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Garden Questions 2002

I started gardening a couple of years ago and mainly grow vegetables.  I have been digging the ground up in the spring but then I heard somewhere you should spade it up in the fall.  Which is better?

 If you are planning a new garden And the soil has not been dug up for awhile, start in the fall. Turn the soil over, incorporating any organic matter and compost into it.  Consider planting a cover crop of annual rye grass to keep the soil from winter erosion.  Above all else protect the soil from erosion.  You will loose nutrients and the top soil that is vital to successful plantings.  If you don’t want to plant a cover crop throw leaves or some type of mulch over the bare soil to keep it protected. 

In the spring turn the soil over as soon as it can be worked and incorporate the cover crop and compost added during the fall.  Now is the time to add a light fertilizer or an organic manure (cow). 

Shortly before you are ready to plant you can rototill or spade the garden area to a fine grade and be ready to plant your seeds and seedlings.

If you have gardened in that spot last year, you can go ahead an turn the soil when it is close to planting time in the spring.

I just bought an animal frame for a topiary project.  What do I do next?  Do I fill it with sphagnum moss or what?

Step 1      Pick up some sphagnum moss from your local nursery or garden center.  While your there pick up the plants you want to use.  Many plants are suitable.  Ivy is the most common and it comes in a wide variety of colors and leaf shapes.  One of my favorite plants to use is Scented Geraniums.  There are so many varieties and they have a terrific fragrance. 

Step 2      Fill a bucket or bowl with warm water.  Place the moss in the water and soak it until it is soft then wring it out like a sponge.       

Step 3     Remove your plants from the pots.

Step 4     Start filling your frame, from the bottom up, and when you get to about 3” deep you are ready to place some of the plants in the frame.  Use your own judgment about how full or thick you want to plant.  Make sure the plant is not placed too deeply.  The crown of the plant (where the plant meets the soil) should be even with the outer part of the moss. 

Step 5     Pack in more moss working your way around the frame alternating between plants and moss until finished.

Step 6     Hold your frame under the sink and spray the whole frame down.

You’re finished!  How does it look?   Be sure to keep the topiary moist and don’t let the moss dry out.  Over time the plants will fill in the bare spaces and you will need to periodically trim to keep the shape.

I just moved into a new house.  (New to us anyway)  Plants seem to be planted everywhere and are overgrown.  When is the best time to move plants around especially the bulb type plants that seem to be everywhere?

The best time to move the bulb plants is after they are done blooming for the season.  You may have to mark the spots where they exist now and label what they are.  You can dig them up when the leaves turn brown.

Around here, there has been a running debate, for a long time, about when the best time to transplant shrubs and small trees.  Spring?  Or Fall?  I think as long as the plant is dormant you can safely move it to a new location.  That doesn’t mean that you couldn’t move them when they are in leaf.  After all when you buy a shrub at a nursery they are usually in full leaf. But if you are digging one out of the ground, chances are that the roots have already spread out in an attempt to establish themselves.

Dig the hole in the new location first and make sure the diameter is about 1 ½ times the size of the root ball of your tree or shrub.  Then dig around the shrub you are moving and be sure to get as large a root ball as possible with as much soil remaining around the roots as possible.  Pack in the roots of the transplanted shrub or tree with compost or good quality soil and water it in.  Make sure you have left no air pockets around the roots or those roots may die when exposed to the air pocket. 

It will be in shock for a while and may lose a few leaves.  But it won’t be long and it will take off in new growth and leaves.

I have a new Bonsai indoor tree.  It was given to me by co-workers while I was on disability.  The green leaves are turning yellow.  What does that mean.  I had the tree at a window with bright sunlight.  Is this too much direct sun?  I have been watering the plant every three days. Please help me.  I do not want to lose all the leaves on the tree.

