For the Birds: Common Feeder Birds in Acadiana

It's time to change out tired, cool-season annuals with heat-loving summer annuals such as: Angelonia, pentas, portulaca, vinca & much more. Planting tropical sun lovers like hibiscus is ideal now, too. To encourage more rapid re-blooming, pinch off old flowers on bedding plants after their first flower cycle is complete. MAY TO DO LIST: -Plant warm-season bedding plants. Vinca can now be planted for best results! Don’t know which warm-season bedding plants will be best for your area? Come visit us for a wide selection and knowledge to be successful! -To encourage more rapid re-blooming, pinch off old flowers on bedding plants. -It’s a great time to plant a crape myrtle tree for great summer flowering. -Prune & feed azaleas & camellias once their blooming has finished. -Sow seeds for heat-loving annuals and watch them begin to grow! This is a fun kid project, too, once school is out. -Now is the time to plant all kinds of summer-loving vegetables. -Prune & shape all winter-flowering shrubs and vines. -Mulch all garden beds well to help regulate soil temperature, retain moisture, and keep weeds at bay. An excellent mulch to try, in addition to Grade ‘A’ Cypress or Cedar, is pine straw. To effectively suppress weeds, apply mulch 2 inches thick. -When in the garden, wear a wide brim hat and apply sunscreen. -Plants you had indoors for cool weather can now reside outside. -Place houseplant containers in an area that receives bright shade- not direct sun. -Don't forget to fill bird feeders with seed! -Watch for insect problems on roses. Aphids may develop on tender new growth, thrips on flowers and cucumber beetles on foliage. Let us know and we'll set you up with the proper treatment. -After spring bulbs finish flowering, wait until the foliage turns yellow before cutting it off. This is because food is being manufactured and stored for next year’s blooms.

We all love the tropics- the bright colors and inviting tones! Bring that feeling into your garden with two of the best-looking tropical bloomers! Bougainvilleas enjoy to be “root-bound”, meaning they are an excellent choice for a container or hanging basket! They flower the heaviest when the roots are slightly crowded in the container. If they are planted in the ground, you’ll notice they tend to stay more green. If you have some from last year and want to encourage it to bloom, a simple tip is to “tip prune” off about ½ inch of the stem tips. This encourages more branching and ultimately more flowers! Another fact about Bougainvilleas is they flower the heaviest when they are water-stressed. This may not make much sense to you because we like to care for our plants and give them drinks often. However, there are some plants, like these, that enjoy being more drought-tolerant. Think of them like a desert plant: they are under water-stress, then water pours into them and BOOM- they bloom! Withhold water for extended periods to force the plant into bloom. Our advice would be to wait until you see the leaves slightly wilting. At that point, it’s ready to receive a thorough watering session so it can perform for you! Hibiscus bloom on new wood, so it’s always important to “tip prune” them back. Also, pinch off old flower buds to help the plant perform best with less “baggage.” Pests like aphids and white flies effect their blooms as well, so preventive measures work best. We can help provide you details. One of the most common questions we get from concerned customers is that their Hibiscus’ leaves are yellow. Yellowing leaves is an indication of overwatering or underwatering. In the summer, it’s usually underwatering. Just like us, plants need lots of water in the hot summer months. We have a homemade superbloom tonic when you want to kick-start your Bougainvillea and/or Hibiscus to bloom: 1 gallon of water 2 tablespoons of Fertilome all-purpose plant food 2 tablespoons of Fertilome Blooming & Rooting 2 tablespoons of Epom Salt Fertilize with this mixture every other week for results! When your Bougainvillea and/or Hibiscus are already blooming, and you want the blooms to continue, our recommendation is to maintain a slow-release fertilizer schedule, every 3 months during their growing season. Our best slow-release fertilizers formulated for these specific plants are HibisGain and BouGain.  As always, we want to help you know it to be able to grow it! We are always here to provide the education and products to ensure gardening success and a green thumb you can be proud of! Please come visit us to DIG IT!

