Marianne’s Responses
Best time to movie Hawaiian Plumeria seeds from vermiculite to soil
Posted by woltzen | September 13, 2015Hi, I bought some Hawaiian Plumeria seeds while in Hawaii last Spring. The directions said to start them in vermiculite, so I did. Three of the five have sprouted. At what point do I put the plants in soil? Thanks.
How to care for a Crepe Myrtle tree with spent flowers in cooler weather
Posted by woltzen | September 13, 2015Do I have to cut off spent flowers or seed pods on a Crepe Myrtle tree? From Tacoma, WA.
Mixing coffee grounds with soil
Posted by salvador morales | September 13, 2015My wife likes to mix coffee grounds in the soil for everything. Is it safe?
How to get rid of invasive pests in a greenhouse
Posted by ceecee copeland | September 10, 2015We are losing everything in our greenhouse to whitefly, spider mites, aphids, and then blight. The aphids are so bad the pepper blossoms can't open. We have tried everything organic i.e. soapy water with cayenne, Captain Jacks, Se7en, and have even gone to a stronger route. They seem to thrive on it. What can we do...we collect rain water... is ...
Selecting deer resistant plants
Posted by Bob Zeus | September 7, 2015Hi, Marianne! Are there varieties of hostas that are deer-undesirable? I live at the edge of a woods populated by Bambi and friends. I love hostas but am having no luck with them as the deer treat them as their favorite desert. Thanking you in advance, Bob Z.
How to identify a Green Gage plum
Posted by TomandLinda | September 6, 2015Marianne, By chance would you know the name of the fruit tree that produces these juicy sweet plums?
Reasons for why a rhubarb bulb is not sprouting
Posted by Gail Garrison | September 6, 2015I planted bare rhubarb bulbs in May or June and nothing has happened yet. Is it normal for no shoots to have come up after 2-3 months?
When is the best time to remove a mature tree?
Posted by Debra Froemke | September 4, 2015We have a Snowball tree that is over 35 years old. Our tree is leaning very low to the ground, probably from pruning. It is very top heavy. We will need to take this tree out and wondered if September or October might be a good time to do this. We are thinking of replacing the snowball with a California ...
Most common rose bush pests and how to kill them
Posted by Dawn Douglas | September 3, 2015What is eating holes in leaves of my rose bushes?
Which fertilizers to use to amend the soil
Posted by Lisa H | September 2, 2015Hi Marianne, can you recommend the best fertilizer for me? I use Osmocote in my planters and am really happy with it. I like how it is controlled release and never burns my plants. Now I need a recommendation for my garden soil, for shrubs, trees and perennials. I had a soil test done and it showed that my soil ...
