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Dear Greg - I enjoy your program on WHUD! I have a perennial garden that I have enlarged over the years. At one end there was a birch tree which we decided to cut down this past spring. It continues to send out new shoots with leaves -- it is actually the healthiest looking plant in the garden right now. Is there any way to speed up the process of getting rid of this stump? I really don't want to dig it up as it will destroy the plants around it? Louise

Dear Louise, The best, least invasive way is to keep cutting the new shoots before the leaf out. If they are allowed to produce foliage, the leaves will manufacturer chlorophyll and continue to nourish the roots. No chlorophyll, no plant

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Hi Greg: Love listening to you in the mornings. Always look forward to it. My question concerns Rosemary. I bought a small plant this past spring about 6" high. I planted it in a pot because I heard that this plant is a tender perennial. Now that fall is here, what should I do with it for the winter? Should I plant it in the ground? Bring it indoors? I have no basement, so I guess these are my only two options. Thanx for your help, Carolyn

Hi Carolyn, Thanks for the compliment. You can bring your rosemary Inside. Provide it with as much bright light or direct sun as you can and you may be able to keep it growing all winter. Rosemary is such a wonderful versatile herb. In Tuscany, they're used as hedgerows! I'll keep my calendar open for the lamb dinner....

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Hi Greg, I need some advice on caring for Med. pink heather. I bought 15 of them 3 years ago at a local nursery. The tag said that they were hardy to well below zero temps. They seem to do well during growing season and in late summer I shape them into a ball. When they bloom, they are beautiful, providing color to an otherwise dull winter landscape. My problem is that, in the spring, when they start to grow, I find large amounts of dead branches on some, but not all of them. On closer inspection it seems that the stems are split or broken near the ground. Can you help me? Bob Faetsch

Hi Bob, Something (or someone) is breaking those branches. The branches of many of ericaseous plants (including heather, azaleas, rhododendrons, etc.) are often quite brittle so it doesn't take much. A decent snow will certainly do it. Try tying them up in the fall.

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Hello Greg! Nice hearing you each week! My questions is can a hibiscus plant be left out all year 'round? Mine is about 7 years old and I've brought it in every year before it gets too cold, but it is getting a little large to keep indoors. If it can't stay outside, when do I prune it back? and how much? Thanks!

It depends on the variety. There are several hardy hibiscus including the Rose-of Sharon and the Dinner Plate hibiscus but most are tropical plants. I am guessing yours is of the latter group and if so frost will kill it. You can prune it back now hard (50%) now and then bring it in in two weeks.

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Greg, I bought a purple lilac bush from a nursery catalog 4 yrs ago. It has grown over 9 ft tall with beautiful leaves but never blooms. This spring, I fed it "acid-loving" plant food but maybe it was too late. It gets full sun and is watered twice a week. Why won't it flower? Pat Chappaqua, NY

Hi Pat, good luck with your new neighbors! It's not unheard of for lilacs to take up to 7 years to start blooming. Never prune of the top, and this October, feed it with a 5-10-5 fertilizer. It doesn't like acidity so sprinkle a hand full of fireplace wood ash around the roots.

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Hey Greg, Enjoy your advice. Need some now. The lawn. Everyone else's seems to be rebounding. Ours is brown and matted. How do we know when to give up on it? We don't know what type of grass it is, but it looks awful. Is there a chance it will come back in the spring? If it needs to be replaced, does that entail digging up what is there? Do we just rake and reseed this fall? Help! Thanks, Gene

Hi Gene, If your lawn isn't starting to turn green at this point it may be time to consider putting in a new one. Fall is an excellent time to do that. The most important thing when putting in a new lawn is the soil. Raking and seeding do little to improve the hardpan the new roots will have to fight through. Cover the whole area with a couple inches of compost and dig it or rototill it in. Rake it level and then either seed or for a super lawn, lay down sod. Good luck!

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Greg, Is it O.K. to cut back my peony foliage now, and if so how much?

Cut back the peony foliage when it turns brown or yellow. Be sure to remove "all" the cut leaves and stems as they will contain botritus (black spot) which will infect next year's growth.