If you love the beauty of a garden as well as sweet-smelling flowers and plants to give both your eyes and nose a Springtime delight, then check out these “nose”worthy specimens! Gardenia: Gardenias are one of the most iconic sweet smelling shrubs around, and we are lucky that they do so well in our climate. Their smell is often bottled for perfumes or added to extracts in soaps and lotions. Planting these at an entrance or around your outdoor entertaining area is sure to have your guests breathing in a deep breath to savoy the smell. Butterfly Bush, Buddleia: While there are many different varieties of Butterfly Bush with colors ranging from white to purple, pink, blue or even yellow, two things they all have in common are their honey-like fragrance and being a magnet to butterflies. In fact they are so rich in nectar, they are highly attractive to other beneficial insects and pollinators like bees, moths and hummingbirds, too. They are flowering shrubs that produce distinctive flowers starting in spring and lasting into fall. Scented Geranium (Pelargonium Citronella): This perennial that we’ve also nicknamed “Mosquito Plant/Shocker” has a strong citronella scent we find pleasant, but mosquitos hate. This is an ideal plant to banish the bug (mosquitoes), which is why we recommend planting this in your entertaining area, such as in container gardens. It’s also a great plant to crush the leaves and rub them on your skin while outdoors; offer some leaves to your company as a fun “party trick!” As a bonus, it blooms clusters of lavender-pink flowers adorned with deep crimson brush marks on the tops of their petals. Rosemary: Rosemary is an attractive perennial shrub with fragrant leaves. It’s also a popular culinary herb with a wonderful aroma and piney taste, which goes well with chicken, steak, pastas potatoes, or soups. In liquid form, its scent is enjoyed in soaps, diffusers and more! Rosemary also blooms small, sweet blue flowers. Skinner’s Banana Shrub: Is this a banana tree? Nope, it’s a magnolia, but its blooms smell just like bananas! It’s a worthwhile broadleaf evergreen shrub reaching heights of 10ft in full sun. The spring time flowers are small, cup-shaped and cream in color with a pleasing banana scent! This is a perfect plant for a border or screen hedge! Citrus Trees: Before you can pluck an orange or other citrus for your snack, the tree becomes covered in blooms! These blooms are white, fragrant sweet-smelling flowers with the buzz of pollinators in the air nearby! Society Garlic: These spring-blooming perennials produce stalks of star-shaped purple flowers. The plant gets its name from not only looking like garlic/chives, but smelling like garlic. However, it’s not garlic and is ornamental only, meaning to be enjoyed by your eyes and nose and not your taste buds! It’s a great plant for a full sun flower bed or container since it only reaches about a foot tall and wide. Plus, the garlic smell adds a twist of garden delight! Specialty Roses: “Take Time to Stop and Smell the Roses” is an idiom that means to relax and take time out to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of life. But, it’s also literal because the Specialty Roses smell absolutely heavenly. Planting a rose garden is a beautiful way to share the love of gardening with the love of beautiful blooms, beautiful scents and flowers worthy of being in a vase for interior enjoyment. Lavender: Lovely lavender adds a relaxing vibe and aroma to a garden or container. Lavender grows 1-3’ tall and has those long airy spikes with soft blue-violet flowers quintessential with the Mediterranean. The oils in the flowers are what give this herb its distinctive fragrance. When inhaled, lavender has calming properties that reduce anxiety, as well as being a gentle sedative for sleep. Its name derives from the Latin root “lavare,” which means “to wash,” because it was used in baths to purify the body and spirit. Magnolia: Plant Louisiana’s state flower as a show of culture as well as to enjoy the fragrant (and large) white flowers of this “famous face.” This evergreen tree is low maintenance and adaptable, not to mention making a strong southern statement. The blooms begin to burst open in spring & summer unleashing the sweet aroma of its flower. Don’t want a 40’+ tree in your front yard? The Little Gems, reaching only 12-14’ tall, offer a great alternative. Confederate Jasmine: These are some vines that really shine…or should we say “smell?!” Planting Confederate Jasmine along a fence, on a trellis, arbor or even a mailbox, adds a beautiful look and a strong sweet smell. This evergreen climber is known for its fragrant white star-shaped blooms, which will be more prolific when planted in full sun. Please note All Seasons may or may not have these in stock. Please contact us to confirm their availability! You can call us at 337.264.1418 or contact us here.

