Rosie Lerner

rosie@purdue.edu

716 articles by this author

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Sunscald: Too Much of a Good Thing

pecies can get too much of a good thing. When foliage or fruit is exposed to excessive sunlight, plant tissue can get a bit of sunburn, generally referred to as sunscald. Sunscald is often exacerbated by high temperature and drought. Sunscald symptoms will appear as yellow or white lesions on foliage and/or fruits. The lesions eventually may turn brown and/or shrivel. Foliage that is commonly affected includes impatiens, hosta, rhododendron, garden beans, peas, peppers and…Read more about Sunscald: Too Much of a Good Thing[Read More]

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Early Heat Wave Challenges Gardens and Gardeners

The early arrival of summer’s steamy weather is tough on garden plants and their gardeners. It is really difficult to stay motivated to keep up with garden chores when you’re already dripping with perspiration by 9 a.m.! Although the weeds, insects, diseases and critters don’t seem to have any trouble thriving in this weather, some vegetable crops have trouble producing when under stress. Tomatoes, peppers, melons, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers and beans often drop their blossoms…Read more about Early Heat Wave Challenges Gardens and Gardeners[Read More]

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Question and Answer

Q. Some years our potatoes and beets have a pitting or scabbing on the surface. It makes them very unappealing to want to eat them. I think they are OK on the inside. What causes this? A. While it is difficult to diagnose with certainty without seeing samples, there is a disease commonly called potato scab that affects both potatoes and beets. Other root crops, such as radish, rutabaga, turnip, carrot and parsnips, are also…Read more about Question and Answer[Read More]

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“A Maizing” Sweet Corn

Nothing tastes better than homegrown corn, but, because of its demand for space, sweet corn has traditionally belonged to the domain of large country gardens. Sweet corn plants usually produce only one ear per stalk, possibly two. And because a lot of corn pollen is needed to get a full ear, a large block of plants is usually required to ensure good yields. Poor pollination results in poorly filled ears. But, if you have a…Read more about “A Maizing” Sweet Corn[Read More]

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Question and Answer

Q. The last couple of springs we have had this beautiful flower in our bed, with a nodding, bell-shaped bloom checkered with dark maroon and creamy white. We didn’t plant it, and there is only one. Can you tell us what it is, and where we can buy more? A. That would be Fritillaria meleagris, commonly known as the checkered lily or guinea-hen flower. This dainty spring-flowering bulb reaches just 8-12 inches tall, thrives in…Read more about Question and Answer[Read More]

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Return of the Asparagus!

Asparagus is one of the first vegetables to peer through the cool soil in spring, and what a welcome sight! The heavy snows this past winter provided excellent moisture and insulation for the plants, so the crop is off to a great start. Precisely how to harvest is the subject of some debate among asparagus gardeners. Some prefer to harvest only the very young spear tips. This ensures that only the tender portion of the…Read more about Return of the Asparagus![Read More]

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Return of the Asparagus!

Asparagus is one of the first vegetables to peer through the cool soil in spring, and what a welcome sight! The heavy snows this past winter provided excellent moisture and insulation for the plants, so the crop is off to a great start. Precisely how to harvest is the subject of some debate among asparagus gardeners. Some prefer to harvest only the very young spear tips. This ensures that only the tender portion of the…Read more about Return of the Asparagus![Read More]

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Question and Answer

Q. I have a lot of black walnut trees in my yard in Carroll County. I was wondering if there is any kind of flowers I could grow around these trees. Most people I know say there is nothing that will grow or survive around these trees. A. While many plants grow well in proximity to black walnut, there are certain plant species that are inhibited by this tree. The causal agent is a chemical…Read more about Question and Answer[Read More]

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Hydrangea Popular, Yet Confusing

Try to have a discussion about hydrangea among your gardening friends, and you’re likely to start a rather lively debate. What type to grow, when to prune, why doesn’t it flower and how can I change the flower color from pink to blue are among the most frequently asked hydrangea questions. There are many different species of hydrangea, not to mention cultivars of those species. So, these questions are a bit difficult to answer, unless…Read more about Hydrangea Popular, Yet Confusing[Read More]

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Question and Answer

Q. My mother ordered ever-blooming lilacs, and I would like to have some for my landscape. Can you share with me the site to order these from? A. To the best of my knowledge, there aren’t any lilacs that bloom continuously all summer, but there are a few that may re-bloom in late summer and/or fall. Different species and even cultivars within a species vary in their requirements for developing flowers buds. So an individual…Read more about Question and Answer[Read More]

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