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Greg; recently received several wasabi rhizomes. I put one in water & it has grown several leaves. I cut off one stem & leaf & put it in sand & water. do you have any information on propagating & growing wasabi ? Brian Brady

Brian, It's actually quite easy to grow wasabi. I would pot the rooted cuttings in potting soil in a 6" pot. Feed with a high nitrogen (first number on the package) fertilizer such as a 10-6-4 or a 20-10-10 or fish emulsion. Give bright light and start rolling the sushi!

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First, thanks for all the valuable information and gardening tips. Enjoy it tremendously. I have an oak tree that should have been pruned this spring, but wasn't. Some branches are really hanging very close to the ground & I am concerned about them being damaged this winter when they are covered with ice/snow . Can I prune them now and if so is there any special treatment I need to apply ? Thanks Dennis

Dennis, You're welcome, it's a pleasure and great fun. I would wait until the leaves fall off your oak to do your pruning. I advise "against" tree wound dressing but make sure you prune properly. If you're unsure, pick up one of those "how to prune" books with pictures to guide you.

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Dear Greg, Lasy year my crabapple tree developed Cedar Apple Rust. The local garden center advised me to apply a fungicide this spring to get rid of it. I did apply the fungicide a few times but the Cedar Apple Rust has come back. In addition, I have noticed that several trees in the wooded areas around my home seem to have developed it as well. Can I psssobly get rid of this fungus on my young crabapple tree even if the other trees in the area have it? I appreciate your expertise and look forward to your response. Thanks, Judy

Dear Judy, Cedar-Apple rust can be controlled (not gotten rid of) with the sufficient and timely applications of fungicide. Be sure to apply it in the early spring according to label directions. Cedar-Apple rust, as it's name implies, is a polymorphic fungus which means it need both species to complete it's cycle. Look for cedar and/or junipers in the area and spray them as well.

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Hi Greg, For those of us who can't be by the radio when you are on, I am so glad we are able to reach you this way! I planted a butterfly flower plant from seed and it was doing great until it became infested with a small, bright yellow insect that clings to the stems and underside of leaves. What is it and what is the best way to rid the plant of this bug? Thanks, Marie

Hi Marie, For those of you that can't listen to me on the radio, I suggest getting a more flexible line of work! Where are your priorities??? Without seeing the critter, I'm not sure what's going on. It sounds like one of the coleoptera (beetles). It may or may not be harmful to the plant. Most insects are not harmful and many are even helpful. Pick up one of the "field guide to insects," ID it and see if it's of the harmful variety before doing battle. If it is a harmful beetle, use "Dursban" or "Rotenone" according to label directions. Your welcome!

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Greg, I enjoy listening to you on WHUD as I travel to work and I am thrilled that I can ask you questions via the net. Your advice is always right on...Laura Barber Question: Despite a very dry and hot summer, many of my plants have powdery mildew on their leaves..especially phlox, black eyed susans and my Japanese rose bush. What is the cause of this and what should I do about it at this late stage in the growing season? Some of my other roses have black spot on the leaves too. What have I done wrong?

Thanks for the kind words Laura, and for listening. Powdery mildew is a common fungus which attacks the plants you mentioned as well as others including lilacs. There is nothing to be done at this time of year except to fastidiously clean up and remove any foliage that drops off the plants. These spent leaves will contain the spores of the fungus that will infect the plant next year. In the spring, as the new foliage is just emerging and before the fungus is evident, spray the plants with a fungicide labeled for powdery mildew according to label directions or mix up 2 tablespoons of baking soda per gallon of water and spray one a week. The black spot on the roses is a different fungus called botritus. You haven't done anything wrong, it's a common problem. The same advise as above applies Good luck

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Dear Greg, This summer I planted 3 peony plants in a spot where they will get partial sun almost all day long. Right now they look very sick. The leaves are turning black and one of them has a bent stem and looks just about dead. Is there anything I can do to revive them or do you think the dry weather this summer has done them in. What kind of food do they like? Hope to hear from you soon. Thankyou, Margaret Kelly

Dear Margaret, Peonies prefer full sun if you can provide it. The black is a fungus called botritus (see previous question and answer). There is nothing to be done now except to cut them back and be sure to remove any and all cuttings then follow the directions from the previous Q&A. I believe they'll come back just fine. I feed my peonies with a 5-10-5 fertilizer in November and again in April.