As spring finally awakens, there is no doubt that we will begin to see bursts of color throughout the landscape. While we are grateful for these spring flowers, we are also anxiously awaiting the return of one of our favorite blooms. The hydrangea, that graces us with its beauty all summer long will be making an appearance soon! So, what are the things we do to keep these beauties healthy and ready for bloom season?  Water Hydrangeas should never dry out - especially during hot weather. Check your plant’s water needs regularly during the spring through summer, and water as needed. Light Depending on the variety, there are hydrangeas that grow well in whatever light conditions you have: full shade, partial shade and full sun. Most hydrangeas will grow well with 4-5 hours of sun and prefer morning sun to the hot afternoon sun. Mulch In an effort to preserve moisture to their shallow roots, hydrangeas should be mulched with 2-3 inches of shredded bark over their root zone. Pruning Pruning is primarily divided between 2 methods. It is imperative that you know the variety of your hydrangea so that it can be properly pruned. Pruning a hydrangea the wrong way may lead to the absence of flowers during the growing season. Pruning Method One: Macrophylla, Oak Leaf & Serrata Hydrangeas These types of hydrangeas typically bloom on ‘old wood’ – growth from the previous season. Flowers usually appear in June and July but the future season’s flower buds form on the stems during late summer & early fall. These hydrangeas should be pruned immediately after flowering so they can produce buds for the next season. Do not prune these hydrangeas in late fall, winter or spring. Pruning Method Two: Arborescens and Paniculata Hydrangeas The hydrangeas in this group flower on new wood – growth from the current season. Do not prune these hydrangea types in the late spring or summer since they are about to bloom on this year’s new growth. Pruning is typically done in early spring or late fall. However, spent blooms can be left on the plant in fall for winter interest. ‘Arborescens’ hydrangeas should be cut back 12”-18” from the ground in early spring to help prevent flopping during the upcoming season. ‘Panicales’ can be pruned to shape. Exceptions · All dead or broken branches and stems should be removed from the plant each year. · If your hydrangea is outgrowing its space, it can be pruned, but that may mean forfeiting blooms for the short-term. It is always good to choose a hydrangea that can grow to its full size without needing to be pruned to fit the area. · After 5+ years of age, one third of the living stems can be removed. This will revitalize the plant. · ‘Deadheading’ spent flowers is not the same as ‘pruning’. It is okay to cut off spent blooms during the growing season for any type of hydrangea. However, be careful not to cut too much of the stem on macrophyllas and oakleaf varieties so buds will not be removed for the following year. Endless Summer and other re-blooming varieties bloom on both ‘old’ and ‘new wood’.

With Mother's Day looming, why wait until the last minute!?!? Here at All Seasons Nursery we make Mother's Day shopping easy. Instead of giving mom a bouquet of cut flowers that will last a week, why not give her a plant that will give her cut flowers over and over!! Endless Summer Hydrangeas will bloom several times into the hotter months of summer. She can cut these huge blooms again and again. She can even change the color of the blooms by simply changing the soil pH from neutral or alkaline which will give her a pink bloom, to acidic which will give her a lavender to deep blue bloom. Caring for Hydrangeas is relatively simple. When planting choose a spot that receives dappled sun to shade. These plants like moist, but not wet, soil so they will need to be watered regularly, especially as the temperature starts to rise. They are deciduous plants, which means in the winter time the foliage will turn brown after the first hard freeze. Simply strip the dead foliage off and leave the plant alone. You will see new buds forming in mid to late spring. You can use aluminum sulfate, coffee grinds, pine straw or Miracid to acidify the soil if your desired color of the bloom is lavender or blue. Leave the soil alone if you want it to be pink. There are a few varieties in the Endless Summer series to choose from: Try any variety of Hydrangea and you (AND MOM) will be more than delighted with the results. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! Hydrangea 101 Hydrangeas are among the most popular of garden plants and also some of the most confusing. What color will the flowers be? How can I change colors? How can I use them for arrangements? The first step in answering these questions is to determine what sort of hydrangea you have. Cone-shaped blooms occur on hardy hydrangeas. Brightly colored mophead (round) or lacecap (flat) flowers are usually bigleaf hydrangeas, although mountain hydrangeas also produce lacecap blooms. Bigleaf hydrangeas will have thicker, glossier foliage. Only bigleaf and mountain hydrangea blooms are affected by soil pH, which affects the bloom color. The flowers of other hydrangeas will not change color. Blue flowers appear in more acidic soils, where aluminum is more available to the plant. In more basic soils, where aluminum is less available, the flowers will be pinker. Blooms can range from deep blue to purple to hot pink, with different varieties having a tendency to be either pinker or bluer. You can adjust the color of the blooms by adding aluminum sulfate to the soil for more blue flowers and lime to soils to encourage pink blooms. It may take a couple of seasons to see the desired color. Many gardeners like to enjoy their hydrangeas year-round by cutting and drying them for arrangements. This is easy to do. First, cut the flowers when they are slightly past their peak. Next, place them in a vase and allow them to dry while in water. Drying them in water helps them to hold their shape and color as they dry.  