Boron Flower Shops

Boron CA News

Mar 11, 2016

Gardening: The flower that gives back

They prefer good drainage and sun, with plenty of compost in the soil and when the plants are a foot tall, water them with one teaspoon of borax (boron) dissolved  in 1.5 cups of water spread over 15 inches – as this will give you really big seeds.   – By Mike Lascelle, a local nursery manager and gardening author (hebe_acer@hotmail.com). (Maple Ridge News)

Jun 3, 2015

Why are my plants turning yellow?

Iron is joined in the immobile category by calcium, sulfur, boron, copper, manganese and zinc. Once you've narrowed down the suspects to mobile or immobile nutrients, look for more clues in the way a leaf is turning yellow. Nitrogen and potassium deficiencies both appear in older leaves, for example, but while nitrogen chlorosis is relatively uniform across the leaf and its veins, potassium chlorosis tends to start on leaf edges and spaces between veins. Yellowing of new leaves could point to iron or calcium, but iron chlorosis is characterized by uniform yellowing with small, green veins. For more details, see the infographic below and this guide by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. If you're curious about organic fertilizers, this overview by the Pacific Northwest Extension Service is a good place to start. Pests Unlike a nutrient deficiency, whose symptoms are often distributed symmetrically in plant tissue, pest problems tend to develop in asymmetrical patterns. That includes damage by insects as well as leaf spots, a common indication of fungal or bacterial disease in plants. There are several safe ways to control fungi in the garden, from crop rotation to baking-soda spray, but one of the first steps is often to manage soil moisture. Plants need water to grow, of course, but too much water can create favorable conditions for fungal pathogens. Water and light Even without harmful fungi, overwatering and underwatering can both lead to discolored leaves. That may seem confusing, but there are usually context clues about which is to blame. The soil around an overwatered plant is likely to be wet, for instance, and vice versa. Too much water may also lead to limp, floppy foliage, while the leaves of dehydrated plants are typically dry and brittle. Overzealous watering isn't the only reason plants drown. Certain soil types drain water slowly, an issue that can be resolved by planting in raised beds — hugelkultur, maybe — or adding sand to the soil. Damaged and compacted roots are another common cause of chlorosis, so protect roots when transplanting and give them enough space to grow in the ground (or a container). And don't forget about the sun. All the water and nutrients in the world won't help if a plant is too short on sunlight, which can make its leaves droop and fade. Many garden plants like tomatoes and cucumbers need at least six hours of sun per day, preferably eight. But sun... (Mother Nature Network (blog))