Happy Garden Newsletter - September 14, 2006

Hello,

We have lots of great tips and advice today. Also, are now posting some Insect Guides on the site. You can find links to some in the "Growing Guides and Insect Guides" section of this newsletter.

Happy Gardening!

Susan

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Today's newsletter contains:

Today's Photos:

• Red Admiral Butterfly
• Tomato with a Face
• My Froggy Crossing Pond
• Tomato Hornworms
• "Rays of Hope" Garden

Today's Tips and Articles:

• Growing Mammoth Sunflowers
• Seeds on My Peace Lilies and Pink Cloud Caladiums
• Starting an Avocado From a Seed
• Sunflower Plants Growing Multiple Flowers Instead or One
• Transplanting Rhubarb
• Figurines in Your Flower Bed
• Using Pooper Scoopers for Garden Debris
• Growing a Rainier Cherry Tree
• Install Your Own Sprinkler System
• The Bottom of My Tomatoes are Turning Brown
• What Type of Hydrangeas Do I Have?
• Fall Lawn Check Up
• Getting Rid of Cattails
• Where Can I Buy Episcias?
• Growing & Harvesting Sunflowers

New Requests:

• Keeping Weeds out of Flower Beds
• Getting Rid of Creeping Charlie
• Gold Star Esperanza Advice
• Pruning a Brunfelsia
• Growing Lilacs in the Mountains
• Orchids Not Blooming
• Monarch Butterfly
• Growing Herbs in the Winter
• Patio Vegetable Garden
• Edging And Trimming My Lawn
• Transplanting a Butterfly Bush
• Make Your Own Soil Testing Kit
• Marigold Flower Tips
• Transplanting Black-eyed Susans
• Our Mulch Had Poison Ivy In It

Growing Guides and Insect Guides:

• Growing: Lungwort
• Garden Insects: Aphids
• Garden Insects: Apple Maggots
• Growing: Mint
• Growing: Marjoram
• Garden Insects: Ants

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Today's Photos

Red Admiral Butterfly Recent visitor at my backyard butterfly bush. It's a Red Admiral Butterfly, A dark black, bright orange stripe and white spotted beauty! Hope you all enjoy the photo. By Evelyn from McHenry, IL Post Feedback: Click Here

Tomato with a Face A tomato face. By Dianna Townsend from Limington, Me Post Feedback: Click Here

My Froggy Crossing Pond This was our summer 2006 project. We had collected various sizes of rocks from vacation spots, my late sister's home in Heber Springs, Arkansas, Europe, and other places. I sketched out the layout and we worked all summer on it; we put the finishing touches on it this weekend. It has a sense of whimsy in it with the frogs, the gazing ball turtle, the floating ceramic starfish in the small pond; the water fall is refreshing to listen to when you sit on the bench in the front yard; there is a blue ceramic frog sitting on a rock near the water fall; a resin frog under the water fall; a frog resting in a hammock, a large lizard perched on a rock looking at the frogs (yum, yum!!), a large fern grows behind the rock garden and it will be beautiful next year as it frames the rocks and the water. At night the water shimmers with the lights around it. There are two large wrought iron candleholders behind the water fall that will be lit up for celebrations and holiday seasons. There is an old washtub with spring/summer flowers; I will replace the flowers as the seasons change; there is a window flower box on the house near the water garden and it will hold seasonal flowers as well. This feature is an inviting entrance to our front door and we will enjoy it for years to come. This was a challenge to my husband and I; my husband has many skills (he is very handy around the house and is able to repair and build anything I ask him). It might not look like a professional job - but we accomplished it and we are proud of it. By WandaJo from Tennessee Post Feedback: Click Here

Tomato Hornworms Found these guys on my Cherry Tomato plant. They were really enjoying themselves! By Mary from Leroy, Il. Editor's Note: These look like tomato hornworms. They love tomato plants. Post Feedback: Click Here

