Frequently Asked Questions
The lack of fruit is likely due to the absence of flowers, poor pollination, or low temperatures during bloom.
The lack of flowers is often due to the age of the tree. After planting, most dwarf and semi-dwarf apple trees don’...
Place the jade plant (Crassula argentea) in a sunny window where it receives at least 4 hours of direct sunlight. The jade plant is a succulent which stores water in its foliage and stems. Overwatering (watering too...
The umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla) is native to rainforests in Australia and New Guinea. In the home, place the umbrella tree in bright, indirect light near an east, west, or south window. Allow the potting soil to...
The small, white, popcorn-like objects are likely cottony maple scale. Cottony maple scale is an insect. It is most commonly found on silver maple trees. However, it can also be found on other maples, oak, linden, hackberry,...
The frequency of watering is determined by soil characteristics, weather conditions, type of plant material, and other factors. In general, however, a deep watering once a week in dry weather should be adequate for most fruit, vegetable,...
Early morning (5:00 to 9:00 am) is the best time to water the garden when using a sprinkler, garden hose, or any other device that wets the plant foliage. When watering is completed, the plant foliage dries quickly. The rapid drying...
Apply a mulch around landscape plantings and garden areas to conserve soil moisture. Mulching reduces the rate of evaporation from the soil surface and also limits weed competition. Organic materials, such as grass clippings, clean...
Cedar-apple rust is likely responsible for the yellow spots on the crabapple leaves. Cedar-apple rust is a fungal disease. The fungus requires both a crabapple or apple and a cedar (juniper) to complete its life cycle. Crabapple...
The greenish worm is probably the pear slug. The pear slug is not an actual slug. It’s the larval stage of an insect (sawfly). The pear slug feeds on pear, cherry, plum, and several other woody plants.
The slug-...
Native ferns that are good additions to shady locations in the home landscape include the northern maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum), lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina), intermediate wood fern (Dryopteris intermedia),...
Native deciduous shrubs that can be successfully grown in partial shade include serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia), gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa), bush honeysuckle (...
Leafcutting bees are probably responsible for the holes in the rose foliage. Leafcutting bees resemble honey bees, but are often darker in color. Female leafcutting bees make nests in rotted wood or the stems of plants. The...
The small, green “worms” are probably the larvae of the rose sawfly. Rose sawfly larvae (commonly referred to as roseslugs) have tapered bodies, may be up to ½ inch in length, and are pale green in color. The larvae somewhat resemble...
The hair-like growths are likely galls. Galls are abnormal growths of plant tissue induced to form by mites, insects, or other small organisms. The hair-like gall on the maple leaves is probably the maple spindle gall.
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The leaf drop is probably due to apple scab. Apple scab is a fungal disease caused by the fungus Venturia inaequalis. Cool, wet weather in spring favors apple scab development. Crabapple varieties differ in their susceptibility to apple...
Fire blight is probably responsible for the wilted shoots on your crabapple. Fire blight is caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora. Plants susceptible to fire blight include apple, crabapple, pear, hawthorn, and...
Tar spot is a common leaf spot on maples in the United States. Several fungi in the genus Rhytisma cause tar spot. Fortunately, tar spot does not cause serious harm to maple trees. The damage is mainly cosmetic. ...
The gray-green patches are probably lichens. Lichens are unusual organisms. They consist of two unrelated organisms, an alga and a fungus. These two components exist together and behave as a single organism. The agla provides food via...
Birds are the biggest threat to the blueberry crop in the home garden. If not controlled, hungry birds may devour most of the crop. Scare devices are sometimes helpful. However, netting is the most effective way to protect the...
Blueberries have shallow, fibrous root systems. Plants quickly become stressed during hot, dry weather. To help retain moisture and control weeds, apply 2 to 4 inches of mulch around blueberry plants. Sawdust, wood chips, pine...
A June-bearing strawberry planting can be productive for 4 to 5 years if the bed is given good care. One important task is to renovate June-bearing strawberries immediately after harvest. The renovation process involves leaf removal,...
June-bearing strawberry plantings that are well-maintained and renovated annually should remain productive for 4 or 5 years. Poorly managed beds may be productive for only 1 or 2 years. It’s time to plant a new strawberry bed when...
Gardeners have two basic options when confronted with hot, dry weather. One option is to do nothing and allow the grass to go dormant. The alternative is to water the turfgrass during dry weather to maintain a green, actively growing...
Do not fertilize Kentucky bluegrass and other cool-season grasses during the summer months (June, July, and August). The best times to fertilize cool-season grasses in Iowa are spring, mid-September, and late October/early November. ...
Kentucky bluegrass and other cool-season grasses thrive in the cool weather of spring and fall. Hot, dry conditions in summer are stressful for cool-season grasses. Kentucky bluegrass lawns should be mowed at a height of 3 to 3½...
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