Q.Can You Identify What This Is? - I received a packet of free flower seeds with an order 3 years ago and they return every year but ...
A.It could be calendula or straw flower. Here is more about them: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/calendula/growing-calendula.htm https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/xerochrysum-bracteatum/Read MoreQ.I Have A Second Year Japanese Maple Tree In My Yard And The Tree At The Top Did A Spurt? Should I Cut The Branches Off? - Should I trim off the sporadic branches?
A.They may be coming from below the graft, so they definitely should be removed. Japanese maples are routinely grafted whereby the desirable upper part of the tree is grafted onto a rootstalk, which can grow and overtake the tree. Here ...Read MoreQ.Donate Plants - Where can I donate a healthy Ficus Tree in northeast Ohio that has gotten too large for our space?
A.It's a beauty! You could contact your city hall and see if any of the city offices would like to have it. Also, nursing homes or any nonprofit in town might love to have it. Here are more ideas: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/lifestyle/plant-donation-information.htmRead MoreQ.White Spots On The **trunk** Of The Avocado Tree - II have 15 white spots about from the bottom of the trunk. They are about a dime- quarter in size. ...
A.It looks similar to avocado trunk cankers. The sugary sap that leaks is crystalizing, causing the white spots. You can scrape those off. Try to determine what is causing the cankers: woodpeckers, insects, disease. These articles should help: https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=7920 https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/avocado/avocado-pests-and-diseases.htmRead More
Join Us -
Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips!
Q.Yam Resting Period - After removing yams from the cold soil, how long do they rest. In what conditions do they before preparing them ...
A.True yams contain the toxin oxalate, so they must be thoroughly cooked before consumption. It also takes about a year to grow them in a frost-free area. Mercer is in zone 6 so it is not warm enough long enough ...Read MoreQ.How Can I Get My Soil Ready For A Vegetable Garden? - The soil in my yard looks like red clay. What can I do or is there anything I can do ...
A.Yes, you have some options. You can build a raised bed and fill it with bagged soil, or you can amend the soil you already have. Be sure the grass is removed where you want to start a garden and ...Read MoreQ.Stop Badgers - How can you deter badgers that dig up and eat root crops in allotments?
A.It is difficult to keep badgers out of gardens. Fencing is an option. Here is more: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/animals/how-to-get-rid-of-badgers.htmRead MoreQ.How Should I Prune My Devils Backbone Before Winter? - I have had my DB plant for 3 years. It has grown more this year than ever, and it bloomed ...
A.Yes, the milky sap can cause contact dermatitis on your skin or cause temporary or permanent damage to the cornea if it gets in your eyes. Wear gloves to prune it and protective eyewear. You can cut it back to ...Read MoreQ.What Has Caused My Duranta Erecta To Get Globules On Trunk Near The Base - The bush has also got a split trunk and some die back in the foliage.
A.It could be root knot nematodes, which is common to duranta plants. They can cause dieback and thinning of the plant, stunted growth, and galls at the base of the plant. There are no chemical nematicides available for home gardeners. ...Read MoreQ.Do Weeping Bottlebrush Trees Drip Black Sap? - My tree hovers near neighbors sidewalk and she said there are black marks on her sidewalk and asked me to ...
A.I am not finding any reference that says bottlebrush trees exude a black sap. Perhaps something else is causing the black marks. Here is more: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ST111 https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/241Read MoreQ.Eleanor’s Hedge Problem - The centre section of hedge looks as though it has died. Please should I take out this section and hope ...
A.You can tell if the branches have died by scraping off some bark. If it is green underneath, it is still alive. If it is gray or white, they are dead stems that you can prune out. Check it for ...Read MoreQ.I Want To Order The Bee Cups. I Live In Canada. Is That A Problem? - I e looked everywhere on this site and cannot find a place e to contact anyone so here I am ...
A.I found their contact email (email: thirstypollinators@gmail.com) and information about the company: https://shop.gardeningknowhow.com/u/671a8a6c-584b-405f-ab8b-08659e47f9ffRead MoreQ.Lobelia Watering - In a perforated pot should I place a tray underneath my Lobelia?
A.Yes, water likely will seep out when you water. If the pots are outside you wouldn't need a tray, but definitely indoors.Read MoreQ.I Have Bonnie Fruit Tree Spray I Need To Know How Much Of The Concentrate Mix Do I Use To A Gallon Of Water - peach tree that i had brown rot on this past year
A.Read and follow the instructions on the product label, but for Bonide Fruit Tree Spray concentrate per 1 gallon of water, add 3 to 4.5 tablespoons for disease prevention or 1.5 to 3 tablespoons for insect control. Here is more ...Read MoreQ.IS IT TOO LATE TO RESEED BALD PATCHES ON MY LAWN - I OVER FERTILISED MY LAWN A FEW WEEKS AGO AND NOW HAVE DEAD GRASS IN AREAS
A.Fall is the best time because soil temperatures are warm and there usually is sufficient rainfall for speedy growth. The next best time is spring. Ireland's soil temperatures are cool now so germination may be slow. If the grass does ...Read MoreQ.Did I Cut It Right? Will It Grow Back? DRACAENA Dragon Tree - On of the plant branches died due to over watering combined with extreme heat. I decided to cut the branche, ...
A.Yes, that cut looks fine. More bright, but indirect, light may help it grow stronger. Also, water with distilled water rather than tap water, and let the soil dry slightly between waterings. Make sure the soil is well draining ...Read MoreQ.Preen - Do you apply Preen on top of mulch or before you spread mulch?
A.Where you use mulch, apply it on top of the mulch and rake it in to create a protective barrier, per the Preen instructions. In areas where you don't use mulch, just apply it to the soil and work ...Read MoreQ.How To Safely Divide A Spider Plants. - My grandparents gave me 2 spider plants in 1973. I've had them for 51 yrs. I just moved to Alaska. ...
A.Congratulations on maintaining houseplants for so long! These articles should help with division: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/spider-plant/dividing-spider-plants.htm https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/spider-plant/repotting-spider-plants.htmRead MoreQ.What Is This Fungus And How Do I Get Rid Of It - The fungus has appeared between an oak sleeper and a border edging. The soil under the bark shavings is quite ...
A.Wood fungi are trying to help nature break down the wood. It will stop growing when the wood dries out. You can brush or cut off the fungi when it appears. To help prevent its return you can paint the ...Read MoreQ.Winterizing Raised Beds - I planted cover crops in my raised vegetable gardens in Michigan to prepare for winter. Do I also cover them ...
A.If they are hardy cover crops for your area you should not need to cover them. Even if they die early, you can till them in instead of trying to keep them covered. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/cover-crops-garden.htm https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/grains/cover-crops/green-manure-2.htm https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/grains/cover-crops/winter-rye-grass-growing.htmRead More
