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Pumpkins (Cucurbita spp.) are warm-season annuals that need up to 100 frost-free days to thrive and produce fruits. They need space for the large-leaved, rambling vines to grow, regular feeding and watering throughout the growing season and attention to the growing fruits to keep them blemish free. Pumpkin plants reward you with large yellow or orange flowers in summer and big leather-skinned fruits by October.
Squirrels can lead to a variety of different problems in gardening if you're not careful. Learn about squirrel problems in gardening with help from a landscape designer and horticulture writer in this free video clip.
Although his intentions were to breed gypsy moths (Lymantria dispar) in order to produce silk, Leopold Trouvelot mistakenly allowed the insects to escape his Massachusetts property in the late 1860s. Native to Asia, the gypsy moths had no natural predator to curb their reproduction or feasting on trees in New England. While scientists have since then introduced natural predators to curb the spreading infestation of gypsy moths, these critters still appear in areas across the eastern United States, ravaging any edible trees or shrubs in their wake.
Sears commonly sells a few lawn mower brands, and the Craftsman line has long been synonymous with the Sears name. The garden tractor model #917.273440 is a Craftsman riding lawn mower offered by Sears and manufactured by Husqvarna. This Craftsman riding lawn tractor features a Briggs & Stratton engine and can suffer from a number of problems that afflict similar riding lawn mowers. Fortunately, you can troubleshoot starting problems tied to the Craftsman's engine even if you lack any prior experience with fixing garden tractors.
Garden sprayers are a very effective tool to apply liquid herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers to the landscape. They come in many sizes and styles and are made by several manufacturers. They typically are plastic tanks that house 1 to 2 gallons of liquid solution and have a pump and hose attached to a trigger-operated wand with a specialized nozzle at the tip. They are usually pumped manually to pressurize the canister, but battery operated pump systems are also available. Pressing the wand's trigger then causes a fine spray to be released from the nozzle with force that makes it easy…
Winter squash varieties include everything from the creamy butternut squash to the nutty acorn squash and are a great addition to a late season garden. While they are generally easy to grow, winter squash can be subject to serious disease. Learning to spot the signs of disease early can help you keep your squash healthy until harvest.
Gardeners are understandably alarmed when garden plants wilt. If the plants in your garden droop despite being well-watered, the culprit is one of several diseases. Identifying the most common wilt diseases and their cultural conditions, symptoms and host crops, helps you bring your garden back to health.
Controlling pond algae can be a difficult and frustrating task. Pond water with an active algae bloom will appear a greenish-yellow color, and may emit a sulfuric or swamp-like smell. Controlling pond algae is made even more difficult when there are fish or aquatic plants living in the pond that may be affected by harsh chemical treatment. Consequently, the best controls for pond algae are all-natural and chemical-free.
Peas are a traditional crop in the American home garden and are relatively easy to grow. They can be only 2 or 3 feet tall or up to 5 feet and grow in just about any well-drained soil. These plants do best during wet, cool times of year and may not even require extra water. They sometimes suffer from some diseases and wilting.
Thanks to extensive hybridization programs, garden phlox (Phlox paniculata) is no longer the plain pinkish flower your grandmother used to grow. New cultivars offer a wide range of colors, a variety of sizes and a much longer bloom season. Garden phlox performs well in beds and borders. It looks best massed in the mid-section of a border and in cottage-style gardens. The plant's low maintenance requirements and tendency to self-seed make them ideal for wildflower meadows.
A short-season sweet corn variety, Kandy King matures quickly and is perfect in regions with growing seasons less than three or four months. The yellow kernels, arranged in 12 to 18 rows, line the long, straight cobs.
Brown curling leaves on your butternut squash are unsightly and may indicate a problem with fungus or disease. Before you treat the plant, investigate your plant's symptoms so you can properly care for it.
Garden phlox, or Phlox paniculata, is the most commonly grown phlox species, according to Iowa State University Extension. This summer-blooming flower, reaching 2 to 4 feet at maturity, sometimes displays wilted leaves as the result of pests, diseases or poor growing conditions.
Thick, worn and weathered slabs of lumber used as railroad ties often become edging and retaining walls in lawns and gardens. Unfortunately, used railroad ties present health risks and the potential to damage or destroy plants when direct contact occurs between plant roots and contaminated water running off the ties. While the use of treated wood in landscaping and gardens was once considered safe, several university extension services now warn against the practice.
Growing vegetable gardens is a popular pastime for many homeowners. It affords them the opportunity to grow their favorite produce, and it can be a rewarding venture. A vegetable garden comes with its fair share of common problems and, fortunately, solutions.
Sometimes it may seem that all the bugs, fungi and diseases in your county want your fresh, tasty vegetables as much as you do. Numerous problems afflict vegetable plants, and leaf deformation is one of the biggest signs of trouble. If your plants' leaves are rolling up, it's possible that you have a pest or disease problem that needs attention.
Cucumbers are a garden classic that thrive in hot summer weather. With the wide variety of cucumber types to choose from, gardeners can grow compact varieties in pots, varieties for pickling and varieties that are ideal for slicing in salads. Cucumbers are susceptible to numerous diseases and knowing how to recognize specific diseases is the first step to control.
Artificial--or synthetic--fertilizers have been very important throughout the past century in providing global populations with adequate food. Synthetic nitrogen is the primary artificial fertilizer used, and it is produced through a complex chemical process resulting in nitrogen-rich ammonia. Synthetic fertilizers are used the world over and support a large proportion of the planet's population. However, some significant drawbacks are associated with the use of these chemicals. Even use of synthetic fertilizer on a small scale, such as in a garden, can contribute to these problems.
The Cub Cadet LTX riding lawn tractor is equipped with a powerful 19-horsepower, one-cylinder engine and a 42-inch cutting deck. The Cub Cadet was specifically designed to be user-friendly and, therefore, features most of its controls in close proximity to the driver. Despite the relatively basic design, problems can develop. Fortunately, most problems with the LTX can be solved quickly.
Vegetable gardens can provide bountiful harvests or wind up being ruined by preventable problems. It is up to the gardener to combat these potential problems by simply preparing for them before they happen. Although adding steps to your garden preparation may add time now, it will certainly save you time, and vegetables, in the long run.
Garden tillers are an indispensible tool for gardeners of any experience level, from amateurs to professionals. Garden tillers make quick work of mixing amendments and fertilizer into native soils of all kinds to create a better growing environment for vegetables and flowers. Proper maintenance will prevent the need for troubleshooting procedures. But troubleshooting a tiller typically falls into one of three categories.
Pigeons can create problems in a garden, and repelling them can be tricky, but it can be accomplished with a combination of hot spices, owl decoys and buzzers. Find out how to use sprinklers and hoses to repel pigeons with help from a sustainable gardener in this free video on gardening tips.
Learn how to survey the site of your garden for possible problems in this free video clip on perennial gardening.
Learn about common tree problems in your home garden and how to identify them in this free garden maintenance video.
Learn gardening tips and advice on how to troubleshoot garden problems from a horticulture expert in this free gardening video.
