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Greg Quinn's Thought For The Day: The meek shall inherit the earth.. ...after we're through with it.

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Hi Greg, I enjoy your shows. I have a group of Hemlock pruned and growing as a hedge about 7 feet tall. One of the trees has the white Aphid attacking it. I treated the tree with malathion according to the manufactures dilution for Aphids twice last year, only to have the Aphids return seemingly worse than ever. All the other trees seem Aphid free although I did spray them. I was also quite diligent in spraying the entire tree inside and under limbs with a stream from my tank sprayer. Do I need to use a different chemical or should I spray more often? Thank you in advance. Bob Thanks, Bob.

While the woolly adelgid readily attacks most Tsuga Canadensis (Canadian Hemlocks) they sometime prefer certain trees to others even within the same planting area. We're not sure why, better tasting I guess. Malathion is fine but I would increase the frequency. In bad years, you can spray up to 5 times a season. Also, spray your hemlocks with horticultural oil in January which will kill a lot of the eggs and over wintering adults to get a jump on a season.

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Greg: The drought did a job on my outdoor rose bushes, as well as perennial plants. Will these come back next year? Thanks - enjoy your gardening tips.

Eve Hi Eve, thanks a lot! Most likely but we'll all have to wait till next year to see for sure. Be sure to water them well and often through November and feed them with a 5-10-5 at the end on November so they go into the winter in the best shape possible. Good luck

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Hi Greg! My mother in law plants tomatoes every year but this year she had something unusual happen and nobody seems to know why. I told her, "I know someone who will have the answer!" She said on the bottom of every tomato is a black spot the size of a half dollar. Do you know what would cause this. Also another question, we have been getting all different advice from different nurserys about whether to leave the burlap balls that cover the roots of birch trees, kwanzan cherry blossoms and white pines on or to remove them before planting. Please set us straight. Thank you. By the way, I really enjoy listening to you

. Thanks for the confidence and the kind words. Now I'm really under pressure. First, Your Mother-in-law's tomatoes have "blossom end rot." This is not uncommon and is caused by irregular watering. Neither too much nor too little, just inconsistency. There is no problem with the fruit, just cut off the black spot and enjoy the rest! I "always" leave the burlap in the root ball because you run the risk of the ball cracking and falling apart if you remove it which can cause serious damage to the roots. I do, however, slice the burlap like the sections of an orange so the roots can easily escape. Keep listening.

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Greg- love your commentary ! I have a Eureka lemon tree that's about 6 ft. high by now(6yrs old). How often should I fertilize it and when should it come inside. I leave it outside during the summer with full southern exposure. i live in Cold Spring. ??? thanx.

Commentary sounds so formal. Should I be wearing a tie? Thanks, I appreciate the kind words. If Jack Frost is allowed to kiss your Lemon Tree, her lemonade days will be over. I feed my lemons with a 5-10-5 spring and fall.

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Greg Quinn's thought for the day: Two can live as cheaply as one..... for half as long.

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Greg: I have a tulip tree in the front yard. It's been there for about 9 yrs. but really hasn't put much growth on. I was hoping for a shade tree in the front (east exposure). Each year the leaves come out and about mid-summer, they start dropping. I can stop the dropping by watering, but being on a well I do need to be careful. The other thing that has happend this year is the top seems to have died out. Any suggestions?

Thanks. Fran Fran, It appears that your tulip tree simply needs more water as tulips usually do. It will have no respect for your well, water restrictions, etc. It's like the plant in "The Little Shop of Horrors," It's only concern is it's own needs. You may want to get inventive and direct the water from your gutters and leaders to the root zone to augment regular rain and covering the ground beneath the tree with wood chip mulch will slow down evaporation. Good luck!

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Dear Greg, We have two (male & female) hardy kiwis approximately six years old. For the past two years they have flowered and set fruit which promptly dropped off when it was approximately the size of a pea. Any ideas about what the problem could be? I am ready to cut them down.

Kiwi as well as many other fruit plants will drop their fruit if there isn't enough water and nutrients to sustain them. Water and feed regularly with a 5-10-5 fertilizer from April through November.