First thing- don’t water on a schedule of 2 days, three days and so forth.  Water when the soil feels mildly dry to the touch.  The time schedule can vary with the seasons and how much daylight there is.  The second thing is the tree may be deciduous and will loose its leaves in the fall just like outdoor specimens. Trees like maples, elms and beech for example all loose their leaves.  So don’t throw it out because by spring it will leaf out again.  And remember to keep it moderately moist through the winter.

Some of us might benefit in knowing how to protect our trees/plants during the next month when no watering is allowed.  What about roses? What kind of  "deep watering"" tool would you recommend for attending to them?

Many are suffering severe drought this year, especially in the southwestern states of the US.  We here in Colorado have been experiencing the worst drought in recorded history for this region.  Water has been extremely restricted and will eventually be cut off for most outdoor watering. What does this mean to your valuable plants and trees?   

The landscape is not only a visual asset it is an investment of time and money.  It enhances the overall life experience of owning a home and adds a lot of beauty to our surroundings.  But what happens when water, the life force of plants disappears?

There is really no best protection for these circumstances.  Most cities are allowing shrubs and tree watering and have drastically cut back lawn watering.  The most conservative way to get water to these plants is to use a root feeder specially designed for trees.  The Ross root feeder is the most popular and even allows you to add fertilizer pellets to it.  It can be found at most nurseries and hardware stores. 

This devise will allow you to push water a couple feet into the ground directly to the roots.  Most new plantings of any kind will most likely be banned in the near future and have come to a standstill anyway with no water, but of the few shrubs we have installed we have added a polymer to the soil right around the roots.  I would suggest that anyone with a water problem look into adding these to the soil around your plants. They are small crystals that absorb about 20 times their size in water volume. So when the soil starts to dry out they remain full of water and slowly leach water back to the roots of the plant. They can be found at nursery supply centers and if you can’t find it send us an email we can get it for you.

I am looking for a reference book to identify plants, trees, flowers of Georgia only. Can you help?

There are not many and this is the only one we can recommend.

Nature's melody : a guide to native wildflowers, ferns, shrubs, trees and vines for gardens in the State of Georgia

I Live in Michigan (not exactly tropical) but I have several large windows that I would like to put indoor houseplants in front of. Can you suggest a Tropical variety that would do ok in front of a window?  My window is very large and southern facing. If not a flowering variety, what about one with interesting foliage.  I currently have a palm that is doing very well.  Thanks for your ideas.  S. B.

To start with, there are many plants that would do well.  Anything citrus would do well and the flowers smell so great in the springtime with fruit that follows.  They would become a showpiece and marveled at by visitors.  Another unique plant would be a dwarf Banana (Nana).  You get great Tropical foliage and periodically it will bloom and bear fruit.  They need bright light but not heavy sun.  Coffee plants would work if not placed too close to the window as the leaves may burn. Lobster Claw (Heliconia) will give you flowers and tropical foliage.  The best of both worlds.  I hope this gets you off to a good start.  

Further Comments from readers regarding this question: For the inquiry from Michigan about plants to grow in a sunny window, I suggest bougainvillea.  I have grown these for many years in hanging baskets in my west-facing sunroom.  They are triggered to bloom by the short day-length of winter, and will give color practically all winter long.  Also, suggest they be fertilized with Miracid  water-soluble fertilizer according to package Directions for more bloom.   Virgil ""The Old-Thymer"" Jones"            (Thanks Virgil)

http://www.driftwoodgardens.com/jacarandacaucana.htm

I have seeds for the JACARANDA TREE. When is the best time to seed and how should it be done.  Directly in the soil, at what depth and what kind of area is best suited.  I live in Connecticut, what are the chances of having it live well, since this climate is so much colder than its original tropical provenance?  Thanks for any info. D.R.

You should soak your seeds before you plant them. This can be done anytime of the year if you plant indoors.

·          Place the seeds in a small glass bowl and add fresh, lukewarm water.