"Rays of Hope" Garden This is a garden area I'm working on to dedicate to pen-friends in prison that I write to. What area looked like before. Next step to dedicated garden area. Garden's name is "Rays of Hope". I also wrote a theme poem to go along with the garden. Laying the plastic down to kill off the weeds. Should have used black plastic with cardboard or newspaper laid out underneath to kill weeds off better. Next steps of to prepare soil for "Rays of Hope" garden. Sorry, I don't have a photo doing this. Remove plastic, dig up soil and rake grass, weeds, etc. out. Add top soil, potting soil and re-use dirt you dug up. Then rake all smooth. Planted acorn squash and mixed up all kind of vegetable seeds with soil and spread them out in this area and will be doing the same thing in the area next to it. Side view of top section of "Rays of Hope" garden. Planted blackberry vine, cranberry hibiscus and also mixed all kinds of flower seeds with soil and spread out in both sections after plants were planted. On inside rows along board by walkway, I planted a row of strawberry and blue Indian Corn. The outside by driveway, I planted a row of Sunflowers to make a Natural Border to resemble a fence. After plants and seeds were planted. I still need to get some round log sections for walkways and fill in with more soil. After that I'll surround the sections with white landscaping rocks. Once the plants start to grow larger I'll lay down two colors of mulch bark (red and gold). At the top side sections by the driveway will be the entrance with a small trellis type archway that I will plant climbing roses on the outside of the archway and hang a plant from above. Then I'll make the name of the garden on a wooden plaque that I'll have nailed to a wooden stake off to the side of the archway. I will also make another wooden plaque sign with the theme poem "Ray of Hope" attached to it. I'll also have markers for each person I write with information and a photo attached to it. By Sunflower from Sioux Falls, SD Post Feedback: Click Here

