Have you ever seen a beetle that resembles a ladybug, but it’s pink? Chances are, you have happened upon a pink ladybug. Also known as a pink lady beetle, the Coleomegilla maculate measures approximately ¼ inch (6 mm) long. Its body is more oblong, and its wing cover is less…
The three most common forms of blight on nightshades, such as tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and eggplant, are early blight, late blight, and Septoria leaf spot. In this article, you will learn how to identify, treat, and prevent Septoria leaf spot.Septoria leaf spot, also known as Septoria blight, is caused by the…
Magnesium, a macronutrient found in all plants, is a necessary requirement for several vital plant functions. Thus, a lack of magnesium can pose a serious threat to plant life. In this article, you will learn how to identify a magnesium deficiency and how to remedy the problem.Why Magnesium is ImportantMagnesium…
Nothing tastes better than a salad featuring homegrown lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers! But cucumbers, like other garden favorites, are susceptible to diseases like powdery mildew, downy mildew, and anthracnose. In this article, we will learn about Alternaria or early blight, another disease that can affect cucumbers and other cucurbits like watermelon, cantaloupe, zucchini, acorn squash, and butternut squash,…
Two lined spittlebugs, like leafhoppers, are small, wedge-shaped insects. Their dark brown to black bodies measure approximately 3/8 inch long (9.5 cm). They have two parallel red-orange lines across their folded wings and another one across their thorax. In addition, they have red eyes and red legs. Adults do not usually fly,…
Growing sweet potatoes is one of life’s simple pleasures. The slips (starter vines) are easy to grow and, once planted, can turn into a bounty of delicious tubers. But what if, after patiently waiting 90 to 120 days until harvest, you finally dig up the soil only to discover that…
Some tomato varieties bear purple fruit instead of red, while others, like Indigo Rose, also have purple-hued leaves. The color variant is a beautiful and natural characteristic of these cultivars. But if you find that once green tomato leaves are turning purple, it can be a sign there is a…
Blister beetles are insects that, when frightened, secrete an oily substance called cantharidin. When the substance comes into contact with skin, it causes a burning sensation, and the skin becomes red, painful, and swollen. Within 48 hours, blisters will appear, hence the name blister beetle. If swallowed by an animal…
On occasion, you may come across a potato or a sweet potato whose flesh or skin has a green tint. What causes the abnormal color, and is the potato safe to eat? We’ll answer these questions and more in this helpful article. What Causes Potatoes to Turn Green? Potatoes, also called tubers,…
Learn everything you need to know about hammerhead worms, also known as hammerhead flatworms, and how to deal with this toxic and invasive species.
