Posts Tagged ‘Spring’
Voodoo Lily – Dormancy
Q: We bought 3 voodoo lily plants from Alabama. The plants looked great when they were in their pots, one even produced a bloom. When we took them out of the pots and put them in amended soil they all...
Mahonia- Propagation from Seed
Q: How would you go about growing mahonias from seeds of volunteer plants? A: I’d just push the seeds an inch into the soil after they fall from the plant in early summer (you may have to bag them to...
Smokebush – Pruning into Shrub
Q: I planted a Smokebush seedling last spring. It was about 18″ tall. It now has a shoot approximately 10 feet tall. That’s the only part that seems to be growing-straight up. Do I need to prune it? If so,...
Pinching, Deadheading – Defined
Q: On your radio show, you’ve mentioned “pinching” azaleas several times to make new buds. For those of us in the slow group, what time of year do you do this and where on the plant? A: Sometimes I use...
Kudzu – Control in Winter
Q: In two weeks, we are going to try and clear out the dormant kudzu vines that are on the outside perimeter of our subdivision, along a very small drainage ditch. After we pull out the vines, can we treat...
Goldenrain tree – Not Blooming
Q: I planted a goldenrain tree, per your suggestion, four years ago. Although you promised bright yellow blooms in June, that has never happened. Will it ever bloom? A: My wife is an elementary reading specialist. Practically every week she...
Muscadine – Rejuvenating Old One
Q: We have an old muscadine vine in the back yard and would like some information on how to revitalize it. There are several dead limbs towards the bottom and the entire vine is only producing a few grapes. We...
Impatiens Seed – Planting
Q: I am having great fun sharing with friends the popping of the impatiens seed pods. Now what do I do with them? Let them dry and scatter in the spring? When is a good time? A: You can easily...
Tulips – Planting in Pots
Q: I have some tulip bulbs I would like to plant in pots on the deck. Do I need to pre-chill the bulbs for eight weeks and then plant in December? Can I re-use the bulbs next fall? A: You...
Obscure Scale – Control
Q: I recently got a note from a tree company that had been out inspecting my neighbor’s trees. It stated that they had discovered a insect pest known as “obscure scale” ravaging my neighbor’s pin oak trees. The tree man...
Poison Ivy – On DeadTree
Q: A large dead pine tree at the edge of our property fell recently. All that had been growing on it was a massive vine of poison ivy. The base of the vine was at least twelve inches around. We...
Loropetalum – Pruning
Q: When and how do I go about pruning my ‘Zhuzhou Fuchsia’ loropetalum. It has grown long limbs and is very open. I’d prefer it to be a little bushier. All the books say it needs little pruning. A: It...
Outdoor Plants – Double-potting
Q: I recently purchased two dwarf-looking little shrubs with a named spelled like Thuia (or Thuja) Homstrup. I hope to keep them in containers on the patio throughout the year. I remember the nursery salesperson saying that if I planned...
Fungus in the Ground – Diagnosing
Q: I have an area in my yard where everything I plant there does terribly. I think it is a fungus in the ground. My lilac tree has white-like curled up leaves, the summer phlox turns yellow at the bottom,...
Rhododendron – Pinch off Buds in Winter
Q: I have noticed that my rhododendrons have large bulbs at the ends of the branches, not ready for bloom. Since winter is around the corner, should I pinch them off? A: Don’t, don’t, don’t!! Those swollen things at the...
Evolvulus ‘Blue Daze’
Q: Can you tell me what the name of this flower? I want to do some research & take proper care of it during the winter months. A: You have Evolvulus glomeratus ‘Blue Daze”. It is a semi-woody perennial shrub...
Strawberry – Fertilizing
Q: What sort of fertilizer should I use on my strawberry bed? A: If your bed is more than a year old, you can get by with a single fertilization each spring. You should have done it in mid-March, but...
Crinum – Identification
Q: Would you please identify the attached flower I have blooming in my backyard? A: According to one source, ‘Ellen Bosanquet’ crinum is one of the best known crinum hybrids in the United States. Percival Bosanquet grew the hybrid in...
