A New Mystery!
Well, I’ve found my mystery for this Spring. Two years ago, it was Argiope Aurantia’s egg sack in my Croton as I was about to bring it inside for the coming Winter. Now this!
I found this in the leaves of my Dracaena Warnekii. It’s a palm-like tropical plant that likes lots of light and humidity, [...]
Reader Mail
Dear Ivy,
What is Argiope Aurantia?
-Intrigued in Indiana
Dear Intrigued,
Argiope Aurantia is the Latin name for the common black and yellow garden spider. All organisms are classified by a Latin, or scientific name. This is their “official” name, since common names can often be confused. This spider is a beautiful and helpful addition to any garden. The [...]
Nasty Cats
Dear Ivy,
I have a five gallon tank I set up last spring for fly traps I had some nasty cats and they peed in the tank! Is it ok to put fly traps in it? And is there any way to clean the dirt? I could keep putting clean water in it to clean it [...]
Sticky Spider Silk
Dear Ivy,
I have an ivy plant with spider silk on the leaves, how do I clean it off?
-Clean as a Whistle
Dear Whistle,
First, raise your right hand and repeat after me:
“I (your name) promise not kill any spiders that live in my plants.
They are helpful creatures and they control pests.
If I absolutely, positively cannot deal with [...]
Medicinal Milk for Mildew
Dear Ivy,
What is this causing these white powdery spots all over my ivy?
-Dusty Tendrils
Dear Dusty,
My first guess is to say powdery mildew. Yikes! Get in there and get crackin’! This problem is fixable if you act quickly. I’m not sure if this is an indoor plant or not, but the same basic guidelines apply to [...]
Night Stalks
Dear Ivy,
Is bringing potted plants into our bedroom during the evening a healthful practice?
-Winkin, Blinkin and Sod
Dear Winkin, et all…
Here is a short lesson in botany…
When plants are exposed to sunlight during the day, they use their energy for photosynthesis. This creates oxygen as a by-product. During the evening, when there is no sunlight, and [...]
Indoor Edibles
Dear Ivy,
Are there any edible plants that will survive as indoor plants?
-Hungry Heather
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1970
Dear Hungry,
There are loads of edible plants that will thrive indoors! It’s only a matter of what you want to put into them that limits your options. Most plants that have a high output (i.e.- that create food or lage flowers) need high [...]
It’s Spring Time!
Ok, ok, it’s not really Spring yet. Not for about 5 weeks in my neck of the woods. But the weather here took a turn for the warmer today. It might have been the first direct sunlight my plants got in months! Spring means so many things to me. It’s time to start sprouting seeds [...]
What Are These White Spots?
Question: What are the white spots on my trailing ivy?
Answer: Well, they could be lots of things… A really great thing to do would be to invest in a magnifying glass (I use the word “invest” here loosely, since magnifying glasses can be bought most anywhere and are pretty cheap). It is underestimated how helpful [...]
Capsicum Casualty
Question: If you “botch” a transplant and cut or break a significant amount of a plant’s roots, should you: pro-actively trim foliage; trim foliage as it appears to die off; or leave it the heck alone (after transplanting, of course)?
Specifically asking about capsicum annuum, but curious if the instructions would be nearly universal.
The plant in [...]