| Subject | Date Asked |
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| dahlias | 11/18/2009 |
Q: I live in southwestern New Hampshire, zone 5, I believe. My daughter bought me a package of 15 ...
A: As long as your cellar is cool and frost free, you can certainly over-winter the dahlia tubers ...
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| identifying a purple bush | 10/27/2009 |
Q: I've seen a group of purple bushes flowering every year at a place of business in my town. When ...
A: It is difficult to identify a plant from a description, I'm afraid - could you post a picture of two ...
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| burro's tail | 10/26/2009 |
Q: I was given a lovely "burro's tail". Its tails are about 2 ft. long. It loses a lot of leaves ...
A: 'Burro's tail' (Sedum morganianum) is, in fact, a succulent and is grown as a house plant when ...
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| perenials | 10/24/2009 |
Q: I live in the central valley of California. I would like to know if there are perenials that bloom ...
A: Here's the list I promised you - I'll give both the botanical name and the common name(s) for each ...
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| planting irises | 10/20/2009 |
Q: I live in Illinois and was just given a large amount of irises. My question is can I wait until ...
A: I'm guessing that these are not water iris, but the ones with large rhizomes - they look like very ...
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| mums | 10/17/2009 |
Q: I bought some mums last fall. After they had started to turn brown, my husband decided to plant ...
A: Great to hear that your Mums have done so well - good for you (and your husband for moving them to ...
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| mums and hibiscus | 10/17/2009 |
Q: we have mums and hibiscus plants on our terrace in NJ. We leave for Florida the end of October and ...
A: Great idea!! If the Mums ordinarily die down in the winter, make sure you cut off the dead stems ...
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| mums | 10/13/2009 |
Q: Should I cut off the dead blooms on my mums? Will they keep blooming this fall?
A: It is always a good idea to cut the faded blooms off flowers to encourage the plant to produce more. ...
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| hibiscus | 10/13/2009 |
Q: The plants look very healthy but loose their flower buds before they open can you please advise me ...
A: Bud drop often occurs when there has been a dry spell when the buds were forming - just a few days ...
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| transplanting a rose bush and hydrangea in missouri | 10/7/2009 |
Q: I'm redesigning my garden area and would like to know when would be a good time to transplant and ...
A: The best time to transplant established shrubs is in the fall and before you start to get frost. ...
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| lillies not blooming | 10/6/2009 |
Q: I have had a beautiful patch of double day lillies for approx 15 yrs. and the past 2 seasons they ...
A: The tree probably hasn't helped the situation, but at 15 years old your patch of Daylillies must be ...
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| Blackberry Lilly | 10/3/2009 |
Q: I received seeds from an aquaintence for the blackberry lilly. They have all come up. I live in ...
A: From all the research I have done I believe that these lilies should be perfectly OK in your area. ...
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| TIME TO PLANT BUTTERFLY BUSH LILACS | 10/1/2009 |
Q: I RECENTLY RECEIVED A BUTTERFLY BUSH FROM YOU. CAN I PLANT IT NOW---WEATHERMAN SAYS FROST IN MY AREA ...
A: It's a bit puzzling that you say you received a butterfly bush from me - I haven't sent you one! ...
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| hydrangea | 9/29/2009 |
Q: I have six large hydrangea now growing in southern Michigan, is it possible to move these to Ft ...
A: Yes - why not, but dig the plants up as close to your proposed moving date as possible and replant ...
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| Sweet Peas | 9/27/2009 |
Q: My father was from Blackpool and loved sweet peas. I am in Region 4/5 in USA. My sweet peas here ...
A: I don't think your climate is too hot - and sweetpeas will grow happily in sun or partial shade. ...
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| Hibiscus Plants | 9/26/2009 |
Q: I live south of Buffalo,NY. I have a potted Red Hibiscus that has been outside since May,2009. It is ...
A: It is usual to prune Hibiscus from mid-summer (August) to early fall (October), so you still have ...
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| zebra grass | 9/25/2009 |
Q: Is zebra grass harmful to household pets that may chew on it?vymsy
A: Sorry I've taken so long to get back to you. I have seen doing some research into this and as I ...
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| Fushias | 9/20/2009 |
Q: We live in Southeast Alaska. How should we care for, or store our Fushias. Right now they are ...
A: Your Fuchsias need to be taken inside before the temperature falls to 45 degrees F. They should be ...
