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Hello,
We gave two great articles by Ellen this week; Wrapping Your Trees For Winter and Holiday Decorating With Transitional Plants. We also have more answers to your gardening questions.
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Today's Photos
| Fill Your Bird Feeders
Just a little reminder to fill your birdfeeders this winter. Many birds may fly south, but those in the northern states have birds come in the winter, too. Add a birdseed bell and suet blocks on a low branch near the feeder and you can enjoy watching the little birds come to feed on bitter snowy winter days. Here is a photo of a male cardinal that comes to my feeder along with his mate, all year round! By Evelyn Heinz from McHenry, IL. Post Feedback: Click Here |
Today's Tips and Articles
Willow Trees Growing Near Sewer Drains
Question:I have a neighbor that lives directly behind me who planted three weeping willow trees at the bottom of his yard. The trees are about 20 feet apart from each other. One in each corner and one in the middle forming a row. There is sewer drain for the septic tanks and drainage from rain within 10 feet of the trees that runs in between the yards. Our average lot size in the neighborhood is less than a half acre.The first owner planted them as saplings about 3 years ago. They have grown extremely fast and I have had several people tell me that these trees will be a huge problem down the road. I explained that to the person who bought the house almost 2 years ago and he just laughed and said it wouldn't be his problem because he would not be living there when it became a problem. My neighbor just sold his house this week. Unfortunately, I like where I live and do not want to move for a very long time. What should I do? Please answer this request so I can share it with the new neighbors if the trees will more than likely be a problem down the road. Especially assuming several neighbors have finished basements. Eric from Fishers, IN Answer:Eric,It's true that willow trees (and their roots) grow very rapidly. Their roots often wreak havoc when planted to close to sewer lines, septic tanks or drain field lines. A weeping willow grows to a spread of about 35 feet and their massive root system can be expected to spread AT LEAST that far. Because sewer lines provide the perfect growing conditions for these aggressive, water-seeking roots (loads of nutrients and moisture in an environment with a fairly constant temperature), they should never be planted anywhere near a septic system or drain field. All it takes is a hairline crack in your pipe, and the trees' tiny root tendrils will head toward this favorable environment. Although plenty of plumbers may disagree with me, I'm not a fan of pouring chemical treatments into septic systems to control root growth. They are limited in their effectiveness, not to mention that anything you flush into your septic system ultimately ends up in local ground water. Administering copper sulfate can be an effective measure at stopping growth, but care needs to be taken as it can also eat through metal pipes and plumbing components. Mechanical removal of the roots is another option, but they can always grow back. The best solution is probably to remove the trees and replace them with a less aggressive species (avoid maple and poplar). Laws vary from state to state, but in most cases liability for natural conditions are based on the principles of negligence. In other words, homeowners are responsible for exercising ordinary care and maintenance of their property in order to avoid injury or damage to others. I'm only guessing here (this is NOT legal advice), but I would assume that as long as your new neighbors are made aware of the damage their willow trees could eventually cause to your property, they would ultimately be held responsible for assuming the financial costs of repairing any damages. On the other hand, if they are not made aware of it, they can't act to prevent it and therefore may be able to defend themselves legally by saying "if we would have known about it, we would have acted." Because you can't control the removal of these trees, all you can do is try to protect yourself legally and financially. When I consulted a real estate expert on this matter, here is what she said (incidentally, this particular realtor is licensed in Florida.) "...I believe that notification to both the listing and selling agents would be a good move. The "catch" here is that until damage is done, the owner may be of the opinion that there is no existing damage, therefore it is not his responsibility to deal with something down the road that may or may not happen..." I agree with this advice, and would add that a certified letter that plainly and clearly states your concerns should be used to notify both parties. Keep the tone of your letter courteous and friendly-you just want to make sure your new neighbors are aware of the situation. If you think this is going overboard, just send a regular letter but make sure you keep good records. If you want to get really technical, you might include the recommendations of either a licensed septic technician or a tree service professional that has performed an on-site assessment of your situation. You may also want to contact you local Department of Public Works or consult a septic service professional for their recommendations on the best way to protect your system from possible future damage. On the bright side, it sounds as though the trees are located in an area at the bottom of a slope. If nutrients and water collect in this area naturally, the trees will be less inclined to send out their roots looking for them. Good Luck! Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Wrapping Your Trees For Winter
By Ellen Brown A tree's bark acts as a protective barrier in the same way skin protects the human body. It protects the tree's underlying vascular system from insect and animal damage and acts as a buffer to external changes in environmental conditions. Winter can be tough on trees, especially young trees and species with thinner bark. Over time, splits in the bark caused by sunscald can weaken your trees, adversely affecting their development and leaving them more vulnerable to attacks from animals, insects and disease. When properly applied, tree wraps may reduce the incidence of this common winter injury. Here is a look at some different types of tree wraps and how use them appropriately. View This Article: Click Here |
How many cantaloupes grow from a plant?
