It’s surprising that such tiny creatures as spider mites can have such a big impact on trees. Even the largest tree can sustain serious damage. Read on to find out what to do about spider mites in trees. [图片]About Spider Mites in Trees Although we sometimes call them “bugs” or “insects,” the fact that they have eight legs means that technically, spider mites are more closely related to spidersand ticks. They can seriously damage trees because they are present in large numbers. Each adult female can lay around 100 eggs and, in warm weather, they can have up to 30 generations in a year.[图片]The last clutch of eggs overwinters on the trees and waits until warm weather returns to hatch. That means that if you had spider mites last year, you will have them again this year unless you are using spider mite control for trees in your landscape. Make sure it is spider mites causing the problem, though, and not a disease or insect before you begin a program of spider mite control. The mites feed by sucking the chlorophyll out of the leaves, causing little white dots called stipples.[图片]When the mites are present in large numbers, the leaves turn yellow or bronze and drop off. Silk webbing over the leaves and tender shoots is another indication that you have spider mites. If you still aren’t sure whether you have spider mite tree damage or another problem, try this test. Hold a piece of white paper under the tip of a stem with damage. Tap the tip of the stem so that specks fall onto the paper. Now wait a few minutes to see if some of the specks start to move. Moving specks means spider mites.[图片]Control of Spider Mites If the tree is small enough that you can reach all of the branches with a water hose, all you have to do is give it a forceful spray. Use as much pressure as the tree can bear without damage. Check for mites after the tree dries, and repeat as necessary. [图片]You can’t spray a tall tree forcefully enough to get rid of the mites for good, but trees benefit from a rinsing now and then. Spider mites thrive in dusty conditions, so rinse the branches as best you can and keep bare patches of ground lightly moist to eliminate flying dust. Predatory mites and lacewingsare natural enemies of spider mites. There are many species of predatory mites, each with their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to controlling spider mites. Try to find a local source where you can get help choosing the right species and determining how many you need.[图片]Chemicals are the last resort for pest control. Before you run out and buy the first product you can find, be aware that some make the problem worse. For instance, carbaryl (Sevin) makes spider mites reproduce faster, and pyrethroids add nitrogen to the leaves, making them tastier.[图片]Two good choices are horticultural oils and insecticidal soap. You should read and carefully follow the label instructions, especially when using horticultural oils. Using the oils at the wrong time may not solve the problem and can damage the tree. Spray insecticidal soap and horticultural oil until the products drip from the tree. Neither have lasting effects, so you may have to spray several times through the growing season.

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If your plants are attacked by two-spotted mites, you are going to want to take some action to protect them. What are two-spotted spider mites? They are mites with the scientific name of Tetranychus urticae that infest hundreds of different plant species. For more information about two-spotted mite damage and control of two-spotted mites, read on.[图片]What are Two-Spotted Spider Mites? You may have heard of spider mites, but perhaps not this particular kind. So exactly what are they? These garden pests are as tiny as mitescan be. In fact, one alone is barely visible to the naked eye, so you aren’t going to be able to inspect it and count its spots. But finding one mite alone is not very likely. By the time you see two-spotted mite damage and think about two-spotted spider mite control, you are likely to have a large mite population. These mites live on the underside of plant leaves.[图片]Two-Spotted Spider Mite Damage As you prepare to fight two-spotted spider mite damage, it helps to understand the pest’s life cycle. Here is a summary of what happens. The mature female two-spotted spider mites overwinter on host plants. They pass the winter either under the host plant’s bark or else on the base of neighbor plants. In spring, the females mate. They lay 2 to 6 eggs a day on the bottom side of the host plants’ leaves, laying perhaps 100 in their short lifetime. In less than a week, the eggs hatch. The new mites lose their exoskeletons three times in their first few weeks. They then become mature adult mites, mate and lay eggs.[图片]If you see two-spotted spider mite damage on your plants, they probably have mites in all stages of development. Generations tend to overlap. In hot dry weather, the infestations are particularly severe and control of two-spotted mites becomes important. You might find two-spotted spider mite damage on either deciduous or evergreen trees or garden ornamentals. Even garden veggies can be at risk. Two-spotted mites suck essential plant fluids from the leaves. With a serious infestation, the foliage yellows or appears mottled. You will likely see fine, silken threads over the leaf surface.[图片]Even with heavy infestations, you may not be able to spot the actual mites on your plants. To confirm your suspicions, hold a piece of white paper under a stippled leave and tap it. Tiny moving spots on the paper means you need to think about treating for two-spotted mites.[图片]Two-Spotted Spider Mite Control The best way to begin treating for two-spotted mites is to apply a pesticide specific to mites called a miticide. Ideally, you should start treating for two-spotted mites before your plants are seriously damaged. Apply the miticide for control of two-spotted mites every 7 days or so. Since mites can develop resistance to chemicals, switch to another type of miticide after three applications.

