The following question and answer columns are currently written by B. Rosie Lerner, Purdue Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist and are distributed to news media around the state by the Purdue University Agricultural Communications. Columns from June 1995 - January 2006 were authored by Bev Shaw, Advanced Master Gardener.
Q. I have some questions about a ‘Rose of Sharon’ bush I have, which was damaged in the ice storm that we had last winter. I was wondering when would be a good time to trim it, how far back should it be trimmed and how often. Thank you ever so much. — Barbara Huse A. Since plants bloom on new growth, shaping or pruning can be done at any time. Pruning in late winter […]
Q. I have a rhododendron bush that looks like it is getting rust on the leaves. I think perhaps something is eating on it. What should I use to control this? Thank you. — Joan Wininger A. It’s important to determine if the rust is a problem or a natural occurrence. Many rhododendrons have a natural, rusty-brown, scaly appearance, particularly on the underside of the leaf. Rhododendrons may also be showing leaf scorch at this […]
Q. I live in the country and have a gopher problem. They are digging holes around the bird feeders. I have even seen them in the bird feeders. They are digging so much that the pipes the bird feeders are on are about ready to fall down. — Barbara La Cross, LaOtto , Ind. A. Begin by going to Purdue Animal Damage Control Web site at http://www.entm.purdue.edu/wildlife/wild.htm to make sure you’ve identified the culprit properly. There are […]
Q. We have a dwarf peach tree that is full of blossoms in the spring, has wonderful looking peaches, and, then, about midway through the season, all the peaches fall off just weeks before maturity. Do you know what would cause this? Also, what do you recommend for keeping shrubbery around a house green and healthy? I used to use fertilizer spikes for shrubs but have trouble locating them in stores now. A. In mild […]
Q. We have been looking for Black Crowder Pea seeds and Knuckle Purple beans. Do you know where we can get them? — Delores Ferree, Sellersburg, Ind. A. Both are available from the Vegetable Seed Warehouse http://www.vegetableseedwarehouse.com or from Reimer Seeds www.reimerseeds.com, among other sources. Q. Can you suggest something I can spray on my garden to keep the weeds down? I am surrounded by cornfields and weeds. Thanks. — Gene Rinderle, Wheatland, Ind. A. The best […]
Q. I have an old hydrangea that was given to me by my late grandmother, and I would love to have a few more just like it, but I don’t know its name. Can I collect seeds from this plant? — David Holiday, Terre Haute, Ind. A. Depending on which type of hydrangea it is, likely the best way to make sure you get more just like it is to take stem cuttings in early […]
Q. As with most folks, we lost branches off trees, due to the ice storm. Is there anything we are supposed to apply to the area where the branch broke off to help the tree heal? — John Habermann A. Do not treat the wounds with any paint or sealant. Research shows moisture is trapped under the sealant, leading to increased rot and decay. Cleanly cut off the broken limbs and let the plant form […]
Q. I have a pink lemonade honeysuckle vine. It has bloomed all summer, but the leaves are turning a powdery white and falling off. Is there a remedy to save my plant? — Sylvia R. Kline, Ferdinand, Ind. A. Powdery mildew is the name for the grayish-white powdery coating caused by a fungus growing on plant leaves, shoots and flowers. This disease is caused by a group of similar fungi that attacks a wide variety […]
Q. We have a forsythia bush that for the past three or four years has bloomed between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Is this a normal thing considering the warmer weather we have had over the past few years? If we trim the bush now, will it still bloom in the spring? Thanks. – Nancy Folger A. It’s fairly common for some plants to jump the gun and bloom in the fall, especially if the weather is […]
Q. Our tomatoes have had blight the last two years. Is there anything we can do to keep them from getting it again? — Mrs. George Bowen, Plymouth, Ind. A. There are three major blights that can attack your tomatoes: Septoria leaf spot, early blight and late blight. All are fungal diseases spread by spores, which require dew or rain to infect the plant. These are most severe in wet weather. Septoria leaf spot, sometimes […]