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Perennials/Questions
| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
| Evening Primrose | 2/6/2012 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I harvested many seeds from my "Moonflowers" Evening Primrose last fall and want to start the seeds ... A: Thanx for your question. When you say moonflowers, are you talking about Ipomoea alba, a vine, ... | ||
| Lilies | 2/3/2012 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I have a medium size wooden barrel located in the southeast of our house and would like to know if I ... A: Thanx for your question. I don't see why you couldn't plant day lilies in a wooden barrel. And ... | ||
| alstroemeria princess lilies | 1/4/2012 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I am growing them in my apt. (53150) 1. what soil should I buy to split and repot? 2. what ... A: Thanx for your question. I would just buy some standard potting soil. Use a 12-12-12 balanced ... | ||
| Cómo plantar una wisteria | 11/28/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: Hola Tom, yo vivo en Guatemala, Centro América en una ciudad con clima de 22 grados centÃgrados ... A: Hola Dafne, Gracias para su pregunta. Si Ud. tiene plantas de semillas, se requiere 15+ anos para ... | ||
| Winter mulching | 11/13/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I am a total novice and just planted a perennial garden this spring. I have a couple lilac bushes, ... A: Thanx for your question. I would leave the bark be and then if it is recommended in your area to ... | ||
| Coleus Plants | 10/26/2011 | Gill Borchardt |
| Q: BROUGHT SOME COLEUS PLANTS INSIDE MY HOME BEFORE THE FROST. I USED SOME POTTING MIX SOIL FOR ... A: Do the plants look 'happy' - leaves looking fresh and full of life? If that is the case, stop ... | ||
| transplanting | 10/22/2011 | Donna Mack |
| Q: I have taken up the Rose and the root system was fairly small for a Rose and I could not see if it ... A: Out all day. Just came back from a two year old’s birthday party and saw your questions, so here we ... | ||
| Successful transplant so far | 10/21/2011 | Donna Mack |
| Q: I have taken up the Rose and the root system was fairly small for a Rose and I could not see if it ... A: What fun it is to correspond with you! Fantastic about your rose. Gosh, I couldn’t get mine out in ... | ||
| moving a rose | 10/19/2011 | Donna Mack |
| Q: I am a new 'expert' on this site but i do not know much about roses. I have a miniature Rose that ... A: Greetings Jonathan, It is amazing that you asked this question, because two years ago on October 24 ... | ||
| various | 10/19/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I have done summit illegal. This spring, I bought a yellow Osteospermum and on the pot it said 'This ... A: Thanx for your questions. Hi Basically, if a plant is patented, you are prohibited from ... | ||
| Winterizing potted evergreens | 10/18/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I live in northeastern Pennsylvania. ( Zone 5 )I have three pencil evergreens that I have had ... A: Thanx for your question. I think moving the potted pencil hollies (I think that's what you have.) ... | ||
| plantin rose of sharon seeds | 10/16/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I live in Lancaster PA. and i will like to know if i plant rose of sharon seeds in fall can them ... A: Thanx for your question. I do not recommend planting Rose-of-Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) now. I ... | ||
| separating siberian irises | 10/11/2011 | Gill Borchardt |
| Q: Is it too late in the season (October 11) to separate and transplant siberian irises? We are zone 4 ... A: As long as the weather remains mild the soil should still be warm so it should be OK to transplant ... | ||
| collecting seed | 10/8/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: My experience is growing plants from seed is good but it is mainly bedding plants. I have grown ... A: Thanx for your question. I look forward to helping out any way I can. There have always been a lot ... | ||
| Shade lovers | 10/7/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: Hey! I think I finally have a question for you that's actually in your expertise! LOL! Shade loving ... A: Thanx for your question. There are lots of things you can plant in shade like that. Creeping ... | ||
| how to grow lillies from seed | 10/6/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I'm one of the experts on this website but i need to ask how to grow lillies from seed. I have a ... A: You are most welcome. Be sure to contact me any time if I can be of service. Let me know what ... | ||
| Begonias inside | 10/6/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: Is it possible to winterize begonia tubers wrapped in a paper bag and putting them in the vegetable ... A: Thanx for your question. I don't normall keep begonias over the winter. I think I tried a couple ... | ||
| Calla Lily | 10/5/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I read your response to question about the seed pods. I am a bit confused and want to get the ... A: Thanx for your question. I apologize for any confusion my previous instructions may have caused. I ... | ||
| how to grow lillies from seed | 10/5/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I'm one of the experts on this website but i need to ask how to grow lillies from seed. I have a ... A: Thanx for your question. And special greetings to another "expert". First, the Stargazer lily is a ... | ||
| Bouganville | 10/5/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I live in CoraI Springs, Florida (south Florida). I replaced my white fly stricken ficus trees with ... A: Thanx for your question. There are a number of reasons why your bougainvillea might be losing ... | ||
| Help, cross breeding hibiscus? | 10/3/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I like asking you questions cause you're nice. Here's a forum post I made on helpfulgardener.com, ... A: Thanx for your question. The matters you're asking after are a bit above my expertise. I ... | ||
| Sedum | 9/26/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I have 2 sedum plants in my backyard and I love them. However, they grow so tall that by the time ... A: Thanx for your question. Are your sedum planted in full sun? I have some as you describe called ... | ||