Today's Tips and Articles

Growing Mammoth Sunflowers Question: I raised Mammoth Sunflowers this year, and they were beautiful. I would like to try to do it for a living, what spray should I use for the bugs that get into the seeds? Hardiness Zone: 9b Marcia from Alturas, FL Answer: Marcia, There are a couple of different insects that specifically go after the seeds on sunflower plants. One is the Sunflower Seed Weevil (the Red or Gray variety), and the other is the Sunflower Midge. In the larvae stage, Sunflower Seed Weevils have cream or yellow colored bodies that are legless and c-shaped. The larvae usually emerge in mid to late summer to feed on the seeds. There are several non-chemical methods used by commercial growers here in the Midwest to control the weevils. They include yearly crop rotation, early planting, fall plowing to destroy over wintering larvae and trap cropping. If you're are not familiar with the term, trap cropping is planting a border consisting of a row or two of "bait" sunflowers around the perimeter of your main sunflower crop. These "bait" sunflowers should be planted so they bloom 10-14 days ahead of the rest of your crop. The emerging larvae will naturally migrate toward the first sunflowers that bloom and produce pollen. When they become concentrated in one area of the field, it is easier and more economical to manage them. When your trap crop becomes infested with weevils, you can then spray them with the appropriate chemical control. What you spray will depend on whether or not you're going to sell the sunflowers as cut flowers, or for consumption by animals, etc. Laws regarding insecticide use on commercial flowers can vary from state to state, so I would contact your local county extension agency for more information on the rules governing the commercial growing and selling of sunflowers in Florida. The Sunflower Midge larva has a small (0.07 inch) cream colored body that is tapered to the front and rear. The larvae emerge in early July to feed on the sunflowers' developing heads and seeds. Most conventional insecticides are not effective against the Sunflower Midge, because the larvae crawl inside the seed soon after hatching so they are protected from topically applied chemicals. By delaying planting until late May or early June, you can significantly reduce the amount of crop loss due to midge damage. Again, your country extension agent should be able to give you more detailed advice on controlling these pests in your area. Good luck! Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Seeds on My Peace Lilies and Pink Cloud Caladiums Question: I think I have seeds on my Peace Lilly and on Pink Cloud Caladiums. There are extra growth's that have white or brown seeds on them. Are they seeds and where do I snip them off? Hardiness Zone: 8a Thanks for your help. Sherry from Valdosta, GA Answer: Sherry, I'm going to answer your questions separately as they related to each plant. Let's start with Caladiums. Breeding these plants can be complicated, but it is possible to harvest their seeds. Caladiums are "protogynous" plants. What this is means is that the female flowers are receptive before the males flowers shed their pollen. To collect seed, you will need to hand-pollinate the female flowers, which requires watching the plant carefully in order to determine when the timing is right. Once the Caladium flowers are pollinated, they will produce a fruit that eventually gives you viable seed. Propagating them this way will result in new combinations of leaf patterns and colors (hybridization), but it will not give you Caladiums identical to the parent plant. An easier way to propagate Caladiums is to start with new tubers each year. The tubers can be cut up into pieces, with each piece containing an "eye" similar to the "eye" on a potato tuber. This method will give you offspring true to the parent plants. More information on propagating Caladiums can be found at http://www.happinessfarms.com/askthedoc.html. Incidentally, if you're just looking to remove the extra growth, you can cut the flower stems off right above where they emerge from the leaves. As for Peace Lilies, the seeds are located on the green structure (pod) that appears in the middle of the flower. Wait until the pods turn brown (then black) before cutting them off, Use a tweezers or nail file to scrape the seeds off the pod for planting, Like the Caladiums, you can cut the flower stem on your Peace Lily at the point where it emerges from the leaves. Starting Peace Lily seedlings this way is a slow process, and they will take several years to flower. Dividing the plant's roots is a much faster means of propagating them. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Starting an Avocado From a Seed Question: I was wondering if anyone knows on how too start an Avocado Tree from a seed. Please Help Hardiness Zone: 9b Tam from Safford, AZ Answer: Tam, Avocado pits can be germinated in either soil or water. Pits germinated in soil are said to be hardier in the long run. Personally, I think it's more fun to watch them sprout in water. Starting them in soil: Soak the pit in water for 24 hours prior to planting. Place the pit (broad end down) into a pot filled with a moist, soil-less mix. Bury the pit so it's about 1/2 inch below the surface of the soil and set the pot in a warm place. Keep the soil moist, but not wet. To keep the pot humid and to conserve moisture, you may want to cover it with plastic wrap. This isn't necessary, and if you do it, make sure you keep your eye out for signs of mold or rotting. Starting them in water: Insert three toothpicks into the bottom 1/3 of the pit to create a tripod that will support the pit when suspended over a jar filled with water. Rest the pit over the mouth of the jar so that the base of the pit is submerged in 1/2 inch of water. Add fresh water daily to maintain the level of the water. Eventually, the pit will crack and roots will appear, followed by one or more