Q. I have two gooseberry bushes that never bloom so, therefore, never produce fruit. They are 8-10 years old and in full sun. Do you have to have male and female bushes to produce fruit? If not, what could be wrong? – Judy Bates, Bloomington, Ind. A. Gooseberries are generally self-fruitful. You are facing another problem since your plants don’t bloom at all. Try pruning out all branches that are more than 3 years old […]
Q. Last year, my gladiolus got a blight. They would get about 2 feet high and then turn yellow and start to die. Some of them did bloom, but blossoms were small with blotches. Is this a ground problem or a plant disease? What is the treatment? – Clyde Dawson, Urbana, Ind. A. Several diseases can attack gladiolus leaves. It’s most important to remove and destroy diseased plants. Plant glads in locations with good drainage and air […]
Q. I have a Japanese maple that I planted last spring. Since then, it has turned from the rich, deep maroon color to a green color on the leaves. There is still a hint of the red color, but it is very faint. What would have caused this and what can I do to bring the maroon color back? Thanks! – David J. Schafer, New Albany, Ind. A. There are hundreds of cultivars of Japanese […]
Q. I have one persimmon tree that hasn’t produced any fruit yet. How old does a tree have to be before doing so? Do I need to have more than one tree in order to produce persimmons? – Dennis Stutler, Batesville, Ind. A. Persimmons are dioecious, which means male and female flowers are on separate plants. You need a male and female plant to produce fruit. You really can’t tell a male from a female […]