Fooling mother nature

QuestionDear Tom, Last summer, I tried to understand what the owner of my new home was doing to the impatients. She was removing the green center from each flower saying she was fooling mother nature? W

When To Start Seeds

QuestionTom, I have started some peppers indoors and also bought some from the greenhouse. The peppers from the greenhouse are huge compared to mine. What is the secrect to their plan

pruning & propagation

Questionwe just purchased an older home (40 yrs) with huge flowering bushes - 20 high average...i need to know how to recognize the various bushes and pruning advice...i want them to stay tall as they give us wonder

climatis air layering

Questioni guess my question is when air laying a clematis do i cut into the center (matchstick method ) or just ring the outside about 1 inch wide. these are the 2 types of ways of preping for air layering but

propagating p. selloum from seed

QuestionHello -- I love the look of Philodendron (Elephant Ear) selloum, but I have more time than money these days so Im curious about starting some from seed. (I can get a handful of seeds from a distributor

Blueberry Bush

QuestionMike: My neighbor has blueberry bushes that produce lots of tasty fruit each June. He encourages me to help myself, but I feel guilty. I would like to grow my own blueberries. Is it possibl

Munchner Bier Radish

QuestionHi: A friend of mine just brought back Muncher Bier Radish seeds for me. The instructions are in german, and I a m not sure how to plant. Do the same rules for regular radihes apply? Also,

Propagating Honeysuckle...

QuestionWhat is the proper procedure to use in the propagation of Honeysuckle? Thanks.... AnswerHi Dominick, Thanx for your question. Honeysuckle is easily propagated from rooted runners along the

propogating honeysuckle

QuestionHi, I live in southeastern Colorado, the honeysuckle is blooming now. Id like to take some cuttings and start my own, when is the best time to take cuttings, and do I root them in water or in the groun

rights to sell plants

QuestionHi Tom, Thanks for your reply. I live in Rockland county of New York. It would be nice to know a contact person. ------------------------- Followup To Question - Hi Tom, I am growing perennial flowering

Wild persimmon

QuestionHi, -In the woods around my home there used to be a few wild persimmon tress when I was a kid, and I liked to eat them, when they got fully ripe of course. Since that time houses have been built and th

bald cypress seed germination

QuestionI have several baldcypress trees that are now bearing seed. Last fall, I gathered some seed and sowed them in planting soil and just left them outside to see what mother nature would do with them. &nbs

Bougainvillea

QuestionI want to know just where you get the seeds from the bougainvillea plant? AnswerHi Lee, Thanx for your question. To be honest with you I dont know where to get the seeds from bouganvillea. The p

Tree Seedlins

QuestionHi- thanks for volunteering. My question is about Loquat or Japanese Plum tree seedlings. Im an ebay seller and it seems God just sends me miracle after miracle to help suppliment my income!! Im a single mom

cuttings from a mature trumpet vine

QuestionI read your response of 8/27/03 to Inge. Helpful, but I do not understand the statement Strip off all of the seeds except for the last three or four at the uncut end of the cutting. Seeds? Did you mean

plant growth

QuestionDear Tom, I would like to know the difference in growing habit of plants growing on a south-facing slope and those growing on a north-facing slope. I think that plants grow well when they get enough sunlig

Bee Balm

QuestionIt took my plants 3 years to bloom and now they are spreading rapidly. May I make cuttings for transplanting from the ones I prune? Thank you, John AnswerJohn, Absolutely. Bee balm (Monarda didyma) w

propagation of ancient apple trees

QuestionWe have an apple orchard with trees at least 90 years old that was a part of my great-grandfathers farm. How would we go about propagating these trees ? Also how best to care for these remaining relics. &nbs

pepper seeds

Questioncould yoy please help me..I was told if I save the seeds from my Melrose peppers especialy the big ones I could use them to start plants in the spring is this true...if so how do I dry them out..how long ...

plants designed for life on land

QuestionHow does a seed plant survive if rain falls only during one short season each year and water is deep below the soil surface? AnswerMichele, Seeds are one of the beautiful aspects of evolution. Insi