Q: I have a flowering crab that was girdled two years ago by rabbits. Last year it was just fine. This year the main trunk did very little--small leaves, small blossoms, small apples, even though I kept it watered well. I have lots of suckers growing from the trunk. They start at the ground level. Will they develop into the same type of flowering crab tree? Or should I just get rid of the whole tree? (Salem, S.D.)

A: Get rid of it. Once that happens, it is nothing but a downhill ride. The suckers are from the root system. The scion or budwood was the tree you coveted and produced the apples you like. The root system is likely a cold-hardy crabapple that doesn't necessarily have desirable ornamental characteristics.

A: It is rare for indoor azaleas make it beyond the initial blooming stage that the growers have induced. I suggest that you dump it, but, if you don’t wish to do that, to plant it outdoors for the summer in a 50/50 mix of peat moss and sand to see if it recovers. If it does, great--count yourself among the rarely successful!

A: Fuchsias are both houseplants and hanging basket annuals that are used extensively outdoors during the summer in shady locations. You need to contact a local florist to get a fuchsia that has been cultured as a houseplant. It shouldn't be difficult. The greenhouse was going to sell them as bedding plants or hanging basket annuals. I think as a "houseplant" source, there would be more cultivars for you to select from. Call around to your local florists to see what you can find out.

A: Basically, your plant needs bright, indirect light, regular watering enough to keep the root ball from drying out, and fertilizing every two weeks. You may have the plant in a non-free-draining pot. If that is the case, repot immediately in one that drains freely, dumping excess water out of the saucer 20 minutes after watering.

A: It sounds like your plant is getting attacked by armored scale, or, it could simply be edema, a swelling that causes "bumps" in some of the epidermal cells of the leaves. If you could send me a sample of a leaf, packed dry in zip-lock bag, I'd take a quick look at it to see just what it might be. You don't want to be handling insecticides if it isn't necessary. The common insect on hoya plants is mealy bug. It is easily identified, whereas scale can be a fooler.

A: Give crown of thorns all the light available -- in other words, as much direct sunlight as possible, for as long as possible, for maximum flowering. Give them regular waterings during their period of active growth, allowing the top inch to dry between each watering occurrence. Fertilize once a month as long as the plant is showing active growth.

Q Can you tell me what the enclosed plant is? I think it might be a grapefruit, orange or apple tree, but I am not sure. I planted the seeds in my house last fall with my flowers. I also would like to know why the leaves are curling up. What kind of soil should I be using for it? (Fargo, N.D.)

A. You are growing a citrus of some kind—most likely a grapefruit. The problem is likely the lack of free drainage with the container it is growing in.

Use the soil you can purchase for houseplants. I find the Scotts brand to be the best for my efforts. Also, get a free-flowing container with an attachable saucer. Give the plant as much direct sunlight as possible and summer it outdoors.

Q: I would like to plant some begonias, but I want the kind that you dig up in the fall and it has bulbs under it. Can you tell me what kind of begonias these are and when is a good time to plant them? Also, what kind of flowers do you recommend for hanging baskets? (Brooks, Minn.)

A: The begonias you're referring to are known are tuberous begonias. You are better off purchasing plants from a nursery or greenhouse this spring and planting them out in the shade when all danger of frost has passed. In the fall, you can dig them up and store them dry in a cool location. Generally, you repot in early February to initiate new growth and produce flowers by the time late spring has settled in.

For hanging baskets, you might want to try one of the "wave" petunias. I have seen a purple wave hanging basket that was cascading with flowers!

Q: I have two camellia plants that are at least 30 years old. Now I have a water problem in my basement, and I am pretty sure the roots are tunneling into the foundation. My question is, can the roots penetrate the concrete blocks? I am planning on pulling them up. Can they be transplanted easily? (Bessemer, Ala., e-mail)

A: Every camellia I recall when I was living in the South did not have any kind of an aggressive root system. In fact, mulching was always necessary because of the shallow roots these plant species had, so I doubt that they are creating any pressure against a cinder block wall. On the other hand, some of the camellias I recall did get quite large over time. So, the weight of your camellias could be creating pressure in that area and could be contributing to stress on the wall. Ripping them out sounds like a good idea. I also know, from having worked in a Georgia nursery that camellias are easily transplanted. So unless they are extremely large, and much of the root system is damaged, they should transplant without too much trouble.

Q: I have a prayer plant that had little white flowers with blue centers. Should I clip off the end of the stem? The flowers have fallen off and the tip of the stem feels dry, but when I checked the soil it was moist. What should I do? (Carrington, N.D.)

A: Your prayer plant should come back OK. It is unusual for them to flower in this manner in a household situation, so consider yourself blessed with good fortune. And one more point: Moist soil, yes; but wet, no. Be sure to know the difference as soil that is kept continuously wet will be anaerobic (lacking oxygen), which will at least stress the plant and may eventually kill it.

Back to the Hortiscope Table of Contents