Types of Hydrangeas: · Mophead hydrangeas, or Hydrangea macrophyllas, have rounded, globe-like flower heads. Most prefer morning sun and afternoon shade, but avoid heavy shade, which can cause poor flowering. Generally speaking, the further north you live, the more sun mopheads can tolerate. Mops come in blue and pink, as well as white, lavender, and lilac · Lacecaps have flattened, loosely arranged flower heads. Also known as H. macrophylla normalis, they have the same basic growing requirements as mopheads. · H. serratas are a subspecies of the macrophyllas, and they’re smaller shrubs. Give them part shade, if you live in a sunny climate; elsewhere, they can take more sun. · H. arborescens is sometimes called smooth or wild hydrangea. The best-known variety is ‘Annabelle’, which bears big, white blooms and flowers dependably. Give this one some shade, especially if you live where the summers are hot. · H. quercifolia, or oakleaf hydrangea, has cone-shaped flower heads. It’s native to the southeastern U.S. and often droops when the sun bears down, but be careful not to overwater. It needs good drainage. Oakleafs can be huge, so look for a dwarf if space is limited. If planted in a sunny spot, it will develop gorgeous fall leaf color. Give it some shade if your climate is hot. How to Care for Hydrangeas: · For lots of beautiful flowers, choose a hydrangea that’s cold hardy in your garden zone. Check the plant tag to see if it requires sun or shade, so you can plant it in the right spot. Early summer and fall are the best times to plant. · Put your hydrangea where you won’t have to prune it. These shrubs grow vigorously, and besides—they’re big and beautiful by nature. · Plant in soil that drains easily, and add good organic material, if needed, to help loosen it. · Don’t plant your hydrangea any deeper than it was growing in the pot. · Avoid planting under trees, where the roots will compete for moisture and nutrients. · Keep your hydrangea watered for the first couple of years, to help develop strong roots. But don’t let water stand around your plants. Oakleafs are especially prone to root rot when they are kept too wet. · Fertilize once a year with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer, or fertilize twice a year with 10-10-10. Commercial manure or compost is an organic alternative. Stop fertilizing by August to let your hydrangea get ready to go dormant.

Shop for the one you love at the place she loves! We have HUNDREDS of gift ideas for your Mom, a special Mom in your life or even for you to put on your kids’ list! With the recent expansion, our footprint has gotten larger with more plants she will love, a large pavilion full of gift ideas for her home + garden, pottery in all sizes and colors, furniture and much more. Gift cards serve as a quick and easy gift, giving Mom the joy of shopping in any and all seasons for her favorites. If you would like to purchase Mom a special plant, we have come up with a list of blooming beauties she would likely enjoy that we have now! Pick from pretty blooms like Mom, or plants in her favorite color family! The gift ideas are upon every turn; we invite you to stroll and shop! Plant Mom a Container Garden: We have SO MANY plants and pots, so dig Mom by planting her a custom container garden! We can help you mix the right plants for full sun or shade. Mix colors and textures, or stay with the same color- the possibilities are ready for you to DIG! Great full sun plants that do well in containers are pentas, vinca, salvias, angelonias, zinnas and many more. Great plants for Mom’s more shaded area are caladiums, begonias, torenias, impatiens and many more. We even offer a potting service, so we can create it all for your Mom- even if you give us a call for a phone order, and even if you don’t live in town. We offer delivery services right to Mom’s door. Clematis: Clematis are gorgeous blooming vines with flowers often as large as your hand. These are tough perennials that like to keep their roots shaded, but otherwise can take the sun/partial sun. Several varieties are available in colors from white to bright purple. Since they like to climb, they are great on a trellis in a large pot or on a wall, on an arbor, a mailbox, etc! Mandevillea/Bougainvillea/Hibiscus: Bring Mom a slice of the tropics with these bright bloomers that put on a show from Spring all the way through summer (and since we *typically* have mild winters, through the winter season as well.) Mandevilleas can climb a