Posts Tagged ‘roses’
Hellebore Plants – Thinning Them
Q: I have a thick carpet of seedlings under my hellebore plants. Should I thin them out or just let nature take its course? A: Perhaps they compete in a small way with the mother plant but I usually let...
Roses – Banana Peel Providing Benefits
Q: Martha Stewart says roses love banana peels. How would I use them on my seven roses? What do they get from the peels? A: Martha is a knowledgeable gardener but I think she got carried away when she extolled...
Mulch – Reusing
Q: You suggest that we replace all mulch under roses. Can we reuse the old mulch elsewhere? We’ve got a ton of hardwood mulch under our roses and I can’t imagine throwing all that away. A: I like your recycling...
Climbing Knockout Roses
Q: Any chance there’s a climbing Knockout (editor note: Knockout is not a variety name so it is not single-quoted.) rose in the works? My shrub Knockouts have done so well, that’s the only way I’ll go at this point...
Rose Trees – Winter Care
Q: I have two lovely rose trees in pots that did very well this summer. They are five feet tall and two feet wide. As cold weather arrives, should I cut them back? Should I bring them inside for the...
Pruner – Power Operated
Q: You mentioned a power-operated pruner on your radio show a couple of weeks ago. I am trying to find one because I raise roses and I now have arthritis in my hands. A: My friend Jim Kelley is an...
Plant Trademarked – Meaning?
Q: I have a rose tag that says “The Squire tm” and then has the word “Ausire” underneath. What does this mean? A: It means that you have a patented rose and can not propagate it from cuttings. Plant breeders,...
Tansy – Deterring Japanese Beetles
Q: I read in a book that tansy is good for deterring Japanese beetles. I have roses and other flowers that the beetles have a good lunch on for a few months. I don’t like to use sprays due to...
Effect of Food Coloring on Plants – Science Project
Q: I am a Junior at in High school in Cherokee County. I am currently working on an experiment that involves coloring house plants, particularly the Dieffenbachia ‘Camille,’ with food coloring. At first I was growing these plants in soil...
Horticultural Oil – Mix with Lime Sulfur
Q: I need to know why the product label says not to mix horticultural oil and liquid lime-sulfur to spray on plants. I take care of a big rose garden and I know fellow horticulturists who do this all the...
Tobacco Budworm – On Rose
Q: On your radio show a couple weeks back a caller described a rose caterpillar that looked like a water moccasin. Did you guys ever figure out what it was? A: It was a fascinating description! My best guess is...
Rose – Rainbows End
Q: I visited the rose gardens at the Chattanooga Choo Choo last week and found a rose there I must have! It is a multicolored (red-orange-yellow- gold) miniature rose bush. It was labeled ‘Rainbow’s End’. I thought it would be...
Rose Mosaic Virus
Q: Last year I purchased a climbing ‘Constance Spry’ rose which really grew quite large, over 15 feet, in one season. This year I have noticed that many of the leaves have yellow speckling and the very, very few flowers...
Climbing Rose- Encouraging Blooms
Q: Two years ago we planted Queen Elizabeth climbing roses against trellises at our back fence. I had envisioned the foliage disguising the board fence. What I got was bare branches to the top of the fence and then a...
Rose Bush – Butterfly/China Rose
Q: Last year Theresa mentioned a rose bush call “China Rose” as a nice bush rose. It is suppose to bloom all summer and change colors. I have not been able to find this rose. Is there another name for...
Rose – Hips
Q: A friend was on a trip recently and saw these on the side of the road. We are at a loss as to what they are. A: Your friend saw the seedpods (hips) of a particular kind of rose:...
