shrub or tree that you will be taking branches for forcing....

How to Treat a Staghorn Fern Over Winter As a rule, staghorn ferns are not at all tolerant of cold temperatures. There are a couple of exceptions, such as the bifurcatum variety that can survive temperatures as low as 30 F. (1 C.). Most staghorn ferns thrive in warm to hot temperatures and will start to fail at about 55 F. (13 C.). They will die at or above freezing temperatures if they don’t have adequate protection....

Weed control for star of Bethlehem is only necessary if the plant is rampant and uncontrollable in unwanted spaces. This is especially true when you find star of Bethlehem in lawns. About Star of Bethlehem Weeds While star of Bethlehem produces very pretty flowers, all parts of the plant are poisonous. It is an escaped foreigner and spreads prolifically. This makes control of this flower important, especially in counties where the plant has become a nuisance....

Info on Christmas Star Orchids Although there are over 220 species in the genus Angraecum and new ones are still being discovered in the Madagascan forests, star orchids are a stand-out specimen. Star orchids are also known as Darwin’s orchids or comet orchids. These epiphytic plants are native to the coastal forest of Madagascar. In their native habitat, the plants bloom from June to September, but in North America and Europe, these orchids bloom once a year between December and January....

Help, My Succulent is too Tall! Most succulents are low growing beauties that fit easily into nooks and crannies in rockeries, flower beds, containers and among paving stones. Succulent pruning is not usually necessary but in the case of plants that become elongated and lose the compact nature for which they are often prized, the practice is a simple one. Knowing how to prune a leggy succulent can restore the desired size of the plant and also provide you with material with which to start another of these hardy and easy plants....