Q. Last year, my gladiolus got a blight. They would get about 2 feet high and then turn yellow and start to die. Some of them did bloom, but blossoms were small with blotches. Is this a ground problem or a plant disease? What is the treatment? – Clyde Dawson, Urbana, Ind. A. Several diseases can attack gladiolus leaves. It’s most important to remove and destroy diseased plants. Plant glads in locations with good drainage and air…Read more about March “In The Grow”[Read More]
Q. I have a Japanese maple that I planted last spring. Since then, it has turned from the rich, deep maroon color to a green color on the leaves. There is still a hint of the red color, but it is very faint. What would have caused this and what can I do to bring the maroon color back? Thanks! – David J. Schafer, New Albany, Ind. A. There are hundreds of cultivars of Japanese…Read more about February “In The Grow”[Read More]
Q. I have one persimmon tree that hasn’t produced any fruit yet. How old does a tree have to be before doing so? Do I need to have more than one tree in order to produce persimmons? – Dennis Stutler, Batesville, Ind. A. Persimmons are dioecious, which means male and female flowers are on separate plants. You need a male and female plant to produce fruit. You really can’t tell a male from a female…Read more about January “In The Grow”[Read More]
The Perennial Plant Association has selected Scabiosa columbaria ‘Butterfly Blue’ as its Perennial Plant of the Year for 2000. Members of the association, which is made up primarily of professional plant growers, select a perennial each year in an effort to educate the gardening public and promote planting of perennial flowers. Butterfly Blue is a long-blooming, versatile perennial that adapts well to full sun or light shade. The lavender-blue flower heads reach up to 2…Read more about Scabiosa ‘Butterfly Blue’ Named 2000 Perennial of the Year[Read More]
Q. This is the second year for my humming bird vines. They are supposed to have trumpet-shaped flowers but did not have any last year or this year. What could be wrong? The vines are hardy and really vine out. We do have a lot of walnut trees on our property, but none are close to the vines. Could this be a problem? Also, I need to know what flowers and vegetables will grow around…Read more about December “In The Grow”[Read More]
The poinsettia, the most popular holiday plant, is best known as the plant with bright red flowers on a green background. But what most people think of as the flowers are actually colored bracts or leaves, which surround a small, yellowish-green structure that is the true flower. Today’s poinsettia is much improved from the poinsettia of even five years ago, thanks to plant breeders. Although red is still the most popular color, pink-, salmon- and…Read more about Poinsettia Care[Read More]
Nine new garden plants will be the first to have been awarded the prestigious honor of being an All-America Selection (AAS) in the new millennium! These new cultivars have been judged as superior in their classes, based on their performance in test gardens all over the country. For the flower garden, the first award winner is Cosmos sulphureus ‘Cosmic Orange,’ a compact plant reaching about 12 inches tall. Cosmic Orange promises to provide a blanket…Read more about All-America Winners for 2000[Read More]
Q. I need to know when to trim clematis. I have tried for 10 years to grow them. I now have three growing. One is so tall, and I want to know how to keep it full and blooming. &emdash; Veneda Hoesel, Winamac, Ind. A. If you categorize clematis by their pruning needs, there are three different groups. Group one blooms in the spring on last year’s new wood. Little pruning is needed except for…Read more about November “In The Grow”[Read More]
Though this year’s peach crop may have been a disappointment, most gardeners are finding apples in abundance! Most trees are bearing above-average loads, and many home-growers will be searching for new recipe ideas to use up the heavy yields. Why not store some of your crop for fresh eating throughout the winter? As a general rule, the later-maturing cultivars, such as Red Delicious, Northern Spy, Stayman, Winesap, Rome Beauty, Turley and Idared, are better keepers…Read more about Storing Apples for the Winter[Read More]
There’s still time to get those spring-flowering bulbs in the ground yet this fall. Though generally it is recommended to get the bulbs planted by early October to give them enough time to root before winter, it is better to plant now rather than try to store the bulbs over winter. As long as the soil temperatures are above 40 degrees F., the bulbs should continue their root development. Most garden centers still have a…Read more about Still Time To Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs This Fall[Read More]