Question:How many cantaloupes grow from a plant?Hardiness Zone: 10a Moises from Los Angeles, California Answer:Moises,The number of melons produced by any one plant depends largely on the variety grown and the ability to grow it under optimum growing conditions. In California, recommended varieties include Ambrosia, Rocky Sweet, Fruit Punch, Sweet and Early, Marble White, Harper, Limelight, Honeyshaw, Ogen or Haogen, Pineapple, Gold King, and Venus. One of the most popular varieties, Ambrosia, is bred to produce an average of 4 to 5 fruits per plant, each weighing about 5 lbs. Other varieties may average more, but more fruits per plant can also translate into smaller fruits. To get a decent crop of good-sized fruit, pinch off the growing tip of each flowering shoot at 2 leaves beyond the flower. Once all the fruits reach grape size, remove most of the developing fruits, leaving only 4 to 5 per plant. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Holiday Decorating With Transitional Plants
By Ellen Brown Incorporating plants into your holiday decorating scheme is a wonderful way to bring a little bit of gardening into the season. Because the holidays can be demanding on our time and our budgets, decorating with plants that can transition from one holiday to the next makes good sense. Here are some ideas for plants that are happy to perform double duty for the holidays. View This Article: Click Here |
Sticky Substance on Leaves
Question:I brought my bay plants in for the winter. They have developed a sticky, shiny substance all over the leaves. I don't see any insects but did spray them when I noticed this substance. Today I notice that it has even dropped onto the window sill close to the plant.What could this be and how do I cure it? I've washed the plant throughly and sprayed it. Hardiness Zone: 5b Roberta from China, ME Answer:Roberta,What you're describing sounds like an aphid infestation. Aphids are tiny (1/32"-1/8") soft-bodied insects that make their living sucking the juices (sap) from plants. There are several types of aphids and they come in several colors: green, pink, black, gray and white. Some have wings and others are wingless. Colonies can form quickly, and in large numbers, both the adult and nymph form can drain enough plant sap to cause the distortion of the leaves, buds and flowers. They can stunt the plant's growth and in severe cases, kill them. Their feeding can also spread viral diseases. The sticky substance on the leaves of your bay plants is honeydew. This is a sweet, sticky substance excreted by aphids as they feed. Along with attracting ants (they love to eat it), honeydew also supports the growth of sooty mold. Unless you're facing a large infestation of aphids, sooty mold often causes more problems for plants than the aphids. The easiest and best way to get rid of aphids is to do exactly what you did-wash off your plants with a strong stream of water (you may need to repeat this a few times) and spray them with an insecticidal soap. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Chrysanthemum Cuttings
Question:I seem to have good luck with mums. Do you think I should take cuttings from existing bushes (need season suggestion and ideas) or just buy a new and improved variety at the nursery (need variety suggestions). Rain is irregular. I use a sprinkler and hand water. We have hot summers (low 100's) and it gets to below freezing during part of the winter. Sometimes it doesn't snow, but we get a lot of ice storms.Hardiness Zone: 8a Holly from Richardson, TX Answer:Holly,Why not do some of both? Mulch the mums growing in your garden this fall to protect them over winter. Cover them at the base with about 3 inches of compost or other organic matter (e.g. straw) to protect them from freezing or rotting. Apply the compost as loosely as possible to allow for some air circulation. Don't cut back dying foliage-wait until you see new growth in the spring. Another strategy is to dig up plants, cut them back and store them over winter in a basement or garage until spring. Around April (when you see plenty of new growth), take several cuttings (6 to 8 inches in length) and insert them 3 to 4 inches into a pot filled with a mixture of moistened sand and peat. Mum cuttings root incredibly fast compared to most other types of herbaceous cuttings, so look for roots within 10 to 12 days. Once a good set of roots is established they can be transplanted if desired. You can also increase stocks of garden mums in the spring by simply dividing them. Texas is famous for growing beautiful mums and there are hundreds of varieties to choose from. Because mums come in so many colors and forms, it's difficult to know what to recommend. Growing requirements are similar for many types of mums, so which kind you grow becomes mostly a matter of personal preference. Because Texas heat can delay blooms, it might be best to select later blooming varieties in order to beat as much of the late summer/early fall heat as possible. I would recommend contacting your local chapter of the American Chrysanthemum Society to find out what new and exciting varieties grow best in your area. They can also tell you about upcoming shows and events in your area. http://www.mums.org/chapters/tx.htm I've also attached a link to a site where you can peruse the images of several mum varieties grouped according to their class. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
When do you bring a Poinsettia inside for the winter?