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#食用醋 养花并非是直接将它倒入土壤中，一定要兑水稀释之后才能用来浇花，当然也能作为雾状水喷洒到植物叶面，补充植物养分，不过还是有很多注意事项的，对改善喜欢微酸性土壤的植物是大有帮助的。 食用醋里面含有一定量的醋酸，还有其他的植物生长需要的营养物质，还能提高植物的光合作用的效果，有利叶面长得更加健康，从而提高它们的抵抗真菌感染的能力，还能促进部分植物开花。 1、植物叶片黄化 有很多喜欢微酸性土壤植物，如果土壤偏碱之后，就很容易造成植物发黄，这个时候就要适当补充硫酸亚铁，当然有的朋友买不到这些药剂该怎么办。 这个时候可以用10g左右的食醋，兑水3000g，食醋兑水的比例是1：300，这样可以适当缓解土壤偏碱，避免喜欢微酸性土壤的植物叶片发黄，一般是在白天晴朗的时候适当喷洒，1~2周给一次，连续喷4次左右就行了 [图片]2、植物生长剂 同样是用食醋兑水1：300的比例，制作好的溶液可以直接喷洒到喜欢微酸性土壤的植物叶面上，一般是在这些植物开花之前喷洒，半个月喷一次，这一次是用接近雾状水喷洒，可以给叶片补充较多的养分，促进孕育花苞，还能有效避免感染真菌病害。 [图片]3、食醋的杀菌效果 食醋里面含有杀菌消毒的成分，可以用来治疗一些白粉病货黑斑病等，不过要在植物刚患病的时候使用才有效，如果比较严重了，还是要喷药才能防治。 一般是用食醋兑水1：150，兑水稀释之后喷到患病处，每周一次，连续喷3次左右即可。 [图片]4、改善土壤 如果想要改良土壤的pH值，让土壤偏微酸性，也可以在土壤中浇适量的食醋，而且还能给土壤补充适当的微量元素，对植物的生长也有一定的促进作用。 [图片]小贴士： 使用食醋的时候要注意它的成分，如果有较高的氯化钠（盐）成分，就不适合使用。使用的浓度要严格控制，避免使用过量，不能频繁使用，也不能在正午的时候时候。

Many gardeners have had trouble with nematodes attacking their plants. Maybe you’ve tried to grow carrots, but they came out knobby and twisted. Or maybe your potatoes were covered in warts and galls. If so, your garden may have a nematode problem. Read on to learn more about controlling nematodes with plants.[图片]Using Plants for Nematode Control Nematodes are tiny round worms that commonly live in soil, and many of them attack garden plants. These pests can damage the roots of numerous edible and ornamental plants, so many gardeners have looked for ways to control them. If you are one of those gardeners, you may have wondered: are there any plants that repel nematodes?[图片]Some nematodes can be controlled using nematode-killing pesticides (nematicides), but these can be toxic and most are unavailable to home gardeners. Crop rotation can also reduce nematode infestations, but it is time consuming. Fortunately, scientists have identified a list of nematode repellent plants that can help combat these earth-dwelling pests. These include: Painted Daisy – kills nematodes when used as a green manure French Marigold – kills nematodes when used as a green manure Dahlia – repels nematodes Castor Bean – kills nematodes when used as a green manure Partridge Pea – reduces populations of peanut root knot nematode Rapeseed – certain varieties kill nematodes when used as a green manure Showy Crotalaria – kills nematodes when used as a green manure Velvet Bean – may repel several types of nematodes Controlling nematodes with plants is an effective, natural method and is definitely worth a try.[图片]How to Use Nematode Repellent Plants Of the list above, two of the best plants for nematode control are the painted daisy and French marigold. Both of these are not just nematode repellent plants, but they actually kill nematodes more efficiently. Painted daisy (Chrysanthemum coccineum) is useful for warding off nematode problems because it produces a botanical toxin that kills root nematodes. French marigold (Tagetes patula) produces a natural chemical that kills several types of nematodes, including the root-knot nematodes that attack carrots and many other vegetable plants. Scientists have found that Tangerine, a dwarf French marigold variety, is especially effective at combating nematodes in garden soil. The following varieties of French marigold are also effective: Bolero Bonita Mixed Goldie Gypsy Sunshine Petite Petite Harmony Petite Gold Scarlet Sophie Single Gold[图片]If you have a nematode infestation, remove as many plant roots as possible when you clean up your garden in the fall. In winter and early spring, till and solarize the soil to reduce nematode populations.[图片]In spring, plant one of one of the recommended varieties of French marigold (or another of the plants that repel nematodes) in solid patches or strips in the garden. Space the plants at seven inches apart. Let them grow for at least two months, then till the plants into the soil. Be sure to till the plants in or remove the flower heads of marigolds before they go to seed. Otherwise, they could become a weed in next year’s garden. To prevent nematodes from returning to the garden, keep the soil free of weeds until the next spring.

