Mugho, aka mugo pine (Pinus mugo), and Scots pine (P. sylvestris) are two troubled pines which gardeners in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA Hardiness zones 6 and 7) have shied away from planting. Both have become problem growers over the past quarter century. Scots pine suffers from several devastating foliar diseases. Once a popular Christmas […]
Archive for the ‘Garden Problems’ Category
Troubled Pines… And Some Good Ones To Grow
Posted by Hugh on July 12th, 2013
Posted in Christmas tree, Disease prone, Disease resistant, Evergreens, Firs (Abies), Fraser fir (Abies), Garden Problems, Mugo pine (Pinus mugo), Pine (Pinus spp.), Pines (Pinus spp.), Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Troubled Pines… And Some Good Ones To GrowPest Alert: Spotted Wing Drosophila Attack Blueberry and Cane Fruits
Posted by Hugh on July 5th, 2013
Spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is an invasive and destructive pest originating from eastern Asia. It is a pest that can not be managed with pesticides alone. Caneberries such as raspberry and blackberry appear to be most affected followed by strawberries and blueberries. Among the tree fruits, cherries seem to suffer heavy damage. If […]
Posted in Blackberries, Blueberries, Cherries, Fruits & Vegetables, Garden Maintenance, Insect (Pest) Problems, Pesticide recommendations, Pests, Regional, Sanitation, Southern Appalachian Region, Spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Strawberries Comments Off on Pest Alert: Spotted Wing Drosophila Attack Blueberry and Cane FruitsPest Alert: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
Posted by Hugh on July 2nd, 2013
In recent years Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys), aka BMSB, has become serious pests of fruits, vegetables, and farm crops in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern Appalachian regions. BMSB are likely to spread to other areas in the U.S. They feed on all parts of plants (fruit, stems, leaves). They may also become a major […]
Posted in Apple tree, Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Cherries, Corn (Sweet or Field), Dogwood (Cornus), Fruits & Vegetables, Garden Problems, Insect (Pest) Problems, Peach, Pesticide recommendations, Pests, Raspberries, Regional, Sanitation, Strawberries, Tomato Comments Off on Pest Alert: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug‘Tom Thumb’ Cotoneaster Perfect For Small Spaces
Posted by Hugh on June 22nd, 2013
The world of cotoneasters (Cotoneaster spp.) is primarily an assortment of medium to tall growing shrubs. Cotoneaster ‘Tom Thumb’ (syn. C. ‘Little Gem’) is very different. Its diminutive size fits into those small spots such as a rock garden or among dwarf conifers. Its dark green shiny foliage creates a textural contrast with many annuals […]
Posted in acidic soil, compact shrub, Cotoneaster, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Ground cover, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on ‘Tom Thumb’ Cotoneaster Perfect For Small Spaces‘Silberlocke’ Korean fir Gets Lots of Favorable Comments
Posted by Hugh on June 16th, 2013
In any season visitors to your garden should immediately take notice of ‘Silberlocke’ korean fir. Korean fir (Abies koreana) is a densely branched pyramidal evergreen tree. Growth is slow in the beginning, eventually reaching 50 feet or more in mature height. The wide 3/4 inch long needles are dark green and glossy above and silvery […]
Posted in acidic soil, compact shrub, container shrub, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Evergreens, Fertilizing plants, Korean fir (Abies koreana), mulching, Planting tips, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Winter Protection Comments Off on ‘Silberlocke’ Korean fir Gets Lots of Favorable CommentsSummer Chocolate™ Mimosa Tree Worth A Try
Posted by Hugh on June 12th, 2013
Mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin) is treasured as a four month landscape tree for its tropical-like foliage and flowering. This small deciduous tree grows 20 to 25 feet tall and its horizontal branching reaches out widely. Mimosa leafs out in late May with lush green, tropical-looking pinnately compound foliage and growth is very rapid. From mid-June […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Disease prone, Drought tolerant, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, plant nutrition, Pruning, Soil Conservation, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Summer Chocolate™ Mimosa Tree Worth A TryGive Lots of Space To Bottlebrush Buckeye
Posted by Hugh on June 4th, 2013
If you have lots of planting space, aggressive bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parvifolia) is what you want. This deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub grows 8 to 12 feet tall and 8 to 15 feet wide.A Southeastern U.S. native, bottlebrush buckeye is a late spring flowering shrub and requires little extra attention other than pruning. Plant in full sun […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Bee Favorite, Bottlebrush buckeye, Butterflies, Native Plant, Pruning, Root suckering, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Give Lots of Space To Bottlebrush BuckeyeWhy Some Vines Do Not Bloom
Posted by Hugh on June 1st, 2013
Why doesn’t my wisteria (Wisteria spp.) or climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris) vine bloom? There are primarily four (4) reasons why these vines have not flowered. In order of importance they include: 1. The flower buds, which usually formed on the previous summer’s wood, may have been pruned off. Do not prune vine after […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Climbing hydrangea (H. anomala), Failure to Bloom, Heat Tolerance, Hydrangeas, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Vine, winter injury, Wisteria Comments Off on Why Some Vines Do Not BloomPest Alert – Gardeners Should Avoid Planting Garden Impatiens
Posted by Hugh on May 23rd, 2013
Downy mildew in impatiens (Plasmopara obducens) infects garden impatiens, double impatiens and balsam. However, New Guinea impatiens, SunPatiens™, and most annual summer flowering plants are not susceptible. Impatiens are the favorite flowering annual used in shady garden areas. Double impatiens and balsam are favorites in hanging pots and other types of containers. U.S. greenhouse growers […]
Posted in Disease prone, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Downy mildew, Flowers, Garden Problems, Impatiens, New Guinea impatiens, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Sunpatiens, Torenia (wishbone flw.) Comments Off on Pest Alert – Gardeners Should Avoid Planting Garden ImpatiensPest Alert- Protect Young Trees and Shrubs From Cicadas
Posted by Hugh on May 20th, 2013
No insect creates more newspaper headlines than the periodical cicada (Magicicada spp.). Their sudden emergence, every 13 or 17 years reads like a chapter from a science fiction novel. Their high-pitched noise or “mating call” fills the late spring air. Both the 13-year and 17-year cicadas are uniquely common in the eastern U.S., found no […]
Posted in Apple tree, Cicada, Garden Problems, Insect (Pest) Problems, Pear (Pyrus spp.), Pests, Plum, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Pest Alert- Protect Young Trees and Shrubs From Cicadas