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| rudebeckia | 9/17/2009 |
Q: Should I pinch off the spent flowers on my rudebeckia plant or let them be? Thank you.
A: Yes, you should remove the spent blooms from most plants, unless the seed-heads are particularly ...
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| Mystery roses | 9/14/2009 |
Q: I bought a house last summer with several beautiful rose bushes in the back yard. I thought they ...
A: Your roses do sound like climbers, but because roses are such a huge genus they are a gardening ...
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| Lilies | 9/11/2009 |
Q: We just moved into a new house in Arizona. The house has a large beautiful bank of what i believe to ...
A: How close is too close I wonder? Lilies do like to have their roots in the shade and their heads in ...
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| Hibiscus shrub | 9/10/2009 |
Q: When is the right time to transplant a hibiscus shrub?
A: I'm assuming that you're enquiring about Hibiscus planted outside. If that is the case, the best ...
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| miniature or dwarf carnations | 9/9/2009 |
Q: I had some miniature pink very spicy double carnations when I lived in Yreka, California but haven't ...
A: There are literally hundreds of varieties of Dianthus (the botanical name for carnations and ...
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| Growing Columbing - can I save them | 9/5/2009 |
Q: Gill. My husband and I did a bed in front w/ lantana, plumbago, African iris and columbine. The bed ...
A: Columbine (Aquilegia) does like to be in the sun, though it will tolerate partial shade which ...
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| Hibiscus | 9/5/2009 |
Q: I live in FL and have had some nice Hibiscus but this summer while traveling I saw what they told me ...
A: It is very difficult to identify a variety of a plant from a description or its 'common' name, so ...
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| gerbera daisy | 8/12/2009 |
Q: I live in Delaware. Are gerbera Daisies perennials? When should I plant them? Thanks
A: Gerbera are native to Africa and Asia - hot regions - where they are perennial. As Delaware is in ...
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| how to prune a rose of sharon so it looks like a tree - have one main trunk | 8/11/2009 |
Q: I have a 2 year old rose of sharon bush that has 3 smaller trunks that fan out. I would like it to ...
A: To give your rose of sharon a more tree-like appearance take a good close look at the three 'trunks' ...
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| acid loving plants | 8/10/2009 |
Q: I used to have a garden book that listed plants that are acid loving, neutral or prefer soils with ...
A: I think that your best bet would be your local library or there are many internet sites which ...
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| mexican petunias | 8/8/2009 |
Q: I have blue and pink mexican petunias. Are they suppose to bloom pink flowers. Also are the really ...
A: Some petunias are described as perennials or half hardy perennials (meaning that they die down in ...
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| hydrangea | 8/7/2009 |
Q: My hydrangea is dying. The leaves shriveled up. It gets afternoon sun but is partially blocked by a ...
A: Hydrangea is usually a trouble free plant and likes to be in shade for at least part of the day, so ...
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| what to do with the stella de oras post blooming | 8/7/2009 |
Q: I am thinking that I should cut the stella de ora plants down after they bloom. Could you tell me ...
A: Once all the blooms have gone just cut out the flower stems and leave the leaves to die down ...
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| Hydrangea color | 8/6/2009 |
Q: In August of 2008 I transplanted a blue hydrangea. This year it bloomed with pinkish flowers rather ...
A: I think you must be growing Hydrangea macrophyllia "Hortensia" (mophead hydrangea) or "Lacecap". The ...
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| Cala lilly | 8/4/2009 |
Q: My Calla Lillies are forming big seed pods (which I don't think has ever happened before). If I ...
A: Yes, it is perfectly possible to propagate Calla Lily from seed and now is the time to do it. You ...
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| aphids | 8/4/2009 |
Q: I have a Hibiscus that is braided at the bottom its in a pot. The leaves and the buds are covered ...
A: Washing-up liquid is a detergent in semi-liquid form especially formulated for hand washing the ...
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| Pruning | 8/3/2009 |
Q: I have a type of French lavender plant called Avignon and I am just wondering as to how and when I ...
A: It isn't so much that you prune lavender, it's more that you give it quick 'hair cut'! Once the ...
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| zebra grass | 8/3/2009 |
Q: I have two zebra grasses in the back of a garden by my pool. They get full sun and are in very ...
A: Miscanthus - of which zebra grass is a variety - likes a moderately fertile soil, so I think you may ...
