Q.Bird Of Paradise - The leaves are curling from the outside towards the center. What could be causing this. Attached are some photos.
A.This can be caused by a number of things. This article will help you to narrow down what it could be: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/bop/leaf-curl-on-bird-of-paradise.htmRead MoreQ.Watering My Indoor Vegetable Garden - I have a small indoor vegetable garden that for now, only consists of veggie starts ages 1 week-8 weeks. They ...
A.Depending on the size containers these are in, they wiill dry at different rates. If they are transplanted into, lets say, a 1 gallon container, Then they might survive that long. I would not recommend this. They will likely dry ...Read MoreQ.Ivy Coverage - I need a pretty (hardy) ivy to be planted along a rail fence for year round privacy. Any suggestions?
A.Boston ivy, Clematis virginiana, climbing hydrangea, and trumpet or coral honeysuckle vine are worth considering. For a rapid effect, the annual cardinal climber, Ipomoea multifida will fill the spot quickly while the perennials are getting a start. Many perennials don't ...Read MoreQ.Last Years Gopher Spurge Plants - We ordered Gopher Spurge plants last year they did great, but we had a terribly cold winter and i fear ...
A. Growing zone for Gopher Spurge plants is zone 5 - 10. This however is a guideline and with the cold that you mention, that is not the normal for your area; your plants may not have survived. If you see ...Read More
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Q.Hibiscus Plants – Well Established Ones - Can I transplant a Hibiscus in the spring before it comes up?
A.Just before dormancy breaks is a good time for transplants if the soil isn't too wet. Try to avoid compacting the soil by using a section of plywood to distribute your weight. Give the plant a few weeks ...Read MoreQ.Lemon Tree - Do you suggest we prune this seed-grown, indoor lemon tree? It's about three years old, never been outside (we are ...
A. The yellowing leaves are likely a watering issue; too much or too little. It's important to evenly water a Citrus. Soil should be moist, never dry and never soggy. Your Lemon Tree is very tall, and you need to ...Read MoreQ.Calamondin And Greening - Are Calamondin Trees affected by Citrus Greening, or any of the other new devastating citrus diseases?
A."Bush Doctor" indicated that "proper care" would lessen the chance of tree damage/death from Citrus Greening and other diseases What is "Proper care"? ThanksRead MoreQ.Ixora Plants - I noticed the ixora plants out in front of the house were not blooming. On closer inspection I saw a ...
A.The vine, likely, didn't have anything to do with the plant's degrading health. This sounds like a fungal issue. Dolomitic lime and wettable sulfur will, usually, take care of this. Peroxide can also help for advanced infections. This article will ...Read MoreQ.Orchids - I have a lady slipper orchid that is in bloom. Should I fertilize it while it is blooming? Thanks for ...
A. Lady Slipper Orchids are one of my favorite flowers! In general, Paphiopedilum thrive on less fertilizer than that required by the other genera. If plant is in bark, use high-nitrogen (30-10-10) during growing season. Otherwise use a balanced fertilizer (25-25-25). That ...Read MoreQ.Weed Identification And Control - Can you identify the weed pictured in the example? It is taking over my beds and growing into the lawn. ...
A.Addendum: it is possible to control ground ivy by pulling. This takes some serious patience and time. As you have discovered, the vine goes up and over and beneath other parts of the vine making is very difficult to hand ...Read MoreQ.Syngonium Leaf Curling - My Sygnomium, (I think, see photo) 2 yrs old, consistently gets leaves which only half uncurl. The uncurled side then ...
A.This could be two separate issues. The first, I would suspect, is a pH imbalance. Dolomitic lime will help restore this to a more suitable balance. The other could be the start of a fungal infection. Wettable sulfur will take ...Read MoreQ.Plum Tree - I planted a plum tree five years ago and it has never bloomed. What would be the reason for ...
A.There isn't just one answer, of course. This article covers the most common reasons. Note that it says the tree may not flower for up to 6 years. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/plum/plum-trees-not-fruiting.htmRead MoreQ.Cassia Didymobotrya Popcorn Plant - I have read the articles but nothing is said about pruning this plant. Mine is becoming quite large here ...
A.Pruning is actually not recommended in younger plants. Allow it to grow and flower at will. Planting several together can make the appearance more full. As the plant ages you may began to see less flowering, so this is ...Read MoreQ.Pear Pollinators - Is the comice pear a good pollinator for bartlett, or is summercrisp better?
A.Most will cross with the Bartlett easily. The real issue will be finding one that is compatible for your area. What zone are you in? Read MoreQ.Lemon Tree - I had a lemon tree and it died and I cut it down. Left a stump from the trunk with ...
A. It has likely grown from the grafted stock on the citrus. There is no way to know the type of citrus stock used, an it could likely be a lemon stock that may not be very flavorful. There is no ...Read MoreQ.Alstroameria - All my alstromerias are growing and abundant, but none have any buds so far. Why is this? They have always ...
A.Do you fertilize these at least once per year? If not, I recommend doing so. It sounds like there is a lack of potassium and phosphorus in the soil. Here is an article for more information on this plant: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/bulbs/peruvian-lily/growing-peruvian-lilies.htmRead MoreQ.Yucca Plant Cuttings - Is applying a wound dressing to yucca cuttings necessary. I have seen some yuccas where the top has been removed ...
A.This is called wound dressing, and there's really no need for it. Plants form natural calluses over wounds, and coating them in rubber or tar just prevents that process. This article is about trees, but the principle still holds if ...Read MoreQ.Pruning Thornless Blackberries - The bushes are about 6-9 feet. it does look like they are starting to bud. We did get them ...
A. The answer really depends upon when you had the plants pruned before. Blackberries should be pruned twice per year - once in the summer after fruiting to remove all the old canes, and once in the spring to trim the ...Read MoreQ.Gerbera Daisy - Point university has a court yard and the building surrounds it, there is an area where I would like to ...
A.Gerbera daisies really do like full sun, which is usually defined as at least 6 hours per day. There's a chance the plants will survive with only 3 hours of light, but they'll probably get leggy and pale and not ...Read MoreQ.Plum Tree Guild - Hello! I have two existing stone fruit trees, and I am trying to establish guilds around them. The trees are ...
A.That does sound like a good combination. Go with your instinct on this one, as it sounds like you have a good grasp on this. This article has more information: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/organic/how-to-plant-tree-guild.htmRead More