·          Soak for 24 hours.  If possible change the water after twelve hours.  If seeds are large you should soak another 24 hours.  The seeds should look like they are getting plump.  (Some seeds have a hard outer casing that needs to be softened before planting.  If it is very hard you can hasten the germination time by scraping the shell with sandpaper or a small nail file.  This helps to open the pores.)

Cover the seed to twice its size with the soil. The best germination occurs at temperatures of 70-80 degrees.

When the seed sprouts, it can go to room temperature. 

·          Cover the seedlings with clear bags or plastic wrap to retain moisture.

·          Be patient. Germination could take from 10-40 days.  (Palms take longer.)  The wait is rewarding and worth it.

It will not survive if grown outside in Connecticut but should be grown indoors or in greenhouse culture.

I started gardening a couple of years ago and mainly grow vegetables.  I have been digging the ground up in the spring but then I heard somewhere you should spade it up in the fall.  Which is better?

If you are planning a new garden and the soil has not been dug up for awhile, start in the fall. Turn the soil over, incorporating any organic matter and compost into it.  Consider planting a cover crop of annual rye grass to keep the soil from winter erosion.  Above all else protect the soil from erosion.  You will loose nutrients and the topsoil that is vital to successful plantings.  If you don’t want to plant a cover crop throw leaves or some type of mulch over the bare soil to keep it protected. 

In the spring turn the soil over as soon as it can be worked and incorporate the cover crop and compost added during the fall.  Now is the time to throw in some fertilizer.

Shortly before you are ready to plant you can rototill or spade the garden area to a fine grade and then you are ready to plant your seeds and seedlings.

If you have gardened in that spot last year, you can go ahead and wait to turn the soil when it is close to planting time in the spring.

I have area in my lawn that grow moss and I can’t seem to get rid of it.  What can I do short of some major chemical attack?

I have area in my lawn that grow moss and I can’t seem to get rid of it.  What can I do short of some major chemical attack?

We don’t have too much of a problem with moss here in semi-arid Colorado, especially during a severe drought, unless too much water is being poured on the lawn or it is very shady.  If we do see it we kind of think of it as a novelty.  In fact, I like to collect it and use it in our Bonsai displays.   

Anyway, if you do have a problem you wouldn’t be the first and here’s what we suggest you do.

• Improve drainage first.  If you don’t want to rip up the lawn, hire a company to aerate the lawn or if you have the ambition, rent an aerator to do it yourself.
• Cut down on the watering.
• Check PH and try to raise it to a 6 to 6.8 range.  Check your local nursery for the best product to use for your area.
• Moss loves infertile soil.  So get the lawn back into shape with a good quality lawn fertilizer or compost.

I have 2 Cotinus coggyria shrubs (smoke trees), but they never ""smoke"". One is over 20 years old, and the other; a Royal Purple variety is about 9 years old. They both bloom in the spring, but the fluffy pinkish seed heads that should appear now, do not. Last year, the older smokebush did have two small clusters of seed heads. One is planted in the middle of a lawn that is not fertilized (so, no excess nitrogen to blame), and the other is in a flowerbed.

Any thoughts? I have looked everywhere for an answer. Thanks, Jane  

 Smoke bush plants are well liked for the purple foliage and the smoke-like plumes of inflorescences that appear in late July and early August. There are a couple reasons that cause the smoke bush not to “smoke.  The one is excessive fertilizations.  The other is too much water.  I think that since the one is in a lawn and the other in a flowerbed, they are receiving way too much water. 

However it would not be advisable to transplant them at this age unless you can get a tree balling service to come out ant do it for you.  This would allow the trees to be moved with the least amount of disturbance possible.

I also noticed that you sell seeds for planting angles trumpets, I heard that these were extremely poisonous and should not be kept in houses containing pet or small children and I was wondering if this was true.

It is true that all parts of this plant are toxic and as with any plant supervision and caution should be the rule when you have pets or children around.

