Q. My ornamental grasses are still in place in my yard. They looked nice all winter. When and how do I cut them back? When do I divide them? –Fleet Walker, Nashville, Ind. A. Ornamental grasses can be cut back any time from fall to spring, but I like to leave them in place over the winter. They bring motion and texture to the garden when they’re desperately needed! By late winter, heavy snows and […]
Q. I have two dwarf apple trees that are four to five years old but have never produced any fruit. I fertilize them every fall. Are there other things I should be doing? – Duane Nagel, Rensselaer, Ind. A. Are your trees blooming? It’s not unusual for dwarf trees to need up to five years before becoming mature enough to bloom. Overfertilizing with nitrogen, a lack of sun or improper pruning may cause a lack […]
Q. My rhubarb has some type of bug. It’s planted at the edge of my garden. It’s not as hearty as it was in the past, and now it has brown spots. – Phyllis Clark A. Crown rot can cause brown, sunken, water-soaked spots on the base of the leaf stalks. Leaves yellow, and stalks collapse and die. The disease thrives in waterlogged, heavy soils and attacks the crown and base of the stems. In […]
Q. Last season, I spread about 6 inches of hardwood sawdust on my pumpkin, squash and gourd garden to control weeds. The sawdust is still there and will act as a mulch for this season also. By using the sawdust, do I need to add any nutrients to my soil this season? If so, what should I add? – Myrna Sowers, Crawfordsville, Ind. A. Uncomposted sawdust ties up the available nitrogen in the soil, so […]
Q. I’ve been out in the backyard giving myself a backache chopping down ornamental grasses. We love them 363 days a year; every day except for the two that we spend chopping them down and getting rid of the debris! Any thoughts? – Amy Raley, West Lafayette, Ind. A. We buzz down our ornamental grasses with electric hedge shears and a chain saw. The task goes by quickly! We leave the dried grasses in place […]
Ah, the beauty of Mother Nature’s palette coming to life in the fall color of our forest and landscape plants. For some, this marvel is overshadowed by the chores of raking and disposing of fall leaves. What’s needed here is an attitude adjustment! Autumn leaves don’t have to become trash. On the contrary, they easily can be turned into valuable soil-enhancing organic matter. For many urban dwellers, who already have their yard waste picked up […]
Q. Although I am aware of the need to cut back or pinch mums until about the Fourth of July, I need your advice about other flowers, namely daisies, black-eyed Susans, impatiens and petunias. Should all of these be pinched, too, and if so, when? For some time now, I have noticed so many daisies and black-eyed Susans in beautiful clumps standing so stately. As soon as mine are blooming nicely, they begin to droop […]
B. Rosie Lerner Purdue Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist The recent Arctic blast that visited our area made for a rather dramatic leaf fall in many neighborhoods. With large quantities of leaves blowing around their yards, some people may be tempted to resort to the old-fashioned and effective method of burning. However, in addition to being illegal in many areas, leaf burning leads to air pollution and is a health and fire hazard. The smoke from […]