Question:My Mom inherited a poinsettia when her Aunt passed away this summer. It's huge and in a big pot. Aunt Doris kept it on a screened porch year 'round. My Mom has had it sitting on her deck that is on the southwest side of her home. It's very lush, and green.She needs to know if and when it needs to be taken inside and any special care instructions for this winter and care tips for it in general. Thanks so much in advance! Hardiness Zone: 7b Sharon from Benton, AR Answer:Sharon,Tell your mom to bring her poinsettia in when temperatures start to dip near 55ºF. Once temperatures fall below 50ºF, poinsettias are at risk for cold damage. Your mom will need to find a sunny location indoors and one that is away from cold drafts and the hot, dry air from fireplaces and heat ducts. Poinsettias should be watered when the surface of the soil they're growing in feels slightly dry to the touch. Water them until water begins to seep from the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot, but don't allow water to stand in the drip tray. Feed poinsettias a 1/2 strength liquid fertilizer once per month from spring until fall. Poinsettias are photoperiodic plants (they set their buds and flowers in response to particular day length) and if left to their own devices, most varieties would prefer to bloom around Thanksgiving rather than Christmas. To get them to bloom in time for Christmas, the plant's exposure to light needs to be carefully controlled starting in mid-September or early October, at which time plants are kept in total darkness for 13 to 14 hours every day. Although there's not enough time to force your mom's poinsettia to bloom in time for this Christmas, she can always shoot for next year if she's up for the challenge. In the spring, poinsettias can be returned outdoors after danger from the last frost has passed. She can prune it back at that time, move it to a slightly larger pot (if necessary), and resume fertilizing. Starting in mid-September or early October, the plants need 13 to 14 hours of total darkness alternating with 6 to 8 hours of bright light. Nighttime temperatures during this time should be between 60ºF to 70ºF. Stray lights (from streetlamps, cars, houses, etc.), or deviations from this temperature range can disrupt the bud setting process. This routine needs to be kept up for 8 to 10 weeks in order to force the plant to set buds and flower. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Help My Cactus
Question:I have a cactus that is dying. Normally, I dislike cacti, so I would throw it away. The problem is... my mom recently passed away, and it was her cactus, it has a lot of sentimental meaning. How can I save this cactus before it dies? It used to have about 10-15 stems that grew beautiful burgundy flowers. All that is left is 2 stems and no flowers!Sandi from Canada Answer:Sandi,I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your mother. Since I'm assuming you moved the cactus from where your mother was to where you are now, it's also safe to assume that some the environmental conditions the cactus was used to have changed. Your best chance for success will involve trying to mimic, as closely as possible, the conditions (light, temperature, etc.) of the plant's former growing environment. General growing requirements for desert types of cacti include the following: Temperature: Average warmth from spring to autumn with cooler (50º F to 55º F) temperatures in the winter. Hairy cactus like Cephalocereus senilis and Espostoa lanata need slightly warmer minimum temperatures (60º F). Light: The more sun the better, but move them away from windows during cold winter nights. Water: Treat your cactus like a normal houseplant from late spring through late summer. Water the cactus only when the compost begins to dry out. Cacti are sensitive to over watering, so if you have a tendency to over water houseplants in the first place, use a moisture meter to help you keep tabs on the soil's moisture level. At summer's end start backing off on the water. Keep the cactus almost dry from autumn until early spring. During this time, give it only enough water to keep it from shriveling. Humidity: Keep it on the dry side. It will appreciate some fresh air from an open window on hot summer days. Flowering: Cacti usually flower on new growth. Leaving them slightly pot bound can help stimulate this. If you're worried that your cactus is on an irreversible downward spiral, try taking stem cuttings or offsets to start a new plant before it's too late. Let the cuttings dry out (cure) for a few days before inserting them into a peat-based compost. The above are only generalities. I would recommend finding out what type of cactus you have so you can address its specific growing requirements and follow detailed propagation techniques. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Grass is Growing!
