Question.    
Do blind daffs ever flower again or should they be got rid of?

Answer.
    There are three main reasons for blind DAFFODILS, lack of water after flowering when next years bud is being produced, cutting the leaves off too early after flowering, or the grub of the narcissus fly eating the new bud. If it is narcissus fly attack, the bulb will be slimy and these should be thrown away.

Q.    
Hi: I am hoping you have a solution to our gardening dilemma: we have multiple rock- or bark-filled planter beds beneath existing pine trees that continually drop pine needles in amongst the rocks/bark. A blower doesn't dislodge the needles completely and they are a real eyesore. We get frequent complaints regarding the appearance of these dead pine needles. Do you have any recommendations on maintenance and upkeep of these planter beds to eliminate the pine needles (short of chopping down the trees)? Thank you.

Gov Gardener in California

A.    
There are garden vacuum cleaners on the market, but short of that I don't know what to suggest.

Q.    
I live in Minnesota, zone 4, and my husband was in Arizona and collected some RED YUCCA seeds. I would like to start them indoors, and try them outside this summer, from the information I've gathered, they can be hardy in my zone. My question is when and how should I start them indoors. I can only find descriptive information on the plant, but no propagation info. Please e-mail me, if possible, ASAP, as I am anxious to try them.

A.    
May is plenty early enough to sow your seeds, sow shallow in warm conditions with plenty of light. It will be three years before you have a sizeable plant to set out. Germination rate will depend on the age of the seeds.

Q.    
I absolutely adore CAMELLIAS.. I recently planted three japonicas in full shade with plenty of buds already on them. Only one is flowering, the buds on the others are staying tight and not opening. Help! Viviane in so Cal.

A.    
Are your camellias different varieties, if so they may flower at different times? If they are the same variety, it could be that at the nursery the plants have received different levels of water. The soil in some parts of your garden may be too alkaline for two of the plants. Use a high acid fertiliser. They should not be facing south, or southeast. They take a while to settle in. and you cannot always guarantee flowers the first year.

Q.    
Hi
What a delight it is to be able to ask a question! I have a nice stand of GLORIOSA DAISIES and of course, they have all gone brown and crispy for the winter. Should I cut them off near the roots or allow the seeds to fall and make more plants for the spring? They look pretty bad right now. Thanks so much.
Jan Orr

A.    
Gloriosa daisy are half-hardy annuals, if the seeds do germinate they are unlikely to survive unless you live in a very warm zone. Try Rudbekia purpurea, PURPLE CONEFLOWER, if you want a perennial version.

Q.    
I would like some suggestions for a fast growing evergreen hedge that would reach a height of approx 15-20 feet. We are trying to block out the houses that sit behind our property but not obscure the mountain views that can be seen above their houses. The hedge would be about 300 feet wide, so we would like to buy bare root plants to save some money. The area is well drained. We have horses and need to steer away from plants that are poisonous to them, such as Laurel and Ash. A second question, how quickly does holly grow?

A.    
CUPRESSOCYPARIS LEYLANDII is the fastest growing evergreen, 20 ft in 10 years, but be warned, this conifer is the cause of much dispute where it blocks out neighbors light. Also available in gold. C; Lawsonia is slightly less rapid in growth, will reach 15 ft in 20 years. Western red cedar is also good for your area. HOLLY grows in spurts according too the climatic conditions, difficult to predict

Q.    
We live in central Oklahoma. We made two raised beds for veggie gardening that are about 10 inches high. The are contained by wood poles about 3 x 3 stacked upon each other. We purchased bags of topsoil, compost and manure to create the planting soil. They've been laid for two seasons now.

Okay, the question. My significant other covers each bed in the fall, after the last of the tomato plants are pulled, with black plastic and they are covered until the spring. I'm of the belief that the soil would do better to be uncovered through the winter to aid in the freezing out of "bad" things. The first year everything grew well but the second year it seemed that the plants didn't fair as well. I would not think the nutrients would already be leached out.

The tomato plants got brownish and wilty looking early. We don't plant much but I'd like to have the best we can with the spaces we have. I grew up gardening with grandpa and don't know a lot of the new ways of things but it just seems that keeping the beds covered like that would not be that healthy for the soil. May I have an opinion? Thanks, Brenda

A.    
I have an open mind with regard to covering for the winter and I have no intention of breaking up your relationship by offering an opinion. I note that you have poles surrounding the beds, have these been treated with a preservative? If so, this preservative could be affecting your plants, our landscape department always line the inside of such structures with plastic, to keep the chemicals away from the plants.

