Q.When To Trim Bushes - I wanted to know what is the best time of the year to trim bushes, spring or late fall? Why?
A.It really depends on the bushes and if they are bushes that bloom from new growth or old growth. Which plant do you wish to trim? We can give you more precise directions on how to trim it if you ...Read MoreQ.When To Prune Back Crape Myrtles - I have over 30 crape myrtles on my property. I like to keep them cut back to about 5 feet ...
A.If you prune right now, you will diminish next year's blooms. The tree has not entered a solid state of dormancy yet and pruning now could bring it back out of dormancy and make it susceptible to cold damage. ...Read MoreQ.Lilac Transplanting - I bought a yellow lilac bush this past spring and since it arrived early and I didn't know where to ...
A.Your unheated garage would be good, or near the foundation of the house with the pot buried in mulch. If you do put it in your garage, make sure to water it once a month or so to keep it ...Read MoreQ.Transplanting Fountain Grass - I live in south central Kansas. I have two large clumps of fountain grass that I would like to split ...
A.The best time to transplant fountain grass is in the spring. The roots of fountain grass pretty much stop growing in late summer and they would not be able to grow enough new roots in the fall to establish themselves ...Read More
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Q.Black Holes On Lime Tree Leaves - Please help! I have small black holes on the leaves of my lime tree, which are severely stunting the growth. ...
A.It may possibly be citrus canker. This article has more information on it: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/cg040Read MoreQ.Tomato Plant Watering - I got some brown rings near the top of the stem of my tomatoes this year and I am not ...
A.It may be caused by tomato spotted wilt virus. A ringed appearance of lesions is a common symptom of this disease. This article will help: http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/factsheets/Virus_SpottedWilt.htmRead MoreQ.Is Plumeria Poisonous? - Are Plumeria leaves poisonous to pets?
A.They are toxic to pets, but they are more likely to cause a rash or discomfort for the animal than to kill the animal.Read MoreQ.Trimming Hibiscus Bushes - I trimmed two hibiscus bushes last spring (we live in southern Iowa, and I think it was probably late May) ...
A.You may have pruned a bit too late in the season and trimmed off the developing flower buds. In the future, do not prune after the beginning of May. If you follow this, they will bloom fine next ...Read MoreQ.Sweet Strawberries - I have strawberries in pots but the fruit have a sour taste. How can I get sweet strawberries from these ...
A.It is most likely a soil condition issue. Make sure that the soil is slightly acidic and well draining. Also making sure that there is plenty of nutrients available to the plants. This article will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/strawberry/sweet-strawberries.htmRead MoreQ.Rhododendrons, Irises Not Blooming - Strangely, both our irises and rhododendrons did not flower this year. Any suggestions?
A.Since these are two very different plants that did not bloom, I suspect that you have an issue with phosphorus in your soil. Plants need phosphorus to bloom. Here is more information on that: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/phosphorus-plant-growth.htm Have your soil tested to determine ...Read MoreQ.Can I Trim My Hedera Ivy? - I just bought a hedera ivy hanging plant and the stems are getting too long. I was wondering if I ...
A.Yes, pruning can be done and is pretty easy. It is just a matter of using a clean, sharp pair of scissors or pruning shears to snip off any growth you do not want. These cuttings can be ...Read MoreQ.Grapevines - I have a new black grapevine (name not known) growing in a large pot inside an unheated greenhouse. I made ...
A.Yes, it is normal for grapes to lose their leaves in the winter. It is entering dormancy and will come back in the spring.Read MoreQ.Monstera Plant Leaves Not Glossy - I have a Monstera plant with two leaves that are not glossy and both are hanging very vertical. These are ...
A.Sometimes new leaves need a little time to develop a glossiness. I would give them a month or so to see if they start to shine. If they do not, check how much you are watering and the ...Read MoreQ.Transplanting Lavender Plants - I have 16 lavender plants which were planted in May of this year and all grew very well with fragrant ...
A.Lavender is best transplanted in either spring or early fall. In most areas, it is a bit too late into fall to be transplanting now. I would recommend waiting until the spring to move them. This article will help ...Read MoreQ.Winter Care For Rubrum - I live in Michigan and would like to know what I need to do for my Rubrum to prepare for ...
A.In your area, Rubrum is an annual. You can try digging it up and wintering it in the house. But if you leave it outside over winter, it will die.Read MoreQ.Fall/Winter Care Of My Lace Cap Hydrangeas - I am still not understanding how to prune my lace cap hydrangeas. They are 10 yrs old and I don't ...
A.Try waiting until spring to prune it. Wait until you see what survived the winter and cut off the stems that did not.Read MoreQ.Wintering Over Boston Ferns - We have several Boston ferns in hanging pots near our pool. I want to move them inside my workshop for ...
A.You can put them into dormancy at 50-55 degrees F. Find a cool, dark place and put it there. Cut back on watering to about once every 3-4 weeks. They will look like they have died but they will come ...Read MoreQ.Red Bell Pepper And Winter - Do bell pepper plants live through the winter? I live in Portland, Oregon.
A.They will not survive outside, but you may be able to overwinter them indoors. Here are directions: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/pepper/overwintering-peppers.htmRead MoreQ.Transplanting Hibiscus From Pot To Ground - My mother has 2 hibiscus potted plants and we wanted to transplant them to the ground around my back porch. ...
A.It sounds like these are tropical hibiscus and they cannot tolerate temperatures under 50 degrees F. Therefore, it would not be a good idea to plant them in the ground. You should overwinter them indoors.Read More
