Happy Garden - December 4, 2008

This week we have photos and tips from readers and an article about How To Keep Your Potted Mums Looking Fresh.

Thanks for reading,

Susan

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Photos:

• Garden: Growing Rutabagas
• Garden: Spiderweb With Dew
• Garden: Growing Garlic In A Small Space
• Garden: Black Swallowtail Butterfly

Tips and Articles:

• Pine Sap Removal
• How To Keep Your Potted Mums Looking Fresh
• Packing Peanuts in Net Bags for Plant Containers
• How To Remove Tree Sap From Just About Anything
• Spanish Moss in Lattice Shades Porch

New Requests:

• Using Mulch from a Tree Service
• What Is The Name Of This Flame Plant?
• Using Lemon Juice to Kill Bugs on Houseplants
• Keeping Chrysanthemums from Falling Over
• Growing Spearmint from a Cutting
• What is This Plant?
• Creating Quality Compost Through The Winter
• Lemon Trees Fruit is Being Eaten
• Amaryllis Not Blooming
• Bringing a Hibiscus Plants Indoors for the Winter
• Growing Food in the Fall and Winter
• Spots on a Banana Plant

Crafting for Fun and Money!

If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish.

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Garden: Growing Rutabagas

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Garden: Spiderweb With Dew

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Garden: Growing Garlic In A Small Space

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Garden: Black Swallowtail Butterfly

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Pine Sap Removal

My sister says for pine sap removal from her car, and other items in her yard she uses hand sanitizing gel. It works wonderfully.

By Terri H. from NV

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How To Keep Your Potted Mums Looking Fresh
By Ellen Brown

Perhaps no sight signals the coming of fall to gardeners more than a pot of brightly colored mums. Here are some tips for keeping yours looking their best this fall.

Determine Use-Annuals vs. Perennials

The first thing to determine when selecting your potted mums is whether or not you eventually want to transplant them to the garden after they are done being displayed. If growing them as perennials, make sure you choose hardy fall mums or garden mums that have been raised locally and are rated for your hardiness zone. If you plan on using your potted mums as annuals, simply choose whatever plants strike your fancy. Keep in mind that hardy garden mums, as opposed to florist mums, will be much more able to withstand cool crisp nights if you plan to display them outdoors. Florist mums, on the other hand, may start to develop black leaves if exposed to temperature below 60 degrees F.

Selecting Your Plants

Select only those with deep green leaves and vigorous growth. Pay special attention to the flower heads. They should be well-formed and pristine with no signs of wilt. If even a single flower head exhibits one or two wilted petals, make sure you perform the thrip test before plunking down your hard earned money (see below).

The thrip test: If you plan to display your potted mums indoors, the last thing you want is to introduce your houseplants to a pest problem. A florist taught me to check potted mums for thrips by using the following test ( a good idea when introducing any new houseplant) and save me from a what could have been a big headache.

Take a small piece of white paper with you to the store. Before making your purchase, carefully tip the potted mum on its side so that the paper is positioned under the flowers. Brush your hand across the tops of the flower blossoms, sweeping any loose debris down onto the paper. If you see anything resembling a tiny (and I mean tiny) black speck running for its life, discard the plant immediately. It has Thrip.

Potted Mum Care

Potted mums can drink considerable amounts of water-especially when kept indoors. Whether youre displaying them indoors or out, check their moisture levels several times each week. Keep the soil slightly moist (never wet), and make sure the pot is never allowed to stand in water for more than a few hours. Good soil drainage is essential.

Fertilizing potted mum is not necessary when they are blooming. If you buy plants that are not blooming yet, feed them every other week with a water-soluble organic fertilizer.

Tips for Extending Blooms

You can extend your total bloom time by picking plants with tight buds (the more the better) rather than those with wide-open flowers. The flowers will also last longer if you keep them out of direct sunlight while they are in bloom.

When displaying mums indoors, keep them away from heat vents and cold air returns. Remove (deadhead) spent blooms as soon as they fade to keep plants well groomed.

Troubleshooting

• Lack of flowers: If buds are small or fail to open, try giving the plant more light.
• Black leaves: Your mums may be too cold. More them to a warmer location.
• Yellow leaves: You mums may either be too wet or receiving too much humidity. Let the surface of the soil dry out to the touch before watering again and move the plant to a drier location.
• Gray, fuzzy leaves: This could signal a fungal disease. Move your mum to a drier, warmer location and allow it to dry out some before watering it again.

Mums fail to survive winter or fail to bloom following year: You may have planted mums that were not hardy to your zone. For example, florist type mums (those available year round) are typically less hardy than garden mums. Because they take longer to bloom (bloom later in the season), their flower buds may suffer fall frost damage before they have a chance to open.