Your soil could be too acid i.e. short of lime; cheap testing kits are available at garden outlets. Veg plants need lime; also a handful of Epsom salts will correct trace element deficiencies.

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Q.    
I wintered some GERANIUMS in our crawl space and now when I brought them up, they are very, very leggy and whitish. What do I do now?? Thanks, Toni

A.    
Introduce the plants to the light for a short interval each day, to start with, going a little more each day. The chlorophyll will soon appear in the leaves and the shoots will soon strengthen.

Q.    
We are planning to build a small cavity wall and plant a LAUREL hedge in it. Is this a good idea? If so, we need to know approximately how big the roots will grow and whether they grow downwards or across so that we can build a wall with a large enough cavity. If Laurel is not suitable for this design, can you suggest an appropriate shrub for this purpose? With thanks, we look forward to your reply.

A.    
There is a dwarf Laurel named, Prunus; 'OTTO LUYKENS' which should suit your needs, this is a true dwarf and has perfumed white flowers in May-June. Valecroft

Q.    
Dear gardening guru, I have been caring for a BIRD OF PARADISE in my front yard for approximately 7yrs now. When I first moved into this house the plant was about 4ft tall and had a 4ft diameter, now this plant has become a tree over 6ft tall and 11ft in diameter (no kidding).

This thing is out of control, how do I trim it? My first thought would be a chain saw, but I figured that probably isn't the best choice. It won't flower anymore and it's littered with dead stalks, which I don't have the strength to pull out, nor can I reach the interior of the plant in order to trim it. It is a beautiful plant and I really don't want to use the chain saw, so I am turning to you. You are my last hope Obi wan.

A.    
I regret that my knowledge of the bird of paradise plant is very limited so I cannot really help you. I did have a look in a commercial catalog and they state that the plant can reach 12 ft tall in optimum conditions and will stand hard pruning. But as I say, my knowledge is limited so I cannot comment.

Q.    
Hallo Please can you help I have a SYRINGA LILAC BUSH which I would like to move from my parents house to ours is it a safe time to move this plant or is there a better time to do it Thanks for your help Richard

A.    
The best time to move your lilac is October-November. It would not be safe to move it now due to the fact that lilac is an early flowering bush and the newly disturbed roots would not be able to meet the high moisture requirements of flowering. This could lead to death of the bush.

Q.    
I ordered 40 PRIVIT HEDGES. I need to know when to plant them in the ground, as well as how far apart do I put the hedges?

A.    
Plant about 18 inches apart and plant as soon as possible. If possible put some farmyard manure, or well-rotted compost in the bottom of the trench. Water the plants well before planting, then water well all summer. Until the roots are established by autumn the plant is in need of constant watering.

Q.    
We have a CALIFORNIA PEPPER TREE in our front yard which, of course drops it's leaves and berries to the ground and manages to kill most any kind of ornamental plant within it's vicinity. Do you have any suggestions as to what kind of plants might be sturdy enough to live under the pepper tree??

A.    
Try Vinca; Major (periwinkle) or Hypericum; Rose of Sharon. Although the best solution is concrete.

Q.    
Hello! I have a 30 ft X 8 foot wire fence at the bottom of my garden that I wish to cover with IVY. Can you suggest an ivy plant and the number I would need to cover the fence as quickly as possible (hardy). Many thanks

A.    
Hedera, Sulphur Heart; h, Angularis Aurea; h, Buttercup; h, Gold Heart. These four are variegated ivies. You can also use the plain English ivy; this is very fast growing but is very invasive. Plant about 14 for the distance you stipulate to give a good cover.

Q.    
Hi!! I have a quick question. In our flowerbeds we have assorted perennials and self re-seeding annuals. We also have grasses and weeds!! What type of spray can be used to reduce my "hand-picking" of grass and weeds in my poppies for example?? Gary

A.    
There is no cover all spray; the most you can do is to spot spray each individual weed with a suitable herbicide, using a small hand sprayer. A spray containing Glyphosate is worth a try. Carefully read the instructions on the pack label. Valecroft.

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