I have successfully grown lemons in a container for a little over a year now. Since then, I’ve received several emails from people who also want to grow a lemon tree in a container. Some have written to ask if they should be aware of or prepared for, and others have written to me telling me that their container lemon tree has a problem of some sort. So consider this post a primer on problems with lemon trees in containers that may arise on your gardening journey
Improper Drainage for a …

Blight is a fungal disease that attacks vegetable plants. It is invasive, and can wipe out an entire garden, if its not controlled.
What Causes Blight on Vegetable Plants?
In a word, fungus. But, just as a common cold can be caused by any one of a number of viruses, blight can be caused by any one of several fungi. When it comes down to it, though, it doesn’t really matter which fungus caused your blight…you just want it gone!
What are the Signs of Blight on Vegetable Plants?
Blight usually starts at the …

A healthy tomato plant has bright green leaves.   Every once in a while, though, a tomato plant’s leaves will change colors.   Yellow tomato plant leaves can be caused by a number of things.  Tomato plant leaves can go yellow for a number of reasons, ranging from easily-fixed benign problems to problems that will require treatment.
Yellow Tomato Plant Leaves Caused by Normal Growth
Sometimes the leaves at the bottom of a tomato plant will turn yellow and become wilted.  This is perfectly normal, and you shouldn’t worry about it at all.   If …

I live in South Texas, and the summers are almost always ALWAYS ridiculously hot.  Every summer, my kids joke that they’re going to try to fry an egg on the sidewalk. And every summer, they “forget” about their plan because it’s just too hot to go out to see if it would actually work.
It’s that very same heat that is putting a lot of stress on my container garden.  I water the plants at least three times per day.  Still, they’re wilting from the heat.  I think that if we …

Fungus gnats. Ugh. Even both of their names are disgusting. What they can do to your vegetable plants is even more appalling.
What is a fungus gnat?
Fungus gnats are little gnats (their shape reminds me a little of a small mosquito) that are frequently found flying around inside the canopy of vegetable plants. They are attracted to moisture, and leave a sticky discharge on leaves that develops into mold. Unfortunately, a lot of gardeners don’t realize the severity of the problem until it is too late, and the entire plant …