stems. If multiple stems emerge, leave them all intact. Transplanting seedlings: After the stem(s) grows to 6 inches, cut it back to 3 inches to encourage bushy growth. At this point, you'll need to transplant the seedling into soil within a few weeks of cutting it back. If you germinated the pit in water, don't worry about removing the toothpicks-just cut them off with a scissors before planting. When transplanting, be very careful to avoid injuring the new roots. Use a large pot filled with a light, sandy soil. Once transplanted, place your avocado seedling in a warm, bright location, out of direct sunlight. Keep the air around it humid by misting it frequently (especially in the winter), but let it dry out slightly between each watering. Let your new transplant settle in for several months before giving it any fertilizer. It will be getting plenty of nutrients in the new soil. As your avocado grows, you may find it needs some staking or support. You can keep growth in check by pinching and pruning back as necessary. Good Luck! Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Sunflower Plants Growing Multiple Flowers Instead or One Question: I have been growing sunflowers for a few years. The first two years I planted them, I had great success. I had tall sunflowers with the large heads and many seeds to eat. But the last few years I can't get those large heads anymore. The sunflowers grow tall and then the tops of the plant branch off and make several small flowers rather than one big one. I am buying new seeds every year. This year I chose Mammoth. What am I doing wrong? Hardiness Zone: 7a Monica from Moab, UT Answer: Monica, There are a couple of reasons you could be seeing multiple heads on your sunflowers. The first is pest damage. The larvae of certain sunflower pests may not always be visible (especially on tall varieties) because the larvae are tiny and they feed on developing seeds and heads. Damage often results in shrunken or malformed (sometimes multiple) heads. The larvae of sunflower seed weevils and sunflower midges are the primary culprits. The larvae over winter in the soil. Tilling in the fall and again in the spring and practicing crop rotation will help minimize infestations. Herbicide drift or chemical residue in the soil is another common cause of multiple heads on sunflowers. Herbicides drifting over from other parts of the garden (or the neighbor's garden) can cause abnormal bending or twisting of stems and/or leaf petioles, slow growth, or cause the development of multiple heads. This happened to my neighbor this year. In her case, she didn't actually plant them, the birds and squirrels feeding at my bird feeders did. When sunflowers sprouted in her backyard she decided to leave them alone. As they grew, they developed multiple heads. The seeds carried to her yard from my feeders were black oil sunflower seeds. I imagine they were harvested from commercially grown sunflower crops that were grown in large fields. Even if these fields were not treated with herbicides, crops in nearby fields may have been. Meanwhile, a few weeks later and a mere 25 yards away, the mammoth sunflowers planted in my garden bloomed normally-none of them developed multiple heads. Could her multiple heads could have been herbicide drift? Maybe. Neither of us uses chemicals on our yards or gardens so it would have to have been the seeds. It remains a mystery. Sunflowers are native to North America. In the wild they usually have multiple heads-up to 20 heads per flower is the norm. These wild seeds make up the genetic basis for the domesticated and hybrid seeds we see today. Could yours be cross-pollinating with nearby wild sunflowers? It's just another possibility. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Transplanting Rhubarb Question: When is the best time to relocate a rhubarb patch? Hardiness Zone: 4a Lu from Parkers Pr. MN Answer: Hi Lu, In Minnesota (incidentally, I grew up in Fergus Falls), the best time to dig up and transplant rhubarb is in the early spring, just before new growth starts. You'll want to divide the plants into separate pieces that each contain one or two healthy looking buds. Select a site in a sunny location with good drainage and work in some compost or a cup or so of organic fertilizer (5-10-10). Replant each piece so that the buds are 4 to 6 inches deep. Rhubarb likes to be relocated this way every 6 to 8 years. Here are a couple of great rhubarb recipes to try. The first was taken from the New York Times. The second is an award-winning recipe from the Minnesota State Fair entered by former Minnesota resident Dorothy Coyle. It's from her book, "Dorothy Coyle's 10,000 Ribbons." Rhubarb Soup 2 lb (approx) rhubarb cut into 1.5" chunks 4 c. water 1 c. sugar (or a little less, to taste) 1 orange for zest and juice. Bring rhubarb, sugar, half of the minced zest of the orange, and all of the juice you can squeeze out of it to a low boil. Turn down and cook for about ten minutes or until the rhubarb is soft and beginning to fall apart. Chill and then stir in remaining minced zest. Eat plain or with yogurt, ice cream, etc. Makes 2 quarts. Rhubarb Jam 5 cups rhubarb 3 cups sugar 1 cup crushed pineapple 3 pkgs. raspberry or strawberry Jell-O. Mix and let stand overnight or several hours to bring out the juice. Combine 1 cup crushed pineapple with the rhubarb and sugar and bring to a boil. Dissolve 3 packages Raspberry or Strawberry Jell-O in the first mixture. Put into sterile jars and seal. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Figurines in Your Flower Bed I just got a small bird figurine for a dollar. I put such items in the flower bed in the front of the apartment to decorate them and fill them in - and if they "walk" - then it's no great loss! A whole bunch of mine did while I was on vacation, so I know - but I am just collecting again. Flower beds are also a good place for slightly damaged decorative figurines. By Pam from L.A., CA Post Feedback: Click Here

