Marianne’s Responses
Early September vegetables
Posted by Anise | September 16, 2014Is it too late to plant vegetables? I live in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Bringing a dwarf butterfly bush back to life
Posted by Lois Neilson | September 14, 2014I planted a dwarf butterfly bush last year as a memorial for a good friend. It didn't do well this winter... hardly any greenery, and now its leaves are brown. Nothing grew from old wood, even though it had been cut back. Tried slow release fertilizer which didn't seem to help. Gardener where it was bought said a lot of ...
Lifespan of tomato plants
Posted by Johnny Esquivel | September 14, 2014How long will tomato plants produce? I planted some this spring and they produced well during the spring and most of the summer. The plants have slowed down considerably, but still appear healthy. Will they continue to produce in the fall or should I start over with new plants?
Late harvest winter squash
Posted by | September 12, 2014My winter squash are doing great this year, mostly thanks to advice I got from you. Now I have a harvest question. Late in the season there were several female blooms that I hand pollinated and are now small squash. I want to let them grow as long as possible, to grow as big as possible. Can I let them ...
When to trim boxwood
Posted by alvin23412 | September 11, 2014When is the latest I can trim a boxwood without causing winter damage? I live in zone 6.
Small, tasteless bell peppers
Posted by Donavon Dellinger | September 11, 2014I planted Ferry Morse Poblano bell peppers in May. They were slow coming up, but made healthy plants. I had problems with spider mites, but got them under control using neem oil. I have harvested many peppers, but they are small, not typical bell shaped, and tasteless. The outside flesh is thin and tough. I had some problems with blossom ...
Salty well water and blackberries
Posted by jerry gold | September 10, 2014We had our well water tested and it came back saying too much salt, not good for plants. What about blackberries? We would like to use our well to water our blackberries.
What’s wrong with my hydrangea?
Posted by Walter Sulskis | September 10, 2014My Hydrangea bush is one year old. It blooms bright blue flowers in the spring but suddenly some of the blooms turn a dusky sort of pink with only a few blue flowers. Also some leaves have a partial yellowing at the tips going only half way up the leaves. I do not over water and have pine mulch at ...
How to move an Annabelle hydrangea
Posted by Kathy Strain | September 10, 2014I need to move my Annabelle hydrangea. A little too much sun for her. She's young, about 5. Do I prune her back first? She's pretty spread out and might be difficult to spade around unless I cut her back some.
Avoiding late blight
Posted by Ellen Ocenasek | September 9, 2014Our garden developed late blight in both our tomatoes and potatoes. Are there steps for winterizing gardens that may help to avoid spores in soil? And how far from the affected area should we plant next year?
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