Flowers Archives - Page 10 of 22 - Indiana Yard and Garden - Purdue Consumer HorticulturePurdue University Indiana Yard and Garden

Category: Flowers

Question and Answer
In the Grow (Q & A)

Q. I live in the country and have a gopher problem. They are digging holes around the bird feeders. I have even seen them in the bird feeders. They are digging so much that the pipes the bird feeders are on are about ready to fall down. — Barbara La Cross, LaOtto , Ind. A. Begin by going to Purdue Animal Damage Control Web site at http://www.entm.purdue.edu/wildlife/wild.htm to make sure you’ve identified the culprit properly. There are…Read more about Question and Answer[Read More]

Question and Answer
In the Grow (Q & A)

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…Read more about Question and Answer[Read More]

Pinch Your Mums
Yard and Garden News

Summer Gardening Stories

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…Read more about Pinch Your Mums[Read More]

Question and Answer
In the Grow (Q & A)

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…Read more about Question and Answer[Read More]

Deer-Resistant Plants, Wildlife-Friendly Landscaping, Bulb Planting, and Brussels Sprout Tips

Q. We just moved into our new home in a wooded area. In 2003, I planted over 80 wild violet plants along our drive (you see them everywhere in the spring). I just love them. Well, so did the deer. I guess they thought I set up a buffet line for them. They ate them down to the heart. Then, I planted hostas, which they thought were tasty, too, I later learned. So what can…Read more about Deer-Resistant Plants, Wildlife-Friendly Landscaping, Bulb Planting, and Brussels Sprout Tips[Read More]

Question and Answer
In the Grow (Q & A)

Q. As with most folks, we lost branches off trees, due to the ice storm. Is there anything we are supposed to apply to the area where the branch broke off to help the tree heal? — John Habermann A. Do not treat the wounds with any paint or sealant. Research shows moisture is trapped under the sealant, leading to increased rot and decay. Cleanly cut off the broken limbs and let the plant form…Read more about Question and Answer[Read More]

Question and Answer
In the Grow (Q & A)

Q. I have a pink lemonade honeysuckle vine. It has bloomed all summer, but the leaves are turning a powdery white and falling off. Is there a remedy to save my plant? — Sylvia R. Kline, Ferdinand, Ind. A. Powdery mildew is the name for the grayish-white powdery coating caused by a fungus growing on plant leaves, shoots and flowers. This disease is caused by a group of similar fungi that attacks a wide variety…Read more about Question and Answer[Read More]

Question and Answer
In the Grow (Q & A)

Q. Our tomatoes have had blight the last two years. Is there anything we can do to keep them from getting it again? — Mrs. George Bowen, Plymouth, Ind. A. There are three major blights that can attack your tomatoes: Septoria leaf spot, early blight and late blight. All are fungal diseases spread by spores, which require dew or rain to infect the plant. These are most severe in wet weather. Septoria leaf spot, sometimes…Read more about Question and Answer[Read More]

Question and Answer
In the Grow (Q & A)

Q. I ordered a lot of spring-flowering daffodils and tulips and expect the shipment to arrive soon. Is there any trick to planting them? — Cindy Cunningham, Terre Haute, Ind. A. Start with a design first. I like working with large groups of plants, depending upon the size of your garden. For most residential sites, two dozen bulbs can make quite a show. If you plant three daffodils in one spot, three different ones in…Read more about Question and Answer[Read More]

Managing Vines on Trees, Tomato Pruning, Daylily Deadheading, and Yucca Removal

Q. I have a lot of vines that grew up my two trees. I noticed that one of my large trees is now dying. Would those vines kill them by taking all of the water from the bark? Also, I have a patio tomato plant that is big and doing great. Would it hurt the plant if I cut off a lot of the lower branches? Thank you. — Jerry Maquet A. In the southern…Read more about Managing Vines on Trees, Tomato Pruning, Daylily Deadheading, and Yucca Removal[Read More]