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Flowers
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Question:
We have 13 Amaryllis bulbs from larger bulbs
that have not bloomed yet. Any suggestions? Terry, Beckley,
WV
Mort's
Answer: Amaryllis need rest periods in between
blooms. A cellar with temps between 60-70 degrees will
suffice. If they bloomed indoors last winter and were
allowed to run the cycle, they will eventually bloom.
An annual cycle will include allowing the flower to
dissipate on the hollow stem and letting the strap like
leaves mature before resting the bulbous root for
the summer. In central and south Florida or southern
California they will do well outdoors and can be left
through the winter. You need not wait for bulblets to
form each spring. You can cut the bulb in half. Be sure
to include some of the stem and root material in each
section. Very large bulbs can be cut in quarters. If
you put them outdoors in the summer after they have
bloomed in the winter indoors, they may not have enough
energy left to run a cycle. A prolonged resting period
would be best, if you had a winter and summer bloom.
Remove all but an inch of the stem before resting them
in sawdust or sphagnum moss for the summer.
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Question:
Last year my Asiatic lilies bloomed prolifically.
This year they were pink. What caused this change? Shirley,
Old Saybrook, CT
Mort's
Answer: The torrential rains that occurred this
spring and summer probably deleted most of the minerals
that give the soil its acidity. Colors are definitely
affected by mineral elements in the soil, as is the
taste of fruits and vegetables. New England soil is
iron rich and the balance will return next year. You
could add some 5-10-10 granular fertilizer with trace
elements to lower the PH.
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Question:
My azalea did not bloom this past spring.
What could cause this problem? Barbara, Wheeling, WV
Mort's Answer: A late frost will nip many flowers
in the bud. Early blooming azalea need protection from
the north wind. Often times, the wind will dry the buds.
The best location for these early bloomers is on the
east or west side of a structure with an evergreen plant
or fence as a buffer from the north side. If the azalea
is on the south side, the heat of the sun may cause
the buds to swell prematurely. When the late frosts
hit, the tissue is destroyed. Deciduous azaleas with
heavy bud shells and PJM can often survive in unprotected
areas but they should be planted in the partial shade
with shelter.
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Question:
Can you tell me how to plant Bleeding Heart?
Marie, Brunswich, GA
Mort's
Answer: Dicentra spectabilis is best grown in partial
shade. These fleshy plants are popular as a border plant.
They will grow from 18-24 inches and die back to the
ground each winter. They have red or rose colored flowers.
Do not put any fertilizer in the hole. Water thoroughly
at the time of planting and again a week later. In the
fall after the root has been established, you can put
a handful of 5-10-10 fertilizer around the top of the
root.
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Question:
When should I cut back my buddelia? Anna,
Providence, RI
Mort's
Answer: Butterfly bush can be cut back in the fall
or spring. You can wait until late October this fall.
You can cut it to a foot from the ground. Cover the
crown with peat and/or shredded leave mulch. If you
suspect a mean winter (which I do), I would wait until
spring. This means that the branches and leaves will
protect the crown from the severity of the ice and snow.
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Question:
When can I move Buddleia, Azalea and
oriental lilies? Russell, Newport ,RI
Mort's
Answer: Anytime before the Buddleia sprouts leaves
and/or the azalea buds swell.
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Question:
My soil is very hard. What can I use to plant bulbs?
Gabriela, Cumberland, RI
Mort's
Answer: You can put the hose under pressure into
the hole to soften your task. Allow the holes to dry
out after the soil has been extricated. Your holes should
be two and a half times the size of the bulbs. Fill
the holes with a blend of 50% old soil and 50% coarse
sand. If you plant in your old soil, there is a strong
possibility that the bulbs will not do well.
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Question:
What should I do with my dahlias for the
winter? Jack, Old Saybrook, CT
Mort's
Answer: You can leave them out through the first
frost. Sun dry the roots after removing the stems. Cut
off any mushy roots. The largest clumps can be split
at this time. Store them in kitty litter, new sawdust,
peat or burlap in the basement. Temperatures of 35 to
50 are best. Dust with a fungicide to prevent mold.
In the spring you need to wait until the warmer weather
to plant. You can further divide at this time.
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Question:
Can I bring in my dahlias now? Terry, Bolton,
MA
Mort's
Answer: Dahlia experts prefer to wait until after
the first frost for further energy. Allow the plant
to sun dry after removing all the soil. Lastly, cut
the stalks and store the tubers in sawdust or a brown
paper bag in a cool dry place for the winter. Plant
late next spring about 8 inches below the ground.
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Question:
Last year my dahlia tubers were mushy. What
can I do this year? Dorea, Pactchaug, CT
Mort's
Answer: It is a good idea to leave the dahlias
in the soil past the first frost. Take off all the stems,
small roots and dry them in the sun for a day. Wash
them in a mild solution of chlorox. Dust them with Bordeaux
Mix or Captan. Store them in new sawdust in a cool dry
place for the winter, If you can not get new sawdust,
put them in brown paper bags for the winter.
