Expert: C.L. Fornari - 7/12/2008

Question
QUESTION: I live in Northern New Jersey.  Every year for Easter my Dad gives me a hydrangea.  I plant it as soon as the weather permits.  I have beautiful foliage but no flowers.  What can I do?
Thanks,


ANSWER: Lois,
You either live in a part of New Jersey where the temperatures go down to zero or below in the winter, or you are cutting the plants down.  These hydrangeas form flower buds on the stems in August of the previous year. So if you cut the canes down in the fall or spring you are cutting off the next summer's flowers. And if the temperatures go to zero in the winter that cold zaps those flower buds and you have no blossoms the following summer.

If cutting is the issue, only prune by removing all dead wood in May. But if it's the winter cold you can't do anything about it - no protection will work.  You COULD look for "Endless Summer" or "Penny Mac" or "All Summer Beauty" hydrangeas that bloom on new wood as well as old - not as many flowers if the winter cold zaps the buds, but you'll still get some on the new growth.

all the best,
C.L.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I live in northern New Jersey.  Every spring my sister s gives me some morning glory plants.  They were growing beautifully. Now all of a sudden the leave are turning yellow.  Am I watering them too much.

Thank you,

Answer
Lois,
Yes, yellow leaves CAN mean too much water - although if a plant is not getting enough water the older leaves will yellow and fall off.  Morning glories grow best when watered deeply every four days in very hot weather (temps 85 or above)  and every six days when the temperatures are in the 70's and cooler at night. The key is to water deeply - leave a sprinkler on for over an hour, or a soaker hose for a similar length of time. When the soil is damp 12" down or more a plant develops deep roots so it can go for several days without watering. It's good to have the surface of the soil dry out between waterings so that plants don't get root or crown rot.

Too much water provides the perfect environment for fungi to grow, and these cause root rot or rotting of the stem at soil surface (crown rot) - and this causes leaves to yellow and fall off.

If you've been watering frequently let the plants dry out for a few days.  If the weather is really hot the leaves might look wilted during the day but will bounce back at night - water deeply every four or five days.

I hope this helps,
C.L.