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HI Greg, I was given, at 2 different times, potted hydrangeas - these probably in early spring. Of course, they each had a glorious bloom or two. I kept them alive and put them in my garden. They are both very healthy looking, but once again have produced not a bloom. I put a little wood ash around each this spring as well as some food - I read the bag, but forgot now. Do they need more time, or more of something else. Thanks, Joyce&Mike in Bridgewater

Hi Joyce & Mike, The biggest cause of hydrangeas not blooming is pruning. Never, I repeat never prune back your hydrangeas. I know the brown twigs look dead in the fall but that is where the blooming mechanism is. You can thin them out if you need to but never cut from the top. Also be sure to give them a 5-10-5 plant food when you feed.

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Hi Greg. I listen to you all the time and learn more every time. This time I have a question. My husband has a ficus tree at the office which is grorwing beautifully. However it is releasing a tremendous amount of sticky ooze. To the point that the floor aoround it has become sticky to walk on it. it has plenty of new growth. What can he do about the messy ooze? And is yhis a bad sign to come? Thank You. Anna Ceretti

Hi Anna, "Sticky ooze" means you've got critters eating your plant. It need's to be treated with a houseplant insecticide labeled for ficus according to label directions. Good luck.

Hi Greg. I always enjoy your segments. I always learn something. I started perennial gardens this year. I have rubeckia, and bee balms, and other usual perennials. What's the best way to help them out for next year. Should I bury the dried out heads under the mulch, or save the seed heads to dispense next year? Or just leave them alone. What about other flowers like cosmos, nasturtium, or marigolds. What's the best thing to do, or best way to store them, so I can have them for next year? Are there ways to take seeds? Do certain plants or certain varieties make stronger seeds? Thanks. I look forward to your response.

Wow! That's a lot of questions. I think you should take one of my courses at The New York Botanical Gardens. Let's see, Seeds from most perennials and annuals can be saved and propagated the following year. Make sure the seeds have fully matured (almost ready to drop) on the plant before you harvest them. Label them and store them in small paper bags in a sealed container (glass jar, Tupperware, etc.) with a handful of powdered milk to prevent moisture. Keep them in a cool ( 40-50 degrees), dark place till March. You can start the seed inside and put them in the garden the middle of May. Then enjoy them.

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HI My peach trees are oozzing. The peaches are oozzing also a jello like substance. What causes this & can we prevent it? thanks George

Hi, You have two different but similar problems. The peach ooze is caused by a worm that has gotten in the fruit. Next year, begin a spraying program with a "Home Orchard Spray" according to label directions. The ooze from the tree concerns me more. This may be from a Peach Tree Borer. You might want to get an arborist to look at that problem. It can be life threatening to your peach tree.

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There are trees on my neighbors property that abutt my yard. some of these trees look dead and I am noticing that a number of trees in my yard have branches that are dead, one tree even has bark falling off of it, will it die or can I save it..

It's been a very tough year for trees and shrubs. Water thoroughly through November, feed them at the end Of Nov. and keep your fingers crossed.

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Good morning Greg. It seems I am always in my car when you are featured on WHUD, so I appreciate the opportunity to read and communicate via your website! My question is, I was afraid to over-stress my landscape evergreens by trimming them back during the drought this summer, but now they are to the point of looking overgrown. My usual practice has been to take an inch or three off the branch ends, once they turned fully green, to give the bushes some shape. Is it too late in the season to trim back evergreen bushes now? How late can I go? Thank you in advance for your reply!

Good Morning. You can give your evergreens a slight haircut now (September) and be sure to water well through Nov. and feed at that time with a 10-6-4.

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I have a Christmas and Easter Cactus plant which are potted together. The plants look very healthy (new growth, firm leaves, etc.). Right now it is outside on my front porch which is facing East. I found a few years ago that they seem to do very well outside. My problem is that I can't get the plants to bloom (and if it does bloom near Christmas it isn't very much.) What is the best location for it when I bring it inside and why can't I get them to bloom?

Your Cactus will generally set flowers buds in response to 45-60 consecutive cool nights. Leave them out until just before the first frost and then find a cold, sunny window. Also, make sure you have fertilized them 3-4 times a year with a 15-30-15 fertilizer.