-
Cicadas for 05/15/2013
If you live along the east coast you have probably heard the dire forecast for the latest outbreak of periodic cicadas. You are going to be overrun with cicadas that outnumber humans by hundreds to one. Or, you are going to be unable to hear anything but cicadas when you step outdoors. In reality, most people along the east coast will not even notice a single cicada.
Almost every area of ...
Updated: Wed May 15, 2013
-
Fungus on Vincas and Peonies for 05/08/2013
Spring is the season when plants start growing again after being dormant for the winter. It is also the time of year when many disease organisms come out of dormancy to begin infecting plants. The source for many disease spores is in the dead organic matter left behind from the same infection last year. When diseased plants die, it is best to clean up all the dead plant parts, so they can't be ...
Updated: Wed May 08, 2013
-
Downy Mildew for 05/01/2013
Q: A friend of mine told me that I should not plant impatiens in my window boxes this year because of some new plant disease. I always plant impatiens in these planters because I like them and they do really well. Please tell me I can plant them again.
A: Well, I hate to disappoint you, but I don't think you should plant impatiens again this year, but not necessarily because of the new d ...
Updated: Wed May 01, 2013
-
Watering Garden for 04/24/2013
Q: Last summer was so dry; it was difficult to water my vegetable garden enough to keep the plants alive let alone bear any produce. I was wondering if a drip irrigation system would be able to keep up with the plant needs. I could put the system on a timer for several hours and not worry about the plants getting the water they need.
A: A drip system will work very well for watering a ve ...
Updated: Wed Apr 24, 2013
-
Hypertufa Planter for 04/17/2013
Q: I recently was reading an old garden magazine at the doctor's office about making your own concrete planter. I was going to ask about copying it, but forgot and now the magazine is not there. Do you know what the ingredients were and how to make a concrete planter?
A: I do know, and it is a project that many gardeners can complete. First, what is Tufa? It is a naturally occurring l ...
Updated: Wed Apr 17, 2013
-
Repotting Orchids for 04/10/2013
Q: In a recent article you wrote about repotting houseplants, but you didn't mention orchids. Is there anything different about them when it comes to repotting? Mine have roots growing out over the sides of the pot.
A: There are some terrestrial orchids that grow in potting soil and are repotted as any houseplant. Most orchids need repotting less often than other plants. It is OK for the ...
Updated: Wed Apr 10, 2013
-
Landscape Questions for 04/03/2013
Question: I am slowly landscaping my backyard. I am seeing what grows best in what amount of sunlight and moving things around while they're still in the containers in which they come. Can I spray weed killer first? I need to fill in and level the ground. Do I use sand, topsoil or potting soil? Does the weed blocker that comes on rolls go before or after the fill? Can I dig through the weed blo ...
Updated: Wed Apr 03, 2013
-
Crabgrass Control for 03/27/2013
Question: Last year my lawn was filled with crabgrass. What is the best way to get rid of it?
Answer: Crabgrass is one of those notorious weeds that everyone thinks they have in their lawn. Lawn care companies and chemical manufacturers use it to promote their products. In reality, most people probably don't have crabgrass itself, even if they do have a weed problem of some kind.
...
Updated: Wed Mar 27, 2013
-
Easter Lilies for 03/20/2013
Easter Lilies
With Easter coming soon, many people will have Easter lilies in their homes. Even if you do not celebrate Easter, you should get an Easter lily. They make nice houseplants and can be planted in a perennial garden later. They also have a nice fragrance that is not as overpowering as some indoor bulbs.
The Easter lily is native to southern Japan, and prior to W ...
Updated: Wed Mar 20, 2013
-
Planting Seeds of Knowledge for 03/13/2013
I recently had the opportunity to speak to 250 first and second graders about the topic of garden seeds. The very well-behaved group was quite intelligent. They asked some great questions and many knew the answers to my questions. So, let's see if you are as smart as they are.
What is a seed? For most plants it is an entire baby plant that is asleep. There is a very small root, stem and ...
Updated: Wed Mar 13, 2013
-
Repotting Houseplants for 03/06/2013
As outdoor plants break dormancy and start to grow in response to longer days and warmer spring temperatures, houseplants usually put on a spurt of growth as well. Eventually, these indoor plants outgrow their containers and need to be repotted. To check if your plants are becoming root bound and need a larger pot, inspect the root system by sliding the plant out of its pot.
Watering sev ...
Updated: Wed Mar 06, 2013
-
Checking for Insects and Diseases for 02/27/2013
I know we are still getting blizzards here and there as winter winds down, but if you are like me, being indoors too much will drive you crazy. Spring is in full swing in the southern most regions of the country, where vegetable gardening is already underway. A late winter storm or two might pop up soon, but there are a few landscape duties we may need to attend to before spring really arrives. ...
Updated: Wed Feb 27, 2013
-
Indoor Lighting for 02/20/2013
Last week I said I would cover indoor lighting, so here it goes. Not every light bulb will work for growing plants indoors. The quantity and quality of light it produces can vary greatly. Plants use large amounts of red and blue light, lesser quantities of other colors and very little green, which is the color they reflect back to our eyes. The measurement scale of the color of light is expressed ...
Updated: Wed Feb 20, 2013
-
Hydroponics for 02/13/2013
Question: I miss my fresh garden vegetables so much. I was wondering how hard it would be to grow some of them hydroponically in my house?
Answer: You would be joining a large number of people worldwide who eat hydroponic vegetables. Imagine not having to wash the soil and other debris from lettuce or spinach leaves. Hydroponics is not new and in some cold climate countries, greenhous ...
Updated: Wed Feb 13, 2013
-
National Bird-Feeding Month for 02/06/2013
Have you been confused by the winter weather this year? We can get seven-day weather forecasts with minute-by-minute updates on practically every electronic device we own. Now imagine being a bird. One day the weather is warm and you are thinking spring is almost here. Yet the next day it is freezing cold! It would be tough to be a bird. You wouldn't know whether to fly north or south.
O ...
Updated: Wed Feb 06, 2013
Recent Columns