Galls are abnormal growths and can be caused by a variety of different organisms, including insects (like aphids, flies, wasps), mites and occasionally nematodes, fungi and bacteria.

Kristi Mergenthaler, program coordinator for the Siskiyou Chapter of the Native Plant Society, found gall mites on Scotch broom in Ashland, Ore., two weeks ago. The mites attack the bud tissues ...

Galls are abnormal growths on a part of the plant. They can be caused by bacteria, insects, mites and fungi. They can be on any part of a plant and are the overgrowth of plant tissue in response ...

Please don’t squeeze your avocados. Here’s how to choose a ripe avocado according to experts — and how to keep it from spoiling once you’ve found it.

Apply light pressure with the palm of your hand Squeezing avocados bruises the fruit, causing them to spoil faster — and no one wants a brown thumbprint on their avocado salad. Jeff Dickinson, a ...

How can you tell how ripe an avocado is? According to avocado company Avogrey, the best way to gauge an avocado’s ripeness is surprisingly similar to how you can tell when blackberries are ready.

If you love guacamole, grow an avocado! Here's how to grow an avocado from seed (aka the pit), so you'll have a lovely indoor plant for your home.

San Diego avocado growers are concerned about increased pest threats to their crops now that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) won't be inspecting Mexican imports.

California avocado farmers express concern over USDA's decision to shift inspections to Mexico, fearing increased pest threats to their crops.

But oak gall midges are far from the only insect the itch mites feed upon. In 2007, the emergence of a particularly prolific brood of cicadas led to an outbreak of itch mites in the Chicago area.

Avocado tree troubleshooting and skunk spray remedies for gardeners Subscribers are entitled to 10 gift sharing articles each month. These can be shared with friends and family who are not ...