Q. What has happened to my peonies? This year my maroons are pink; my pinks are white. Then I have white, too. My red one has never changed colors. – Mary Harden, Clay City, Ind. A. Flower thrips occasionally feed on peonies, distorting the buds and flecking the petals with red or white. Thrips are most abundant between late spring and midsummer. They’re difficult to control because they’re usually protected by plant tissue, and they often reproduce […]
If you’ve noticed a lot of fruit dropping from trees in your home orchard lately, chances are good that the plants are simply shedding excess fruit. Most trees set many more flowers than needed for a full crop, especially following a relatively mild winter. Only one bloom in 20 is needed for a good crop on a full-blossoming apple tree. Although the small fruit drop in June can be alarming, it’s just nature’s way of […]
A floral garnish can add color and elegance to a dinner party that your guests will never forget. Many garden flowers can be used as edible garnish or to lend flavor and color to a cooked dish. But be sure to read up before you begin…some flowers can lead to upset stomach, or worse, if eaten in large quantities. Blossoms of borage, chrysanthemum, cornflower and dianthus can float in a bowl of soup or punch. […]
Q. I’ve planted tulips for many years. Last fall, I put about a dozen in a raised bed on the west side of my house. Only two bloomed. The rest had only leaves. What did I do wrong? At the same time, I planted another dozen in front of my house (northwest corner) on regular ground. Every one of them bloomed. The two that bloomed in the bed were the closest to the outside of the […]