Q. I am wondering what causes a layer of stiff, hard white tissue under the skin of some of my tomatoes. It only affects a few. The inside of the tomato is fine after this is peeled off. Is there something in the soil? We have a lot of clay soil here in Clay County, Ind. I use Fast Start when setting them but no fertilizer after that. A. Sounds like you’re describing a common disorder […]
Q. I have had a hummingbird vine for roughly five years, and it has yet to flower. It vines all over my front porch. I trim it down, thinking it will flower. I have called the company I got it from, and they tell me nothing. I have been thinking of cutting it down and digging it up, but I want this vine to flower. Anything you can tell me will be greatly appreciated. A. […]
Q. I have a question about persimmon trees. I bought three pairs over the past several years from a well-known mail-order company. They were supposed to be one male and one female. All of the trees have little bell-shaped blooms, but don’t develop fruit. Have I received all females? How can you tell the difference? The oldest trees are over 10 years old. How old do they have to be to bear fruit? A. While it can […]
Q. Some years ago, I had a list of plants in the garden that were compatible and those that weren’t. If you have such information, could you include it in your “question and answer” column? It’s too late for this season, but we’d have it for next. A. The principles of “companion planting” are based on the belief that certain plants can benefit others when planted in combination or nearby. Such strategies can include using […]
Q. I have a lilac bush that I started from a “slip” from my sister several years ago that has never bloomed. It is growing leaves and is beautiful, but no blooms. What do I need to do? A. There are a number of reasons why a plant might fail to bloom. The most common factors are plant age, sunlight, plant nutrition, winter temperatures and improper pruning. You didn’t indicate how many years ago you […]
Q. I have two hydrangeas. One is a small bush (Annabelle) about 6 years old. It is on the south side of the house but is in deep shade in summer due to large trees growing south and east of it. The other is a climbing hydrangea on the east side and is in the sun in the morning. The climber grows luxuriantly. The bush isn’t really that happy. Neither has ever bloomed. I have […]
Q. I have some spearmint growing now. I can tell when I mow over it, but I don’t know what it looks like. I would like to grow more but don’t how to go about it. A. All of the culinary mints have square stems and opposite leaves, with spearmint, in particular, having elongated-ovate leaves with coarsely toothed margins. Although many seed catalogs may offer seed packets, the best spearmint selections are of Mentha x piperita and can only […]
Q. I purchased many unusual gourds from a local vegetable stand. How is the best way to dry them? How do I save the seeds for next year? A. First, let me address the issue that, due to potential cross-pollination with other compatible plants, saving seed from gourds is rather unpredictable. The offspring may include some plants that will produce similar to the parent gourd, but, then again, you can get some really diverse results! […]
Q. Could you please tell me what I can do for my concord grapes? When they start ripening, they rot, or something like that. A. I’d place my bets on a fungal disease called “black rot.” There are some grape cultivars that are resistant to grape rot, but, unfortunately, ‘ Concord ‘ is highly susceptible. According to Purdue Plant Pathology publication BP-36 “Grape Black Rot” http://www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/BP/BP-36.html , this is one of the most common and serious diseases […]