Pages

FAQ

Insects,  mites, slugs and snails
1. What pest feeds on the leaves of plants so they become riddled with holes in a lace-like appearance?  Chinese Rose Beetle
2. The new leaves of citrus trees are all curled.  What is causing this? Aphids
3. Other than chemical control of pests, what are other ways to control insects or diseases? Read more
4. What is the black, sticky substance that may be found covering the leaves of many plants?  Sooty mold
5. What is all the white stuff on my cycads?  Cycad Scale

6. Why does pumpkin squash ( kabocha/kombucha, Japanese pumpkin) grow into a nice vine, but many of the young fruit turn yellow and drop off?  Pickleworm
7. Why do hibiscus leaves have warts all over them?  Hibiscus erineum mite
8.  What are the white bugs (that also fly) on the undersides of many of my plants? Whitefly
9. What to do about slugs and snails. Slugs and Snails
10. What is causing my lychee leaves to be puckered, with reddish brown fuzz on the underside of the leaf? Lychee mite

11. The leaves of tomato seedlings – as well as many other vegetables and ornamentals - are riddled with tunnels; what causes this? leafminer
12.  What causes the frothy substance on the stems of rosemary and basil? Spittlebug
13. What causes the dieback on podocarpus trees? podocarpus
14. How do I control scale insects? scale insects
15. Why do my azaleas look bad? The leaves are a yellow/whitish/silver looking.azaleas

16. What causes bell peppers to rot while still hanging on the plant? Pepper Weevil
17. What is making the holes in the leaves of ti plants? Green Garden Looper
18. Why are the leaves of the ficus tree curled? Cuban laural thrips  
19. What is feeding on my ears of corn? corn earworm
20. What are the tiny black bugs on my gardenia blooms? gardenia thrips 

21. How to control mealybugs. Mealybugs
Diseases
1. What causes the white, cottony growth on the top side of many plants including beans, cucumbers, squash, papaya and roses? Powdery Mildew
2. Mango trees can grow well, but don’t produce any fruit.  Mango anthracnose
3. What are some diseases of lettuce? lettuce diseases
4.  What is the scabby looking disease on my poinsettias? poinsettia scab disease
5. What causes the bottom end (blossom end) of tomatoes to turn brown?Blossom end rot
6. Why are my pepper plants stunted? Peppers
Plants
1. My squash plant blooms but the blooms don't produce fruit.squash blooms
2. Can blueberries grow in Hawai`i?   Blueberries
3.  Can I plant a macadamia nut and get a good producing tree?  Macadamia nut tree
4. Inconsistent fruit production in lychee. lychee
5. How do you propagate Areca palms? areca palm

6. What is the light  colored, mossy growth on the trunk of citrus and other trees? Lichens
7. Does companion planting work? companion planting
8. Can I grow ohelo berries? ohelo berries
9. What do the three numbers, N-P-K, on a fertilizer package mean?  Fertilizer
10. Spiders: Friend or Foe? Spiders

11. Why fruit trees don't produce? Fruit trees
12.  Why do leaves turn yellow?yellow leaves
13. Why vegetable seeds don't germinate.vegetable seeds 
14. Why is my mango fruit cracking? mangos
15. Why do ears of corn have such few developed kernels? Corn

16. How do you propagate the surinam cherry?  surinam cherry
17. Why do the shoulders of some tomatoes remain yellow?yellow shoulder disorder
18. The fruit on my backyard fruit trees is often quite small, why?small fruit size
19. What is a cocktail tree? Cocktail tree 
20. What are hybrid seeds and heirloom seeds? hybrid/heirloom seeds

21. Why are cucumbers misshapen? cucumbers
22. What causes low fruit production in dragon fruit? Dragon fruit
23. What's the best way to water houseplants? Houseplants
24. Are poinsettia plants poisonous? Poison
25. Why do replanted vegetables continue to die? Replants dying

26. How can I control bamboo? Controlling bamboo
27. Can I wash clothes with soapberries? Soapberries
28. How can I control maile pilau? Maile Pilau

Citrus and Avocados 

1. Can I grow an avocado tree from seed?  Avocado
2. Do citrus trees need to be pruned? Citrus pruning
3. Will citrus fruit get sweeter by adding potassium or lime to the soil? Citrus
4. What factors determine sweetness in citrus? Citrus
5. Why are citrus fruit sometimes dry? Dry citrus fruit

6.  My citrus tree always gave sweet fruit, now they are all sour, why? citrus switch 
7.  Why do citrus trees have, in general, an unhealthy appearance?   Gummosis
8. What causes the scabby bumps on citrus fruit? Citrus Scab
9. Why does my avocado tree bloom profusely, but gives little fruit? avocado bloom
10. What is calamondin? Calamondin

11. What are the white deposits on my avocado tree trunk? Avocado