| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| Pruning fruit trees. | 9/1/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I have no clue how to prune fruit trees I have a few a our new property and they have obvliously ...
A: Raymond, I'll do the best I can on this. What kind of fruit are we talking about? How old are the ...
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| Mandevilla | 9/1/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: My mandevilla looks healthy, and is trellising,but has not bloomed all summer. I live in the South. ...
A: Pan, It sounds like you are doing things correctly. Is it getting enough water, but not to much? ...
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| Avocados | 8/25/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I want to plant an avocado tree. I need to know what is the best one for Houston, TX. I live 40 ...
A: Teri, Please forgive me for not having a good answer off the top of my head, and it will be a few ...
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| japanese yew | 8/25/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I have two of these plants that have been doing well in the shade. All of a sudden they each have at ...
A: Peter, Lets see what we can come up with. How old are the trees, and where are you located? Is there ...
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| pepper propigation | 8/21/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I have a hot pepper plant that is an accidintal cross and has some very nice attributes. I would ...
A: Matt, The short answer is, you can save seeds from the pepper plant, but they may not breed true to ...
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| mulching with horse manure and hardwood bark | 8/19/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: You're the closest I can find that might be able to help. I’m in the Northeast and I just got some ...
A: David, I don't think there is a problem using the manure if you are careful not to use too much. ...
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| good indoor low maintainence plant | 8/17/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I live in IA and am wondering what are some low maintenance plants for indoors. Note, my main ...
A: Chad, We run one or two filters all the time. Bugs are not a problem with these plants. Once in a ...
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| Lisbon lemon plant | 8/17/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I was wondering if the leaves of the lisbon lemon plant are edible? I just obtained a plant and the ...
A: The best I can find out, the leaf should be edible. Both my wife and daughter also think it is okay ...
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| good indoor low maintainence plant | 8/17/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I live in IA and am wondering what are some low maintenance plants for indoors. Note, my main ...
A: Chad, There are three that we have in the office and house, both. Peace Lillie, Philodendron, and ...
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| Dracaena plant revival | 8/16/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I read a post on this forum that you answered about a last ditch effort to revive a Dracaena plant ...
A: Bernadette, You will need to submerge the lower end of the stalk in water, for it to root. Please ...
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| Northwest Poplar | 8/9/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: Dale I planted a NW Poplar on my property five years ago,it is now aboout 25 feet tall.I believe it ...
A: Bud, I think I would get a new tree, and go from there. Suckers tend not to be as healthy and long ...
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| amaryllis | 8/6/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: Many thanks Ben Cook
A: Ben, I do a couple of things. Some bulbs I dig up in the fall, put them in the storage room, let ...
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| care for my rubber plant | 7/31/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I have rubber plant growing 2ft up and around. There has been new leaves, or buds that have been ...
A: dianne, I am not sure I can give you a good answer, but it is something I have observed on a few ...
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| growing peach trees | 7/31/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: i live in New York and it is summer could i plant the seed in a pot and keep it outside until the ...
A: Olivia, I have never tried a peach tree in a pot. I don't know just how it would act. My thoughts ...
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| Plant Engineering Question | 7/31/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: , This may be outside of your area of expertise; if this is the case, I thank you for your time ...
A: Matt: I think the technology exist to do what you are proposing. I am not sure what you will gain ...
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| care for my rubber plant | 7/28/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I have rubber plant growing 2ft up and around. There has been new leaves, or buds that have been ...
A: There is a possibility the plant has become dormant following transplanting to the new pot, and will ...
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| care for my rubber plant | 7/26/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I have rubber plant growing 2ft up and around. There has been new leaves, or buds that have been ...
A: Diannr, Off the top of my head I don't know what is going on. I can not think of any reason the ...
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| Tomato Spots - not calcium end rot | 7/23/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: Our tomatoes are ripening and are covered with small, lady bug sized black spots. These are easily ...
A: Debbie, This has me curious. Is it uniform over the plant or concentrated more on one area than ...
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| Tomato Spots - not calcium end rot | 7/22/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: Our tomatoes are ripening and are covered with small, lady bug sized black spots. These are easily ...
A: Debbie, Hmmmmm. Are there little indentations like an insect bit? Is there any discoloration in the ...
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| care of day lilies | 7/22/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I have no gardening experience. I have day lilies (I think) at the house we moved into. I was told ...
A: Judy, Thanks for the question. To dead head them, means to remove the expired blooms. I just use a ...
