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 […]
If you’re looking for a plant that is winter hardy throughout the Midwest, excels under shady conditions and has fabulous foliage as well as attractive flowers, then Hosta is the plant for you. Also known as plantain lily, Hosta performs best in partial to full shade, although some have been able to survive full sun conditions if given a cool environment with plenty of moisture. The leaves will tend to burn or turn sickly yellow […]
Summer is not the preferred time to prune landscape trees and shrubs, but it is a great time to prune many annual flowers. Plants such as petunias, impatiens, zinnias and marigolds tend to get leggy and produce fewer blooms by mid summer. Pinching these plants back about halfway will encourage more branching and, in turn, more flowers. The plants may look a bit raggedy initially after being cut back, but with a little water and […]
Please tell me what I can do with squirrels? I plant flowers and tulip bulbs and other bulbs. Every day when I come home from work, my bulbs are out of the ground, and my flowers are eaten down to the roots. I just don’t know what to do. Can you help me solve the problem? – Mrs. John Bielefeldt, Chicago Heights, Ill. A. Exclusion is tricky but effective. Fencing or hardware cloth around the […]
Q: Enclosed are two pictures&emdash;one of my seemingly healthy primrose, the second one taken a few weeks later&emdash;not so healthy. Could you please diagnose this problem and suggest a cure or possible preventive treatment for later use? I enjoy your column very much. Thank you for helping. – Pat Ritter, Bloomfield, Ind. A: This is a direct result of our extremely wet weather this year. Oenothera species have many different names, including Ozark Sundrop or […]
Homeowners assessing tree damage caused by recent storms will want to make a few important decisions soon. Small trees with minor damage can probably be taken care of by the homeowner, but large, mature trees likely will need the help of a professional tree service. It can be hard to decide whether trees with severe damage should be completely removed. Homeowners often are reluctant to cut down a tree, either because of sentimental attachment or […]
You’re an eager home gardener who has lovingly nurtured a tomato patch from seed to fruit. But alas, just as your mouth waters for the first ripening gems, a black, leathery spot appears at the base of the fruit. Blossom end-rot is thankfully a frustrating disorder and not a disease of the fruit. The black scar tissue is caused by a deficiency of calcium in the developing fruit, usually brought on by extreme fluctuations in […]
Q: Three years ago, we planted two Bradford pear trees at our lake cottage. One bloomed for the first time this spring. It is on the northwest side and gets plenty of sun. The other tree has never bloomed. It gets full sun, has very healthy looking leaves and is planted on the south side of our cottage. What can we do to make this tree bloom? We also have a dogwood tree planted at […]
Q: We have a problem with bean beetles. You printed a recipe for a spray that’s not harmful to the environment a long time ago. Could you please reprint it? – G. Rominger, Brazil, Ind. A: Some gardeners mix 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent per 1 gallon of water and spray it on insects. Insecticidal soaps have been found to be effective against aphids, whiteflies and mealy bugs. The soap works by breaking down […]