lychee seeds

QuestionHi Mike I have noticed that a number of people have asked questions about propogating avocado seeds and I wondered whether there is a standard method for propogating from hard seeds such as these? I am

drying of seeds

QuestionHi Tom We are currently collecting seeds from various plants in our garden to see what we can propogate and I was wondering whether all seeds need to be dried before planting? There are some flowers w

How to harden off carnation seedlings

QuestionI planted carnation seeds and they are sprouting beautifully. The package said to harden off the seedlings before transplanting. Do you know what they mean by this? If not, what should my n

Pussy Willow

QuestionHello, I see your expertise is starting plants from seeds but thought you still might be able to help. Can you start pussy willow from a twig? If so, do you put it in water until roots appear or do you put

How do I propagate Jasmine Sambac?

QuestionHello, I am new to gardening. I had about 30 different plants and about 10 very small ( young) trees. I lost most of my plants and some of my trees to a freeze. I will buy more plants to revive my sad

Watering seedlings

QuestionI have seedlings growing in Jiffy-Mix and 3 peat pots under 40W GE Chroma 50 (sunshine rated) fluorescent lamps, with an oscillating fan set on low keeping the air circulating. I have two questions concernin

rosemary and lucky bamboo

QuestionI hope you dont mind if I combine two easy questions into one e-mail. What is the best medium for starting rosemary from seeds? Could you suggest some resources (book or online) where I could learn how to

seed starting question

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Germinating seeds for science project

QuestionMy son wants to do a science project and compare the growth rate of the following: kousa dogwood, crape myrtle, and the red maple. His problem is the long time it takes for these seeds to germinate. &n

Lawn

QuestionMy yard is mostly weeds or weedy type grass. Its not a very large yard, but Im not very young anymore. I want to start over and have a nice yard. How should I get rid of the old grass? &nbs

hybrid veggies

QuestionWill plants cross-pollinate if one is a hybrid and one is not? Also, if I grow a hybrid type of pepper, will it produce seeds that will grow another crop next year? Thank you. AnswerHi Michael,

Propagating Gardenias

QuestionMay gardenias be propagated using cuttings from a parent plant? If so, how? I live in Lee County in SW Florida. AnswerYes, gardenias can be propagated using cuttings. Simply cut a tender shoot t

Bamboo seed propagation

QuestionHello Mike!! Good to know there are experts to ask questions of. I have planted several hundred Moso bamboo seeds, in 3 different sets, a couple of weeks apart. Each set comes up fine, until the plants

Bulbs of Day Lillies

QuestionIs there a way to start new lillies from the bulbs of another lilly? AnswerHi Rhonda, Thanx for your question. Daylilies dont have bulbs, they have rhizomes and yes, you can start new daylilies by sep

Growing pumpkins

QuestionHi Tom. I live in southeastern Michigan and am hoping to plant a small pumpkin patch this year for my children and relatives. I started growing them indoors, planting them at the very end of marc

Dragon Fruit/strawberry pear/Pitahaya

QuestionIm interested in growing the above fruit in a Mediterranean climate in Australia. We are now in Autumn and Spring is in September. Can you tell me when these should be planted and when they will mature? Rele

Planting Flowers and fertilizer

QuestionI want to plant some flowers in my Mothers flower areas in her front yard. They are in front of the house and will be used for decoration for the porch and the appearance of the front of the house. I was con

browning of apple sapling leaves

QuestionHi Tom, I have a couple of apple saplings Ive started from organic apples and they have been doing really well inside. However, Ive moved them outside as the nights are warmer (5 to 6 degrees C) and days

Bacopa seeds

QuestionHow do I get Bacopa seeds from the plant. Also is there any place I can purchase Bacopa seeds? I am looking for the vining plant with little white flowers. AnswerHi Judy, I looked an

Where are the stigmas on spider-plants, and what do the fruits look like?

QuestionTwo questions-: Where is the stigma on spider-plant flowers? I know they must be somewhere, because I seem to have successfully cross-pollinated two of them (see next question), but I have not been able to