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June 22, 2006 Hortiscope
Q: I have noticed that some of the old leaves on my jade plant look wrinkled, but the new leaves look perfectly healthy. I have not moved the plant or changed anything else out of the ordinary. Any ideas what could be wrong or is this normal? (e-mail reference)
Q: I have a fiddle leaf that I have had for many years in the same pot. I would like to move the tree to a larger pot and possibly tie the branches in a way to help them from tipping over. Do you have any suggestions on how to relocate the tree in a new pot? (e-mail reference)
Q: Until two years ago, my apple tree was my pride and joy, but now I get many cotton-type buds along the branches. I can blow them off, but they keep returning. Some of the apples go bad and fall off. (e-mail reference)
Q: I am getting brown spots on my arborvitae. These bushes have a gold tip on the end. (e-mail reference)
Q: I was looking at information on peonies and transplanting because I would like to relocate six plants. The plants are very full and almost made a small hedge last summer. I would like to move the peonies now, but if there is a chance I might kill the plants, I will wait until fall. However, as you said, life is short and seasons seem to pass quicker. I have a plan for these peonies and I would like to implement it this year. In one of your answers, you said transplanting is generally recommended in fall, but you have had good luck doing it now. When is now? I would hate to plunge ahead and find out I am reading something outdated. Thank you for your help. (e-mail reference)
Q: Is there a spray that will make the fruit seed of an ash sterile? I have hundreds of saplings growing in the yard, so it is quite a task to remove them. (e-mail reference)
Q: I have autumn clematis that grows beautifully all summer. However, this year the buds set, but then dried up on the still growing vine. Last year I replaced the old and falling apart trellis. The plant does not seem to be wrapping around the trellis very well. Could this be the problem? I am mystified and obsessed by this problem. Can you help me? Thanks. (e-mail reference)
Q: I would like to replant many of my fall bulbs (daffodils and hyacinths). The plants have bloomed and are planted under trees and bushes. I would like to dig them up now because I know where the flowers are and then transplant them to better locations. (e-mail reference)
Q: I have a question about my paper birch. The kids next door ripped off half the bark on one side of the tree. The tree seems to be doing fine, but it is older and probably more resilient. Is there anything I can put on the exposed wood to help the tree grow back the bark? (e-mail reference)
Q: About four years ago, I received a lilac bush from my mother-in-law for Mother's Day. The lilac keeps getting better and better, but it has yet to bloom. Each year it gets a little taller and has more and more green leaves on it. I've never done anything to it since it was planted. Should it be pruned? Please help. I'm terrible with plants, but I really want to get better because we're finally landscaping around the new house we built. That leads me to my hydrangeas. I purchased two forever pink and one PG hydrangea that I want to plant in one area and five Sister Theresa hydrangeas to be planted somewhere else. How far apart should I plant them? Any tips would be appreciated. When will they start to bloom? (e-mail reference)
Q: I purchased six hydrangeas about three weeks ago. They are single-flower plants in a pink coloration. Five of the six seem OK, but the sixth is losing its color and looks sick. The flowers are planted next to the house in a mostly shaded area. How can I rejuvenate this plant and how should I fertilize the others? Will they always be single-flowered plants? Will a new bloom replace the existing one or will I have to wait until next year? The shop I purchased the plants from does not have any answers. (e-mail reference)
Q: I have read your answers regarding black knot. In most cases, you recommend removing the infected tree. I have a Schubert chokecherry tree that is old and close to 30-feet tall, so it would be a shame to lose it. It has developed black knot on a number of small, young shoots, but not on any main branches. I neglected to prune the tree during the dormant season. The tree has just started blooming. Should I be pruning out the black knot at this point or should I wait until winter? If now is a good time to prune, do you have any suggestions on how to do it? I've been told that I should be rinsing my pruning shears with a mild bleach solution after each cut to avoid spreading the disease. (e-mail reference)
Q: I care for a woman more than 100 years old who wanted me to plant her some peony plants last year. I did it knowing they would not flower for the first year and she might not live to see the flowers. Last week I took her out to see them and showed her the three buds that would be opening in the near future. Last night, after I came to work, I found someone had picked the buds and put them in a vase of water. Are they going to bloom? I asked the little lady if she knew something about peonies that I didn't because she had buds in the vase. She said it was a dirty trick! I don't know if I can tell her that the peonies will open. Should I drop the subject and hope she forgets about the plants? What a disappointment! (e-mail reference)
Q: I accidentally sprayed portions of my large, beautiful phlox with Weed-B-Gone. The entire plant is not dead, but the large center area is brown and appears to be dead. I have tried saturating the plant with water once a week. It has been 2 1/2 weeks and I am worried that I will have to replace the whole plant. It's beautiful and has been growing for four years. Can you recommend anything to save the plant? Will it come back next year? (e-mail reference)
Q: Is it possible to plant hostas under evergreen trees? Is there any type of ground cover that works under evergreens? Thanks for the information. (e-mail reference)
### Source: Ron
Smith, (701) 231-8161, ronsmith@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
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North Dakota State University |