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Packing Peanuts in Net Bags for Plant Containers

Like many others I use packing peanuts in my flower containers. I don't have to use as much potting soil, and it keeps my containers lighter. This year I went to go change out the soil in my biggest container. I had to hand pick out each peanut from the soil. What a chore! When I went to replace the peanuts this time, I put them in an onion net bag and tied the bag off. Next time I go to change out the potting soil it will be a snap!

By Liz from New Baden, IL

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How To Remove Tree Sap From Just About Anything
By Ellen Brown

Spring and late summer are the prime seasons for sticky, gooey, tree sap. The stuff seems to ooze onto everything with ease. Getting it off , however, can be a whole different matter. Here are some sure fire methods for removing tree sap from just about anything.

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Spanish Moss in Lattice Shades Porch

This idea will be best where the snow does not blow. I live in Key West, FL. The HOT sun just keeps on shining on my lattice laced porch. In order to keep my windows open, and block the heat, I needed a privacy shade. I bought some Spanish moss, and stuck in the the lattice holes. The moss is like an air plant. No soil needed, and with a water spray a day they flourish.

Source: Selena H.

By Cindy from Key West, FL

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Using Mulch from a Tree Service

I recently obtained a free load of mulch (chips) from a tree service. It is green and brown mulch trimmed from the trees along the roadside. Is this mulch safe to place around shrubs and in areas where I plan to plant shrubs, flowers, and vegetables?

Hardiness Zone: 8a

Miss Daisy from Waverly Hall, GA

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What Is The Name Of This Flame Plant?

This is a beautiful plant but I don't know what it's called. Doesn't it look like a plant of flames?

It's stunning. It was flowering in my best friend's garden this summer. Perhaps a fellow member might know it's name?

By Monique from Somerset, UK

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Using Lemon Juice to Kill Bugs on Houseplants

Is it OK that I sprayed a mixture of lemon juice and water on a houseplant to kill bugs? Will the plant die?

Timmy from Thermopolis, WY

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Keeping Chrysanthemums from Falling Over

My chrysanthemums grow nicely and bloom beautifully, and then promptly collapse! Am I supposed to pinch them back as they're growing so they're shorter on the outside of the plant and more supportive?

Polly from Cedar Springs, MI

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Growing Spearmint from a Cutting

Can you "root" in water or grow a cutting from a spearmint plant. Has anyone done this, or do you have any information. The research I've done so far hasn't turned up with any real results. Thank you.

LaLa from North Augusta, SC

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What is This Plant?

I received this plant 4 months ago, and the tips of the leaves are turning brown. I thought it was over watered so I stopped watering it and it still is losing the ends of the leaves. I am not sure what kind of plant this is, it has a cane type base. Thanks for everyones help.

Laverne from Omak, WA

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Creating Quality Compost Through The Winter

My husband and I recently purchased 3 acres, and I hope to grow plenty of fruits and vegetables next spring. I'm hoping to create quality compost throughout the winter. Besides kitchen scraps, we also have a small horse and goat for, um, fertilizer. Any tips on creating a quality compost (on a budget) would be greatly appreciated!

Hardiness Zone: 5a

Stacey from Dorr, MI

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Lemon Trees Fruit is Being Eaten

I have a 3 year old lemon tree. It flowered beautifully and fruit formed. Now all the fruit seems to have been eaten and part of the branch has died. It is planted in clay soil, with goo run off and is watered regularly in hot weather.

Sue

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Amaryllis Not Blooming

I grew an amaryllis indoors but it did not bloom. I followed the vague directions, but only the green leaves sprouted. The leaves are large and still growing. Can anyone give me any tips to force it to bloom? Thank you.

Mike from NE PA

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Bringing a Hibiscus Plants Indoors for the Winter

I brought in a double hibiscus tree for the winter. It is still blooming but the leaves are turning yellow and it is dropping some buds. What am I doing wrong or how do I stop this? Anne H.

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Growing Food in the Fall and Winter

I would like to ask Kathleen from Dothan, Alabama what and how she grows produce in the off season months during fall and winter? I am an amateur gardener and would like to learn more about growing year around. Hardiness Zone: 9a Jimmy from Gulf Breeze, Florida

Editor's Note: Jimmy is referring to this post in yesterday's Happy Garden newsletter. It's a great question. Does Kathleen (or anyone else) have any advice to share?

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Spots on a Banana Plant

I have a banana plant with spots on it. What would you recommend?

James

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Crafting for Fun and Money!

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