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下面要介绍的就是双色茉莉，也叫#鸳鸯茉莉 ，它是可以一年花开多次的小灌木花卉植物，适合盆栽或地栽养护，其实它和茉莉并不是同属的植物，但是因为双色茉莉的花朵带有茉莉的清香，而且花开之后有两种花色，所以就叫双色茉莉了。 [图片]双色茉莉的花朵之所有两种不同的花色，还是因为它们的开花时间不同，而每一朵花刚开始都是蓝紫色的，随着时间的变化就会慢慢变成白色，因为一颗树上有很多花朵开放，所以就出现不同的花色了。 双色茉莉春夏季节会开一次花，到了秋季又能重新开花，它的生长季节就是春秋季节了，它的花朵带着迷人的茉莉芳香，还是有很多人喜欢它的。 [图片]双色茉莉也十分不错的盆栽灌木，养护注意保持温暖湿润的环境，养护的过程保持充足的光照。冬季养护要注意避免冻伤，温度降到10度以下就要搬到室内，放在窗台上给予散射光。 双色茉莉黄喜欢疏松肥沃和排水良好的微酸性土壤，栽种的过程重要用软水浇，最好是雨水，自来水要放三天之后使用，避免土壤偏碱。 另外要定期浇一些矾肥水，补充硫酸亚铁，让土壤偏微酸性，促进开花。浇水要注意保持盆土完全干透才能浇透，避免频繁浇水，不然容易造成烂根。 [图片]想要让双色茉莉多开花，就要给予充足的光照，每天至少要有4小时以上的直射光，盆栽养护的双色茉莉可以在夏季适当遮阴，冬季搬到室内养护也要适当给予光照。 想要让双色茉莉的株型长得更好，促进多长分枝和多开花，那就要多注意修剪，徒长枝、交叉枝和弱枝都要及时剪掉，冬季霜冻结束之后就可以进行适当的修剪。 [图片]花后可以去掉残花，避免养分消耗。 养护双色茉莉就是要注意避免频繁浇水，双色茉莉有将较强的耐旱能力，不喜欢土壤经常湿润，另外注意保持适当的环境湿度，养护环境不宜过于干燥。 浇水过多容易叶黄，另外就是土壤偏碱也容易叶黄，施肥注意给酸性肥，避免给浓肥，薄肥勤施，夏季高温和冬季寒冷的时候都不要施肥。

With hundreds of ornamental host plants, scale is a common pest in the garden. Diaspididae scale is commonly known as hard scale and is a more host specific insect with breeding limitations. Coccid scale is commonly known as soft scale, and is more widespread. As it is the more common scale, this article will discuss soft scale on plants, as well as coccid scale control.[图片]What are Coccid Scales? Though it is sometimes confused with a plant disease or fungus, soft scale on plants is actually an insect infestation. Like vampires, these insects suck the sap from the vascular system of plants. The plant itself will yellow and wither; it may also grow distorted and stunted.[图片]A sticky, scale-looking substance may be visible on the underside of leaves and stems. Gray mold oftentimes will grow over the top of the scale. When scale or the gray mold that tends to accompany it, covers too much of the plant, it will inhibit the plant’s ability to photosynthesize. Between draining the plant of its nutrient exchanging sap and interrupting its ability to photosynthesize, coccid soft scale can kill a plant.[图片]So what are coccid scales, exactly? Tiny female coccid scale insects are carried on wind or crawl on a plant until they find a suitable feeding spot. They then begin to feed and become immobile. As they feed, they create a shell or scale-like shield over their body with a waxy substance that they produce.[图片]When several of these scale covered insects are together on a plant, it can appear that the plant has reptile-like scales. While in its scale, the female coccid scale insect will lay eggs. One female can lay up to 2,000 eggs. They also produce a sticky honeydew that attracts ants and catches fungal spores, causing plants to also become infected by fungal diseases.[图片]Treating Soft Scale Bugs The most effective coccid soft scale insect control is using neem oil. Neem oil will treat insects and fungal diseases. Systemic insecticides are also very effective against scale insects because they feed on the plant sap. Other effective coccid scale control products are pyrethrum based insecticides, marathon, horticultural oil, and malathion.

