QUESTION
    I have two beautiful Alamandas that are about 4 feet tall now. I live in Oklahoma and have brought them indoors for the winter; however, they have quit blooming and are continuously loosing their leaves.

I have been giving them ample water, as I understand that they like moist soil, and once a week give it a dose of Miracle Grow with a watering. I have them placed where they will get direct sunlight during the morning through the windows, as I understand they also like plenty of sun. I do have them in an ample size pot, so I know the planter is not too small.

Am I going to be able to baby these plants through the winter or am I going to end up with just two empty twigs come springtime? I love these plants and would love to do what I can to keep them healthy and blooming. Please help me save my Alamandas...

Sincerely, Mitzi

ANSWER
    Alamandas. You are probably giving your plants far too much water, water loss though the leaf is much less in the house compared with outdoors. Keep the soil just moist to the touch. Also regular feeding is not necessary during the winter months; too much food will only encourage weak growth.

QUESTION
    My oak tree has suddenly started getting yellow leaves. It is supposed to be green all year round. Please. Tell me what could be wrong and what I can do.
Seema

ANSWER
    Your tree is probably suffering from lack of minerals or trace elements in the soil treat with a mineral supplement, available at all good size garden outlets. Some garden fertiliser is available with mineral additives. Epsom salts (Magnesium Sulphate) will also do the job.

Epsom salts can be applied now; about half a pound will be sufficient for a tree of this size. Repeat the dose in mid summer. Leave fertiliser application until spring.

QUESTION
    Propagation of Japanese split leaf maple. Is this a softwood or hardwood propagation method? And when is the best time to take cuttings.

ANSWER
    Re: Propagation of Japanese split leaf maple.
Japanese maples are usually grafted on to a suitable hardy rootstock. It is theoretically possible to grow from a hardwood cutting, but success rates are very low.

QUESTION
    I have a Ficus Tree it was beautiful when I bought it and it stayed beautiful all summer long. I had forgotten it was on the back porch and in October we had a couple of frosty nights. I brought him in the house and half was still green and the other half dead leaves.

I put him in a bigger pot and got fresh soil and I started to notice some new leaves on the green side. I moved him to a sunny window and I guess there was a cold draft but now all leaves are brown and I really want to bring him back to his beauty.

Can you give me advice on how to save and care for this tree in the house?

Thank you,
desperate plant mommy

ANSWER
    I am afraid that you're best course of action is throwing the plant away and starting again; there is very little hope of recovery.

QUESTION
    We have three burning bush plants that are positioned side-by-side in front of our home. They have now just completed three fall seasons. The first fall they kept their leaves and they had brilliant red color. The past two falls; however, the leaves have dropped off very early (by the middle of September).

What could be making these burning bushes lose their leaves so early? The plants look green and healthy during the spring and summer, but never make it to the fall to enjoy their brilliant color. Any thoughts on this matter that you may have would be greatly appreciated.

By the way, we live in southern Indiana. Thanks,

ANSWER
    Your burning bushes are suffering from lack of minerals in the soil. Feed with a mineral supplement in the spring. Also, if you can obtain it, some horse or cow manure would enrich the soil, burning bush are hungry plants and need plenty of feed.

QUESTION
    I purchased a potted jasmine plant (pruned to tree shape) this past summer. After consulting my gardening books, I believe it is a common jasmine. I brought it inside when frost was expected in my area (southern Chester County in PA, west of Philadelphia).

It bloomed in mid-October after being inside a few weeks. It was absolutely beautiful and fragrant. Problem - it is now shedding all of its leaves. I have it located in front of French doors where it receives lots of light, but no sun. It is also quite warm in my house, 72 to 74 degrees.

What should I do? Does it need to be pruned and would the cooler basement be a better location? I have a daylight basement with sliding glass doors that allow light in.
Please help.
Thank you. Nancy

ANSWER
    This sounds like Red Spider Mite, a nasty little parasite that sucks out the sap from the plant and are very difficult to see with the naked eye. Sprays are available at your local garden outlet. Red spider mite are encouraged if the plant is too dry, lightly spray the plant with tepid water occasionally.

QUESTION
    I have a 4 foot hibiscus that has not bloomed for at least 4 months. Prior to that, it bloomed on a regular basis. I have fed it and other than no blooms, it appears healthy. Is there something else I can do to get it blooming again?
Thank You, Susan

ANSWER
    Hibiscus does have the occasional rest period and as you say the plant is healthy so no need to worry for the moment. In the spring feed with a mineral supplement, the compost could be old and low in mineral values.

QUESTION
    In my garden 99% of the soil is neutral. How can I make the soil both alkaline and acidic to suit various plants? Am I right in thinking if you put peat into the existing soil this will increase the acidity level? Many thanks Graham

ANSWER
    Peat will raise the acid level in your soil but must be dug in to the soil to be of benefit. Iron sulphate will also have the same effect also well dug in. There are also acid fertilisers on the market to help retain high acid levels. Adding hydrated lime or garden lime will raise the alkaline levels; again must be well dug in. Sandy soils are usually more acid than clay soils.

