Rosie Lerner

rosie@purdue.edu

716 articles by this author

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Squash Blossom Drop

A common complaint among vegetable gardeners is that their squash plants have a lot of flowers, but many of them just fall off without producing any fruit. This same observation can be made of cucumbers, melons, pumpkins and gourds, all of which are collectively known as “vine” crops to home gardeners. These plants are all members of the Cucurbitaceae family and are also commonly referred to as “cucurbits.” All of these vine crops produce separate […]
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Q. We have a dwarf peach tree that is full of blossoms in the spring, has wonderful looking peaches, and, then, about midway through the season, all the peaches fall off just weeks before maturity. Do you know what would cause this? Also, what do you recommend for keeping shrubbery around a house green and healthy? I used to use fertilizer spikes for shrubs but have trouble locating them in stores now. A. In mild […]
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Plant Galls Not Always Harmful

Plants often develop bumps or other odd growths that might remind one of a science fiction movie, but there’s no need be alarmed. These unusual appearing growths are called galls and are usually more of a cosmetic problem rather than a health crisis. The galls themselves are mostly made up of plant tissue, usually as an attempt to recover from insect or disease injury. Galls can be quite small, just a fraction of an inch, […]
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Pinch Your Mums

Most of us don’t think about our garden mums until they brighten our gardens late in the growing season. But to get the best display of flowers this fall, you should pinch the plants back to create more branching and more flowers.   Mum plants flower in response to both day length and temperature. Most cultivars begin to develop flower buds when days are less than 12 hours long and generally continue to flower for […]
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Q. We have been looking for Black Crowder Pea seeds and Knuckle Purple beans. Do you know where we can get them? — Delores Ferree, Sellersburg, Ind. A. Both are available from the Vegetable Seed Warehouse http://www.vegetableseedwarehouse.com or from Reimer Seeds  www.reimerseeds.com, among other sources. Q. Can you suggest something I can spray on my garden to keep the weeds down? I am surrounded by cornfields and weeds. Thanks. — Gene Rinderle, Wheatland, Ind. A. The best […]
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Why Plants Fail to Bloom

Flowering plants that don’t bloom as promised can be a big disappointment in your garden. Reasons for lack of blooming are as diverse as the palette of plants from which to choose, but a little detective work can usually pinpoint the trouble. The most common factors associated with blooming, or lack thereof, include light, plant age, nutrition, extreme temperatures and improper pruning. Many woody plants must reach a certain age before they are mature enough […]
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Gardeners Fret Over Freeze

Much of Indiana experienced freezing temperatures this week, causing concern among backyard gardeners. Though there’s not much we can do about the weather, many gardeners wonder if something can be done to help their plants recover and protect them from future frosts. Most gardeners are concerned with newly planted flowers and vegetables. Cool-season plants, such as broccoli, cabbage, peas, potatoes and pansies, should be just fine. Frost-tender vegetables and bedding flowers, such as tomatoes, peppers, […]
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Vinca minor — Friend or Foe?

Vinca minor, more likely to be known as periwinkle, creeping myrtle or just myrtle is a commonly used trailing, mat-forming evergreen ground cover. This plant is not only grown for its attractive shiny foliage, but the common name perfectly describes the pretty bloom color. The flowers are most numerous in mid spring, but plants will re-bloom sporadically throughout the growing season. There are some cultivars selected for different bloom color and variegated foliage. The plant […]
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Designing a Flower Bed with View in Mind

A private garden need only please its owner; after all, taste is very individual. But while beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, there are some basic garden design principles to keep in mind. An important consideration that drives the rest of the design is function. How will the garden be seen? Is this bed to be enjoyed primarily by those looking out the window from inside the house? Is it to be […]
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Q. I have an old hydrangea that was given to me by my late grandmother, and I would love to have a few more just like it, but I don’t know its name. Can I collect seeds from this plant? — David Holiday, Terre Haute, Ind. A. Depending on which type of hydrangea it is, likely the best way to make sure you get more just like it is to take stem cuttings in early […]
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