Question.     I have a lot of hanging basket plants that I bought this summer, that seem to be still blooming, just a few shoots though...can I place these in my basement, will they come back...I'm afraid most of them don't say what they are. Second question, is I have these strawberries, I had less than a dozen strawberries on them, yet the leaves and vines just grew and grew...now the leaves are turning an awesome red colour, can these be placed in my basement for next year?

Answer.     Leave the plants in the baskets while storing in your basement; any perennials should reappear next spring. The big danger is mice, if they see a fresh shoot in spring before you do it will be gone and you will be left believing the plants are dead. The strawberries are frost hardy and should be left in the garden. Feed with a high potash fertiliser in spring also a small amount of garden lime. Most plant labels indicate if the plant is perennial or annual. If you have bought plants without labels, it's worth having a stroll round your local garden centre and take notes off the labels of similar plants

Q.     I have these beautiful delphiniums. I split them this spring and planted some in a sunnier spot. Everything I divided came up again. They just come up very late. I still have vibrant bluish purple blooms and it is November 1st. I wish I could have this earlier in the season when I enjoy the outdoors. I live in Northern New Jersey. Is there anything I can do to get them to bloom sooner? Thanking you for your advice, Karen.

A.     There are both early and late flowering delphiniums, the dwarf varieties tend too flower earlier. Check the label on seed packets or ready grown plants.

Q.     We have a garden area that we would like to plant in a cover crop to enrich the soil and choke out weeds during the winter. Can you suggest a specific crop that would be good? We are in, Washington, zone 8. Thanks, Joanne.

A.     You are too late this year to sow any cover crop. I would suggest rotary cultivating the soil whenever the ground is not frozen or too wet. This will chop up the weed roots and help germinate the weed seeds, which can in turn be chopped up. Rotary cultivators can be hired very cheaply.

Q.     Thank you for your gardening web site. When is the best time to plant clematis in clay - autumn, around now, or in spring. And when is the best time to plant passionflowers and jasmine? Many thanks, Tom.

A.     Traditionally the best time to plant your clematis plants is now, (November) so that the roots can establish themselves. However now that plants are grown and sold in containers it is better to wait and purchase them in spring, this way you don't suffer any losses from a possible severe winter. This also applies to Jasmine and passionflowers. Water well in the first year.

Q.     I have re-potted my fuchsias and brought them into a frost-free porch. Should I now cut them right down to just about the compost? Also a Hebe in the shrub border has become very leggy, should I also prune this? Thank you for any assistance and advice you are able to give, Christine.

A.     Fuchsias are best left with some foliage, just trim off the excess growth, some varieties shoot from below ground some shoot off last years wood. Trim your Hebe to a neat shape; this should encourage new side shoots.

Q.     I have three potted plants not sure what kind of plants they are. But they are turning yellow from the stem up. Why? I thought it could be by over watering or lighting, but I am not sure.

A.     This sounds like over watering, or it could be that the plants are annuals i.e. living for one year only, or they could be plants which die down for the winter. If it is over watering, it's likely that the roots have rotted off and the plants will be of little use. Try half a teaspoon of Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulphate) per plant; this will encourage the production of chlorophyll the green pigment in the plant.

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Q.     Can you please tell me when would be the best time to transplant Rose of Sharon bushes. Thanks.

A.     Now (November) is the perfect time to transplant your Rose of Sharon, try to move with as big a root ball as possible, this leaves some of the fine roots firmly attached to the soil.

Q.     I would like to plant a crepe myrtle tree (20 Footer). I'm in zone 6 (St. Louis, Mo.) I've been told this isn't feasible in this zone because of die back. What do you think?

A.     Crepe myrtle trees are claimed to be suitable for most of the U S except in extreme climate areas. Some varieties are more tolerant than others, see label. For more detailed local advice I would suggest that you contact the agricultural/garden extension of your local or state university, this is a community service.

Q.     Please help! My husband was given a small building; it has one window that can be opened in the back, a small "door" window that does not open, on the front and only door. The building is made of very thick fibreglass. It has a ceiling inside, made of the same material. The roof has small wooden shingles that we added on.

I was hoping to use it to store my plants this winter. It is about 10 feet x 6 feet wide. I noticed that it was growing mildew/mould inside and sweating lately, since the weather, temp. has changed. We closed the back window. The building does not get a lot of sunlight. We put in green house light bulbs; it began to sweat worse, dripping down the walls (walls are painted with an interior, yellow paint). We installed a small electric (safety) heater and kicked up the heat to 70 plus some. It still smells very mouldy, although the sweating has cut way back. Also, my plants aren't looking too great. Maybe too hot? My main thing is getting the mildew/mould/sweating to stop.

I don't want to lose my plants, some are tropical and from my daughter's funeral. They mean so much to me. I can't put them inside because of the cat and a small house. I don't want to ruin the building either. I live in LA, the home and State of moisture and mildew! Our outside temp. Varies from 30 to 60 to 80, back to 30 or 40 in days. Thanks, Sandra C.

A.     Your plants are desperately short of ventilation, I would suggest installing a domestic extractor fan on a side wall of the shed at the highest possible point. Set this fan on a timer to give daylight only operation. You need some form of thermostat control on your heating to maintain a level temperature. You need lighting on a timer to give a 16-hour day.

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Q.     I live in Columbus GA. Some of the nights are beginning to drop below freezing. What do I do with the big bougainvillea? Its in a planter but has grown too big for the house. Can we cut them back like rose bushes? Or do we have to treat them as an expensive annual and buy again next year? Thank you keni.
I probably wasn't clear the first time. It is in a container outside but has grown too big to bring inside as is. Short of covering every night how do we get it through the winter?