QUESTION
    I live in Chapel Hill, NC and have my first Pussy Willow bush. I planted it this summer and it has done well. Do I ever prune it? How should I care for it so that it will produce cuttings to use next year in arrangements? Thanks for your help.
Faye

ANSWER
    I would advise only pruning any wayward growth that is likely to twist around in high winds and damage the bush. Otherwise if you plan to be taking pieces off for flower arranging it would seem that you will be pruning the bush constantly and no more effort will be needed. I would recommend a high nitrogen fertiliser early spring and late summer and plenty of water if you plan to remove new growth.
Valecroft

QUESTION
    I planted 150 yellow pansies this fall. We've had a week of below freezing and the flowers are drooping. Should I cut them off or will they come back during the warm spells?
Carl.
Edmond, Oklahoma

ANSWER
    It is almost certain that your pansies will be a winter hardy variety. You just need to remove any rot on the plant. Otherwise, as you say, they will flower in warm spells and then have a good long flowering spell in the early spring.

QUESTION
    Thank you for this wonderful website! I surely appreciate your sharing of knwledge and experience. I will be reading every word.

My question: I have four, old, settled dwarf azaleas of good size. They are in a horrible place and I would like to transplant them. Is Dec the right time to do this? How should I proceed? How should I prepare their new home?
Thank you for your help!
Sunny.
Memphis TN

ANSWER
    You could transplant your azaleas now (mid Dec) as long as your soil is not frozen or snow covered. But I would advise leaving until next Oct.

The dwarf azalea being evergreen is constantly losing water from the leaves even in winter. Therefore if transplanted the roots will not be established and will not be able to take up enough water to meet the plant's requirements.

This will manifest itself in brown leaves and shedding of the flower buds. Strong cold winds will be particularly damaging. When transplanting dig the shrub up with as big a root ball as possible, the azalea depends on the mass of fine roots around the bush.

Mix in some garden peat in the planting hole to give the acid conditions required by the plant. Water copiously the first summer and feed with an acid fertiliser after flowering.
Valecroft

QUESTION
    Hi,
We are moving from California...where our Pepper Trees are a great pleasure to us.to Tulsa, OK.

I have visited the area ... and it seems like a pepper would thrive there. It does get a bit colder there.but it is enough to make pepper trees unviable?

I can get cold here in Thousand Oaks, CA. once in a while. Below freezing. But our peppers thrive.

It rarely gets colder in N/E Oklahoma.but it does occasionally spend a day or two under the ideal tempurature that Peppers should be happy in. The rest of the year? Should be perfect.

Am I dreaming to plant CA peppers on my property in OK? Sincerely,
Rick

ANSWER
    It is the cold wind chill, scorching and killing the leaves, which will make the pepper tree un-viable in OK.

You could ask at specialist nurseries in the area to see if there is a local bred version of the tree, which can withstand the conditions. You could be in luck.
Valecroft

QUESTION
    I have about 12 Amaryllis bulbs from this and previous years. My Mother always planted them, indoors, right after Christmas. Is this the time and how do I do it. Mother had many bulbs from several years past. Some of the bulbs are very large, grapefruit size and have side bulbs and some are the size of oranges and lemons.

Mom has passed on and I would like to keep her bulbs going. What do I do? Thanks a million.

ANSWER
    Plant the bulb in a pot large enough to allow a minimum of 3 to 4cm of soil around the bulb, with the growing point of the bulb protruding from the top of the pot. A 15cm (6inch) pot should be ample. The shoulder of the bulb should be above the soil. Place some pieces of stone at the bottom of the pot, too provide good drainage and use a good brand of bulb fibre.

Additional fertiliser is not usually needed; the feed for the flower is already in the bulb. Water only once per week, over watering Amaryllis will cause stem rot and red rust. Never water on too the bulb, always water around the sides of the pot.

After blooming, the flower stem may be cut off close to the bulb; but do not remove the leaves. The leaves are needed too provide the food from the sunlight. Take the bulb out of the pot (with its leaves) and plant, for preference, into the garden, or into a larger pot. If you can obtain it, mix some well-decayed cow manure into the soil first. Plant in warm, sunny position in fertile soil, so that the bulb can settle down and grow to a good size.

The Amaryllis bulb needs food after flowering; too produce next year's flower bud within the bulb structure. The bulb can be lifted again in September, ready for re-potting.

QUESTION
    Hi and Thanks for the great information on your site.
Could you please help me out?
I have a row of ten 1.2m tall Sasanqua camellias which were planted several years ago. Of these, four from one end of the row have been at a stand still for months. Their leaves have lost their brilliance and shine and don't seem to be flourishing. It looks as though they are slowing dying. The rest are thriving and they all get the same treatment. I have checked the soil and it is at the right ph level. This section of the row have been replanted as the previous camellias died a slow (painful) death just as these seem to be!!