Using Pooper Scoopers for Garden Debris Use a long handled pooper scooper to pick up garden and yard debris. I especially like it for things with stickers such as horse chestnut burrs. Saves the back and the fingers. By Carole from Lothian, MD Post Feedback: Click Here

Growing a Rainier Cherry Tree Question: I saw your advice on growing a cherry tree from a pit. Does this method remain accurate for the Rainier Cherry? Also, if the pit germinates can't more than one tree come from the pit since there are multiple seeds in the pit? Let me know. Thanks! Hardiness Zone: 1 Brian B from Portland, OR Answer: Brian, You can germinate any type of cherry pit, regardless of the type of cherry tree it comes from. Remember though, the cherries harvested from a tree you germinate from a pit will actually be a hybrid of two parent plants, and the resulting cherries may end up tasting bitter. A cherry pit only contains one seed and is classified as a drupe (also known as a "stone fruit"). Drupes are fleshy fruits that have a hard stony pit containing a seed. The soft, fleshy part of the fruit (under the skin) is derived from the middle layer of the ovary, and the pit is derived from the inner tissue layer of the ovary. Cracking open the pit will reveal a single seed formed from the ovule contained within the ovary of the flower. Because there is actually only one seed inside each pit, only one tree will germinate. Peaches, cherries, plums and coconuts (although, they are slightly modified versions), coffee, jujubes, mangoes, olives and apricots are all examples of stone fruits or drupes. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Install Your Own Sprinkler System By Jessica StewartMaize My husband has been bugging me to have a sprinkler system installed since we bought our house four years ago. He finally gave up on having the system installed, went to Home Depot and figured out how to do it on his own. This is what we did. Read More: Click Here

The Bottom of My Tomatoes are Turning Brown Question: I was wondering if anyone knew why tomatoes ripen but on the bottom of the tomato they turn brown and rotten. Any help would be great. Have a Blessed day. Hardiness Zone: 6a Debi from Niagara Falls, NY Answer: Debi, It sounds as though your tomatoes have a classic case of blossom-end rot-a disease commonly caused by a localized calcium deficiency in the tomato fruits. Although it can occur, this deficiency is usually not due to a lack of calcium in the soil. Here is how it often happens: Calcium in the soil is dissolved by water and taken up by the plant's roots. In conditions of high moisture stress (lots of rain or overwatering), this water is taken up by the plant's vascular tissue very quickly and the water moves more rapidly than usual from the plant's roots to its leaves. A plant loses most of its water through the leaves (transpiration), so naturally after a large uptake of water, most of the calcium is left behind (deposited) in the leaves, before it has the chance to be evenly distributed throughout the entire plant (especially to the fruits, which are the last to receive it anyway). When most of the calcium is deposited in the leaves, it causes a localized deficiency of calcium in the fruit. This eventually causes the cells to collapse, producing the symptoms of blossom-end rot. Blossom-end rot can also occur in plants experiencing rapid leaf growth due to over-fertilization (especially with nitrogen), because the larger leaves increase the amount of surface area available for transpiration to occur, throwing the plant's systems off balance. To prevent blossom-end rot, here are some things you can do: Keep the proper soil pH. This will enable your plant's vascular system to take up nutrients properly. (Tomatoes need a pH of 6.5 to 6.7) Don't over-fertilize. Many gardeners use fertilizer as a substitute for good soil. This is a mistake that will not support good plant growth in the long run. Get a soil test and amend your soil as necessary with organic nutrients. A soil test will also shed light on whether or not your soil is deficient in calcium. Water evenly and consistently and mulch around your plants to conserve moisture. This will help prevent your soil from drying out and keep you plants from experiencing the stress brought on by sudden changes in moisture. Post Feedback: Click Here