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| hydrangea tree leaves turning yellow | 8/3/2009 |
Q: Some of my three year old hydrangea tree's leaves are turning yellow and falling to the ground. I ...
A: There are any number of reasons for leaves to turn yellow! Hydrangeas though are generally trouble ...
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| cala lily | 8/2/2009 |
Q: I have a white cala lily, but instead of flowers the folwers seem yo be huge seed pods, what's going ...
A: Are those huge seed pods backed by white leaf-like growths? OK - Those leaf-like things are just ...
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| aphids | 8/2/2009 |
Q: I have a Hibiscus that is braided at the bottom its in a pot. The leaves and the buds are covered ...
A: The leaves are turning yellow because of the sap-sucking infestation of these aphids. I'm sorry but ...
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| Yucca Plant | 7/28/2009 |
Q: I have a yucca indoors that has reached approx 6ft in height and 3/4 feet girth, can i put the plant ...
A: Wow - this is a big plant!! If it is the house plant Yucca i.e shiny green leaves about 12-18 ...
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| Sella D'oro lillies | 7/26/2009 |
Q: ! Why do the leaves of my lillies turn a yellow and then rusty brown after the spring bloom? It is ...
A: I think the problem with your Stella D'oro may be due to the Saint Louis climate - they don't really ...
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| daylilies | 7/23/2009 |
Q: I want to order daylilies online but they only ship them during September, or May. So should I order ...
A: September would be a good time to order and plant your daylilies. The soil will still be warm from ...
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| daisy | 7/23/2009 |
Q: I have shasta daisies that are over 4 ft tall. They are tall and leggy and keep falling over.They ...
A: If your shasta daisies (Leucanthemum) have grown to 4 feet they must be very happy indeed! Usually ...
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| zinna's | 7/22/2009 |
Q: are zinna perennials
A: I think you might mean Zinnia and the answer to your question is yes and no. Zinnia comes as an ...
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| Lilac Bush | 7/22/2009 |
Q: Why does my lilac bush have green buds on it when it is late July in Western Ohio?
A: Mmm - this is an interesting question. Lilac is usually a creature of habit - flowering in late ...
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| stella de oro lillies | 7/15/2009 |
Q: My stella de oro lillies are not really blooming, and they are covered with seed pods. I read some ...
A: Just to prove that experts don't know everything I have to apologize to you! Your Stella D'oro is ...
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| Daylily running wild-help! | 7/14/2009 |
Q: I planted 4 stella d'oro daylilies last year & I need to stop the endless runners invading the bed & ...
A: Your stella d'oro daylilies are not in fact lilies at all! They are Hemerocallis! Their common name ...
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| Mandavilla | 7/14/2009 |
Q: I have a Mandavilla I bought last year. I took it in for the winter, I put it on my deck this summer ...
A: You were right to take your Mandavilla in for the winter and to put it out on the deck for the ...
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| tiger lilies and landscape fabric | 7/13/2009 |
Q: I have a small sloping patch for my tiger lillies but it has a heavy root system already in place ...
A: I think you already know the answer to most of your questions - the landscape fabric was a mistake ...
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| Scottish heather/pruning | 7/12/2009 |
Q: I have a sturdy heather plant which seems to do well in NY State without mulching in the winter (but ...
A: Heather plants do need regular trimming (not pruning) to keep them bushy. In the wild this is done ...
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| mandevilla | 7/11/2009 |
Q: I bought 2 red ridinghood mandevilla plants. I live in Tx. I would like to know if I can plant them ...
A: Mandevillia are a species of orchid mainly found in clouds forests in Mexico, Central and South ...
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| petunias | 7/10/2009 |
Q: i have petunias in pots and baskets and over the last two weeks they have become very leggy with ...
A: I think that the problem may be that you haven't dead headed the plants as the flowers die off. To ...
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| aztec lily | 7/9/2009 |
Q: Why don't my aztec llilies bloom? They bloomed last year when I got them. They are in a container ...
A: OK - your lilies flowered the year you planted them because they were already 'primed' to flower. ...
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| Perennials in pots | 7/8/2009 |
Q: I would like to buy a hidrangea and a rose plant to grow in a pot; I live in an appartment and ...
A: First the hydrangea - Bear in mind that hydrangeas can grow very big. It may be possible to ...
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