Home and Garden Information Center

Meyer Lemon. Photo: Ria Malloy, University of Maryland Extension Key Points Citrus plants grow naturally in tropical and substropical regions of the world where they thrive with warm temperatures, high humidity, and sandy, slightly acidic soil. In Maryland, citrus plants need to be in containers...

Houseplant Problems Symptoms Possible Causes Control/Comments Plant wilting Overwatering or lack of water : overwatering can cause root rots. Healthy roots should be light-colored and firm. Use a well-drained, soilless potting media labeled for houseplants. Water should be able to drain from the...

Wolf Spider Photo: Lesley Ingram, Bugwood.org Key Points There are many families of spiders. Spiders are general predators , feeding on a wide range of prey (insects, other spiders, etc.). They are beneficial to people because they feed on harmful insects. Spiders are important in reducing the...

Privacy screen created with a variety of different plants. Photo: Ria Malloy Key Points Choose a variety of plants for your privacy screen rather than many plants of a single kind. Screens with a variety of plants are more resilient to diseases, pests, and climate challenges. Prioritize native...

Winter damage on cherry laurel Key Points Tree and shrub problems, to a large degree, are not due to diseases or insects. They are often referred to as abiotic (Latin word meaning “without life”) causes. It may take a long time for abiotic problems to cause symptoms or a problem and sometimes it...

Symptoms Details Possible Causes Leaf and Flower Spots Spots on leaves or flower bracts; 1/8 inch spots or smaller (spring) Spot Anthracnose (Elsinoe) Dark spots on leaves and flower bracts; blighted leaves; causes defoliation (spring) Dogwood Anthracnose (Discula) 1/4 inch angular spots on leaves...

Key Points Selecting a tree appropriate for your site, planting it correctly, and providing regular care are essential steps to prevent common pest problems of dogwoods ( Cornus spp.). Dogwoods planted too deeply, inadequately watered during the first two years of establishment and drought periods...

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida). Photo: Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org Key Points Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is a small Maryland native tree with white or pink flower bracts in the spring, colorful foliage in the fall, and berries that support wildlife. Dogwoods are...

Key Points As Maryland summers become hotter, zoysiagrass is an alternative to a tall fescue home lawn for the warmer regions of the state like the Eastern shore, Southern Maryland, and the Baltimore-Washington D.C. area. Zoysia is a warm-season grass that goes dormant and turns tannish-brown in...

Key Points The following information is for cool season lawns such as tall fescue. Maryland’s changing weather patterns are making growing lawns more challenging. Refer to The Challenge of Growing a Lawn in Maryland . The recommended time to fertilize tall fescue lawns is in the fall before...