DIY Front Yard Maintenance: Evergreen Care in Toronto

Taking Over Professional Landscaping in Zone 5 Youve inherited a professionally maintained front yard in Toronto (USDA Zone 5) and need to maintain it yourself. Key fact: burlap wrapping on evergreens was likely for wint

Front Yard Evergreen Winter Protection in Toronto: Burlap, Salt, and Japanese Maple Care

Dave in Toronto moved into a home with professionally landscaped front yard (evergreens, grasses, perennials, Japanese maple). Previous owners wrapped evergreens in burlap. He wants low-maintenance care and asks if burla

Petunia Growth Timeline: Seed to Bloom and Flower Opening Duration

University student needs petunia growth timing for advertising assignment: sprout time, unopened blossom appearance, and blossom opening duration. Data (C.L.) Seed to first bloom: 12-13 weeks. Formed flower to open: 6-9

Freezing Devil's Claw Seeds: Effect on Germination

Prince stored white-seeded Devils Claw (Proboscidea hookeri) seeds in freezer in ziplock. Asks if that harms or helps. Answer (C.L.) Seeds of this species are notoriously hard to germinate; dormancy may last years. Freez

Overwintering Morning Glory Seedlings Indoors? Not Recommended

Central Arkansas gardener has self-sown morning glory seedlings in fall. Asks if can dig up and bring inside or to sheltered pot. Advice (Mike) Morning glories are annuals needing full sun and a trellis. Dont bring indoo

DIY Vacation Watering for Petunias in Arizona: Milk Jug and Soaker Hose Methods

Arizona gardener planted petunias in fall in peatmoss/garden soil mix. Waters every 3-4 days by hand, avoiding foliage. Going away for a week in mid-December; needs makeshift watering system for planter shared with orchi

Saving a Pruned Gardenia: Photoperiod and Temperature for Blooming

Kates aunt in Long Island pruned gardenia to stalks, keeps it indoors under lamp hoping for spring blooms. Asks if it can be saved. Research-Based Strategy (The Long Island Gardener) Gardenias dont go dormant. If stalks

Double Color Flower Experiment: Need More Details

Christine asks for help on double color flower experiment. Response (C.L.) Need more info: breeding multi-colored flowers? Growing? Altering colors? School project? Cant help without details.

Ornamental Cabbage and Kale Winter Survival in North Florida

Gardener in north Florida (with freezes) asks if ornamental cabbage/kale survive winter. Answer (The Long Island Gardener) Theyre hardy annuals: withstand frost and snow, color intensifies in cold. A.J. Rahn Greenhouse s

Devil's Claw (Proboscidea) Naturalization and Germination Challenges

Prince planted Devils Claw and asks if its naturalized and how to naturalize it. Clarification (C.L.) Naturalized means it spreads on its own; takes 3+ years to know. If thats not the question, clarify. Note: Devils Claw

Propagating Camellias: Air Layering vs. Cuttings

Robin wants to start more camellias from a pink-blooming tree. Asks how. Methods (The Long Island Gardener) Seeds: 4-20 years to bloom—too slow. Cuttings: Notoriously difficult; winter impossible. Best late July-Sept whe

Bougainvillea After Freeze: Wait for Spring Growth Before Pruning

Janet in AZ had a freeze; covered bougainvilleas still brown and leafless. Asks if she should cut back now or wait. Advice (C.L.) Wait. Stems may still be alive and leaf out in spring. Once new green growth appears, prun

Easy Seed Saving for Annual Flowers: A Simple Guide for Indian Gardeners

Saving seeds is thrifty and fun, though hybrids may not come true. Here’s a straightforward method for Sweet William, gazania, dianthus, cineraria, salvia, and marigold. Harvest & Dry Leave spent flowers on the plant u

Saving Flower Seeds: Sweet William, Gazania, Dianthus, Cineraria, Salvia, Marigold

Each species has its quirks, but the general process is similar. Here’s a step-by-step for the listed flowers, with special notes for Sweet William. General Seed-Saving Steps Let flowers fade and seed heads mature on t

Bold, Low-Maintenance Porch Planting: Petunias, Marigolds & Vertical Accents

For a Mississippi porch with widely spaced boxwoods, the key is horizontal spreaders that love heat and don’t flop. Zinnias are vertical; petunias are the answer. Design Palette Wave or Supertunia petunias – Vigorous,

Designing a Porch Flower Bed: Color, Succession & Carpenter Bee Tips

Jamie’s Mississippi porch bed has boxwoods spaced 1–2 ft apart, with a history of zinnias flopping, marigolds overwhelming vinca, and carpenter bees making staking painful. Here’s a redesign for continuous color, better

Spider Mites on Cypress Vine Seedlings: Safe, Effective Control

Cypress vine (Ipomoea quamoclit) seedlings are tender and easily damaged by sprays. If you see fine webbing and tiny brown dots, you likely have spider mites—but confirm before treating. First Steps Wash them off. Take

King Tut Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus 'King Tut'): Growing, Propagating & Overwintering

This dwarf Egyptian papyrus (2–3 ft tall) is a striking foliage plant for pots, pond margins, or moist garden beds. Hardy only to zone 9, it’s grown as an annual or overwintered indoors in colder zones. Propagation: See

Spider Mite Rescue: Why Fungicides Backfire & How to Save Your Broom Plants

Spider mites (Tetranychus urticae) are microscopic sap-suckers that explode in hot, dry weather. If you treated your broom plants with a fungicide, you likely wiped out the beneficial fungi that naturally suppress mites—

Growing Trailing Lobelia in Window Boxes: Patience & Care Tips

Sapphire trailing lobelia is a delicate, cascading annual that rewards patience. In the UK’s mild spring, it needs time to settle before it flowers profusely. What to Expect Lobelia won’t cascade immediately. It needs s