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Question:
When is a good time to transplant dogwood?
Francis, Coventry, RI
Mort's
Answer: If you wait until the maple leaves start
to fall in your area, you can dig it up and move it.
It would be better, if you just dig a ball and leave
it until spring. You can move the dogwood to the new
hole in early April. This two step method is better
because the small fibrous roots are essential to a good
transplant. New roots will continue to grow until the
ground is fully frozen.
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Question:
We have a dogwood that buds but doesn't bloom.
I understand that dogwood needs to dry out. I water
my lawn two or three times a week with the irrigation
system. What would you suggest? Al, Attleboro, MA
Mort's
Answer: You could move the dogwood to an area that
receives less water. I would be concerned about the
frequency of water. You do not need more than an inch
of combined rain and irrigation. My guess is that you
have too much water. This could cause fungus problems
in your lawn. You probably have some root rot on the
dog wood. If you are getting an adequate amount of water
in that area, you could dig drainage holes around the
dogwood and fill them with sand. The holes would have
to go down two or three feet at the leaf drop. I would
recommend about 8 or 10 drainage holes. All soils need
to have aeration. This is best done by letting the soil
dry out. I would water only once a week, if rain doesn't
cover the one inch. Another alternative is to allow
the lawn to go into dormancy in the summer by not watering
in July and August. This will too late to help with
this spring blooms on the dogwood.
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Question:
My Ficus is dropping it's leaves. There doesn't
seem to be any sign of disease or insects. What could
be the problem? Virginia, Boston, MA
Mort's
Answer: Defoliation is quite common to this very
popular indoor tree in the winter. Ficus can take high
light or low light but doesn't do well in changes. When
the light drops around the beginning of winter, very
often the ficus go into dormancy and drop their leaves.
In a month or two new leaves will begin to appear at
he bottom. In the meantime, do not water very frequently
and do not fertilize. Your plant will signal you that
it is ready for regular water at that time. Next fall,
you can remedy this phenomenon by simply moving your
plant closer to the light source as December 21 approaches.
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Question:
Can I plant flowers on top of my spring bulbs?
What do I do with the bulbs? Carla, Groton, CT
Mort's
Answer: Let the spring bulbs die back. Because
tulips are susceptible to failed blooming the second
year, I dig them up and store them in new sawdust. Cut
off the tops of the bulbs and the roots of the tulips.
You can cultivate with a clam rake over the remaining
bulbs and plant annuals such as marigolds petunias and
the like. It is not a good idea to plant perennials
over them especially plants like mums which expand their
roots each year. You might consider planting mums nearby
to increase your time span of blooms from mid winter
with crocus and snowdrops to late winter with daffodils,
hyacinths and tulips to spring with annuals and finally
through fall with mums. In the fall you can replant
the stored tulip bulbs.
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Question:
When can I move forsythia? David, Boston,
MA
Mort's
Answer: As indicated in the first question, all
deciduous material has to be foliated. Deciduous means
not green in winter. You could take cuttings in the
meantime. Make a box that is three sided and place it
against the foundation near the water spigot. The box
should be 6² deep and filled with coarse sand.
Cuttings are taken from the terminal shoots. Each cutting
should be 8² long. Remove the upper two inches
and cut the bottom at an acute angle as possible. Place
the cuttings two inches apart and two inches into the
sand. Water thoroughly and keep moist until roots evolve.
Move the mother plant in October.
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Question:
Can I cut back my forsythia now? Flo, Newport,
RI
Mort's
Answer: You would not do any more harm than in
the spring after blooming, but you will be removing
many of the buds that are now setting for spring. If
you wait until the hollies have red berries, you could
have flowers for forcing in the winter.
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Question:
Should I cut back my Butterfly bush? Evelyn,
Old Saybrook, CT
Mort's
Answer: I would leave the plant, if I expect a
mild winter. The roots will survive in zone 6 and can
be cut back in the spring. It is not necessary to cut
them back but most folks do in the fall.
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Question:
I have had a pot of Calendula for over two
years. It had beautiful blooms, when I first had it.
It has not bloomed since then. What can I do? Mitzi,
Charlestown, RI
Mort's
Answer: Calendula is an annual flower. It is surprising
that is has lasted this long. I would rest the plant
in a cool dry basement for a month in April.. Do let
it freeze. You can plant it outdoors in the early spring
and cut it halfway to the ground. It just may respond
like a tender perennial. Protect the plant from the
frost with straw. If it manages to produce a flower
outdoors, I would bring it in for the winter each year
and repeat the cycle. Calendula officinalis can be grown
in pots for winter blooming. You can take seed from
the mother plant in August, if it blooms again. Pot
of Gold is the more common name and it originated in
southern Europe. Perhaps, there are perennial genes
that you are about to discover from this august plant.
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Question:
When is the best time to plant Camellia and
how I do it? Mary, Brunswick, GA
Mort's
Answer: Camellia generally is sold in containers.