trellis, mailbox, arbor, etc, or add beauty to a container or landscape in the bush-form variety. With their trumpet-shaped flowers, hummingbirds enjoy them-especially the red ones! Bougainvillea “blooms” are paper-thin, but their bright presence brings us straight to a tropical paradise. They are often in hanging baskets which brings a pop to a porch. Hibiscus plants bloom in the brightest shades of red, orange, yellow, pink and even a mix of some! Blooms can even be double- you should see the peach color one we have now! Cajun Hibiscus have our local Cajun personality with larger blooms, typically “loud” with ruffles, crazy colors and simply show-stopping. Cajun Hibiscus: We love our loud and proud Cajun Moms! Mimic her personality with a Cajun Hibiscus- the leaves and blooms are larger and showier than the traditional Hibiscus. A bonus to this gift is to select Mom a variety like “Cajun Maiden,” “Grand Mere” or “Love Song!” The names, and blooms, are beautiful and memorable- just like Mom! Shasta Daisy: Many Moms love the look of sweet, delicate daisies. The Shasta doesn’t disappoint. It mixes well with others in a full-sun container, or can be planted in mom’s garden. A fun thing for Mom to do with these is to cut the blooms, place them in a vase and use as a tabletop reminder of your Mother’s Day gift. This form of “cut flowers” lasts much longer than a store-bought bouquet. Sunflower: Few perennials embody the sun’s sunshine like a sunflower! The recognizable blooms are as radiant as Mom, and some varieties can grow as tall as her, too! Herbs and Vegetables: Does Mom love to cook? Give the gift of her ingredients! With fresh herbs, she can easily flavor your family’s favorites- like a pasta or a gumbo! Another herb gift idea we love is lavender! Lavender has stress-relieving benefits that Mom surly needs. Add to her vegetable garden or get her started. We can help pair you with everything she needs- like an easy raised bed (check out our Big Bag Bed product), organic soil amendments, vegetables from tomatoes to squash to melons to peppers of every spice level. Some can even be planted in a container for easy access! Citrus, Fruit Trees, Berries: Give Mom the gift of an orchard with results she will surely enjoy as healthy snacks, meal additions, and more! We have several varieties of citrus, like lemons, oranges, limes and more. A popular apple you can find in the grocery store is the Fuji, and we have it in tree form for Mom to plant and enjoy without needing to go to the store. Blueberries, blackberries, muscadine grapes and raspberries are fun to pick and enjoy as snacks and sides, plus Moms with youngin’s can plant for her kids to learn the love of gardening! Butterfly Attracting Plants & Milkweed: If Mom loves monarch butterflies, we have the milkweed they love. Milkweed is grown as a food source for the monarch caterpillar. They munch and begin their metamorphism- right in Mom’s garden. Pair milkweed with the plants butterflies enjoy- like lantana, salvia, coneflower, zinnia and more! Butterfly Bush: Speaking of butterflies, Buddleia, or Butterfly Bush is an all-time favorite butterfly magnet. A benefit for Mom is they have a sweet fragrance she will delight in having fill her garden while she watches butterflies flutter without being in a hurry. Japanese Maple, like Seiryu: Does Mom like unique trees that bring interest (and shade) to a back or front yard? You can’t go wrong with a Japanese Maple tree. The mature height, leaf and/or bark shade varies depending on the variety, but they all have a light, wispy look to them that makes them the focal point-much like Mom on Mother’s Day. Drift or Knockout Rose: Blooms on these low-growing shrub rose bushes pop in color and season- much like popcorn. In fact, we have a “Popcorn Drift Rose” variety! Colors are white, coral, red, pink, yellow and shades of those. These shrubs are ideal for landscapes since they stay low, add color and personality in several seasons. Much like the Shasta Daisies, Mom can clip the blooms for a vase for an alternate gift idea to the rose bouquet. Hydrangeas: Hydrangeas are an iconic look to a shady garden/landscape. Their large cluster-forming bloom heads bring a soft look when in the ground, and when used in fresh flower vases around the home. Hydrangeas in white may be Moms favorite, or she may want to change her soil pH level to go between the blue or pink Endless Summer varieties. The Summer Crush is a hot pink look to get Mom ready for summer, while the Limelight has hints of lime to the flower heads. Other varieties, such as Oak Leaf and Variegated are here as well and all will bring Mom a smile. Confederate Jasmine: If Mom has a trellis, mailbox, or structure, a confederate jasmine will look (and smell) delightful climbing. Staying evergreen all year, the sweet white blooms explode with a sweet fragrance throughout spring and summer. Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow: This plant is a perfect metaphor for your love for Mom: you loved her yesterday, you love her today and you will love her tomorrow. The blooms are purple, fading to lavender and to white all while new blooms are putting on the same show. It’s a lovely plant for a partial sun area. Bird of Paradise: If Mom spends her daydreams on a tropical beach, a Bird of Paradise sets the stage in her ground or large container. With exotic blooms of orange (and we have yellow, as well as white for indoors), she will plant a “staycaction!” Gardenia: With snow-white blooms resembling roses, Gardenias not only look as sweet as Mom, they smell as sweet as her too! The strong fragrance carries on a breeze, and does well in ground or containers- especially near an entrance or frequent back-yard relaxing spot of Mom’s. Passion Vine: Another climbing option, but this one is for the Mom who enjoys something different, unusual, and a talking point! The blooms are a unique look, resembling something you would see when traveling to a rainforest. Butterflies are extra fond of the Red Passion Vine, which will bring another show to Mom’s garden! Interior Plants: It doesn’t matter if Mom works in an office, works from home, or simply enjoys the look of live plants in her home space: interior plants bring the outdoors in, calm moods and most importantly purify the air so Mom can stay healthy and happy. Our greenhouse is FULL of options with all shades of green, succulents, cacti, the Mom who likes a different look, or the Mom who loves a traditional Pothos Ivy, or the Mom who loves the trendy Peperomia or Fiddle Leaf Fig. Please note All Seasons may or may not have these in stock. Please contact us to confirm their availability! You can call us at 337.264.1418 or contact us here.

Most people see insects in their garden and immediately think that they must take certain measures to get rid of them. But many of the insects that we may see can be extremely beneficial to the plants in our home gardens. Here are a few examples of beneficial insects and pests that can be spotted in the garden. Beneficial Garden Bugs Praying Mantis: (Predator) Praying mantises have long necks and front arms, triangular heads, and elongated bodies that can resemble leaves or branches. They can camouflage themselves very well and can adapt to their surrounding colors. They are mostly known to eat insects like crickets, grasshoppers, spiders, frogs, and lizards. Ladybugs: (Predator) Ladybugs are rounded insects with shiny covered wings and their colors range from orange, red, yellow, and black. They can be seen with spots and without. Like the praying mantis, ladybugs are predators that feed on pest insects in the garden such as aphids and mites and other soft-bodied insects. Butterflies: (Pollinator) Butterflies are beautiful and elegant insects that are quite enjoyable to look at. There are many different species and they can have many different colors and some very interesting patterns. Besides being beautiful multi-colored insects, they can help our growing gardens. Butterflies are excellent pollinators. As butterflies move from flower to flower feeding on the nectar, pollen that has stuck to them is transported to the next flower they feed on. Bees: (Pollinator) Bees are another excellent pollinator. Honey is not the only benefit of bees. They are another extremely beneficial and necessary insect in the garden and crops. As they fly around in search of and feeding on the nectar of flowers, pollen gets attached to the hairs on their bodies and is transferred to another flower. Pests Pest insects can damage and even ruin our gardens. There are a variety of different pests that can feed on your home garden that you may have taken such diligent care of. These are just a few pests that you may encounter in some of your home gardens.  Aphids (Plant Lice): This garden pest can be described as a small, soft bodied insect that is typically a yellowish-green color and can be both winged or wing-less. Aphids, which are a type of plant lice, can reproduce very quickly. You will see these garden pests dwelling on the underside of just about everything, but they tend to like vegetable plant leaves and stems such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and collard greens - typically, younger plants. Aphids are sucking insects that can wreak havoc on the leaves of your vegetable plants. They will feed on the leaves and can cause them to become curled and discolored. Tomato Hornworm: These insects affect tomato plants. The larva can be described as a long thick pale green worm with chalky streaks across its body. You will also notice small spots along the sides of their bodies and they have red or black spiky tails. The adult tomato hornworms are brownish gray moths that are decorated with orange spots on the abdomen. The eggs can be seen on the underneath of the tomato leaves and are greenish-yellow in color. The larvas of the tomato hornworm are fast eaters. They have been known to eat nearly an entire tomato plant in just a couple days. Whiteflies: Whiteflies can be a huge problem in late summer. They are very small, only a little bigger than a gnat and have small white wings. These pests tend to fly up and off of the plant when it is shaken or disturbed. These pests are also a sucking insect that will feed on the plant leaves, which can also cause the plant to look diseased. They can be seen on a wide variety of plants including Confederate roses and vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants, okra, beans, and sweet potatoes, just to name a few.

