This summer has been a challenging one for many Indiana vegetable gardeners. It started with a prolonged cold, wet spring, was followed by a couple of weeks of intense heat and drought, and then followed by torrential rains!   Gardens that have been in a prolonged saturated condition may present some surprising symptoms, ranging from wilting, yellowing or drooping foliage to blossom-end rot.   When soil is saturated for an extended period, roots are deprived […]

Many Indiana gardeners are experiencing a new phenomenon in their potato patch. At least, it’s new to them. Potato plants appear to be producing little green fruit, about the size of a large cherry tomato. These round, green berries are actually the fruits of the potato plant. It’s not surprising that they look like tomatoes, since both plants are in the nightshade family. Most gardeners never see this fruit form on potatoes in Indiana. Cool […]

Gardeners, mark Saturday, July 19, on your calendar for Purdue University Garden Day! This annual open-house event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Purdue University Horticulture Building and Gardens on the West Lafayette campus. The festivities will include guided tours of the ornamental gardens, a gardening information booth and gardening lectures presented by Purdue experts. Morning tours of the Horticulture Greenhouses also will be available. This year’s ornamental garden features […]

Depending on your plants’ perspective, our relatively cool, rainy weather can be a good or a bad thing. Cool-season plants, such as peas, lettuce, spinach, radishes and pansies, should be jumping for joy! It’s been nearly perfect weather for plants that get stressed out in hot, dry weather. These plants produce their best growth and, in the case of the veggie crops, best flavor during such cool weather. And, of course, if you happen to […]

Much to the dismay of homeowners, landscape trees sometimes grow roots on top of the surface of the lawn or possibly even buckle sidewalks and driveways. These surface roots can be quite a nuisance to lawn mowers and running feet. There are several reasons why the roots come to the surface. Some tree species seem to be more prone to surface roots than others, most notably silver maple, poplar and willow. But almost any large, […]

Late summer or early autumn is the best time to divide perennials that bloom in spring and summer. But not all perennials need to be divided. Generally, perennials should be divided to rejuvenate an old, overgrown planting or to increase the number of plants in the garden. Plants such as peonies, iris, hosta and daylilies are among the most common garden perennials that are easily divided. Making divisions is a simple task, but should be […]

Sultry summer weather is not only tough on gardeners but on our plants as well. In addition to garden and landscape plants gasping for water, some vegetable crops have trouble producing when under stress.   Tomatoes, peppers, melons, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers and beans often drop their blossoms without setting fruit when day temperatures are above 90 F. There’s not much you can do but wait for cooler temperatures to prevail. As more favorable conditions return, […]