Common sage (Salvia officinalis), a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae), is the culinary sage familiar to most cooks (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8). The species grow 1.5 – 3 feet high and wide. Multitudes of showy two-lipped, 1-inch long, violet-blue flowers arise on short, upright spikes in late spring. Flowers attracts numerous bees […]
Archive for the ‘Mealy bugs’ Category
Berggarten Salvia Favors Both Gardeners And Culinary Afficiendos
Posted by Hugh on May 13th, 2018
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Container garden, Culinary, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Foliage plant, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, Herb, Honey bees, Mealy bugs, Mites, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Sage (Salvia), Salvia, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, White flies, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Berggarten Salvia Favors Both Gardeners And Culinary AfficiendosCare of African Violets
Posted by Hugh on December 8th, 2017
African violets (Saintpaulia ionantha) or AVs are among the easiest flowering house plant to grow. They need indirect moderate to bright lighting and moist well-drained potting soil. Grow plants in plastic pots and not in clay (terra cotta). AVs should be repotted annually. Here are some additional cultural tips: Room temperatures: AVs thrive at room […]
Posted in acidic soil, African violet (Saintpaulia), Botrytis disease, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Flowering house plant, Interior (house) Plants, Mealy bugs, Mites, plant nutrition, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Root rotting, Sanitation, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Thrips, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips Comments Off on Care of African VioletsFirst Days Of Fall…. Bring In Your House Plants
Posted by Hugh on September 30th, 2017
The final days are summer are over. It’s time to move your tropical plants indoors before night temps in the low 40°F arrive. These plants thrive outdoors in summer temperatures and high humidity, but cannot survive being left outdoors. Container plants such as Ficus (rubber) trees, orchids, Norfolk Island pines, scheffleras, bromeliads, gardenias, palms, and […]
Posted in acidic soil, African violet (Saintpaulia), Aphids, Bromeliads, Container garden, Ferns, Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Foliage plant, Heat Tolerance, Insect (Pest) Problems, Interior (house) Plants, Landscape ideas, Mealy bugs, Millipedes & centipedes, Mites, Norfolk Island Pine, Peace lily (Spathiphyllum), Pesticide recommendations, Philodendron, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Sanitation, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), Umbrella plant (Schefflera), Wind protection, winter injury Comments Off on First Days Of Fall…. Bring In Your House PlantsMussaenda: A Stunning Tropical For Summer Gardens
Posted by Hugh on August 27th, 2017
Mussaenda (Mussaenda spp.) is a small tropical tree or large shrub. It’s a spectacular bloomer that grows to 10-15 feet tall in tropical zones (USDA zones 10-12). It is sometimes called “tropical dogwood” or “Buddah’s lamp”. In large containers it will reach 1-3 feet tall. Mussaenda blooms from late spring to mid-fall in mild-winter areas. Bloom […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Mealy bugs, Mites, mulching, Mussaenda, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Mussaenda: A Stunning Tropical For Summer GardensFirebush Is One Tough Texas Flowering Plant
Posted by Hugh on June 28th, 2017
Firebush. aka scarlet bush (Hamelia patens), is indigenous from Mexico to Central America (USDA hardiness 10-11). Treat it as a tempermental perennial in zone 9, and an annual everywhere else it is not hardy. This fast growing plant blooms through most of summer into fall with showy clusters of tubular red buds and flowers. Firebush thrives in Texas heat […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Aphids, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Caterpillars, Container growing, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Firebush (Hamelia), Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Mealy bugs, Mites, mulching, Planting tips, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), Uncategorized, watering tips, Winter Protection Comments Off on Firebush Is One Tough Texas Flowering PlantFive Simple Pruning Tips For DIYers
Posted by Hugh on January 11th, 2017
Gardeners are frequently scared about making pruning mistakes. There are lots of gardening books filled with lots of before and after photos. Let’s face facts…your yard tree or shrub does look like the ones pictured in the pruning book. Here are my simple 5 steps for pruning: Why and When to prune: You can prune a […]
Posted in Amur maple (A. ginnala), Ash (Fraxinus), Birch (Betula spp.), Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Certified Arborist, compact tree, container shrub, Crabapple, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Dogwood (Cornus), Elms (Ulmus), Flowering, Forsythia, Fothergilla, Garden Maintenance, Green ash (Fraxinus), Hibiscus syriacus, Honeylocust (Gleditsia), Hydrangea, Hydrangeas, Insect (Pest) Problems, Kwanzan cherry, Lacebark elm, Large Shade trees, Lilac (Syringa), Linden (Tilia), Mealy bugs, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Okame cherry (Prunus), Ornamental cherry (Prunus), pin oak, Pruning, Redbud, river birch, Scale, Small landscape tree, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Sweetgum (Liquidambar), Trees & Shrubs, Vitex (Chaste tree), Yoshino cherry (Prunus), Zelkova Comments Off on Five Simple Pruning Tips For DIYersChristmas Vs Thanksgiving Cacti
Posted by Hugh on November 26th, 2016
Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) or Thanksgiving cacti (Schlumbergera truncata) are called holiday cacti. They are actually succulents and not true cacti. Both originate from tropical regions and make dependable, long-lived house plants. Christmas cactus are frequently mislabeled as such and are really Thanksgiving cactus. Christmas cacti have flattened leaves with rounded leaf edges compared to Thanksgiving […]
Posted in acidic soil, Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera), Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Interior (house) Plants, Mealy bugs, Photoperiod (Daylength), Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Root rotting, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Thanksgiving cactus, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, Winter Protection Comments Off on Christmas Vs Thanksgiving CactiFine Tuning Growing Calamondin Orange In The Home
Posted by Hugh on November 16th, 2016
Calamondin orange (Citris mitis) is challenging to grow in a home environment. It is hardy to 20°F., more than most other true citrus (USDA hardiness zone 8). It does not grow well in temperatures below 45ºF. In temperate regions calamondin spends the active growing months (May – October) outdoors either in direct sunlight (in northern areas) and in half day shade (in […]
Posted in Aphids, Bee Favorite, Calamondin Orange, Container growing, container shrub, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Foliage plant, Interior (house) Plants, Mealy bugs, Mites, Ornamental fruit, Pesticide recommendations, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Scale, Southern Appalachian Region, Tropical Plants (non-hardy) Comments Off on Fine Tuning Growing Calamondin Orange In The HomeHouse Plant Basic Care Tips
Posted by Hugh on September 12th, 2016
Tropical house plants decorate homes, restaurants, shopping malls, and work environments (USDA hardiness zones 8 through 11). Many will grow in medium to low light areas of your home, work, and where flowering plants do not perform. Here are some basic house plant tips: They languish in areas where temperatures are below 55 °F. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Arrowwood (Syngonium), Bromeliads, Calthea, Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), Container garden, Dumbcane (Dieffenbachia), Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Foliage plant, Interior (house) Plants, Mealy bugs, Mite susceptible, Mites, Philodendron, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Potting Mix, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Rubber Plant (Ficus), Sanitation, Scale, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on House Plant Basic Care TipsPeace Lily And Anthurium Plants Around Home Or Office
Posted by Hugh on February 8th, 2016
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) and anthurium are near perfect foliage plants in poorly lit areas around your home or office. They’re native to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. Both plants are shade-lovers in their native habitats. Direct sunlight for more than one hour will likely burn leaves. They’re members […]
Posted in acidic soil, Anthurium, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Insect (Pest) Problems, Mealy bugs, Mites, Peace lily (Spathiphyllum), Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Poisonous plant, Potting Mix, Propagation (dividing), Repotting plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Peace Lily And Anthurium Plants Around Home Or Office
