Rosie Lerner

rosie@purdue.edu

716 articles by this author

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A “Pearfect” Nightmare!

Think about what might be the perfect ornamental tree for your yard. Fast, compact growth, pretty white flowers in spring, glossy green foliage in summer, spectacular scarlet – purple fall color, and relatively resistant to pests and diseases. It is easy to propagate and transplant and adapts to a wide range of site conditions. You want one, don’t you? This describes the ‘Bradford’ cultivar of Callery (ornamental) Pear. It is difficult to find a downtown…Read more about A “Pearfect” Nightmare![Read More]

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Tender Perennials Need Indoor Protection

While fall is the time to plant hardy bulbs, it is also the time to dig up tender perennials to save for next year’s garden. Some flowering perennials are not hardy in our climate but produce an underground bulb, root or other structure that can be lifted from the soil and stored overwinter. The most common garden plants in this category include gladiolus, caladium, tuberous begonias, canna and dahlia. Although these plants are all collectively…Read more about Tender Perennials Need Indoor Protection[Read More]

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Solving a Pine Tree Mystery

Q. I live on 6.5 acres of land that is completely surrounded by a few varieties of tall pine trees, over a hundred of them. When we moved here 4 years ago, the trees were very full and looked very healthy; however, this past year or two I have noticed many of them seem to be losing their limbs, starting at the bottom, and it seems to be spreading. We trimmed the trees that line…Read more about Solving a Pine Tree Mystery[Read More]

Science Project Resources

School science fairs often put students and parents on the hunt for project ideas. Of course, the point of these projects is for students, not parents, to learn how to plan and implement science! But, naturally, parents want to help their kids succeed. There are limitless resources available these days, especially with the help of the Internet. One of the most beneficial things moms and dads can do is to help their children find resources…Read more about Science Project Resources[Read More]

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Science Project Resources

School science fairs often put students and parents on the hunt for project ideas. Of course, the point of these projects is for students, not parents, to learn how to plan and implement science! But, naturally, parents want to help their kids succeed. There are limitless resources available these days, especially with the help of the Internet. One of the most beneficial things moms and dads can do is to help their children find resources…Read more about Science Project Resources[Read More]

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Help My Hydrangeas!

Q. I’ve attached photos of my hydrangeas. While they both produce blooms, both seem to have problems. The paniculata Vanilla Strawberry, as you can see, is kind of sparse, not full like others I’ve seen. I believe the other is an arborescens Annabelle. This one never grows more than about 18 inches high and gets very droopy, requiring a lot of water. Both get morning sun and more later in the day. Annabelle is shaded…Read more about Help My Hydrangeas![Read More]

Versatile Vegetables for Fall Gardening

Fall is an excellent time to grow many vegetable crops in Indiana when the gardener can take advantage of cooler temperatures and more plentiful moisture. Fall gardening helps extend your gardening season so that you can continue to harvest produce after earlier crops have faded. Many vegetable crops are well adapted to planting in late summer for a fall harvest. Early spring-planted crops such as radishes, lettuce and spinach tend to bolt (produce seed) and…Read more about Versatile Vegetables for Fall Gardening[Read More]

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Peas Best as Early-Spring Crop

Q. This year some of our peas started to die. This would start by the (rusty) post where my husband anchors a pea fence. Then the disease spread to other pea plants in the row. It went from the post and progressed east. The plants west of the post did not die. Attached please find a couple pictures. I’m sorry that I did not send this earlier, as all the plants are ready to die…Read more about Peas Best as Early-Spring Crop[Read More]

Are Native Ladybugs Still Around?

Q. I have been wondering for several years why don’t we have any old-fashioned ladybugs? I know they disappeared about the same time Asiatic lady beetles appeared. I haven’t seen any info on this. and no one seems concerned about it. Is there no concern for an endangered species? Or is it only our area that they no longer seem to live in? – B.P., Orland, Indiana A. There are thousands of species of lady…Read more about Are Native Ladybugs Still Around?[Read More]

Hydrangea Popular, but Confusing

Hydrangeas are popular, but understandably confusing! There are about 25 species, though only five are primarily grown in the U.S. There are literally thousands of cultivars. Some species are classified as either mophead (all large, sterile florets) or lacecap (fertile, center florets surrounded by larger, sterile florets), depending on cultivar. The showiest part of the flower cluster is actually the bracts rather than petals. The bracts persist long after the petals drop and are often…Read more about Hydrangea Popular, but Confusing[Read More]

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