What Type of Hydrangeas Do I Have? Question: I have two hydrangeas I bought from Frank's Nursery and Crafts two years ago and I cannot remember the name. Is there a hydrangea (big leaf) that begins with "Van" or "Von". I thought it was a nikko blue but the name seemed to begin with a V. Can you help? Hardiness Zone: 6a Mary from Maryland Answer: Hi Mary, I did a little research into Big Leaf hydrangea varieties starting with "Von" or "Van." I checked several books and websites, including resources from the American Hydrangea society and several nurseries that specialize in hydrangeas. I'm afraid I couldn't find any. You don't mention whether or not it has flowered yet or what the flowers look like, but I'm going to assume that they are either blue or pink. I did find some varieties of Big Leaf hydrangea that start with the letter "V." Here they are: 'Variegata' 'Vindool' (Dooley TM) 'General Vicomtesse de Vibraye' 'Veitchii' 'Vendomoise' 'Venice' ='Venice Raven' ppaf 'Vienna' ppaf 'Vulcain' Do you think it's possible that the label on your hydrangea read Var. Nikko Blue (Var. meaning variety) and your remember it as Von or Van? Hopefully someone that you know or someone that works at Frank's Nursery and Crafts also bought one and can tell you what it is. Otherwise check back with them next year. If it's a popular variety they are likely to restock it next season. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Fall Lawn Check Up By Ellen Brown As fall approaches, it's easy for lawn care to get cut short by bad weather. After Labor Day, families get busy with school activities and people start turning their attention toward indoor projects, Even the most passionate gardener starts to look forward to a break from yard and garden duties. Fall is a critical time to give your lawn a check up. If you can motivate yourself to spend a little time on lawn care this fall, you'll see it pay off in a lush, green way next spring. Read More: Click Here

Getting Rid of Cattails Question: This may not be exactly a gardening request, but someone may know something about ridding a pond of cattails. We have a medium sized pond (used for watering cattle) and cattails are taking it over to the point that there is little water space left for our cattle to drink. Does anyone have a solution to help us get rid of these? Thanks for any help given. Hardiness Zone: 6b Karen from Gainesville, MO Answer: Karen, This is a tricky question-and my answer is based on a few assumptions. First of all, I'm going to assume that your cattle have full access to the pond, meaning they can enter it from any where along the pond's perimeter. You didn't say whether or not this pond was built for your cattle, or if it's a natural pond. I'm going to assume that your pond isn't a protected wetland and that it doesn't contain fish. If it is protected or it contains fish, you'll need to check with your state's Department of Natural Resources regarding wetland regulations before you alter the pond's vegetation in any way. This isn't just to protect the pond, but also to protect you from possible future litigation. Cattails are a vital part of a pond's ecosystem, so you don't want to get rid of all of them. One of the things they do best is purify the water, which of course is great news for your cows. Cattails spread by seeds or through their root system. Under the right conditions, they can rapidly take over and crowd out other important aquatic vegetation. All they need is sunshine and water that is 1 to 1 1/2 feet deep. Controlling their spread will probably require a combination of one or more of the following: Hand-pulling: Grab young cattails by the roots and pull them out slowly. You can actually clear out an area of new growth pretty quickly this way because new growth pulls out easily. The leaves and roots can be chopped up and composted. Cutting: You need to do this at the right time of year in order to be effective. Cut the cattails in late summer and you should only have to cut them once during the growing season. Use a shears or other non-electrical cutting tool. Cut the leaves down to below the water line. This will deprive the roots of food and reduce their ability to survive the winter. If done at the right time of year, you should see a noticeable reduction in cattails the following season. Do NOT cut cattails in the spring or you'll only stimulate more growth. Waiting until winter is too late because the roots have already stored their food reserves. Make sure you remove any cut leaf debris from the pond. If local ordinances allow it, you can also try burning the leaves down to the water's surface. Flooding: Once you clear some of the cattails away, try filling the pond up with more water. Cattails will not re-establish themselves in water more than a few feet deep. Limiting Access: Ironically, your cows may be adding to the problem, especially if they have unrestricted access to the pond. Damage to the pond's banks caused by trampling and over-grazing will encourage the cattails to spread even faster. Wading cows muddy the water. This lowers the pond's productivity by creating low dissolved oxygen conditions, which in turn kill off aquatic plants and animals that help keep the growth of cattails in check. Excess nutrients from cow manure also lower the water's dissolved oxygen and have the same effect. Consider limiting your cattle's access to just one part of the pond. You can do this by fencing off an area and creating a water ramp that limits their access to the pond. The ramp can be covered with a geotextile filter fabric and some crushed stone to provide them with a walking surface that doesn't muddy up the water. Another idea is to limit their access completely by moving water out of the pond to a different area for drinking. Ideally, your pond would be located slightly uphill and you could provide water by (non-motorized) gravity-flow to a trough downhill. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System has a good publication that addresses both of these topics if you're interested in more information: http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1114/#Limiting Good Luck! Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Where Can I Buy Episcias? Question: I would like to know where you can buy Episcias, a good nursery that have good plants. Brenda Hardiness Zone: 6a Brenda from WV Answer: Brenda, While I can't vouch for either of these nurseries personally, I think they both look promising. These were the closest nurseries to you that I could find that specialize in Gesneriads like Episcias. The first is called Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses, Inc. They specialize in breeding African Violets and other Gesneriads. Although they are physically located in the state of New York, they take orders by telephone, mail or online. They have been in business for over 50 years and have a large selection of Episcias on their site, including descriptions, growing directions and several colored photos. According to their website, they will only be shipping Episcias until the end of September due to their sensitivity to cold. On their site you will also find the dates of upcoming flower shows where their plants can also be purchased. Here is a link to their site: http://www.lyndonlyon.com/index.html Another nursery that specializes in Violets and other Gesneriads (also in New York state) is The Violet Barn. Their site offers detailed biographies of the owners and is full of helpful information on ordering and growing Episcias. Visit them at http://www.violetbarn.com/ Good Luck! Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here