| Shrub! | 9/23/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: can you ID this shrub? I've been taking care of it. When winter comes and it goes dormant I plan to ... A: Thanx for the info. The bark-like growths on the twigs reminded me of something but I couldn't put ... | ||
| Pencil tree | 9/23/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: Can you tell me what might be happening to this Pencil tree? I lost a couple last year after they ... A: Thanx for your question. This looks like a pencil holly tree/shrub right? It looks like it is ... | ||
| Need flowering plant ideas | 9/21/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I live in zone 9a and have a garden space that was previously partial shade with ardisia japonica as ... A: Thanx for your question. Why don't you put some lantana down? It comes in different colors, is a ... | ||
| Astibules | 9/20/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I live in No. Calif and have Astilbes planted all around my bird bath. They have always preformed as ... A: Thanx for your question. This time of year it is natural for astilbes to start going dormant. They ... | ||
| Shrub! | 9/18/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: can you ID this shrub? I've been taking care of it. When winter comes and it goes dormant I plan to ... A: Thanx for your question. Unfortunately, I'm not a shrub expert. We have one here on Allexperts, ... | ||
| Hydrangeas | 9/17/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: We built our retirement home in the lakes country of Minnesota and I see alot of hydrangeas that ... A: Thanx for your question. I would avoid planting any tree or shrub too closely to any kind of pipe ... | ||
| Hibiscus | 9/16/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I live in Florida. My hibiscus plants are growing and green and look healthy. But at this time are ... A: Thanx for the followup and additional information. I would stop using the general purpose ... | ||
| Is this poison oak/ivy? | 9/14/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: there are 2 plants growing right next to each other in the shade of my canna lily/spiderwort. They ... A: Thanx for your question. I apologize that it took so long to get to your question. I was having ... | ||
| Calla Lily Amethyst | 9/9/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: was wondering instead of putting in basement, can you bring them indoors for the winter? A: Thanx for your question. One doesn't necessarily have to put them in the basement. If you can fine ... | ||
| Something's Eating the Leaves on my Asiatic Lillies | 9/2/2011 | Donna Mack |
| Q: Something (I don't know whether it's an animal or an insect) is gradually eating the leaves of my ... A: Happy to have been of service. I grow lilies myself, and it is most frustrating to wait all season ... | ||
| Pruning Fushia | 9/2/2011 | Donna Mack |
| Q: When do you prune fuchsias grown outside on Central Oregon Coast? (Mine grow as perennials) A: Greetings Cece, Your timing for this question is excellent. The best time to prune perennial ... | ||
| Something's Eating the Leaves on my Asiatic Lillies | 9/1/2011 | Donna Mack |
| Q: Something (I don't know whether it's an animal or an insect) is gradually eating the leaves of my ... A: I must say that at first I was alarmed at your note because I thought you had the lily leaf beetle. ... | ||
| Magnolia bushes | 8/30/2011 | Donna Mack |
| Q: When is the best time to prune magnolia's? I didn't know that te buses grown into trees until I was ... A: It sounds as though you have an American native magnolia, which produces quite beautiful red berries ... | ||
| iron/perennials | 8/26/2011 | Donna Mack |
| Q: Is there such as thing as plants getting too much iron? A: Greetings, Reg! The answer to your questions is, well, yes. While iron is important for the ... | ||
| thyme magic carpet | 8/26/2011 | Donna Mack |
| Q: I am planning to have thyme magic carpet in my front yard, i heard it's easy to grow and it grow low ... A: Greetings, Min, Thyme Magic Carpet sounds like a wonderful choice for your space. Once it’s ... | ||
| hydrangea | 8/25/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I fell in love with large oak leaf , blue ,one in a 10 gall container. Would it survive , staying ... A: Ten gallon might be big enough but you'll have to make sure you keep control of it. Container ... | ||
| pruning of azaleas | 8/24/2011 | Tom Alonzo |
| Q: I LIVE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AND SOME OF MY AZALEAS ARE BLOOMING NOW I WANT TO KNOW WHEN IS THE BEST ... A: Thanx for your question. Here's a great website (at the link below) for accessing good info on ... | ||
| preserving/drying Calla Lily bouquet | 8/24/2011 | Donna Mack |
| Q: I am hoping to preserve my calla lily bouquet and was wondering the best way I can do it at home ... A: Greetings from across the pond, Sarah! You can definitely preserve your calla lilies without losing ... | ||
Tom Alonzo
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I have been a gardener for 20 years with perennials both growing from seed and from nurseries. I went through the Master Gardener Program from Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service and I answered questions on the Hotline a few years ago for the Wyandotte County Kansas Extension Service. I have also lived in the Florida, California, Hawaii, Arizona, Texas, Kansas and Missouri and am experienced with a variety of climates, soils and weather conditions.
Experience
I have been growing perennials for over 20 years now. I am self-taught mostly except for a master gardener class. I have experimented with all kinds of perennials including many that are not common to my area. I have read hundreds of books and grown hundreds of varieties of plants and hope to make it a business some day. I have become versed in botanical names and growing conditions and what I don't know off of the top of my head I can usually easily find in my vast array of research material and botanical and horticultural contacts. I especially enjoy experimenting with growing plants out of zone.
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