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Greg, Late spring of this year, we brought back two spectacular (but small, 5') Crepe Myrtle trees from Maryland. They are both in large pots and are producing non-stop blooms. We know that they can not survive the New York winters outside. What is the best way to keep them alive over the winter? Will they survive inside the house? Thanks for the help. Rick Rutel Yorktown Hts., NY

Rick, If you have a large room and can provide a lot of bright light and high humidity, they may do OK. It's an ambitious undertaking because of their size. Good Luck!

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Greg - Love your show. I have tried to grow grass on a slope in front of my house and nothing works. I've reseeded it competely, cut down trees, pruned trees, added topsoil, tried different types of grass, have used three different landscapers all of whom guaranteed grass. This has gone on for the last 6 years. Any suggestions. Thanks, Lynn

Lynn, Yeah, don't grow grass there! I am not a big fan of grass on slopes, under trees, or other places where it can't be "used." You have to mow the slope, which is not the easiest, you have to feed, water (and it'll run off) and you'll never play bad badminton or croquet there. Why not plant a nice ground cover such as Juniper blue rug or Pfizer juniper. It will look great year round, be low maintenance and it'll work!

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Hello Greg!! I listen to you every Thursday morning and tell myself .... I am going to ask him about my Rhododendron. My problem is that three years ago when we bought our house this bush was about 5' tall and had big beautiful blooms. Last year it grew about another 1' or so and had O.K. blooms. This year it grew another 1' or so and had two blooms. Meaning only two buds bloomed. The leaves are big and green, the buds are their, but no blooms. This Shrub blooms in the Spring so I know that the drought had nothing to do with this. PLEASE HELP ME!! This is a beautiful shrub. I don't want to loose it. Thank you.

Thanks for listening. You didn't mention fertilizer so I'm guessing this guy needs food. Be careful not to get lawn fertilizer near it which will cause great foliage and little blooms. Use 5-10-5 this November and again in the spring. It has already set it buds for next spring so you may have to wait until the following spring.

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Hi Greg, I have five clivia in one pot. The mother & four pups which are about 12 inches high. I slipped them out of the pot which is a mass of roots. How do I cut the apart? do I do it now? Also I want to move some small pine trees next spring, should I do any root pruning now? Thanks again. Budd

Hi Budd, You can use a sharp knife to divide your clivia. If you can wait, I would prefer to do it in the spring when you are coming "out" of the heating season. Root pruning is always a good idea the autumn before.

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I purchased a couple of day lilies earlier this Summer, but I was unable to get them planted. They are still in their pots and I was wondering if it is still possible to plant them and when is the best time to do this? Please note that they did bloom while in the pots. Thanks.

You can get them in the ground right away. Mother nature is the best baby sitter.

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Hi, Greg: Really enjoy your show on HUD (and of course Ed & Mike). Morning glories in flower boxes, pachysandra, newly planted shrubs( June sometime),all died. Roses are slowing coming back to life. These conditions due to the drought this year? Keep up the great work and information for your faithful listeners. Julie - T/Newburgh.

Thanks Julie, and thanks for mentioning Ed and Mike. I always forget they're part of "my" show.... Drought, drought, drought! Let's keep our fingers crossed for a snowy winter and wet spring.

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In 1996 I laid sod in the front yard, which is sunny almost all day. During the summer, I have had trouble keeping it green. It usually goes dormant in the summer. I can ususlly revive it by watering it every day. During this summer's drought, I fear that it is dead, not merely dormant. I'm considering having all the old sod removed and having the lawn seeded. What's the best way to deal with this situation?

One of the many problems with turf grass is that it needs water all the time. Your sod may or may not be dead. It should be starting to green up by now. If not it may be time for a redo. It wasn't the sod's fault it was the lack of regular watering (at least three times a week!).

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Hi Greg, I'm not sure when to allow my rose bushes to harden off for the winter. They were newly planted this spring and have done very well all summer. I would like to enjoy roses for as long as possible (especially if we have an indian summer) but I don't want to cause damage to them by waiting. Thank you for your help. Dolores

Hi Dolores, I'm not sure what you mean by "waiting." Waiting for what? Your roses should bloom happily until the end of November. If you mean pruning, I prune all my roses in the spring just before new growth starts, never in the fall.