When replanting this new group, I removed all the soil and put in fresh camellia potting mix. As this has happened before, I think they may have root rot and I don't know what to do next. Perhaps it is something different. What do you think?
Thank you enormously for your time in answering this question.
Tonia
Swan View West Australia

ANSWER
    Your soil is almost certainly deficient in minerals and trace elements most importantly Zinc. Add one pound of Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulphate) to each plant to help release the trace elements in the soil. Also feed the plants with a mineral supplement specified for acid loving plants, containing zinc if possible. Lack of zinc in the soil is a main contributor to camellia die-back. Plain garden peat, spread around the plants, will help to maintain the acidity of the soil.

QUESTION
    Hello there,
I live in the woodland hills area and am going "cuckoo for cocoa puffs" due to the stalking of wild rabbits! They've eaten EVERYTHING and I can't seem to get rid of them. Any suggestions?
Thank you in advance,

ANSWER
    The only sure-fire way to control rabbits is to fence around the area with four foot high chicken wire. Even then, young rabbits sometimes climb up the wire. A few terrier dogs that like chasing rabbits are also an effective alternative. Rabbits love plenty of plant cover. Open areas to facilitate the actions of predators will also help.

There are numerous electronic and chemical deterrents on the market, there are also organic repellent preparations. The droppings from Lions or Tigers are 100% effective, but hard to obtain.

QUESTION
    Hi,
Each fall in my garden I have very strong, tall and sturdy looking plants (tomatoes, peppers, raddish etc.), but the fruits of all of these plants are very small. The Ph of my soil is 6.7 and is very fertile. Do you know what the problem is? It is very frustrating after all the workI do in the garden.
Thank You very much for any response you can give!.

ANSWER
    It is most likely that you are using a fertiliser containing too much nitrogen, after the fruit has started to grow. Try feeding with a high potash fertiliser after fruit has set. Also it may prove beneficial to treat the area with a mineral supplement, readily available at garden outlets, small fruit is sometimes caused by mineral deficiencies.
Valecroft

QUESTION
    hi
I live in saint john new Brunswick and the grounds not frozen yet it still goes up to like plus 7 during the day even though its the middle of December anyways I was wondering I got some tulip bulbs and I was wondering if I could plant them now in December and how do I plant them if I can also I have some crocus can I plant them as well I just bought them at the superstore and there was no directions on the boxes thanks Brenda saint john new Brunswick hope to hear from u soon

ANSWER
    Your Tulips and crocuses need to be planted immediately. Plant tulips twice the depth of the height of the bulb, crocus just below the surface. mice and other such vermin will smell the newly planted bulbs so you will have to protect against attack. Moth balls are good or use any proprietary product. Bulbs planted this late will be very dry and will give only minimum flowering performance, but should be good for the following year. Valecroft

QUESTION
    I can not find out the life expectancy of fertilizer. Would some be longer than others? No it is not on the bags that I have checked.
Thanks, Gwen

ANSWER
    If kept in bone dry conditions it should keep for several seasons. Most fertilisers will absorb water and deteriorate if not kept dry. A manufacturer would not be able to predict a life expectancy unless they knew the exact storage conditions.

QUESTION
    Last summer my rose garden was infested with Black Spot; for unrelated reasons, the roses are no longer there. I plan on replacing them with new roses in the same places where I had the old roses. What can I do in the spring to control or eliminate Black Spot? I know that Black Spot can live through many seasons in the soil. John

ANSWER
    You could employ a commercial operator to sterilise the soil with injected chemicals. This would kill all disease in the soil. You can plant roses that are resistant to black spot or you could plant some other flowering shrubs for a few years.

QUESTION
    Help please
I live in Sydney, Australia and found you on the web. Here it is mid Summer. I hope you can help me with my lettuce and tomatoes.
We have had so much rain then hot humid weather these past couple months, that my lettuce have gone crazy. They now stand 12 inches tall with small bunches of leaves along various parts of their stem.
What do I do with them? Do I replant them deeper or just give up.

Also my tomatoes have gone really well but they do not get very much sun throughout the day, but the stems are nice and strong and stand about 4 ft. tall. How can I be assured they will get some fruit on them soon?
Thanking you.

ANSWER
    Your lettuce.
The condition you describe is called 'bolting' caused by uneven growth conditions as you describe. They are shooting up to flower and should be disposed of, as they are of no value anymore.
Lettuce need a continuous even growth pattern to succeed. There are varieties of lettuce available to cope with such conditions and there are also a range of varieties designed to cope with different day lengths for sowing at different times of the year.

Your tomatoes.
I presume that your plants are producing flowers, if not lack of light is your problem. If your plants are producing flowers the insects are not fertilising them, again this could be lack of light levels. It will encourage flower set if you lightly spray (mist) the flower trusses with slightly warm water, in the early evening time. This will encourage evening insects, who need less light levels, to visit the flowers and hopefully fertilise them.