Rosie Lerner

rosie@purdue.edu
Rosie Lerner's website
Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist
Purdue University
Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
625 Agriculture Mall Drive
West Lafayette IN 47907-2010

Voice: 765-494-1296
Fax: 765-494-0391

720 articles by this author

Article List

August 1996


Q. We would like to establish tiger lilies along a 50-foot portion of a bank on a farm pond where grass and weeds now grow. We have lilies growing wild along our field. My questions are: Is transplanting from these wild lilies a good bet, or should we buy bulbs? When is the best time to do that? Thanks. – Steven A. Cain, Brookston, Ind. A. I think you may mean daylilies instead of tiger lilies, since […]
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Some Tree Roots Surface on Lawns


Much to the dismay of homeowners, landscape trees sometimes grow roots above the surface of the lawn. These roots can be quite a nuisance to lawn mowers and running feet. There are several reasons why the roots come to the surface. Some tree species seem to be more prone to surface roots than others, most notably silver maple, poplar and willow. Sometimes roots become visible due to erosion of the surface soil. But almost any […]
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Daylily Has Humble Beginnings


What plant started its life as a roadside weed, yet has managed to find its way into nearly every perennial garden in the Midwest? Despite its humble beginnings, the daylily has become the backbone of the flower garden palette for a number of reasons. The daylily is easy to propagate, tolerates most soil conditions, is quite winter hardy, adapts to partial shade as well as full sun, comes in a wide range of colors, has […]
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Clematis is a Popular Garden Climber


Looking for a vigorous climber that has a long season of bloom and can adapt to just about any garden soil? Sound too good to be true? Well, clematis pretty well lives up to the challenge. There are numerous species and literally hundreds of cultivars of clematis, some of which are better adapted to Indiana’s soils and climate than others. Unless you have extremely compacted and poorly drained soil, there’s a selection that you can […]
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July 1996


Q. I used to have two plum trees in my backyard, but both were struck by lightning and died. I would like to replace one of them, but I heard you have to have a male and female tree to bear fruit. Is this true, and if it is, how do you tell them apart when you buy them? – Deborah S. Wallace, Greensburg, Ind. A. Plums have perfect flowers with both male and female parts, but […]
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How Plants Are Named


Plants have names, just like people do. Sometimes two or more plants share the same name, or an individual plant may be known by several different names, depending on local and family traditions. So the everyday, common names we give plants can be confusing to gardeners. To make the naming of plants more precise and universal, an international system of naming plants is used by scientists and plant professionals. Known as the “International Code of […]
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June 1996


Q: In your April column you mentioned a decorative tall grass for slopes. I’m very interested, however, we like to entertain in our yard and make use of the area up to about 15 feet from the slope at the south end of our 1-acre lot. I would like to know what pests this plant might draw – especially if it’s mosquitoes. – Shelly McCoy, Ridgeville, Ind. A: Big bluestem does not attract any insect pests that […]
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May 1996


Q. I have a hillside that is now scarce with grass and weeds and would like to try little bluestem. Where can I find it? Can the seed be planted directly on the ground, or what kind of preparation is necessary? – Myrna Sowers, Crawfordsville, Ind. A. Prepare the site by killing all the existing weeds. Because you’re planting a hill, you don’t want to loosen the soil too much, so till lightly or hand rake a […]
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April 1996


Q.Can you give me the proper way to freeze corn on the cob so it doesn’t lose its firmness? – Edward Serfin, Demotte, Ind. A. Sorry, but this is outside my area of expertise, and I don’t want to give advice on food preparation since improperly stored foods could actually cause one of my readers harm! Please contact the consumer and family science educator at your county Cooperative Extension Service office. He or she is specially […]
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March 1996


Q. I’m moving into a new home where the previous owners had a small garden. What do I need to do this spring to prepare it for planting? Also, are the inexpensive seeds you buy at the department stores adequate, or should I go to a garden center? Is it better to plant seedlings than seeds? – Carrie Powell, West Lafayette, Ind. A. Start with a soil test of your new garden. Your Cooperative Extension Service office […]
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