Q.House Covered Vine - Hi, our house is over 100 years old. the front of our house is covered in a vine and we…
A. There is no easy answer. It would require a site visit, inspection and recommendations by a professional. It's hard to envision the situation, size and amount of roots without a photo, but if the roots are located at a deep…Read More
Q.How Much Corn Meal Should Be Applied For Garden Weed Control? - We have an acre garden/truck patch.
A. It depends on the product, but 10 -20 pounds per 1000 sq feet is standard. https://www.thespruce.com/corn-gluten-herbicide-careful-timing-2152947 At 20lbs/1000 you would need 880 lbs to cover an acre. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/organic/cornmeal-in-the-garden.htmRead More
Q.Growing San Augasteine Grass - Had this tyoe lawn for over twenty years but lately the grass is dying in spots I apply fertilizer fall…
A. It's possible that your grass has a pest or disease problem. Here are some articles that may help you with diagnosis: https://neilsperry.com/2017/04/diagnosing-st-augustines-problems/ https://txmg.org/mclennan/2011/03/21/factors-contributing-to-major-problems-in-st-augustine-grass-lawns/ https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/faqs/what-causes-large-brown-spots-on-a-lawn/Read More
Q.Adding Nutrients To The Soil - I usually grow a variety of vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, etc. with varing results. Usually tomatoes do the…
A. I recommend not thinking in terms of a limited number of individual plant nutrients, but use a complete organic fertilizer that supplies as much of the full range of mineral and biological amendments as possible. Agricola's 4-8-4 is the best…Read More
Q.Maidenhair Ferns - I know what spores look like but my fern has something that looks likes spores only on the stems--not under…
A. Could you include a picture? This would help me to see what is going on. I'm still inclined to say that they are spores. Are they the same color as spores, or different?Read More
Q.Christmas Cactus - I have a christmas cactus that is probably about 40 years old and is very large Should I divide it…
A. They tend to like being rootbound. It is not necessary to do so, but you can if you would like. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/christmas-cactus/repotting-christmas-cactus.htmRead More
Q.SOURSOP - We grow soursop in Grenada. We have been transporting it from Grenada to Los Angeles,CA via air. The transit in…
A. Plane Storage can bring about some rather extreme conditions. It may be that the fruit is freezing while on the plane, which would cause it to shrivel. This would have to be my guess. If you can send pictures, maybe…Read More
Q.Christmas Cactus - Blooms on plant but not openning?
A. Can you put an image here so I can see what's going on? My guess would be low humidity. You can try spraying the plant once or twice per day. This can help. Here is an article for more information…Read More
Q.Live Christmas Trees - I normally buy a tree that has a large girth, but this year I opted to buy one that was…
A. This is mostly correct, but also has a lot to do with how much more respiration occurs in a larger tree. The exhale of all of its oxygen happens more when the tree is more mature, and this is the…Read More
Q.How Long Does It Take A Pineapple Plant To Produce A Pineapple - I started a pineapple plant at from the top of a pineapple it is approximately 3 years old it does…
A. Depending on the cultivar, pineapple plant takes 2-3 years after root formation to fruit. That it does poorly in winter indicates you need to change your care. Only a very healthy plant has the energy to produce fruit. Pineapple is…Read More
Q.Roses - When should I prune my rose bushes? I live in Coastal NC. Thank you
A. Roses are generally pruned late winter before they leaf out. Watch for swelling of the leaf buds (or blooming of forsythia) to figure out the best time. I live in Michigan and find that forsythia bloom comes just after the…Read More
Q.Compost - Hi, I have a stack composter made out of terra-cotta. The last stack is where I leave the compost to…
A. You have nothing to worry about. These will not hurt your compost at all! They might even help keep the bugs away some.Read More
Q.Pruning A Sliver Birch To Stop It Getting Too High. - where do I prune the leader and how many of the little branches do I remove completely?
A. This would definitely be a good way to control its height! Where you want to cut it is up to you, though. If you want a single trunk tree, then you can remove anything that isn't on the leader that…Read More
Q.Insects - I wanted to know what insect it is and a solution for this. Please help me with this.
A. I'm not familiar with that particular creature, but it is definitely some sort of caterpillar! I would recommend neem oil for keeping these away. Here is a collection of articles that will show you how you can make many more…Read More
Q.Meyers Lemon Tree - Can I keep my Meyers Lemon tree outdoors during the winter. The lowest temperature we have had is 21 degrees.…
A. This is normal when the tree does not receive enough light. They will survive this usually, though. Supplementing light at 100 or 200 watts per tree will help greatly. I am afraid that those temperatures are a little low for…Read More
Q.Appropriation Of Fish,sawdust And Molasses And Water To Make Emulsion - Hi Good evening, Dear sir I was on this sight and was a lot interested to make my own fertilizer.…
A. Here's an article that takes it a little further: https://underwoodgardens.com/best-homemade-fish-emulsion/ And here's some more, plus videos: https://www.google.com/search?bcutc=sp-118-756&q=fish+fertilizer+diyRead More
Q.Crown Of Thorns Plants - Why are the flowers on my plant different shades of pink?
A. This is completely normal. This just happens, and is not cause for concern. Here is an article for more information on the care of this plant: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/crown-of-thorns/crown-of-thorns-houseplant.htmRead More
Q.Pruning Prickly Pear - Can I cut a large plant down to the woody part when pruning. Will it produce new Leaves if I…
A. This will not kill it off. These are very hardy. It will set it back some, and will take some time to regrow, but you may notice it will get bigger than originally. This article will refresh you on the…Read More
Q.Dividing A Schefflera - We've had our plan approx 8 yrs. It is now taller than i am (5'9") and bigger around than a…
A. Its single-stem growing habit does not allow you to split the dwarf schefflera at the root; instead, propagation is done through cuttings, seeds and air-layering. ... Air-layering divides the plant into two separate plants without damaging the existing plant. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/schefflera/schefflera-plant-cuttings.htmRead More
Q.We Had A Sudden Freeze In Arizona And Affected Plants In Our Front Since They Were Not Covered. What Do You Surges To Save Them. - How can I bring my plants healthy again after a freeze.
A. Deep water the soil in the root zone, now and before a freeze is predicted. Cover the plants whenever there is a frost predicted. That can happen anytime through February there in Sun City area. After danger of frost is…Read More
