Apple scab (Venturia inaequalis) is one of the most economically damaging diseases for apple growers worldwide. In parts of Australia and Asia, this disease is also more commonly known as black spot disease. This fungal pathogen particularly thrives in areas with cool temperatures and wet spring weather. Although the geographic range of apple scab is widespread and in all parts of the world apples are grown, this disease is most severe in temperate climates....

By Matt‌ ‌Gibson‌ Many indoor plants are well suited to the arid environments that they are exposed to inside most buildings, but even the plants that are extremely tolerant of low-humidity environments can still benefit from an occasional misting. For tropical houseplants and indoor plants that need a humid environment to thrive, having an indoor plant mister at hand to mist your plants regularly, is essential. Sure, you could get a cheap plastic spray bottle from the dollar store, and it will do the trick, as far as keeping your tropical plants happy and well....

If you are anything like me, you love to garden but also know that sometimes it can be difficult to know how to start out. This is especially true if you live in an apartment or don’t really have the space to start a garden, and if money is tight. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to garden in a small space, all while sticking to your budget and not breaking the bank....

Have you ever come across buckwheat pancakes, buckwheat flour, or buckwheat honey and wondered what the buckwheat plant is? Is it anything like regular wheat that you would find in bread and pasta? Table of Contents Although it is often used similarly to wheat, it is not related at all. Unlike wheat flour, buckwheat flour is gluten-free. In general, this crop is unlike cereal grain crops. The seeds from a mature plant are ground up and used as flour for baked goods like pancakes....

I’ve separated my list of deer-resistant annuals into two parts. The first covers sun-loving annuals that the deer don’t like, while the second part is deer-resistant annuals for the shade. I hope you’ll find some new favorites to add to your garden’s plant palette. Deer-resistant Annuals for Sun Flowering tobacco (Nicotiana species) If you’re looking for a sweet-smelling plant you’ll love but the deer won’t, flowering tobacco is it. There are several different garden-worthy flowering tobacco species, cultivars, and hybrids....

Grow microgreens in your garden bed outside or in containers. They are perfect quick growing crops for urban gardeners too, who don’t have space. You can grow them indoors on a windowsill or a balcony or other open space! What are Microgreens Microgreens are leafy greens, vegetables, and herbs that are harvested young when they are an inch or two. They are nutritious and can be picked quickly. You can also let a few of these baby plants grow to harvest them at a mature age....

Today’s topic is multi-use and packed with nutrition. It’s also a beautiful sight. It’s the flax plant! The fibers of this ancient grain have been used for millennia among Roman, Egyptian, and Mesopotamian peoples. Today, people grow these plants for commercial and home use. Table of Contents There’s so much to gain from working with flax. While you may not be interested in the lengthy process of making linen fabric, flax flowers and flax seeds are well worth the effort it takes to grow them....

QUESTION: How do you clean and care for garden tools? This year I bought some nicer tools to garden with, so I don’t want to ruin them. – Alicia F ANSWER: Though tool care may seem like a tall task after a hard day of work, whether that work was done in the office, or out in the yard, but taking care of your garden tools will help your tools last a lot longer, which will save you money on replacements in the long run....

Terrariums are a fun and artistic way to create a miniature botanical world. A thriving closed terrarium forms a unique ecosystem that needs little maintenance – but it does require some. Let’s look at what goes into routine closed terrarium care and how to keep your glass garden thriving. How To Care For A Closed Terrarium: An established, healthy closed terrarium can last almost indefinitely with proper attention. The primary chore is monitoring the system’s moisture and making needed adjustments....

The degree of infestation will dictate whether you will need to implement control measures. We will guide you through the process of monitoring these pests and deciding on the appropriate course of action. Raspberry fruitworms, also known as raspberry beetles (or raspberry fruit worms), are members of a small family of beetles known as the Butyridae. The damage caused by these beetles can range from the occasional worm in a homegrown raspberry to major destruction of the leaves and severe infestation of the berries throughout your crop....

