I see orange crystals on one of my cucumbers. Each crystal is a little larger than a poppy seed. What is this? Other than a few dead leaves, the plants look healthy and produce lots of cucumbers.
Reports this year of "crystals" have turned out to be simply ooze from plants. When plant sap dries, it looks like crystals or insect eggs. The cause could be exudate or insect feeding. Search 'cucumber' on the UMD HGIC website. The Vegetable Profiles provide links for each vegetable's common insect pests and diseases. Cucumber beetle would be one possibility. Consider attaching photos to your questions for a most exact diagnosis.
My crape myrtle looks ill. Many branches look white and shriveled on the ends. It is a 4-year-old tree and this is the second year this has happened. It's in full sun and still blooms.
Your crape myrtle has powdery mildew, a common fungal disease which can be deforming and draining for the plant. We suggest replacing it with one that is resistant to powdery mildew. Registered chemicals can be used but do not cure powdery mildew and must be applied repeatedly for control. Search 'powdery mildew' on the HGIC website.
University of Maryland Extension's Home and Garden Information Center offers free gardening and pest information at extension.umd.edu/hgic. Click "Ask Maryland's Gardening Experts" to send questions and photos.
Digging Deeper
The Ant – Aphid Connection
Many a gardener does not notice aphids on their plants until scurrying ants catch their eye. Aphids are plant-sucking insects that come in many colors to blend into the plant or hide under the leaves. Yet ants travel up and down stems and trunks, zeroing in on the aphids again and again. What's going on? The ants are tending the aphids, much like farmers tends to their cows. Aphids excrete a sugary substance known as honeydew. This is a nutritious food collected by ants and other insects. Ants even go so far as to protect aphids, warding of aphid predators. Because ants are beneficial in so many ways, a benign approach to aphid control is best. A strong squirt from a garden hose blasts away aphids. Horticultural oil is another effective but low-impact approach to control of soft-bodied aphids. Usually many predators and parasitoids make aphid over-populations short-lived. Search 'aphids' on the HGIC website.