Q. I’m planning ahead for next spring and would like to attract more butterflies to my garden. What can I plant? I have a fairly sunny yard. — Vikki Stiles, Muncie, Ind. A. You need to provide food for both the adult and larval stage, water and cover. A butterfly garden should be protected from the wind and receive at least six hours of direct sun each day. Include a puddle or create a small […]
Evergreens provide green color all year long but that doesn’t mean that the individual needles live forever. Evergreens shed their older needles to make room for new growth, but what makes them evergreen is that they retain some foliage all year long instead of shedding all of the leaves at once. Evergreen needles have varying life spans, depending on the species. Arborvitae and pine needles live for 2 years while spruce needles live 3-10 years. […]
Q. I have four large trees in my backyard, causing quite a bit of shade. There is a pine, an oak, ash an and a maple. The lawn is too dark for grass, and the quantity of leaves is overwhelming in the fall. I’d like to take down one tree but can’t decide which one. I don’t feel particularly attached to any, although the pine screens the neighbor’s yard somewhat. All seem to be roughly […]
If you saved last year’s poinsettia plant, and you want it to flower in time for the holidays, now is the time for action. Poinsettias need about 8 weeks of special handling to force them to re-bloom. Poinsettias are sensitive to photoperiod — the length of the day. Actually, it’s the number of hours of darkness that is most important. Poinsettias flower during short days, with long periods of darkness each night. In the home […]
Q. I have a problem weed. It is rubbery with teardrop-shaped leaves. I’ve noticed it will reroot itself when thrown on the ground. It is very hard to kill. In fact, I think it thrives on Round-Up. Can you help? — Teresa Allman, United REMC A. The green, rubbery leaves of purslane are one-half to 1.5 inches long on thick, reddish-green stems. It sometimes bears yellow flowers, and the seeds are borne in a small […]
Q. My Siberian iris plants grow and bloom well, but the plants have a dead spot in the center of each clump. What do I do? — Caryn Hildreth, Lafayette, Ind. A. Many perennials, including iris, grow in an expanding circular pattern. This is their way of spreading to new locations. This growth pattern usually leaves behind a dead center, which works to the benefit of the plant since the new growth is more vigorous […]
Q. How deep should mulch be at the base of a tree? I usually put a light coating around the trunk, in a circle, but I see some professional landscapers making big mounds. Does that keep more moisture in? — Shirley North, South Bend, Ind. A. Generally, a layer of mulch should be 3-6 inches deep, not a volcanic pile like you see around some trees! Even at this reduced depth, it should be pulled […]
Q. My iris were beautiful with lots of flower buds this year, but just about the time they were in full bloom, the heavy rains came and knocked all the tall, blooming stems to the ground. Is there any way to prevent this? — Wendy Lacrosse, Fort Wayne, Ind. A. Many plants can be pinched early in the season to increase branching and reduce lodging, which is the fancy word for crashing to the ground. […]
If you’re like most overanxious gardeners, you probably started your tomato seeds too early. When tomatoes and other transplants are grown under the relatively low light conditions experienced in most homes, they tend to get long and leggy as they stretch in search of light. Even many store-bought transplants get leggy if we buy them too soon before we can plant them out, or they may be too leggy to begin with. Warm temperatures also […]
Q. I have 6-year-old flowering dogwood trees that have never bloomed. The foliage looks healthy each year. What do you suggest? — Carrie Ehresman, West Lafayette, Ind. A. It does take a dogwood a few years to become established, and we don’t make the job any easier for them. Drive through Southern Indiana and notice where the dogwoods are growing. They’re nestled into the edge of the woods where they receive shade and protection from […]