A discouraging sight to anyone growing roses is that succulent new cane tip that suddenly wilts and dies. This symptom may have many causes, but one of the culprits is a cane borer. There are numerous borers – they’re generally the larvae of a beetle or moth that bore into canes, feed, and eventually cause […]
Wilting Roses and Cane Borers Read More »
Plants, whether cultivated or wild, generally grow well when the soil provides them with adequate nutrients and moisture, sufficient light reaches their leaves, and the temperature stays within a “normal” range. However, plants can get sick, most often from a disease-causing agent like a bacteria or fungus. But there are also plant ailments that may
What are Abiotic Disorders? Read More »
It’s the time of the year when our national flower put on a dazzling show, cloaking plants with brilliantly colored, sweet-smelling blossoms. Are your plants bedecked with perfectly formed flowers, or by chance do you see what way too many gardeners do come June, roses with petals that resemble Swiss cheese, young buds that have
These Aren’t Ladybugs Read More »
Have you ever seen these critters in your rose garden? Or worse yet, do you have any of these symptoms that they’ve been there? Roses with petals that resemble Swiss cheese. Young buds and stems that have holes or are broken just below the bud. Meet the really bad guys of the rose garden –
Garden Bad Guys – Rose Curculios Read More »
Those leaves with the striking green and yellow marbled patterns festooning one of your rose plants may look like Mother Nature as artist, but don’t be fooled. More than likely, it’s the result of rose mosaic virus. You may see yellow, white, or brownish lines, bands, rings, wavy lines, vein clearing or blotches on leaves.
Is it Mosaic Virus? Read More »
Hot, dry and dusty are pretty typical outdoor conditions for this time of year. The last rains were months ago; late summer and early fall often features toasty daytime temperatures with low relative humidity. Most people, plants and animals don’t prefer it, but it’s ideal for pesky spider mites. More than 200 different plant species,
Watch out for these heat loving pests! Read More »
You know the saying – a weed is any plant in a place you don’t want it. Are you seeing grasses, dandelions, bindweed and even wild blackberry, popping up among your roses, in your lawn, vegetable garden or other exposed spaces, even in teeny spaces between bricks on your patio? What’s a gardener to do
Stay Ahead of the Weeds Read More »
I love roses, and there’s nothing quite as wonderful as strolling through the garden on a spring morning to peruse their abundant new growth and witness the transformation from spindly sticks to bountiful mounds of green sporting delicious new roses. But there, out of the corner of my eye, I see, oh no! Spots….and holes
What’s Bugging Your Roses? Read More »