Lawn and Garden FAQ's

Archived questions & answers and tips

African Violet

• Can African violets be grown close together?
  

Arborvitae

• I have two Arborvitae newly planted this year and both are losing a considerable amount of leaves. Is this normal?
  

Aruncus Diocius (Goat's Beard)

• I bought some Aruncus Diocius plants through the mail. I wasn't sure how to plant them. Are they roots?
  

Azaleas

• I want to plant Azaleas in front of my house. What kind do I get, how many I would need for the front of the house. Also, when is the best time to plant them and what is proper care?
  
• Each year about this time, my azaleas become afflicted with a fungus growth. It is whitish or grayish in color. They measure in size from thumb nail size to thumb size. Can you tell me how I might prevent this growth and/or how to cure it?
  
• My azaleas have yellow leaves with black specks on the back. Why is this and what can I do about it?
  

Butterfly Bush

• What is the proper fertilizing and trimming care for a butterfly bush?

Caladium

• I have a bicolor Caladium plant (pink & green). Every few days the color fades on a leaf and eventually dies. Is there anything I can do to keep it from dying? Is there any special care for this plant?

Christmas Cactus

• My Christmas Cactus is getting hard to handle. Can I cut it in half?

Crape Myrtle

• I purchased a Crape Myrtle last year and this year the tree did not bloom and the branches didn't grow from former branches. What happened?
  

Dahlias

• Is it good to move Dahlias in the fall?

Day Lilies

• Should I cut off the remaining parts of the bloom on Day Lilies?

English Boxwoods

• We transplanted 18 very mature English boxwoods last fall. One turned brown and another turned half brown. The rest of them did fine. What caused it? Any suggestions on what to do when we replace them?

Evergreens

• I want plants that can last through all types of weather. Are there any?

Fungus

• Every year, beginning in June, fungus attacks our fescue lawn. The brown patches are in the same spots every year and the problem progressively worsens. Given the cost of fungicide, is a fungus-free lawn just a dream?

General Gardening

• Can I trim all my flowering plants back now and how much should I trim them?
  
• I want plants that can last through all types of weather. Are there any? I want to plant outdoors with low maintenance throughout the year.
  
• When cutting the grass, is it better to bag the clippings or blow them out?
  
• What do I do about weeds in my mulch?
  
• We have a small front yard with seven pine trees. Our soil is very acidic and the lawn gets very little sunshine. What type of grass should we purchase?
  
• Every year, beginning in June, fungus attacks our fescue lawn. The brown patches are in the same spots each year and the problem progressively worsens. Given the cost of fungicide, is a fungus-free lawn just a dream?
  

Gladiolus bulbs

• Do you take up Gladiolus bulbs for the winter?

Grape vines

• When is a good time to thin out my grape vines?

Gum tree

• What can I do to make flowers and grass grow around Gum trees?

Hibiscus

• How do you prepare a Hibiscus for winter?

Hydrangeas

• When is the best time to transplant a small hydrangea plant?
  
• When is the proper time to prune hydrangeas?
  

Impatiens

• I would like to know how to root impatiens from clippings
  

Insects

• What are aphids?
  
• How do I de-bug plants brought inside for the winter?
  
• How do you prevent ladybugs from entering your house? Are there any methods of ridding oneself of these critters? Is it true that they are "seeded" by our local government?
  
• How do you get rid of gnats? We have them flying around inside the house?
  
• Our cat has killed all our moles, but now the grubs are going wild! I've heard that Nematodes would get them. How and when do I use them?
  

Iron Chlorosis

• What is iron Chlorosis and how do plants get it?

Leyland Cyprus

• I planted a line of Leyland Cyprus and put watering or feeding tubes down to the side of them last Spring. How long should I leave these tubes in?

Lilacs

• My lilac tree Is not blooming. Why? Is there something wrong with it?

Magnolias

• What is an Elizabeth Magnolia?
  
• If I trim the ends of the limbs of my Magnolia, will the whole limb die?

Moles and Voles

• I have a lot of tunnels in my yard and my flower beds. What can I do about moles and voles?

Mulch

• Can oak leaves be ground up and used as mulch in flower beds?

Mums

• My mums are blooming now. Will I have two crops of flowers? What is the fastest that I should pinch the buds?

Otto Lyuken Laurel

• My Otto Lyuken Laurel leaves are full of tiny holes and it is now attacking the four others I have. What is eating them?

Peace lily

• How do you care for a Peace Lily in the house?

Photina (Red Tips)

• What is the best time to prune Red Tips?
  
• How do I treat the black spots that are appearing on my Photina (Red Tips)? What causes this fungus?

Roses

• Do you know of any reason why a yellow rose bush, that I cut down all the way (I left the root), would grow back with red roses?
  
• Why do my rose bushes lose their leaves? I mulch them and we've certainly had enough rain.
  
• While visiting a garden in N.C. I saw a plant called a "tube rose". Is this a plant that can be grown outside in Richmond?
  
• When do I prune back roses and winterize them for winter?

Shrubs

• Is it too late to plant shrubbery this year?

Tent caterpillars

• Many people have tent caterpillars in their trees right now. What should be done about them?

Thundercloud plum trees

• How do I get my Thundercloud plum trees to have more leaves?

Tomato plants

• Is it too late to put out tomato plants? If not, how long does it usually take for them to bear fruit?
  
• I purchased a tomato plant. Can I leave it to grow in the container it came in? How do I take care of it?

Tulips

• Now that my tulips have died back, can I transplant them now or must I take them up and replant them in the fall?

TIPS

• Azalea leaf gall
  
• Pruning Azaleas, Dogwoods & Rhododendrons
  
• Perennials gardens
  
• Avoid applying fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides and weed killers when temperatures rise above 85 degrees.
  
• Never remove more than one third of the grass blade in a single cutting.
  
• To pinch is to promote stronger, bushier plants with more flower power.
  
• Mulch around new plants.
  
• Yellow leaves
  
• How to plant annuals
  
• When picking flowers
  
• Select native plants
  
• Stevia
  
• Roses prefer a full day of sun
  
• Blackspots on roses
  
• Pruning tomato plants
  
• Feeding tomatoes
  
• Crape Myrtle tips
• Keeping your Crape Myrtle compact and shrublike
  
• Training your Crape Myrtle into a tree
  
• Thinning Fruit
  
• Pollination for fruiting
  
• Propagating Hydrangeas
  
• Changing the color of Hydrangeas
  
• Botanical spray you can make for aphids
  
• Attract beneficial insects to your garden
  
• Now is the time to "deadhead" your spent rhododendron blossoms.
  
• Soil testing
  
• Soil types make a difference