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| Why is there spots on my Mandevilla plant? | 7/20/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: Today I was given a Mandevilla plant. It was beautiful this AM. It was purchased from Lowes. I ...
A: Melanie, The first thought that comes to mind, is the possibility something hot could have sprayed ...
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| yellow leaves on tomato plants | 7/19/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: The bottom leaves on my tomato plants are turning yellow. Am I overwatering?
A: Irene, There are several possibilities, including over watering. How big are the plants? What kind ...
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| necturine seeds | 7/16/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: can I plant a seed from a piece of fruit(nectarine) I bought at the store, and if so what do I need ...
A: Sorry about being slow to answer. We have been out of town working a fire damage that got away from ...
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| necturine seeds | 7/16/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: can I plant a seed from a piece of fruit(nectarine) I bought at the store, and if so what do I ...
A: Larry, Yes it should work. I would need check and see if it needs to be frozen to germinate. I do ...
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| pesticide damage to flowers | 7/15/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I accidentally was spraying our yard for mosquitoes and there must have been some 2-4-d residue in ...
A: Kenny, Sorry to say there is not much that will save them. How long ago did this happen? after ...
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| my aglaonema | 7/9/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I am not sure if you are the right person to ask, but here goes: I bought this plant in February and ...
A: Patricia, Several thoughts come to mind. How much are you watering it? Is there a drainage hole in ...
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| propagation of date palms | 6/30/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: is there any way to propagate date palms? ANSWER: nhmcmillan, You have got me here. I will see what ...
A: Please go to http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/006/Y4360E/y4360e09.htm, for a general discussion on ...
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| propagation of date palms | 6/29/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: is there any way to propagate date palms?
A: nhmcmillan, You have got me here. I will see what I can learn, and then we can learn together. The ...
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| diseases pussy willow bush | 6/24/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I have a large (over 15 ft tall) pussy willow bush, at least it looks like that type of plant. In ...
A: Lymda. Have you had the insects identified, or have you attempted to spray for thses little insects? ...
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| TOMATO PLANTS | 6/22/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: THE STEMS OF OUR TOMATO PLANTS HAVE DEVELOPED BUMPS ALL OVER THEM, WHTA IS THIS? ALSO, THE LEAVES ...
A: Diane, I have seen the bumps on stems for years, I guess I did not give it much thought. The little ...
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| transplanting | 6/21/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I have recently transplanted some bushes. I am not sure what kind, but they are tall and flower, ...
A: Michelle, To answer, what to expect one wants them to grow and flower profusely. Perhaps provide ...
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| marigolds are all gone | 6/19/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: My marigolds are all gone NO DEER and NO RABBITS. The peat containers were not disturbed either. ...
A: Daisey, Interesting. IS there anything left to photograph? Was the entire plant gone or just part ...
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| grass | 6/19/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: Grass is knows as a monocot lawn how does the feature of having this type of lawn allow you to mow ...
A: Angela, Help me out a little more. I am not sure I understand where you are going with this ...
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| snowball bushes | 6/18/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: can i just plant a bloom to start a plant or does it have to be still attached to the plant and ...
A: Kim, I don't think just planting a bloom will work. If you find mature seeds in a bloom one should ...
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| coco nut palm tree | 6/10/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: indoors plant i have small nat size bug fly inside my house.what can i use to kill them. ANSWER: ...
A: Judy, There should be some dry insecticides (granule or power)that can be sprinkled on the soil in ...
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| Crassula money plant | 6/7/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I have a Crassula money plant which was growing happily on a bright window ledge indoors. As it was ...
A: Did the plant stand in water in the pot? Is there a drain hole so water will leave the pot? The ...
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| Azealea | 6/5/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: My White azalea didn't bloom this year. It's 20 years old. I do have a problem with leaf gall, but ...
A: Marg, There are several possibilities. Where are you located? Has it been extra dry or extra wet ...
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| Diefenbachia poisonious to children | 6/4/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: ..is this true? is it a bad plant to have around? thank you for your time.. Amanda
A: Amanda, Dieffenbachia are poisonous if one were to eat the leaves. I have handled ours for years, ...
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| Lawn care | 6/4/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: what is the best thing to add to a heavy clay soil to help the grass grow?
A: Joe, Do you have access to well composted manure? If so, a good layer (6 Inch or so) tilled into ...
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| water oak tree | 6/1/2008 | Dale Softley |
Q: I have an 20 plus year old water oak tree in my front yard. My neighborhood is known for these ...
A: Tammy, My first thought is your watering the yard should keep it alive. When you bend a twig does it ...
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