Growing & Harvesting Sunflowers By Ellen Brown Sunflowers are perhaps the most cheerful and endearing native flower in the United States. For centuries, Native American tribes have harvested these versatile flowers for a variety of nutritional, medicinal and spiritual purposes. Today, they are grown on virtually every continent in the world. Here are some helpful hints for growing and harvesting your own. Read More: Click Here

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New Requests

Keeping Weeds out of Flower Beds How can I. a physically disabled women, keep grass and weeds out of my front flower bed (consisting of over 200 gladiola bulbs). The flower bed is surrounding my front deck. Also, I have many other plants and flowers throughout the yard? The grass, weeds and wire grass just about ate them all up this past year. There is too much demand on our watering supply to water daily, so I had a deep layer of mulch (that the bulbs wear planted/set into which would and did retain the moisture for the flowers). I hired help to plant the bulbs in mulch that had been sitting for a two to four years BUT the grass, weeds etc. came up making the flower beds looking nasty/dirty and unkept. I do not recall my grandparents having any trouble with their bulbs being over run by grass and weeds. Perhaps I was too young to notice them out daily weeding to notice why their flower beds always looked fantastic! Please help with some sort of deterrent for me to use for this problem. Laying a layer of water soaked newspaper and covering it with more mulch was suggested to stop the weeds/grass from growing. I haven't tried this yet, has anyone of you done this sort of thing or anything else to be a deterrent to weeds & grass growing in the flower beds? Any help or suggestion will be greatly appreciated and used next spring in 2007 as I am sure that the over 200 gladiola bulbs will nearly double (or I am hoping they will). Thanks and God bless you & yours. Hardiness Zone: 7b Paula Post Feedback: Click Here

Getting Rid of Creeping Charlie don't know how to get rid of creeping charlie without killing what's left of my grass. This stuff is horrible. Please help me save my lawn. Hardiness Zone: 6a Trisha from Ontario Canada Post Feedback: Click Here

Gold Star Esperanza Advice How do I encourage a shrub to become "sturdy" rather than scraggy? The plant is Gold Star Esperanza. Hardiness Zone: 9a Adie from Houston, TX Post Feedback: Click Here