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Hi Greg: I have a question about Dahlia's, are they perennials if they are do I do anything special to prepare them for the winter and to get them to bloom next year. Thanks Diane krapish

Hi Diane, Dahlias are tender perennials which means they will come back but can't take a freeze. Bring them inside and store them in a cool, dark place in shallow boxes of peatmoss. Keep it ever so slightly damp during the winter. Pot them up and give them water, fertilizer, and bright light in April to get them started and you can put them back in the garden the middle of May.

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Hi Greg, I have 2 interrelated problems, 1 about rhodedendrun and 1 about azaleas. The rhody is about 3 feet tall but has grown into a Y shape, so that I have flowers/leaves at the ends of the Y. If I cut off one leg of the Y, when should I do it and will that kill the plant? The azaleas have many dead spots, when is the best time to prune and how much can I prune back? Thanks for your help. I enjoy listening to you in the morning.

Thanks for listening. You can cut back both your azalea and rhody hard (as much as 50%) in April. You will loose the blooms for that year but they will come back better than ever. Be sure to feed with a 5-10-5 in November and again when you cut them back

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Greg Quinn's Thought for the day: What happens if you get scared half to death......twice?

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Dear Greg-Thank you for being there for all of us gardeners. Your information is invaluable and much appreciated. Question: In this area, what is the best time to prune Buddleia (Butterfly Bush), Trumpet Vine and Climbing Rose on a trelis and how severely? Is it necessary to prune the Climbing Rose at all? It was newly planted this past Spring and we've been deadheading the few blossoms, but would like to look forward to bushier and fuller growth with more blooms next year. Thank you for your advice. Judy

Thanks for the kind thoughts, Judy, I'm glad I can help others enjoy my passion. All three can be pruned in the early spring and all as much as 50% although that may be too much for your individual plants so use your esthetic judgment pruning is not necessary on these but will certainly help to thicken and produce more blooms. Be sure to fertilize with a 5-10-5 when you do.

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Greg Quinn's thought for the day: I don't have a solution; but I do admire the problem.

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Notice to all: My trusty laptop has been in "intensive care" for a few days but it is and I am back!

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I very much enjoy your weekly show and checking in at your website often! I grow tomatoes and green peppers in the sunniest part of my garden. As a way of rotating crops each year, I plant the peppers where the tomatoes were last year and the tomatoes where the peppers were. Someone told me this won't help as both the tomatoes and peppers share the same diseases and thus this schedule has the same effect as planting each vegetable in the same spot year after year. Is this so? Sue Sue, Well it's certainly true that they belong to similar families but not all of the diseases would be the same. You may want to try rotating the crops with a very different type of plant such as carrots, beets, beans, squash or even cutting flowers! Hi Greg. I have wht is called a ' Liittle boy plant". It looks like a "Peace lilliy" but with pinks flowers. The problem with the plant is that\ the tips of the leaves are turning brown and curling up. Hope you can help. Thanks T

his is one of the most common symptoms of several different problems. It may well be your watering practices. Make sure that your watering is CONSISTENT and let the plant dry out only for a day between waterings.

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Hi, Greg. I've been listening to you on WHUD for quite a while, and always wanted to call in, but I'm always in the car when you're on! Anyway, I have two lilac bushes in my front yard. They were both about knee high when we planted them 5 years ago. Now one is well over six feet, filling out beautifully, and blooms nicely every year, while the other is maybe a bit over three feet, sort of scrawny looking, and hasn't had a bloom since the first year after it was planted. There are some things I should add. The smaller one spends most of its day in shade, while the bigger one gets a bit more sun. I remember my Grandpa's farm, however, and all his lilacs were in the shade of the maples, and they did just fine, so I assume that's okay. The only other thing I can think of is that the first year after they were both planted, the smaller one (they were actually the same size, then) bloomed. I was a bit surprised, a friend had told me that they wouldn't bloom for seven years after planting. But one of the neighborhood kids came into the yard and helped herself to the single lovely cluster of tiny flowers (I know there's probably a name for it, but I'll be darned if I know what it is). It was a clean cut, but that was the last time the plant bloomed at all. So, how do I help my poor baby? Is it too much shade that's keeping her from growing? And why won't she bloom when her sister is setting such a good example only eight feet away? Thank you for any advise you can offer.

