Q: We have some bearded iris that have spread out from their original planted spot and now form a circle with an empty spot in the middle. Can we divide them and replant them back into the spot they came from? It’s the best location to see them from between some bushes. A: Yes, you…
Plum Sprouts and Clematis Death
Q: My neighbor has a plum tree near our yard. This year, I have discovered about a dozen plum tree sprouts in my flower beds and lawn. Is there a way to control them, short of removing his tree? Digging them out is leaving holes in the grass and beds. A: First, you need to…
Don’t Use Gravel in Flowerpots
Q: I bought a half-barrel to use as a planter, but it doesn’t have drainage holes. Do I need holes in the pot, or can I just add some gravel to the bottom for drainage? A: If you think you might use the pot for some other purpose in the future that will need to…
When to Treat Your Lawn for Grubs—and Why You Might Not Need To
Q: I was wondering about grubs because my neighbor said his yard had lots of grubs last fall. When should we start to treat them? A: How bad were the grubs in his lawn last year? Most people are caught up in the craze of killing every grub, when, in fact, most grubs do very…
When and How to Thin Fruit Trees
Q: We moved into this house two years ago. We were told there was a 3-year-old apple tree in the backyard. Last year, there was no fruit, but this year, the tree has thousands of small apples. First, is this normal? One year of no fruit and the next with too much? Second, will the…
Vegetable Garden Troubleshooting
Q: We planted a new vegetable garden with a lot of different vegetable seeds. We killed the existing lawn grass by scraping the plants off, and we did some digging to loosen the soil. We covered the garden with 2 to 4 inches of bark mulch from the city to keep out the weeds. The…
How to Grow and Harvest Strawberries
Q: We bought some strawberry plants at the big-box store and planted them. They seem to be growing just fine. I did some reading about the strawberry variety we bought, and some of the sources said to cut off all of the flowers this year. The plants are supposed to grow more strawberries next year….
Clearing Confusion on GMOs and GEOs
Q: As a Master Gardener, I’m disheartened your article on pest control is promoting GMO plants as a means of pest control for home gardens. A: As a former instructor of Master Gardeners, I am disheartened that you are confused about genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Sometimes, people argue about a controversial topic without knowing…
Annual, Biennial, or Perennial?
Q: Can you help me remember the difference between annuals and perennials? For some reason, I have it in my mind that a perennial is a plant that I have to keep planting and an annual is a one that replaces itself annually. I know that is wrong, but how do I remember it correctly?…
Do Trees Need to Be Painted?
Q: I am planting some 6- to 10-foot-tall fruit trees and a couple of small shade trees. Is there really a benefit to painting the tree trunks or wrapping them in that spiral wrap stuff? A: How many trees do you see in nature that are painted or wrapped? Tree trunks don’t normally need to…
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