Outdoor Flowers and Foliage
Coneflower rosette mite identification
Q: Why are there not any petals on my coneflowers? The plant right next to it is beautiful, full of cones with petals. A: You have coneflower rosette mite. Here are the typical symptoms: > cone has tufts, flower petals,...
Should I Cut My Lenten Roses Back
Q: We have lots of very healthy Lenten roses and autumn ferns. My husband wants to cut off all the leaves and fronds from the plants. I think they look great just the way they are. Is there any reason...
Why Are My Peace Lilies Dying?
Q: Many leaves on my 20-year-old peace lily are turning brown. I repotted it ten years ago. It stays in the window of a cool room and I water it once every other week. How do I make it healthier? ...
Can I Transplant My Hydrangeas To Zone 9 (Florida)?
Q: Can I transplant my hydrangeas to Zone 9, Florida? They are about three feet tall and wide. A: Hydrangeas will grow in zone 9 if you give them light shade all day long and if they are watered properly...
Too Late To Prune Winter Jasmine Plants?
Q: I need to prune my winter jasmine plants. Is it too late to prune now? A: It is too late in the season to prune if you want flowers next year. Winter jasmine blooms in January and the buds...
Sorghum Covered With Insects
Q: My friend has sorghum sprouting near her bird feeder. I noticed the seedhead was absolutely covered with a wide variety of insects, from different looking wasps and ants to other flying creatures. A: Sorghum (milo) in bird seed comes...
Lady Banks Rose Has Only Long Runners
Q: I have a young Lady Banks rose. It has multiple long runners but not a single bloom. What could be wrong, and should I prune the long runners? A: Depending on its age, the rose may simply be getting...
How To Get Thicker Blooms On My Crapemyrtle
Q: I was happy to see a few beautiful red blooms come on our crape myrtle but it seems tall and thin. How can I get it to be thicker with more blooms? A: Crapemyrtle flowers are produced on the...
Do Allium Bulbs Need Prechilling
Q: Do allium bulbs need prechilling before planting? This is my first foray into alliums and I’m a little confused on when to plant them. A: Unlike tulips, allium bulbs do not need to be kept in the cold before...
Old Bulbs Not Blooming
Q: This past February we purchased four hundred bulbs that were on sale at a big box store. They were stored in two open cardboard boxes in our living room and planted in early April. Only half of the Dutch...
Mammoth Sunflower With More Than One Flower
Q: Have you ever seen a Mammoth sunflower stalk with more than one flower on it? This one has eleven different blooms! A: The ‘Mammoth’ variety of sunflowers have been bred to have one big flower on top and nothing...
Can I Plant Cut Roses
Q: The cut roses I received are growing sprouts and new leaves. Are they able to be planted? A: it is not uncommon for cut roses to sprout new leaves. However, they rarely sprout new roots. If the twigs don’t...
What Kind Of Hydrangeas Work In The Sunlight
Q: We are wanting to put hydrangeas on the side of our house. But it gets sunshine from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. What kind do we need? A: Sunshine at that time of day can be pretty hot for...
Tulip Poplar Dropping Green Seed Pods
Q: My tulip poplar has been dropping green seed pods for a couple of weeks. They fall every 20 minutes or so all day long. A: The regular dropping you describe sounds like the work of squirrels. Poplar seeds, like...
One Of My Azalea Bushes Is Dying, But The Others Are Fine
Q: One of the eight azaleas I planted two years ago has had to be replaced twice. Why might I be having trouble with this one bush? A: Whenever plants die in one spot, I immediately suspect the soil is...
Abnormally large tithonia
Q: I plant tithonia every year for the butterflies and pollinators. This year in one group of three Mexican sunflowers, the middle sunflower grew to twelve feet tall while the ones on either side grew their normal height of six...
Varieties Of Lilacs Similar To Southern Lilacs
Q: I planted lilac cuttings I got from my mother’s yard in Rhode Island but they did not bloom. Are there Southern lilacs that look and smell like the ones of my childhood? A: Different lilac varieties are adapted to...
Black Spot Disease On Roses – Rotating Chemicals
Q: I believe my unhappy roses have black spot disease. What should I do? A: Black spot disease can rapidly make a rose raggedy. You can prevent the disease from affecting new leaves by spraying with a rose fungicide. The...