Hi, we planted a mango seed today, my question is, When is it safe to transplant it? I only had a one gallon pot, Which I am sure it will outgrow. (if it does grow). thanks, Kim 

Your mango will be ready to transplant when it reaches several feet or when the roots have become crowded.  Just tap the plant out of the pot and occasionally check the roots.  A good healthy root system will look white, solid and full. You can then go up in size to a five-gallon size.  You should be able to maintain the plant at this size for quite some time.

I am just starting out and learning about the art of bonsai and I live in zone 6... I have read a lot of books, but one thing they really don't tell me is how to care for them in winter; some say to put them in a cold frame but then how do they get the fresh air they talk about? Then I have also read to bury the pots in the dirt and then mulch heavy... ok what do they mean by mulch heavy do I cover the complete plant from top to bottom or just the trunk and pot? And what if they are just little seedling that are in the ground?  Can I cover them with a 5 gal bucket with lots of holes drilled around it. The books don't seem to really go into a lot of detail about this. I am confused.  What can I do?

I planted a trumpet vine about 3 years ago.  It hasn’t grown much and usually blooms only a couple flowers a year. It is in a moist shady spot where I want it to grow over an arbor.  I had to prune it due to a late frost.  What is wrong?

Trumpet vines, (campsis), are usually vigorous growers and can tolerate some shade.  But what they really want is a very sunny spot with a little protection from wind.  They do need to be well watered and grown in well drained soil.    Flowers are produced on new vines so prune larger vines in late fall or early spring.    I suspect the lack of sun is the probable culprit for the lack of flowers and vigor.

We have just built a terraced garden with two layers of stone walls about four feet in height.  We used the prefabricated stone and are now wondering what we can plant to make it more naturalistic. What do you recommend that would kind of fall over the wall and hide it some?  Niwot CO

My first recommendation (and one of my favorites) is honey suckle vine.  We use this a lot in water features, where we want to add a naturalistic appearance and add some color.  We plant the vine at the top and let it fall over rocks and into the water.  Another idea is clematis or trumpet vine.  There are also many types of climbing roses you could plant for color and greenery.  I would also recommend that you use a combination of plants for added effect.  Don’t just settle for one variety.

I Live in Michigan (not exactly tropical) but I have several large windows that I would like to put indoor house plants in front of. Can you suggest a Tropical  variety that would do ok in front of a window.  My window is very large and southern facing.  If not a flowering variety, what about one with interesting foliage.  I currently have a palm that is doing very well.  Thanks for your ideas.  Susan Buchanan

Well, to start with, there are many plants that would do well.  Anything citrus would do well and the flowers smell so great in the spring time and then you will have fruit that follows.  I guarantee that they would become a showpiece and marveled at by visitors.  Another unique plant would be a dwarf Banana (Nana).  You get great Tropical foliage and periodically it will bloom and bear fruit.  They need bright light but not heavy sun. (See related article this issue)  Coffee plants would work if not placed too close to the window as the leaves may burn. Lobster Claw will give you flowers and tropical foliage.  The best of both worlds.  I hope this gets you off to a good start.  

I have a couple of questions regarding the Apricot Tomato (Solanum Quitoense):

How big do these plants get if planted in the ground? How big a pot  do they need to produce fruit well indoors?

A five-gallon pot is sufficient for this plant.  If planted in the ground they would need a Zone 10 or higher and cannot tolerate any frost.  They are very shrub-like and may reach several feet.

 If grown indoors in containers, do they keep going indefinitely, or  do they expend themselves like an annual plant and just stop growing and producing at some point?

Annuals are only annuals because they cannot tolerate the conditions like cold weather.  Many annuals are actually tropical plants and grow many years in warm weather.  We have grown the same tomato plant (eating tomato) for about 5 years in a greenhouse whereas in the garden it would be considered an annual.   The Apricot tomato will continue to grow for many years as you would expect a tropical houseplant.

