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. My honeysuckle is pretty wild looking. Dare I cut it down this time of year, or should I just grin and bear it? — Jean Phillips, Lafayette, Ind. A. You won’t kill it if you prune it now, but the cuts are areas that could dry out during winter. It’s best to wait until spring, just before it leafs out, if you’re going to do drastic pruning. If you just want to tip it back a […]
Q. I am a resident of Orange County, just outside of Paoli. I recently noticed that my red horse chestnut tree, which had previously lost all of its leaves due to drought, has sprouted several red flowers. Some leaves are coming out and MANY buds are swelling. Many buds are not swelling, and I hope they stay that way. The drought tricked the tree into early dormancy, and now the recent rains have awakened the tree […]
Q. We need your expert help concerning our Stanley plum tree. We planted the tree four years ago. The catalog said it is self-pollinating. One year we had two plums. Another year we had none. This year, I found 10 on the ground. All were green and small. What is wrong? The closest other tree is an old persimmon, and it is always loaded with fruit. Do we need fertilizer? If yes, what kind? Did we […]
Q. I love red geraniums. I would like to know how one might start plants, and when you would start them. Also, what is the best plant food to use to grow beautiful geraniums? — Tom Schmitt A. The two main methods of propagating geraniums are by cuttings or seeds. Cuttings usually are taken from outdoor geraniums in late summer or early fall. Cut off 3-4-inch shoots, and remove the leaves on the lower part of the […]
Q. My husband and I planted gallon-sized azalea plants last spring. Should they be pruned this year? If so, when and how much? We understand that they are an acid-loving plant. Since sulfur is acidic, can that be used? Thank you. — Deanna Freeman A. Typically, newly planted shrubs do not need much pruning except to cut out dead wood, which you can do at any time during the year. Improper pruning can cause a lack of […]
Q. An insect is killing my schefflera. It gets white, fuzzy-looking places on it that feel soft, and you cannot see the insect that is working on it. Finally, it will kill the leaf if not removed. I wash the leaves from time to time with soap and water, and last time a little bleach. It works for a while. I even tried a fungus product and worked it in the soil after giving the plant […]
Q. Our family likes growing pumpkins every year. The problem is all the weeds! The weeds take over the pumpkin patch, so much so that the pumpkins can’t grow and rot before time to harvest them. What could we use to spray or use on the ground to kill out the weeds? — Gayla Merry, Mitchell, Ind. A. Preventing weed establishment is the most effective means of control. Black plastic mulch or a 2-4-inch layer of organic […]
Q. I have a ficus plant that was a gift in the fall of 2001. Recently, it started to drop leaves. It started out with a few leaves, then last week it dropped two-thirds of all its leaves. I have checked the plant for mealy and scale bugs but do not find evidence of them. I thought maybe it was getting too much sun in our solar area, and I moved it. When I checked the […]
Q. Help! Something is boring holes in my silver maple tree. There are four holes at a time in a horizontal line. These holes are a little bigger than a pencil eraser and deep enough that the tree is oozing lots of sap. What could be doing this? Will my tree die? Do I need to plug the holes and with what? What can I do to prevent this from continuing? It has happened three times […]
Q. I read your article on fire blight. We have a bad case of fire blight on one of our pear trees. You spoke of doing a pruning of the diseased parts, and we were wondering when would be the best time to do the pruning–spring or fall? — Linda Am Rhein, Scipio, Ind. A. Fire blight-infected limbs and branches should be pruned during late winter when there is much less chance of spreading fire-blight bacteria on […]