Using dirty seed trays and cell is a very dangerous practice, and a very common mistake that new gardeners make. Have you ever had an entire flat of seedlings shrivel up and die on you? This is one of the biggest frustrations I hear people talk about when they are new to growing seeds. There is nothing more frustrating than spending all that time starting your seeds, then getting super excited when they finally germinate, and babying them for weeks… only to watch the entire tray of seedlings shrivel up and die off at the base....

How do you protect your crops from these voracious vermin? Let’s look at some tried and true techniques. Halyomorpha More than 200 species of stink bugs call North America home, and you may very well think most of them have taken up residence in your garden. These shield-shaped munchers are known for the odor they produce when disturbed or squished, which is said to be similar to skunk, powerful cilantro, or coriander....

In this article you will learn how to cultivate and care for macadamia in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11. Macadamia integrifolia and Macadamia tetraphylla The smooth-shelled Queensland nut, M. integrifolia, and the rough-shelled nut, M. tetraphylla, are two types of macadamia native to Australia. They are members of the large Proteaceae family that includes exotic protea flowers. This majestic tree provides ample shade, spring blossoms, and nuts that contain deliciously smooth, sweet kernels that fetch a king’s ransom in the grocery store....

by Matt Gibson The golden poppy became known as the California poppy when the state of California adopted the flower as their state flower in 1903. The lovely golden orange perennial is one of the first wildflowers to be cultivated in gardens. Also known as Flame Flower, la amapola, and Copa de Oro (cup of gold), flanders poppy, corn poppy, Iceland poppy, oriental poppy, and golden poppy, the bright orange flower sets the California hills ablaze from early spring to late fall....

Pampas grass is native to South America — growing in the wetlands of Southern Brazil and Argentina — and typically thrives in damp soils. Here in the US, it grows in USDA zones 8–12. Pampas grass can also survive in zones 6 and 7, but it struggles in colder climates. There is no denying that pampas grass would look good in your landscaping, but, before you rush to plant it, there are a few things you might want to know....

If you’ve typically grown turnips in the past for the roots, you’re in for a real treat. The greens can be sweet and tender or slightly bitter and dense, and you can eat them both raw and cooked. Brassica rapa var. rapa There are a few plants out there that rescue me from the end-of-summer blues. You know, that feeling that comes around when you know the growing season is coming to a close and the thrill of harvesting fresh veggies from the garden is ending....

Lettuce is one of those cool weather plants from which you may collect leaves or harvest whole heads. You can even harvest lettuce as a microgreen! With all the varieties out there, it is easy for a gardener to get confused. We will provide the ultimate guide to how to harvest lettuce greens and tips on how to properly store your lettuce harvest. To learn how to grow lettuce, check out our in-depth article that’s chock-full of gardening tips on how green lettuce grows!...

Earthworms, also known as Lumbricus terrestris or angleworms, can grow up to 14 inches. The common earthworm is something that all of us in North America are familiar with. Most of us, at a young age, were introduced to these “slimy, gooey” types of worms and learned to either love or loathe them Angleworms are generally liked by many in the United States with nicknames like: Fisherman’s friend Gardener’s buddy Earth diggers delight Earthworms of various types have long been associated with healthy, productive, fertile soils....

But there is so much more to growing potatoes that you can learn. Solanum tuberosum When I told a friend I was writing an article about how to grow potatoes he said, “What’s to tell? You throw ‘em in a bucket, pile up the soil while they grow, and wait until you have spuds.” I objected at first at his suggestion, but then I realized that he’s right. Potatoes are about as easy to grow as a radish, so if you’ve got the patience of King Kong at a banana factory you can stop reading this article now and take that bit of advice with you....

These vines don’t encircle structures like wisteria or adhere to surfaces like ivy. Instead, they’re leaf-climbers that use a slender leaf stem to hook around thin objects, anchoring the vine for vertical growth. Gorgeous flowering clematis vines exhibit great versatility. Suitable in several garden settings, they’re widely used as ground covers, container plants, scramblers, and spillers. Some have a bushy nature, but most are born to climb and love to scale the heights!...