Container stock can be planted at anytime in the cool
hours of evening or early morning. Camellia does better
in partial shade and should be watered thoroughly after
planting. Dig a hole that is 150% the size of the container.
Mix the present soil with 1/3 peat and slightly break
up the root to avoid layering. This will provide an
easier spreading of the roots. Do not put any fert-ilizer
in the hole. A sprinkling of granular 5-10-10 on the
top will suffice. If you need to transplant, you can
dig up a Camellia in November through February in your
area.
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Question:
When is the best time to prune my Camellias?
Loretta, Hot Springs ,AK
Mort's
Answer: Camellias need not be pruned , if they
are doing well. They will be setting the buds for next
spring in a few weeks. If the plant is not doing well,
you can take off one of the parallel buds at that time.
You can cut wood now, if the buds are not showing.
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Question:
Our Christmas Cactus didn't bloom this year
for the first time in years. We haven't repotted in
a few years. Could this be the problem? We also have
some stems dropping off. Todd, Waterford, CT
Mort's
Answer: I would transplant into a 2 inch larger
pot. You need cool temperatures to set the buds for
at least 6 weeks prior to bloom. If you water without
a reservoir to hold the water, you will force the plant
to take up too much water. This results in leave drop.
In the summer cacti and succulents require very little
water. You can not afford to overwater even in Waterford.
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Question:
My Christmas Cactus has not produced any
buds yet. Will they eventually come? I have it outdoors.
Jean, Narrragansett, RI
Mort's
Answer: It has been too warm in your area at night.
When the temperatures go down to 40, you will have buds
on the plant. Keep it out as long as possible before
a frost. This will give you a greater amount of flowers.
If you can keep it in a place in the house that has
these night time temps, your Christmas cactus will continue
to bloom.
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Question:
What is the best location for Christmas Cactus?
Mort's
Answer: A sunny location that is cold at night
will set the blooms. Use a high nitrogen fertilizer
for more buds.
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Question:
My Canna lilies are still in pots in the
cellar. How soon can I put them out and should I cut
them back? Most of the leaves are dead. Vic, Norwich,
CT
Mort's
Answer: You can leave them out through the first
frost in the fall. In the spring they are best served,
if they are put out late. I would cut them back to within
three inches of the root stock. You may find that they
will start to drive in early May or late April in the
pots. If you can hold out until late May, they will
do better outdoors in your area. Because they are tropical,
you
have to either bring in the rootstock in the fall or
put them in pots. Some gardeners find it easier to plant
the roots in pots in two months prior to placing them
outdoors. A hand full of bonemeal scatter on the soil
will do wonders.
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Question:
My clivia has not bloomed the last year.
When I received it two years ago, it had blooms. I see
small knobs at the edge of the pot. Should I cut them
off? Debbie, Groton, CT
Mort's
Answer: You need to transplant your clivia into
a two inch larger pot. Be sure that the new soil contains
a third coarse sand. Clivia miniata blooms in early
spring and should not be root bound.
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Question:
Our Crepe Myrtle has what appears to be white
fungus growing on the leaves. It has affected the flowering.
How can we get rid of it? Huff, Douglasville, GA
Mort's
Answer: If there is a white mass at the joints,
the Lagerstroemia indica has mealybug. Malathion should
correct this. If the white powder is at the middle and
end of the leaves, your Crepe or Crape myrtle has indeed
a fungus. Captan, ferbam or benlate are all excellent
fungicides. A home orchard spray will correct both the
mealybug and the fungus. Follow directions on
the labels.
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Question: I have crocus
and primrose in bloom. Will they survive? Gert,
Groton, CT
Mort's
Answer: Both will survive. It may seem premature
for both but when you consider the mild New England
winter, it is not. Crocus will bloom through the snow
in zone 6 from late January through March. The same
is true for Primula sinensis and P.obconica. These two
tender perennials can and often will bloom very early.
Since you are close to the water, this enhances the
mild winter weather. You cannot alter the blooming.
Crocus will endure colder weather. My crocus have yet
to bloom but they are sprouting vigorously. I would
not try to cover them. After the primrose finishes flowering,
you should cover them. P.obconica has hairy pointed
leaves and blooms in pink or lilac. P.sinensis or Chinese
primrose has woolly leaves with several colored flowers.
P.sinensis stellata has smaller star shaped blooms.
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Question:
My crocus are up to 6 inches tall. Should
I cut them back? Tom, Avon, MA
Mort's
Answer: Definitely not. They will bloom through
snow. Leave them in the ground and let them die down
to the ground in the spring. They usually bloom in March
in zone 6. This unusual warm January thaw may bring
the flower. The flowers will probably not last as long
as in March, but may be more welcomed at this time of
year. These cold weather plants are noted for their
impatience to come to bloom.
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Question:
Some people have told me that it is okay to cut
back my daffodils now, while they are still green.
What do you suggest? Estelle, Norwich, CT
Mort's
Answer: While the leaves are still green and not
completely dried out, they are producing chlorophyll
and nutrient for the root bulbs. I wait until the wind
is ready to take them away.
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