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…Read more about November “In The Grow”[Read More]
Q. Three years ago, I transplanted a couple of peony bushes, which were nice and green, from a neighbor’s yard. Last year, they were green in the spring but the leaves started turning dark brown, some black, with no blooms. This year was the same, except they had a few blooms before turning brown and black. Why is this happening, and what can I do to save them? – Jane Clary, Rockport, Ind. A. Peonies…Read more about October “In The Grow”[Read More]
Q. I have two gooseberry bushes that never bloom so, therefore, never produce fruit. They are 8-10 years old and in full sun. Do you have to have male and female bushes to produce fruit? If not, what could be wrong? – Judy Bates, Bloomington, Ind. A. Gooseberries are generally self-fruitful. You are facing another problem since your plants don’t bloom at all. Try pruning out all branches that are more than 3 years old…Read more about April “In The Grow”[Read More]
Q: I would like to plant a red rose bush this year, but I don’t know where to start. There is lots of red clay at my house, yet I figure a few bags of topsoil will take care of that problem. When should I plant them? — Ray Padgett, via e-mail. A: Bare-root roses must be planted in the spring, but container-grown roses can be planted any time during the growing season. Dig the…Read more about July “In The Grow”[Read More]
If you’d like to have a few more of those prized lilac shrubs in your yard, now’s the time to put your green thumb to work. Many ornamental shrubs and trees easily can be propagated by stem cuttings. Cuttings taken from the succulent, new growth that occurred this spring also are referred to as softwood cuttings. These cuttings usually root easier and faster than cuttings taken from harder wood later in the season. However, softwood…Read more about Propagate Trees and Shrubs from Cuttings[Read More]
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…Read more about April “In The Grow”[Read More]
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…Read more about September “In The Grow”[Read More]
Q: This spring I would like to plant some blueberry bushes. The soil in this area is mostly clay, with a heavy limestone content. I have dug several holes about 2 feet deep, 3 feet in diameter, and 5 feet apart. The soil from the holes has been mixed with a generous amount of decayed organic matter and replaced. I would like to add an amendment to the mixture to acidify it. However, I have…Read more about February “In The Grow”[Read More]
Q: I have several hills of rhubarb. For the past three years, the rhubarb has had skinny stalks despite fertilizer, etc. Knowing this probably means I need to divide and re-plant the roots, I need to know when is the best time to do this. Also, I have red seedless grapes that are young and have only been harvested for two years. The grapes are sweet, but extremely small. How does one produce larger fruit?…Read more about December “In The Grow”[Read More]
B. Rosie Lerner, Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist Peanuts have long been a popular backyard garden crop in the southern United States, much to the envy of northern gardeners. But since some garden seed catalogs make peanuts available all over the county, peanuts &emdash; also known as goober peas &emdash; are making their way north. Peanuts do require a long, warm growing season of about 120 days. Bright yellow flowers begin to form about seven weeks…Read more about Peanuts Make their Way to Northern Gardens[Read More]