Outdoor Palm with Brown Leaves and White Spots: Root Stress Suspected

Jennifers outdoor palm rapidly browned with flat white and black spots on leaves. Steves initial response ruled out obvious insects/diseases from the photo, suspecting a root or soil issue. Next Steps Check trunk for b

Variegated Pittosporum Dieback: Shade, Drainage, and Disease

Allens 8-year-old pittosporum hedge in Houston lost 40% of plants last summer—browning, curling leaves, death. Two landscapers disagreed: one blamed a local disease, the other excessive watering (every other day, 7 min).

Spider Mites on Ficus: Diagnosis and Control

After a 6-week vacation, Joyces ficus shows fine webbing, a curled leaf, and 75% of leaves have a clear sticky coating (honeydew). She suspects spider mites. Confirming Spider Mites Check leaf undersides for tiny movin

Sooty Mold on Camellia Caused by Scale Insects

Sheilas Black Rose camellia has black sooty powder on leaves with some frost-damaged curling. Melissa identifies scale insects (or possibly aphids) feeding on sap and excreting honeydew, which fuels sooty mold growth. T

Snake Plant Decline: Overwatering and Scale

Pats snake plant (Sansevieria) since 2010 shows chewed-looking marks, thinning foliage, and tan fibrous areas. A friends plant from the same source thrives. Two Main Culprits Overwatering – the #1 killer. Water thoroug

Pear Trees Producing Only Tiny Fruit: Graft Failure

Two mature pear trees bloom heavily but fruit stops growing at cherry size, worsening each year and spreading to the second tree. Melissa diagnoses graft failure—the edible scion is dying, leaving the unfruitful rootstoc

Arborvitae Hedge Dieback: Cercospora Blight Fungicide Program

30 arborvitae (10 yrs) thriving until last summer: 3 consecutive browned bottom-up, then 2 more, now 1 more starting. Rest healthy. Cause? Save last one? Diagnosis: Cercospora Blight Fungal disease starting low/inside, m

Orange Leaf White Fruiting Bodies: Powdery Mildew Management

Fungal disease with white fruiting bodies on orange leaves. Name and cure? Likely Powdery Mildew Without photo, probable ID. White powdery growth on leaves. Management Remove/discard symptomatic leaves (spores in white

Hoya Identification Follow-Up: Patient Expert

User identified Hoyas as Hoya publicalyx and Hoya obscura. Expert acknowledges delay due to spring break and new computer setup. Note No new horticultural content; just communication update. Article retains original ID f

Redtip Photinia One-Sided Browning: Stem Injury or Decay

Redtip tree brown on one side. Sudden or gradual? Diagnosis Sudden: Physical injury to main stem on that side (check bark at base of large branches/trunk). Gradual: Progressive stem decay disease. Action Prune dead woo

Cherry Tree Green Blotches: Health Restoration Over Cure

Cherry tree has green blotches, thinned leaves/flowers. How to cure? Approach Focus on restoring tree health rather than treating symptoms. Use Atomic Grow (organic, raises brix) + regular watering + slow-release fertili

Large Corn Plant Decline: Overwatering or Scale After Repotting

6-year-old corn plant repotted into larger pot, moved to brighter spot. Leaves yellowing, stems strangled look, some branches dying. Two Likely Causes Overwatering: New soil retains more moisture. Water only when dry; e

Holly Scale Infestation: Oil or Systemic Insecticide

Holly leaves have white powdery underside, yellow/brown spots on top. Photos show scale insects on leaf undersides. Treatment Options Horticultural oil (smothers scales) – avoid spraying above 85°F to prevent leaf burn.

Meyer Lemon Sticky Leaves: Honeydew from Sap-Feeding Insects

Indoor Meyer lemon (3 yrs) has shiny sticky leaves and spitting syrup. Two baby lemons dropped months ago. Cause Honeydew from aphids, whiteflies, scale, or leafhoppers. Insects suck sap, excrete sticky sugar. Control W

Reviving Old Ivy: Scale, Cold Draft, and Overwatering

23-year-old ivy declined after move: browning leaves, sticky coating, no visible insects. Cold draft from fire door. Possible root rot from overwatering. Multi-Problem Solution Sticky coating = scale insects (small bump

Plum Tree Base Bumps: Normal Callus or Canker?

3-year-old plum has 5 bumps on one side at base, one wrapping halfway with missing bark. Bumps have white/tan center lines. Tree otherwise healthy. Diagnosis Large bumps = woody callus tissue healing old injury (likely m

Tank Mixing Apple Sprays: Read the Label First

Can micronutrient spray be tank-mixed with pesticide on apple trees? Rule Only if both labels explicitly permit it. Check each product label. If not stated, dont mix – they may bind, lose efficacy, or damage trees.

Red Maple Limb Failure and Internal Decay

An 8-year-old red maple lost a large limb (12-inch diameter) that tore bark to the ground, revealing a softball-sized black decay pocket. The owner sealed the wound; the tree still blooms. He asks whether to keep it. De

Bradford Pear Decline: Slime Flux or Borers?

Two-year-old symptom pattern: one tree lost leaves early, leafed late next year, had butterflies on it, white spongy growth at base. Neighbor tree now thinning, no leaves yet. Possibilities Slime flux/wetwood: Butterfli

Shrub Hedge Killed by Wasp Spray? Powdery Mildew Misdiagnosis

White mold on shrub hedge with wasps. Sprayed wasp killer; hedge died and spreading to neighbor 5 ft away. Is it contagious? Remove roots? Reality Check White mold was likely powdery mildew (fungal, cosmetic). Wasp spray