 Do you know if there are any problems if they are planted close to tomatoes? That is, will cross-pollination with tomatoes, if it's possible, affect the quality of the tomatoes' fruit or theirs? This is important because, if I plant any outside, they will be quite close to both my tomatoes and a neighbor's.

As to cross pollination - they are in the same larger genus but are really not closely related to the tomato.  It would be much like the potato being part of the same larger genus but, generally speaking, a person would not hesitate to plant tomatoes with potatoes in a small garden without worry of the two crossing. It also may take a year or more for this plant to produce.  It should be thought as more of a tropical houseplant than a garden plant.

Do you know where I can get peanut seeds? I live in Modesto, CA. When must they be planted? I want some for my grandchildren.

Peanuts are a popular garden plant, especially for children.  They can be found in the Gurney and Henry Fields catalogs among others. Another source would be to visit your local health food store and request “raw peanuts.”  These can also be planted. Plant as you would a bean.  Make sure the soil is loose for good production.  Pea-like flowers are produced, followed by the “nut,” or seed, just below the surface of the soil.  They require a sunny location and are very frost tender. They will need about 120-160 frost free days to produce a crop, depending on the variety.  Click here for more about growing peanuts.

I need all info you can give me on Lobster Claw seeds (Heliconia sp.)

A Backyard Gardner’s Guide to Heliconia

by Regina Roper (Re-printed here from The Tumbleweed Garden News)

Heliconia are the most marvelous plants.  Like orchids and tropical water lilies, collecting them can become an addiction. Ask my husband, Steve, who can look at the blooms of two distinctly different cultivars of upright heliconia side by side, and say something like, “They look an awful lot alike…how much did you pay for this new one?”  But then, he doesn’t garden. There are over 450 botanical names for different species, varieties and hybrids; cultivated varieties number over 200. Heliconia were once reserved for the lucky folks who live in USDA Zones 10 and higher, as most of them will not tolerate temperatures under about 45F for prolonged periods. But fortunately new colder hardy types have emerged, and folks as high as zone 8 have been able to overwinter some types.  Of course, a greenhouse makes anything possible.  While heliconia used to be collected mainly from nurseries specializing in tropical plants, they now turn up in all sorts of places, such as Walmart, K Mart, Lowes, and Home Depot, not to mention your local favorite nursery, where many (if not most) of the people selling them have no real idea what the plants really are, or what they need  to grow and flower. They can also be purchased over the Internet, as rhizome sections, where the people selling them are vastly more knowledgeable about their product. This article is designed to give the average gardener a small knowledge of the types of heliconia and how to successfully grow them.

Heliconia basically fall into two distinct types: PENDANT, where the inflorescence hangs downward, and  ERECT, where the inflorescence emerges upright from the terminus of a stalk of leaves. Among both these groups, they can be further divided into either DISTICHOUS (meaning that the bloom has a stem or axis and the bracts are arranged in a symmetrical fashion on either side of it like a ladder), or SPIRALLY ARRANGED (meaning that the stem twists and thus the bracts do too.)

The type of heliconia most commonly grown by home gardeners in all but zones 9 and 10 is a distichous erect type called H. psitticorum. (“Parrot Beak”). These are the small plants, usually not exceeding 5-6 ft. The most commonly available cultivars are CHOCONIANA, which is orange, and LADY DI (aka RED LADY) which is red and yellow. These are sold in discount outlet stores like K Mart and Home Depot every summer. But many other named cultivars are available, for example Sassy, Parakeet, Parrot, Shamrock, and Andromeda to name a few of the more common. Being smaller in stature, these have the advantage of being able to be carried indoors during cold weather and grown as houseplants in colder climates. You can get them potted, or grow them from rhizomes.