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It’s amazing how many tiny things can live on a tree, without anyone really ever noticing. Such is the case of the Eriophyid mite, the cause of spindle galls on your tree leaves. When spindle galls get you down, take a look at this article for more information about them and how they affect your plants. Read on to learn about the fascinating process that creates spindle galls.[图片]What are Spindle Galls? Walking through a newly leafed forest or even just around your own garden in the springtime can reveal many breathtaking and astonishing sights. If you’re very lucky, you might even find some spindle galls. Although these interesting leaf deformations can at first appear like some sort of severe plant disease, the truth is that they’re very rarely dangerous to your plants.[图片]If your favorite tree has developed strange spiky growths on the upper surfaces of its leaves, you may immediately be concerned it’s an early sign of plant disease. Fortunately, spindle galls are not indicative of serious illness; instead, they’re the homes of tiny garden mites that feed on plants like yours. The Eriophyid mites are the causes of spindle galls. In the spring, these tiny mites emerge from their hiding places under bark, in cracks or under bud scales and begin feeding on the newly opened leaves of landscape trees.[图片]Although this would normally be a fairly disturbing trend, because spindle gall mites are so small, the leaf is barely affected. Usually, the most serious effect is that infected leaves are tricked into encapsulating the mite, thus forming the very noticeable gall. Inside the gall, the mite is feeding, growing and laying eggs. But don’t worry, the next generation won’t hang around long. Not only can spindle gall mites be easily blown on the wind, they also frequently hitch rides with visiting insects.[图片]How to Treat Spindle Galls There are certainly a few gall mites that require intervention, such as galls that cause leaf petioles to swell and result in the death of leaves, but spindle gall mites aren’t anything more than an inconvenience. You’ll even notice that they naturally wax and wane from year to year. Another mite that’s present on your plants, the Phytoseiid mite, is predatory and loves nothing more than to eat these spindle gall mites in abundance. Once you’ve seen galls on a plant, it’s too late to treat them, anyway, since the insect is encased within the leaf tissue.[图片]Because of these things, spindle gall treatment mostly consists of not panicking and learning to appreciate the many animals that call your landscape home. If infections in years past have been severe, you may want to think about treating mites this year, but be advised that you can’t just kill the Eriophyid mites and leave the Phytoseiid mites alone. It’s a one and done scenario. If you want to eliminate all mites, spray your tree with miticide from top to bottom seven to 10 days before bud break, or use a horticultural oil to disrupt mite life cycles once leaves have opened.

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Lumps, bumps and weird cottony fluff on your plants are more than just some strange coincidence, they’re probably soft scale insects! Don’t worry, we have the answers to your burning soft scale questions.[图片]What is Soft Scale? Plants that are droopy, yellowing or have developed sticky spots and black mold on leaves can be really alarming to find in your landscape or garden. These are plants that look to be on the brink of immediate death, but things aren’t always that straightforward. If your plants are sagging and looking terrible, it may not be a terminal plant disease, but soft scale insects to blame.[图片]Soft scale insects are relatively large sap-sucking insects, measuring a tenth to a quarter of an inch long (two to six millimeters), with a distinct protective covering firmly attached to their bodies. Some mimic their surroundings, others produce a waxy coating that can make them resemble fluffy insect casings. They come in a range of colors and sizes, but they all result in the same kinds of problems. Soft scale feed directly from the vascular systems of host plants, which can quickly result in a plant that looks like it’s not feeling so hot. Drought stress can speed up the plant’s decline, since it’s fighting these soft scale insects for liquids.[图片]One of the most distinguishing features in determining soft scale versus armored scale infestations is the production of copious amounts of clear, sticky liquid called honeydew. Only the soft scale bugs produce this liquid, which tends to drip on leaves and objects below it. This sets up a dangerous cycle, because the sweet liquid attracts both ants and a non-pathogenic fungus called sooty mold. Often, ant infestations are among the first signs of soft scale. These smart, industrial insects have actually been known to use soft scale insects as a means of farming honeydew, just as they do with aphids. Ants will tend them lovingly and then harvest the fruits of their labor for the ant colony. Because soft scale can’t move, their ant partners will move them to more promising plants or to uninfested parts of the existing host, creating a huge problem for the plant owner.[图片]How to Get Rid of Soft Scale Destroying soft scale is a relatively easy process, except for those ants. If you’re seeing ants in the same plant as the scale bugs, you’ll have to get the ants under control at the same time that you treat the invaders. Otherwise, the ants will rush in to save the soft scale insects and move as many as possible to a new, safe location. Baiting and applying a sticky barrier to affected plants will rid you of the ants, making it easier to control the scale.[图片]Neem or horticultural oil sprays are recommended to get the scale themselves under control. This way, the predators of scale insects are largely preserved and can help to keep more scale from invading. Always test foliage before spraying your entire plant with any sort of oil. Phytotoxicity can occur, though it is unlikely if your plant is well hydrated.

