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September 23, 2004 Hortiscope
Q: I recently planted a blue Dooley hydrangea. It produced beautiful blue flowers for me several weeks ago, and now they are starting to turn green, mauve and some brown. Does this mean they are almost done flowering? When should I cut back the blooms and how far? Should I expect more flowers this year? Also, it seems the flower heads are too heavy for the stems and they're droopy. We've been getting a decent amount of rain lately, so I haven't been watering the plant as much as I did in the first couple of weeks after transplanting, when it was really hot and sunny. I have it in a corner in front of my townhouse, so it gets morning shade and some direct afternoon sun. Do I need to water it more to prevent the droop? Should I stake it up? Does it need fertilizer? If so, what kind? Incidentally, the cutting I took from my sister-in-law's hydrangea last year is blooming, but it blooms pink at my house and darker pink/purple at hers. Could my blue hydrangea be changing colors due to soil acidity changes even after the blooms are mature? (e-mail reference)
Q: I very much want to dry and preserve a few cattails in a vase. I remember as a child my mother did something with bleach, but I do not remember. Is there a way to dry and preserve them? (e-mail reference)
Q: Can you tell me where I can get seeds for snow on the mountain? I looked through a seed catalog, but what they are showing as snow on the mountain doesn't look the same as on your Web site. (e-mail reference)
Q: It appears that I have killed my lilac bush. I am a new home owner and not experienced on how to prune shrubs and other flowering plants. I mistakenly pruned the lilac bush at the same time I was told to prune my roses. I am very sad because my bush, which was growing well until I pruned it this spring, looks dead. (e-mail reference)
Q: I had several trees removed and the stumps grinded down. I also spread top soil over the entire lawn and re-seeded. The lawn looks great with the exception of the areas where trees were removed. There is a light yellow circle at each spot. The circle is slightly larger than the tree. (e-mail reference)
Q: I purchased a tomato on the vine (a clump of two to five tomatoes still attached to the vine) at the grocery store. I left them on the kitchen counter, not in the refrigerator. They lasted for about two weeks. I ate all of them except one. When I cut it open to use it, the seeds were sprouting green leaves. I have never heard of this before. Usually tomatoes rot before I can use them. What caused the seeds to sprout inside a ripe tomato? (e-mail reference)
Q: We have a 5-in-1 apple tree. It is three years old and about a foot tall. It had quite a few blossoms on it this spring and formed apples the size of marbles. Now they have all fallen off. What is the problem? (Wessington Springs, S.D.)
Q: Last year I purchased a nikko blue hydrangea that has not turned blue. This year it is a light pink. I heard Miracid will change the PH level and help turn it blue. Is this true? I also heard aluminum and copper is good, but nobody has any. (e-mail reference)
Q: Can I move a rose bush at this time of year? If not, when is the best time? (LaMoure, N.D.)
Q: I read an article recommending Lindane as a control for the birch borer, but I have been told it has been taken off the market. Do you have an alternative chemical spray? (e-mail reference)
Q: What stock borer would get into squash vines about two to three inches above the soil line and cause the plant to die? When and what should be used for treatment? (e-mail reference)
Q: Our basswood was planted last August and has done well until now. The leaves are yellow and falling off. We have clay soil and did have a very rainy period. (e-mail reference)
Q: We live in a townhouse. Our back patio is concrete with a three foot span of soil around it for gardening. One or two years ago the caretakers planted a lilac bush. They just moved out and told everyone to take whatever plants we wanted. I couldn't put in my usual vegetable garden this year, so I have nothing in my garden. I would like to dig up the bush, but can’t wait until next spring because new tenants are moving in. How far down do I have to dig? Can I separate the new shoots and put those around my fence line? Do I need to fertilize right away? (e-mail reference.)
Q: I have a bougainvillea that is flowering nicely, but the lower stems are losing leaves and tend to be scrawny and woody. I see new shoots at the top of these stems, which are blooming well. The plant is in full sun, potted in the original pot and gets watered about every third day (dependent on how dry the soil is). I use a bloom feed once a week as recommended by the nursery. (e-mail reference)
Q: I have a question about pussy willows. My bushes have red spots on the leaves. What can be done to get rid of the spots? (e-mail reference)
Q: I planted an Aspen this year. Some of the leaves are turning black and shriveling. Others just have a few black areas. Should I spray the tree with anything? (e-mail reference)
Do you have a gardening or houseplant question? Write to Hortiscope, Box 5051, NDSU Extension Service, Fargo, ND 58105 or e-mail to Ron Smith at ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu. Note to e-mail correspondents: please identify your location (city and state) for most accurate recommendations.
Source: Ron
Smith, (701) 231-8161, ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
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