Rosie Lerner

rosie@purdue.edu

716 articles by this author

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Question and Answer

Q.  Can you please tell me the name of the flower that is in bloom in this photo? The flowers came back in bloom for around three years and died out. It grows around 4-5 feet tall. The stems are a reddish color. It starts blooming in June and blooms until frost. My brother gave me this flower. And there was no name on the pot. It is a beautiful flower. I hope you can […]
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What To Plant Now

Many gardeners have found it difficult to get their gardens tilled and planted this spring, due to what looked to be unending spring rains. Those who did get their gardens tilled, planted and fertilized earlier this spring might find themselves starting over. Seeds that have been sitting in cold, water-soaked ground may rot before they have a chance to get started. Heavy rains may have washed away seed; newly germinated seeds may also be at […]
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Question and Answer

Q. Could you tell me what kind of weed is creeping through my lawn and flowerbeds? It has scalloped edges on the leaves and pretty blue flowers. The leaves have a strong smell. I have tried all kinds of weed killer on it; I think it makes it grow! A. You and most every gardener in Indiana are doing battle with the common perennial weed called ground ivy, aka creeping Charlie, a member of the […]
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Vegetable Gardening In A Small Space

Many folks would love to grow their own fresh vegetables, but perhaps they are short on space and/or time. If you’ve got space for a pot of flowers on the patio or balcony, then you too can grow vegetables. Here are some tips for creating and stretching a small garden space. Preferably, you want to create a garden where conditions are ideal for growing vegetables: full sun, well-drained soil, away from trees and shrubs, close […]
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Question and Answer

Q. I love to walk our farm woods looking to find some of our native wildflowers. I was excited two years ago when I came across a violet that had yellow flowers. Went back last year to look in the area, but never found them again. I found in several nature books that violets will bloom white, yellow and the blue we usually see in early spring (woolly blue violet). I’m curious to know if […]
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Patience for Planting Potatoes

Chances are that some dedicated gardeners have already tilled their gardens and planted their “seed” potatoes, their aim to plant on or around St. Patrick’s Day. But with all the recent rains and flooding, many of us will be lucky to have them planted by Mother’s Day! Because our weather can be so unpredictable, it’s hard to be very precise about planting time. Potatoes are considered to be a cool-season crop and can be planted […]
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Question and Answer

Q. Can you please help my friend to find out what the name of this plant on the picture is? She told me it smelled bad when flowered. I told her this is a kind of insect-eater plant but not sure what the name of it is. A. This is not necessarily a carnivorous (insect-eating) plant, but the photo is of a flower belonging to a large family of plants known as the Aroids. This […]
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New Vegetable Varieties 2009

What better way to chase away the winter blues than a stroll through garden catalogs with all their promise of gardening adventures for the coming season! Here’s a look at just a few of the new seed company offerings for 2009. Basil ‘Cardinal’ is a strikingly handsome addition to the herb garden, with spicy, fragrant foliage crested by tightly packed clusters of deep cardinal-red flowers, resembling Celosia. Plants reach up to 2.5 feet in height. […]
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Question and Answer

Q. I have been collecting red and orange Canna seeds this year from plants produced by bulbs at least 3 years old. Can these seeds be propagated? If so, what steps should I take? A. Canna is more typically propagated by dividing the rhizomes (thick, underground stems) so that each new section has at least one healthy bud that will become the new shoot. They can be propagated by seed, but keep in mind that […]
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Have a Heart for Your Valentine

Looking ahead to Valentine’s Day, here are some ideas for plants that will delight your plant lover. Heartleaf philodendron, also known as sweetheart plant, is easy to find, easy to grow and an excellent choice for a beginning gardener. The philodendron takes its name from Latin for love and tree, “philo” – love and “dendron” – tree. The heart- shaped leaves arise from sturdy stems that can twine around an upright support or trail from […]
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