A.     Bougainvillea are not frost hardy, so you must get it inside somehow. Even if you cover the plant at night the frost can damage the roots though the sides of the pot. February is the time to prune the plant to a smaller size.

Q.     I live right on the line of zone 9 and 10. I have a very nice camellia bush. The bush is right next to the house; therefore, I would like to transplant. The bush is approximately 4-5 ft. tall. The trunk of the bush is about 3" in diameter. Will this plan survive the shock? What kind/ size of a root ball will I need to dig? When should I attempt this relocation?

A.     If you should attempt to move your camellia you must wait until next October, the plant will be in full bud right now and the shock of moving would be great due to water demand by the growing buds. This is a large plant and you must leave as big a root ball as you can physically manage. Move to a location similar to the present one in relation to the direction of the sun.

Q.     I have about twelve-miniature barberry in my front garden. The previous owners planted them over 14 years ago. The past eight years we have had with them have been beautiful, until the end of the summer this year. They are half golden and half scarlet, and four of the former and three of the latter seemed to die out suddenly. The leaves all fell off, but some of the stem still seemed alive. I found no signs of infestation or disease, and the rest of the items in the garden (most of which have also been there for 14 years) are doing well.

A.     In very wet seasons barberry (Berberis) suffer from various fungus infections and blight attacks. Trim off any dead wood and spray with a copper fungicide in spring and again in the summer. The plants should recover, shooting from the lower living wood, but will be unsightly for a while.

Q.     Seeking advice regarding options for Rabbit Proof Bedding Plant flowers for Southern California area (San Diego). Trying to live with nature; but, would still like to have flowers in the yard beds. Would appreciate advice and suggestions.

A.     Sorry to disappoint you but no bedding plants are rabbit proof. There are various products on the market, which claim to deter rabbits; some of them are organic preparations. These do work in certain circumstances, but it all depends on whether the plant in question contains minerals, which the rabbit thinks it needs. A nice little terrier dog and a couple of good cats are the best deterrent.

Q.     I have a Box hedge against my garage. It is about 4' high. There are about 8 plants. I would like to move them in order to build a shed in that location and to provide a 'fence' beside my chain link fence, since I live next to a busy street with noisy neighbours. I would use it as a noise blocker. When is the best time to transplant? Is it feasible to transplant a bush that tall? What are the digging up depths; planting depths; planting distance between bushes? Any help will be appreciated. Frank

A.     The best time to transplant your box bushes is October. However if you were to transplant now, you would have to protect the leaves against windburn. This is where the plant is unable to replace the moisture lost each day due to lack of roots after transplanting, short of water the leaves simply shrivel up and die. You would have to securely stake the bushes to stop them rocking in the wind, this rocking loosens the roots and the plant will die. Box has very fine roots so try to get as big a root ball as possible. You will have to water on a regular basis. Plant about one and a half times the width of the plant.

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Q.     I have two CHINA DOLL PLANTS which I would like to know if I can prune them as they are long and spindly with leaves down the bottom no leaves in the middle and a good foliage on top they are both about 6 feet tall. Also can I plant the tops and will they grow? Thanks, Glenys.

A.     Your china doll plants (RADERMACHERA), are far too tall if you are using them as an indoor plant, it would seem that you are, but you do not say. You should pinch out the growing tips of the plant to keep a compact shape, pinching out the top shoots could encourage new buds on the bare centre stems. Also it seems that your light levels are too low, the plant is stretching to the light.

You should avoid placing your china doll plant under stress, i.e. moving the plant about, watering at irregular intervals, erratic light and temperature levels. Bright but not direct light, 50 F, is recommended, keep the soil just moist. You can root stem cuttings in summer, but not worth the hassle unless you have an outstanding example. Commercial growers use a technique called tissue culture which is much more effective. Beware red spider mite. If you live in a warm Zone you could always plant your current china doll plants outside and start again with new plants.

Q.     Sirs: I have prepared an asparagus bed properly according to my organic book instructions. I intended to plant three year old crowns. Can't seem to find them either on the inet or standard seed catalogs. Several net sites recommend planting one year crowns as opposed to two or three year crowns. But, no explanation as to why. So... what is the advantage of one year asparagus crowns vs. three year old crowns. Thank you for your help and advice. Don

A.     A younger asparagus plant will establish itself better than an older plant, due to the fact that an older plant has a higher water requirement, which puts a bigger strain on the unestablished roots. Whatever age plants you plant, you must wait two years before taking a very light first harvest.

Q.     I live in upstate New York - I believe its zone 5. I've been told that I should start my pepper seeds indoors in late January if they are to be ready by May. What is your advice?

A.     You can sow pepper plant seeds at the end of January; you will need a temperature of 60 to 70 F. You will also need lighting to simulate an April day length. If you plant outside before the danger of frost has passed you will need overnight protection. Seedlings of peppers sown this early tend to damp off, i.e. rot off at the base of the stems. Commercial products are available to treat this condition. Worth a try, but not guaranteed to be a success.

Q.     Hi There, my name is Michelle and I am new at gardening, my question is about Mexican heather and mums! The mums are all dried up and I don't know what to do with them, they are hardy mums so they are supposed to come back year after year, am I supposed to cut them back, if so how far and when? The same with the heather? Please help me if you can!!! Oh by the way I live in central N.C.

A.     Cut you mums down to about 6 inches, new growth will come from the base of the stems. Trim the heathers down to about half their present size; try to form a compact shape to prevent the winter wind rocking the plants.

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