Posts Tagged ‘Winter’
Basil – Preserving
Q: How do I preserve basil leaves? A: Pull your plants before frost and hang in a cool place until the leaves are completely dry. They can be crumbled and stored in a jar for winter use. You could also...
Shrub – Planting in Winter
Q: What should be done with shrubs that are purchased just before severe cold? Is it better to leave them in the garage until warmer weather or would I be safe putting them in the ground? A: Up North, where...
Agapanthus – Care
Q: I got an agapanthus from a friend in south Georgia. Is it hardy enough to plant outside? I have it indoors now. A: Agapanthus is also called “Lily of the Nile”. It is a member of the amaryllis family...
English Ivy – Remove from Trees
Q: I have a question about the best way to manage ivy. In particular, I am looking for some advice on how to trim ivy down from the base of trees so that the ivy doesn’t grow too high. How...
Avocado – Growing Outdoors
Q: I have grown an avocado from seed. Now it is fairly large in its pot. Can I successfully grow it outdoors here? A: Welcome to the study of hardiness zones! You already know that some plants can not survive...
Amaryllis – Outdoor Care
Q: For the second year in a row, our amaryllis bulbs did not come up until late spring and did not bloom. What are we doing wrong? We plant in very early spring. We take them up each year and...
Amaryllis – Forcing for Christmas
Q: I have an amaryllis that bloomed this past spring and the leaves look very healthy now. How can I make it bloom this Christmas? A: All you have to do is fool the bulb into thinking it’s spring in...
Soil – Bed Preparation
Q: I recently purchased a house and all of the soil around it seems to be hard, red clay. I want to have flowers this spring but I know I’ll have to make the soil better somehow. What do you...
Impatiens – Seed
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...
Impatiens – Winter Care
Q: I have some particularly beautiful impatiens that I want to grow next year. Is there any way to keep them alive indoors over the winter? A: There are three ways to keep your impatiens. You can simply dig a...
Angel Trumpet – Care
Q: I have a seven foot tall angel trumpet plant. It has numerous large white trumpet flowers. I would like to keep it alive for next year but someone told me it would freeze. Can I cut it down and...
Lantana – Allelopathy
Q: I listened with interest to your discussion of the possible allelopathic effects of Lantana this morning on your radio show. My experience has been just the opposite. I have 3 plants of ‘Mrs.Huff’, and you know how large Mrs....
Irrigation System – Winterizing
Q: Do you have any information on how to winterize a sprinkler system? A: All you really need to accomplish is to get most of the water out of the system before extreme cold temperatures arrive. First, turn off the...
Plum – Blooms Frozen
Q: For the past few years, my plum tree has started to show its blooms in the middle of January. Prior to the snow this January it began to do the same thing. I know that it has a lot...
Rodent – Control Outdoors
Q: Do you know of any Internet sites that discuss control of rodents in the yard? A: The key to controlling outdoor rodents like rats, squirrels and chipmunks is to understand carrying capacity and seasonality. Every landscape has the capacity...
Mondo Grass – Care
Q: I have a question about dwarf mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus ‘Nana’). I planted it last year as a groundcover around foundation plants in the hope that someday I wouldn’t have to buy pine straw. It is filling in slowly...
Gardenia – Pruning
Q: I have some gardenia bushes that are about five feet tall. They are so top heavy that I have to tie them back for them to stand erect. Should I prune back the limbs occasionally to allow the stems...
Evergreen Wisteria – Identification
Q: I moved into my house near Lawrenceville four years ago. It’s probably been in the yard about 5-7 years. It is deciduous and woody. Can you identify it for me? Seems it likes it here! A: It’s evergreen wisteria,...