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Armored scale insects are hiding under your nose right now and you probably don’t even know it. These master mimics are everywhere, but you can learn how to detect and eliminate them from your plants in this article. Read on to learn more about these strange sap-sucking insects. What is Armored Scale? Of all the garden pests you’ll meet as you cultivate and love your garden, armored scale insects may be the most interesting and frustrating. If your plant has suddenly developed a lot of unusual bumps, lumps or things that look almost like they might be new growths in the wrong spots, armored scale is probably responsible.[图片]Scale insects are tiny sap-sucking pests, about the same size as an aphid. Unlike aphids, though, scale insects hide under elaborate coverings meant to protect them from predators and the elements, as well as acting as cover for their eggs. In armored scale, these covers are waxy, hard, circular or rounded in shape and detached from their bodies. Females spend the bulk of their lives under these covers, eventually losing any obvious appendages and permanently affixing themselves to their host plant. Signs of armored scale are more subtle than soft scale, because armored scale don’t produce the sticky substance known as honeydew. This is because they consume plant juices differently.[图片]Instead of focusing on locating the vascular system of host plants, armored scale rupture and destroy the cells they’re feeding on directly. The lower amount of available water eliminates the need for honeydew production as a byproduct of feeding. Even so, infected plants may suddenly appear weak or yellow dramatically when numbers climb. The most telling sign of armored versus soft scale are the hard coverings. If you lift one, you’ll find a small soft-bodied insect inside, whereas with soft scale, the covering is often part of their body. Armored scale also don’t draw ants or sooty mold since they don’t produce honeydew. How to Get Rid of Armored Scale Armored scale insects would be a breeze to eliminate if not for their thick outer coatings.[图片]The insects themselves are quite vulnerable, so you don’t need to go in with a huge arsenal. Horticultural oil is the very best way to destroy armored scale while preserving the predators that will readily feed on their young during the mobile “crawler” stage. Ideally, timing your application with the emergence of crawlers from their mothers’ covers will eliminate an entire generation all at once.[图片]Repeat sprays at five to six week intervals will knock the colony back, and persistence will destroy them entirely. Before applying horticultural oil, ensure that your plant is well hydrated and not heat stressed. Most plants won’t have a problem with horticultural oil mixed appropriately, but the odd bush or tree might experience phytotoxicity, so try a small spot first a few days ahead of when you plan to spray the whole plant.

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When people see these unusually colored cacti, quite often they are mistaken as flowers. But in actual fact they are two different species of cacti grafted together.[图片]The brightly colored cactus that sits on top is actually a mutant variation of a standard cactus. In the wild, if a mutant pup is created, eventually it would detach from the parent plant and sadly die as it cannot photosynthesize. The reason it can’t photosynthesize is because it has no chlorophyll (green pigments), which is essential in the photosynthesis process. So in order for a mutant pup to survive, we have to find some other means to give it nutrients. This is where the grafting comes in.[图片]Rootstock plants, which are able to photosynthesize normally, are what the mutant pups are grafted on to. They can provide enough nutrients for both itself and its grafted partner, allowing both to survive. Common rootstocks used in grafting cacti include species of Hylocereus (what we use here at Fickle Prickles), Myrtillocactus geometrizans, Trichocereus pasacana, Harrisia jusbertii, Cereus peruvianus and many more.[图片]Most of the colorful mutants you will see around are derived from the species Gymnocalycium mihanovichii and Lobivia silvestrii variegate. However, the possibilities of grafting are endless, and not just limited to mutants.[图片]How to Care for Grafted Cacti Light: Place these guys indoors or sheltered under verandas or patios as the rootstock is sensitive to the cold and frosts. They do need partial sun, so next to a window is the perfect location if they are indoors.[图片]Water: Very little maintenance is required for these guys to thrive; in fact one of the main reasons grafted cacti suffer is through over watering. Water them sparingly, only when the soil is dry (this can take anywhere from a week to a month depending on location, time of year and environmental factors). The best thing to do is water them thoroughly and then let it drain. If you are using saucers, make sure to empty them out after each watering.

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