An intermediate type of heliconia which is small enough to be pot-grown and brought inside in winter are the Strictas. These are erect distichous types which rarely exceed 9 feet, most being about 5-6 feet. These are “claw” types, smaller versions of their larger cousins the Bihai and Caribeae types. Strictas common to the trade are cultivars BUCKY, SHARONII, COCHABAMBA, DWARF JAMAICAN, and FIREBIRD to name a few. Unless you live in an area which supports tropical nurseries, you would most likely purchase these as rhizome sections either at the plant sales held by a Botanical Garden, or through the mail.

The BIHAIS and the CARIBEAES are the larger varieties of distichous erect heliconia. They are rarely under 5 ft. at maturity, and most are 12-20 ft. Their color range encompasses red, orange, green, maroon, yellow, and gold…they can be striped, bicolor, and tricolor. The Bihais contain cultivars which are called  “Giant Claws” and also sometimes “Giant Lobster Claws”.  Common to the trade are cultivars  KAMEHAMEHA, KUMA NEGRO, NAPPI, and LOBSTER CLAWS I and II. Common  Caribeaes might include BLACK MAGIC, CREAM, FLASH and GOLD.  While it can be a challenge, some of these will lend themselves to being potted in 15-20 gallon pots, and will bloom. This facilitates bringing them in the house when a freeze comes around. Crazy, you say? Then I must be…I haul in about 30 big pots every winter. (Yes, we have high ceilings).

Anyone who has ever looked at a travel brochure for somewhere like Costa Rica, Hawaii, Ecuador, and South America has probably seen the heliconia that most people instantly think of when they hear the name: H. rostrata. Also commonly called “Lobster Claw”, this pendant variety is widely grown, and as luck would have it there is also a dwarf variety (the big one can get 20 feet tall). It was originally from the Amazon around Peru, and is sometimes sold by the name H. rostrata PERU. It is also known as H. rostrata RUIZ and PAVON. Pendants can be distichous, spiral, or a kind of a combination. They are considered harder to grow than the erect types, probably because some can attain a height of 25-26 feet given the right conditions. Pendants will bloom in pots…I personally have three pendant varieties growing in 20 gallon pots which are about 10-12 feet tall and have bloomed. Besides Rostrata, only a few varieties of pendants are widely available for retail sale. These are the Pogonantha varieties; two Wawra cultivars named FROSTY and RED WAXY; the “sexy” heliconias H. chartacea  SEXY PINK and SEXY SCARLET, H. platystachys SEXY ORANGE; and the H. collinsiana varieties. Again, the most likely place one would find these are through mail order from a tropical nursery.

Heliconia are actually easy to grow if they are given what they need. They like rich soil which is also fast draining. I mix my own soil using equal parts of sand, peat humus, perlite, and pine bark mulch.  The book HELICONIA: AN IDENTIFICATION GUIDE by Fred Berry and W. John Kress advocates a mix of pine bark mulch, styrofoam, and Canadian peat moss in equal volumes, and states that the styrofoam can be substituted with sand or finely crushed volcanic rock, while the pine bark mulch can be replaced with wood shavings, rice shells, or macadamia nut shells.

I water everyday here in Florida in the spring, summer, and fall…less so in winter… and fertilize the blooming size plants weekly with a high phosphate “Bloom Special” soluble fertilizer. The smaller non-blooming size plants receive 20-20-20. Both receive SUPERTHRIVE at the concentration of 1 drop/gal. I also spray the leaves a few times a week with soluble 20-20-20 at the same time I do my orchid collection. Most varieties will tolerate a range of light anywhere from full sun to 50-80% shade depending on the variety. This makes it even easier to bring plants inside the house for the winter.

I would encourage anyone with an interest in growing heliconia to look at the following sources, which were used to compose this piece:

“Heliconia: An Identification Guide”, Fred Berry and W. John Kress, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1991

Do you need to cut the broccoli tops off before they boom?

 If you aren’t collecting seed and want a tasty crop you should definitely cut the crop before the small yellow flowers appear. 

When do you cut the broccoli?

Cut broccoli when the heads are full and compact.  When you see the heads begin to move apart it is getting late. This will also cause tasty tiny heads to side shoots from the plant.

