Rosie Lerner

rosie@purdue.edu

716 articles by this author

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Watering 101

Although recent rains have relieved many gardeners from their watering chores, the respite is sure to be temporary. Seasonal thunderstorms may deluge some gardens with water while other areas, even those close by, may stay fairly dry. Most garden plants will need 1-1.5 inches of water per week to maintain healthy leaves, flowers and fruit. When Mother Nature does not provide enough, it’s up to the gardener to supply the rest. When you do need […]
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Question and Answer

Q. We have an older Bartlett pear tree. It bears a lot of fruit almost every year. The pears rot around the core on the tree. I understand there was a problem last year with a lot of fruit trees, especially apple trees. But our pears rot each year and seem to be getting worse. The pears are big but rotten around the core first, and then the whole pear rots. What can I try, […]
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Control Weeds in the Garden and Landscape

No matter what kind of garden you tend, weeds are likely one of your more frustrating challenges. However, there are a number of practices you can incorporate in your bag of tricks to keep weeds under control. Cultural control includes any gardening practice that prevents the introduction of weeds to the garden or makes the environment less favorable for weed development and more favorable for desirable plants. Controlling weeds before they mature their seed will […]
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Coping With Storm-Damaged Trees

Homeowners assessing tree damage caused by recent storms will want to make a few important decisions soon. Small trees with minor damage can probably be taken care of by the homeowner but large mature trees likely will need the help of a professional tree service. It can be hard to decide whether trees with severe damage should be completely removed. Homeowners often are reluctant to cut down a tree, either because of sentimental attachment or […]
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Spring Pruning of Roses

Now’s the time to prepare your garden roses for the coming growing season. The three primary purposes of pruning are to remove damaged and unwanted canes, promote optimum blooming and reduce size of the plant, if needed. Roses are best pruned before the new foliage emerges so that you can easily assess winter damage. Winter mulch and foam covers should be removed as soon as new growth becomes apparent. Since a spring freeze is still […]
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Interveinal Chlorosis on Azaleas and Rhododendron

Chlorotic (a yellowing of the leaves) azaleas and rhododendron are a common sight in the Indiana landscape. The term chlorosis gets its name from the lack of chlorophyll, the pigment responsible for healthy plants’ green color. One major cause of chlorosis is a deficiency of either iron or manganese. Other landscape plants such as pin oak, river birch, holly and sweet gum are also susceptible to chlorosis. Iron deficiency leads to a pattern of yellowing […]
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Norfolk Island Pine Needs TLC

Unlike most pines that are familiar to Midwesterners, the Norfolk Island pine is far too tender to plant outdoors in our climate and, in fact, is not a true pine at all. But the good news is that it makes an elegant houseplant when given proper care. It also makes a terrific living Christmas tree; its lush green twigs of soft needles provide a lovely backdrop for festive holiday ornaments. Norfolk Island Pine Known botanically […]
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Norfolk Island Pine Needs TLC

Unlike most pines that are familiar to Midwesterners, the Norfolk Island pine is far too tender to plant outdoors in our climate and, in fact, is not a true pine at all. But the good news is that it makes an elegant houseplant when given proper care. It also makes a terrific living Christmas tree; its lush green twigs of soft needles provide a lovely backdrop for festive holiday ornaments. Known botanically as Araucaria heterophylla, […]
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Q. In an earlier In The Grow Column you were writing about possible replacements for white pine trees in Indiana. Yet you did not mention Eastern red cedar as a possibility. Is there something wrong with the native species of evergreens? A. Eastern redcedar is actually a species of Juniper rather than a true cedar. It is widely adaptable to various stresses, especially drought, so it can be very useful for group plantings, windbreaks and […]
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Deicing Salts Helpful For People But Not Landscape Plants

Deicing salts can save your neck this winter, but they can spell disaster for landscape plants. Whether the salt is sprayed on the plants from passing traffic near the road or is shoveled onto plants near the sidewalk, the salt can cause damage. Salts can adversely affect plants in several ways. Salts deposited on the surface of twigs, branches and evergreen leaves can cause excessive drying of foliage and roots. They can be taken up […]
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