If you’re searching for the easiest plant to grow, air plants, or Tillandsia, should be on your list. Did you know air plants are in the Bromeliad family? This is a larger family than the Broussards, with over 650 species that vary in size, texture, shape and color. They are native to the West Indies, Mexico and much of Central & South America. In that habitat, this unusual species attaches itself to rocks and trees using its roots. They get nutrients and water from the air, which is how they came to be known as air plants. The cool fact is, as its name implies, no soil is necessary for this plant to grow and thrive! Even though there are so many varieties of air plants, they can fall into two different categories: Xeric and Mesic. What are the Xeric types? These air plants have flattened, silvery leaves that are covered with tiny hairs. These hairs assist them in absorbing moisture, which is how that have adapted to surviving desert conditions. What are the Mesic Types? These air plants boast darker green, smooth and often curly leaves that thrive in high-humidity rainforest conditions. With such little maintenance requirements, air plants are not fussy and will adapt to your office or home conditions with minimal care! Here are some guidelines to keep them healthy and top-notch. Light: Air plants require plenty of light, so place them somewhere light streams though. However, direct sun will dry out their leaves quickly and can cause them to dehydrate and wilt. Therefore, placing them in the light of your office or kitchen windowsill is more idyllic than outside on your patio table where the sun shines directly. Water: Both types, Xeric and Mesic, of air plants should be soaked in clean room-temperature water for about 20 minutes. The Xeric types should be spritzed twice a week and soaked once a month. The Mesic types like to be spritzed every other day and once a week. Spritzing should also be done with clean, room-temperature water in a spray bottle. After soaking, shake off any water left on the plant and place it somewhere with good air circulation so it can dry quickly. If you notice the leaves are beginning to wrinkle or roll, this is a sign of dehydration. Give them a good soaking session and spritz them more frequently so they can perk back up. Temperature: Our typical indoor temperatures are perfectly suitable for air plants, which makes them ideal for home and office décor. To be exact, they like temps ranging from 50-90 degrees Fahrenheit.  Pruning: Don’t fret because it is common for the outer leaves of an air plant to dry out and turn brown. You have not failed! These spent leaves can simply be removed. If the leaf tips show the same signs, you can cut off the tips and carry on with regular care. The plant will continue to grow and have a fine future.

-Prune azaleas, camellias, gardenias, quince, spirea, viburnum, wisteria, dogwood, hydrangeas, mock orange and redbuds immediately after they are finished blooming to encourage flowering for next year. -Do not prune off foliage of spring-blooming bulbs until after the foliage has turned brown. -Plant warm-season bedding plants. -Fertilize shrubs using a general-purpose fertilizer. -Fertilize azaleas and camellias after they bloom and again 6 weeks later with an acid “azalea fertilizer. This fertilizer can be used on other acid-loving plants, such as gardenias & hollies. Water the fertilizer in with the plant. -Fertilize summer-blooming perennials, bulbs, tropical plants and bedding plants monthly with a granular product or twice a month with a water-soluble product. -Mulch plants to reduce watering requirements, suppress weed growth and minimize soil temperature changes. Mulch should be applied up to 2'' thick to be effective. -Remove faded blooms from bedding plants to encourage more flowers. -Start seeds or plant transplants for kitchen gardens. Don't forget the herbs! -Select and plant roses. We have a large selection now blooming! -Release beneficial insects to organically control pests. -Prune, feed and treat houseplants if needed. They may need to be watered more often as your home receives more sun. If leaves droop or wilt, water more. -Fertilize established lawns. -Harvest seeds from flower heads only after they have dried completely on the plant. Store dried seeds in paper bags or envelopes to prevent mold. -Start seeds fast by soaking over night before planting the next day. -Remove blooms from caladiums and coleus to encourage more foliage.