Q.Rocks Or Stones In Bottom Of Large Pot - Do I need to put rocks or stones in the bottom of a large pot before the soil when planting ...
A.Proper drainage is important in any container large or small. Drainage holes are generally adequate to allow the water to freely drain from the soil and container. A few large rocks can be used to help weight a container, if the planting ...Read MoreQ.Mushrooms - Why do I have mushrooms in my garden soil?
A.Mushrooms in the garden soil or lawn are generally harmless and are caused by spores and damp conditions. Remove the mushrooms and a bit of the soil. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen/getting-rid-of-mushrooms-growing-in-houseplant-soil.htmRead MoreQ.Brussel Sprouts Wintered - I live in Michigan and we had, amazingly, a mild winter. When the snow cleared, I had a horde of ...
A.If your plants are producing sprouts, by all means allow them to grow. You can always plant new plants in another location and then remove the old when you have finished harvesting. Succession planting is a great way to utilize your garden ...Read More
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Q.Is This The Right Plant? - I was given a potted plant that was described by the giver as a flowering sweet potato vine. It does, ...
A.Without a photograph it would be hard for me to definitively say whether or not your plant was one and the same as the one pictured on the website. However, to aid in your identification, I can tell you ...Read MoreQ.How To Sanitize Soil - Both potting (I have too much to microwave, et al) and soil in raised bed. All of my veggies have ...
A.How about solarizing your garden beds? Here is a link to an article with tips on how to do this: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/projects/how-to-solarize-garden-beds-to-eliminate-garden-pests-in-the-soil.htm Read MoreQ.Unexpected Seedlings Sprouting In Soil - I needed to repot my Areca palm in a larger pot, so I used an unopened bag of soil that ...
A.Here is a link with care information of a Areca Palm. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/areca-palm/growing-areca-palm-indoors.htmRead MoreQ.Where To Trim A Rose - About where to trim a rose? My mom has passed and she always cut above or below the 3rd or ...
A.After the rosebush roses have bloomed, I deadhead them by pruning off the old blooms down to the first 5 leaf junction with the cane. This is not really done to keep the rose from going wild but rather to ...Read MoreQ.Help! - I ran across this plant at a friend's house, but he doesn't know the name of it. Can anyone tell ...
A.This is a cultivator of the Ti plants or Cordylines. The exact variety is unknown. They come in beautiful shades and colorings. Here is a link with more information. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/ti-plant/growing-hawaiian-ti-plant-indoors.htmRead MoreQ.Monkey Grass - Just moved to new house (4/24). Can I cut monkey grass back or should I leave it til next early ...
A.Here is a link that will help you with pruning information. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/groundcover/monkey-grass/pruning-monkey-grass.htmRead MoreQ.White Pampas Grass Regrowth - We planted our pampas grass last year and it grew very well. We pruned it in December. It is now ...
A.I would give the Pampas Grass some more time. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/pampas-grass/growing-pampas-grass.htm https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/pampas-grass/pruning-pampas-grass.htm Read MoreQ.Transitioning Indoor Geranium - I brought my geranium inside in the fall. It was beautiful and big, but did not bloom over the winter. ...
A.Here is an article on how to acclimate your houseplant to the outdoors: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen/acclimating-houseplants-outdoors.htm Read MoreQ.Planted Canna Bulbs Too Early - I planted my overwintered canna bulbs yesterday and I see that tonight we might get frost (Annapolis, MD). Should I ...
A.I would add a 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch. For more information on spring bulb frost protection, please visit the following link: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/bulbs/bgen/frost-protection-for-bulbs.htm Read MoreQ.Frost In Late April - Do my newly planted shrubs and bushes need to be covered when a frost is forecast (azaleas, holly)?
A.This will depend on how cold the temperatures will go and the length of the time the plants will be exposed. Brief temperatures below zero are not generally an issue. When in doubt, I would always cover with a light ...Read MoreQ.Cherry Tree Pollination - I just planted a North Star Cherry tree (a self pollinator), and a Van Cherry tree. The Van Cherry tree ...
A.North Star Cherry is not a pollinator for the Van Cherry. Montmorency is the prime pollinator. Here is a link with many other choices for a pollinator. http://www.orangepippintrees.com/pollinationchecker.aspx?v=2007Read MoreQ.Redbud Tree Has Not Bloomed This Year - I planted it last year and it bloomed, but this year the branches are bare.
A. Harsh winters are definitely tougher on this beautiful tree. I'm sorry yours isn't blooming this year. Here are some articles that may help you narrow down the cause: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/redbud/caring-for-redbud-trees.htm http://blog-yard-garden-news.extension.umn.edu/2014/06/where-redbud-bloom.html Read MoreQ.Christmas Cactus - My Christmas cactus is 20 years old. The original stems are woody. What should I do, if anything?
A.Woody stems are part of the natural aging of a Christmas Cactus. This actually indicates that your plant is doing well and aging well. Here are some articles with more information. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/christmas-cactus/woody-christmas-cactus.htm https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/christmas-cactus/advice-for-christmas-cactus-care.htm https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/christmas-cactus/how-to-propagate-and-plant-christmas-cactus.htm https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/christmas-cactus/christmas-cactus-pruning.htm Read MoreQ.Do All Mandevillas Have Runners On Them - We have ours in two big pots. One has tendrils on it and the other does not.
A.All healthy mandevillas develop new shoots and tendrils. Does the plant in question look healthy? A plant with compromised health may not grow as well. Your one plant is in active stage of growth, the other one is probably ...Read MoreQ.Bushes - We live in Vermont on a Lake and it is very, very cold and windy. All the juniper bushes died. ...
A.I would suggest you contact your local County Extension Office for a list of recommended plants, shrubs and trees for your specific region and growing conditions. Here is a link to locate the closest office. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/extension-search/ Here is a link with information on ...Read MoreQ.Meyer Mini Lime Tree - Received tree on Thursday evening and immediately planted tree, yet leaves look droopy. What can I do to fix this ...
A.Make sure the tree was planted at the same depth as it was in the container. Soil should be well draining, rich, moist loamy sandy. Watered in well but then allow to approach dryness between waterings. Leaves will drop if the tree is ...Read More