Pruning a Brunfelsia What is the best way and when do you prune a Brunfelsia. Mine is in a large pot, about 7 years old and is in need of pruning. Hardiness Zone: 9a Thanks, Adrianne from Houston, TX Post Feedback: Click Here

Growing Lilacs in the Mountains We have a cabin up in the mountains at this location. It is about 9000' above sea level. The ground totally freezes in the winter and is usually covered with snow until mid May. Will lilac bushes grow here? Hardiness Zone: 6a Thank you. Kathryn from Brian Head, UT Post Feedback: Click Here

Orchids Not Blooming I have several orchids that bloomed beautifully in my other home but since I move they just send out green and don't bloom. Is there something I can do to jump start the bloom process? I have them under artificial light in the winter, sitting in a tray of pebbles so I can regulate humidity and summer them in a protected spot in the garden for the summer. I also have stems that appear dead and dried but then green shoots will come out. Should I trim off the stems that appear spent? Hardiness Zone: 5a Roberta from China, ME Post Feedback: Click Here

Monarch Butterfly This is a picture of a butterfly (monarch?), that I took on my sunflowers. The colors all looked so pretty together and he opened his wings and just posed for me. What a beauty! By Timmie from St. Louis, MO Post Feedback: Click Here

Growing Herbs in the Winter Can oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, sage, etc. be grown indoors in a home during the winter months in the midwest? Do I need special lights or would window light do? Hardiness Zone: 6b Dorothy from Northville, MI Post Feedback: Click Here

Patio Vegetable Garden My husband and I recently moved to an apartment. I am seeking ideas for inexpensive vegetable patio gardening. There isn't much direct sunlight on our patio. Hardiness Zone: 8a Michelle from Dallas, TX Post Feedback: Click Here

Edging And Trimming My Lawn My back yard is a jungle! Is there an easy inexpensive way to edge the lawn? As in, trim around patios and sidewalks. I don't do gas powered machines. Is there some gadget or device to make trimming easier? I have used an electric weed whacker in the past but it's so heavy and hard to hold up. What did our grandparents do before we had all these machines? I can't believe they trimmed grass with pruning shears (yes, I tried and I don't recommend it). My dogs like the jungle but sometimes I need a whip and a chair just to go outside! Joyann from Farmersville CA Post Feedback: Click Here

Transplanting a Butterfly Bush I don't know if this has already abeen answered in the archives, but can you transplant a butterfly bush in the fall, or should I wait till spring. Hardiness Zone: 6a Peggy from Chillicothe, OH Post Feedback: Click Here

Make Your Own Soil Testing Kit How does one make his own soil testing kit? bbleackley from Saskatchewan Post Feedback: Click Here

Marigold Flower Tips Could someone give me Marigold Tips? I really like them, they remind me fall mums but I have know luck with mums. If I plant now, how long will it take them to bloom? Any tips? Hardiness Zone: 6a Autumn from Missouri Post Feedback: Click Here

Transplanting Black-eyed Susans When is a good time to transplant Black-eyed Susans? Hardiness Zone: 6a Peggy from Chillicothe, OH Post Feedback: Click Here

Our Mulch Had Poison Ivy In It I held a wedding reception at our home a few years ago. The guys put mulch around the trees and house. I found out the mulch also had poison ivy in it. Now the trees and yard are covered with the stuff and I'm severely allergic to it. What can I use to kill it off with out hurting the trees and grass? Hardiness Zone: 5-6 Nellie from Franklin, IN Post Feedback: Click Here

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Growing Guides and Insect Guides

Growing: Lungwort By Ellen Brown More Growing Information: Click Here

Garden Insects: Aphids Read More: Click Here

Garden Insects: Apple Maggots Read More: Click Here

Growing: Mint By Ellen Brown More Growing Information: Click Here

Growing: Marjoram More Growing Information: Click Here

Garden Insects: Ants Identification Read More: Click Here

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