What causes broccoli to bolt and how can you stop it?

Temperature is the key to keeping the plant from bolting.  Broccoli like cool temperatures and when spring moves into summer and as the heat begins to rise the plant will bolt.  So it is important to get these plant out as early in the spring as possible. It grows best with a temperature range of 40 – 70 degrees.

I love my Marigolds but for some reason I am having trouble this year.   The lower stems are dark and the plants are shriveling up and dying.  What should I do?

It sounds like the plants are suffering from a soil born fungus. This fungus starts in the root system then proceeds up the plant eventually killing it.  This fungus (phytophthora cryptogea) love moist, soggy poorly drained soil.  Get rid of all infected plants and do not compost them.  Cut down the watering and work your soil for better drainage by adding more compost and soil amendments.  The dwarf Marigold varieties are resistant to this disease.

My Vegetable seedlings are falling over at the base and dying.  What’s happening?

Most likely they are succumbing to “damping off.”  This is caused by a fungus attacking the plant and usually occurs when unsterilized, rich, moist soil is used.  Let the soil dry before waterings and used a sterilized potting medium of high quality from your local nursery.

 I started my tomato seeds indoors and now the plants are really tall and falling over.  What did I do wrong?

 It sounds like the plants did not get enough light just after the seeds sprouted. Be sure and place a fluorescent light within a couple inches of the top of the newly emerging seedlings. This will allow them to grow strong and not wanting to stretch toward a light source.

When is the best time to transplant my peony?

Peonies are grown for their large brightly colored flowers and range in color from pink, red and even yellow.  Peonies don’t like to be disturbed and can often take a long time to recover when transplanted.  It may take a few years for them to get back to the full blooms the plant may have had before being moved and the best time for transplanting is after flowering and as close to fall as possible.

When should my peony be divided?

Early autumn is also the best time to divide a peony and is a good way to get more of the same beautiful plant.  Dig up and separate the tuberous roots, planting the “eyes”  at least 2” below the soil surface.

Can peonies be grown from seed?

Yes peonies can be grown from seed.  Sow seed in pots in the fall and leave outside for the winter.  Be prepared for a long wait – they could take up to 3 years to germinate.

From Colorado - How do I know when an Artichoke is ready and why didn't I get a crop this year?  I planted this spring in great soil.

Artichokes don't start producing until the second year and can last up to seven seasons.  After the plant sends up its flower stalk, snip all, but maybe two or three flower buds in order to increase the size of the artichoke.  Harvest the flower heads just before they open for bloom.  There are also annual varieties coming out this year. You might look for those.  Good luck! 

From Germany - When is the best time to trim my Beech tree?  Last time we trimmed, it was spring and the tree lost a lot of fluid.  A branch is shading the neighbors garden.  I am worried.  What can I do?

  Generally, the best time to trim is spring and a little fluid loss is ok.  If you are worried about too much fluid loss, try pruning this fall just after the leaves have turned color and starting to fall.  The tree's sap is flowing downward to allow the tree to go dormant for the winter instead of up and out of the tree if you cut it.  I hope this helps.

Last winter I lost a few newly planted shrub's.  What can I do to help them through this year?

It is important, first of all, to make sure they don't dry out.  Even though dormant in the winter month's,  trees and shrubs are very much alive and are establishing root systems.  So, if your short on moisture, water at least once a month to ensure good root survival. If you have a harsh winter with lot's of snow, you may want to wrap them, if small enough, with a burlap type material, to ensure good air flow.

What makes leaves change color in the fall?   

The main reason is the length of the day.  As night  increases, the processes that trigger dormancy go into effect. Chlorophyll becomes destroyed, as the plant switches to producing sugars in preparation for winter. This, in turn, causes the green color to disappear.  Certain chemicals already present in the leaf begin to show in orange or yellow, and in certain species, purple and brown colors.  

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