HOORAY! I've finally got the most beautiful green grass where there was almost no grass, thanks to all those used coffee grounds I put out last month! I promised to report on it since I had so little to lose by doing it on almost bare DIRT! I have NO idea how the grass not only greened up but also spread WAY into the barest areas. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Gopher-proof Flower Beds
You can create a gopher-proof flower bed by digging down about 18 inches and lining the bottom and sides of the bed with screens (old window screens work well) or avery mesh. Then replace the dirt and plant the flower bed. Post Feedback: Click Here |
Pruning a Hibiscus
Question:I have a hibiscus tree, or a rose of sharon. When is the best time to cut it back? It got infested with aphids and the leaves are not pretty. It has a little new growth on the tips. Should I just leave it alone?Hardiness Zone: 9a Thank you,
Answer:Lorraine,Because it sounds like you're planning on doing some heavy pruning, you're better off waiting until February or March. Since hibiscus blooms on new growth, any pruning during the active growing season will reduce or delay blooming. Light pruning done over the course of several months might be a better solution. You can maintain their size and shape by removing only the longest one third of the branches at one time. A month later cut the next longest third and the remaining third of the branches a month after that. Of course maintenance pruning (removing dead or diseased wood and weak or crossed branches) can be done at any time. If you want fewer, but larger flowers, you'll get them with frequent, severe pruning. Lighter, less frequent pruning (or no pruning at all) will give you smaller flowers, but more of them. Frequently spraying the leaves with a strong jet of water from the garden hose is a great way to control aphids without using chemicals. Spray you hibiscus off once or twice a week and make sure you get the undersides of the leaves. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Great Soil for Flower Beds
For an awesome, fail proof flower bed, select a location for your flower bed, being careful to remember what you want to grow, with or without sun. My favorite flower beds are under trees, surrounded with blocks. ALWAYS, throw all left over foods in your beds, including coffee grounds, egg shells, vegetables, cooked or raw, tea bags, anything except meat and dairy. Post Feedback: Click Here |
When do I prune rose bushes?
Question:When do I prune rose bushes?Hardiness Zone: 8a Ida from Newbern, NC Answer:Ida,Answers will vary depending on whom you ask (apparently every rose grower has a different opinion on pruning), but here is my advice. As part of preparing your roses for winter, you may want to consider cutting back the stems to a length that will keep the overall form of your bushes somewhat tight. This will help to protect them from damaging winter winds. Some gardeners also recommend bundling (tying) the canes together for additional protection. If winter winds are not a concern in your garden, wait until spring before you prune. In mid-February to mid-March, just as the buds break dormancy, cut your roses back as desired to control their size and shape. You'll need to watch the buds closely. If you prune to early, you'll be putting future growth at risk for cold or frost damage. Wait too long and your bushes may be weakened from a loss of sap. The best time to prune is when the buds begin to swell. This is also a good time to remove any dead, diseased or damaged stems and those that cross through the center of the bush and impede airflow. Use a sharp set of pruning shears dipped in a 70% alcohol solution to avoid spreading disease. Cuts should be as clean as possible and angled at a slant. Cuts should end about 1/4 inch above an outside bud to encourage an outer direction of growth. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
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New Requests
| Fruit Trees Not Producing Fruit
We have many fruit trees in our yard, but do not receive much, if any, fruit from them. We are in a constant battle with "leaf curl" that attacks our plum, peach, apricot and that family of tree. Before we had the problem with leaf curl, we had wonderful harvests with those trees. Sadly, nothing for the past 7 years or so. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Tangelo Oranges Falling Off The Tree Early
Why are our Tangelo Oranges falling off the tree? They still green and are full-size. This hasn't happened in the past. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Dwarf Weeping Willow
I would like to know how dwarf weeping willow trees are made? Can I make one myself? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Growing Calamondin
How do you grow Calamondin? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Potted Asparagus
I live in Hamilton, Ontario and I have potted an asparagus plant. Now they seem to grow like the ornamental with long leaf fronds but it is supposed to be the vegetable. Now do I bring it in for the winter or just put in the shed where it will freeze but will be out of the worst of the weather? It is too late to put in the ground as we have the garden covered in wood for the wood stove. Love the heat. Post Feedback: Click Here |
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