Lilacs will bloom in relationship to the quality and quantity of sunlight they get. You might want to move them early next spring. Feed them this November with a super phosphate fertilizer and again in April. Remember, you can harvest the blooms (florets) but NEVER prune your lilacs from the top. You will put them out of bloom for two years!

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Hi, Greg: I just read your web page, I can't believe you were born 20 years ago. SORRY BUT.... Hi Greg. Last fall my Rhododendron set buds, but it never bloomed this spring. It bloomed the year before and I don't know what went wrong. It already has a lot of buds for next year but I'm afaraid the same thing might happen. It is located in partial shade on the east side of the house and gets fed with Miracid. Bonnie As for my Japanese red maple, I never got your answer. I have two supposidly red maples that are more green than red. What can I do to get them red? Please? When I bought them they were fire engine red.

Hi Bonnie, If there are "flower buds" (the fat ones) on you Rhody now it should bloom next spring. Make sure no one is "neatening" them up by trimming them. Feed this November with a 5-10-5. The color of red maples have to do with the individual tree. For example, sometimes black bears are brown or even blonde! In the words of that great Nautical Philosopher, "I yam what I yam!"

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Thank you, I hope you stay on the show with Ed a looooong time. I really enjoy both of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Your welcome, your welcome your welcome! I intend to be there for a loooooong time. Tell a friend and better yet, tell the station manager to double my pay!

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Dear Greg, I listen to you on the radio driving to work. I never get a chance to speak with you so I'm glad your web page is finished. my family bought me a lilac bush about 15 years ago. since that time I have had about 6 lilacs bloom. I spoke with someone and I was told I needed to plant another next to it. So I did. still nothing more. what can I do to get my lilacs to bloom? thanks Greg

Since your work interferes with our speaking on the radio, may I suggest a different career? Lilacs need FULL sun, fertilize with a 5-10-5 in November and April and never, never, never prune from the top!

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HI GREG -MY QUESTION IS WHEN CAN I CUT BACK MY RHODODENDRUMS? MY HUSBAND HAS CUT THEM BACK SEVERAL TIMES BUT WE DO NOT GET ANY BLOOMS FOLLOWING THE CUT. I AM CURIOUS AS TO WHAT TIME OF YEAR IS BEST TO PRUNE THEM. THANKS, LINDA O'CARROLL

LOCAR24430@AOL.COM Except for drastic pruning to bring an old plant back in shape, Rhodys may ONLY be pruned immediately after bloom in the spring and then, just a light haircut. Any other prunning will cut off each year's blossoms.

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Greg, Two years ago in the fall I planted 15 small cedar trees. They were American arborvitae, I think, and about 3 feet tall. They are doing very well, have grown and really filled out. But....now I want to transplant them to a new location. Can I do this? Any suggestions? Susan

Susan, You can transplant your arborvitae in the beginning of April. The new hole should have lots of rich compost mixed in and they must be planted at the exact same depth as where they are growing now.

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Dear Greg: My question pertains to Dogwood trees. We have a Dogwood planted in front of out house. I have noticed for the past few years that the tree had developed a somewhat greenish color around the truck and looks like an algae or fungus. This year we have noticed that it start to shed its bark in curtain areas. We have also notice a few limbs have dried up and died. In the past the tree used to blossom many flowers and for the past few years the blossoms are not as many. My wife and I are very concern and we would like to know if there is something that we can do to perk this dogwood up.

The green "algae" you're seeing is not the cause of your problems but related. There are several fungi attacking our dogwoods causing everything from reduced foliage to bark peel to eventual death in some cases. The fungus is exacerbated by moisture. The algae is also present because of excessive moisture. Try to reduce the moisture, increase air flow (remove other plants) and increase sunlight, if possible. Good luck!

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Hi Greg, Read about the above in Farmers Almanac, taken from an article in Organic Gardening. Corn gluten meal is the treatment suggested for getting rid of certain weeds. Is this sold separately, or is to be found in a brand product? Other question is: Where do I find the question & your answer to my question? At the end of your answers? Do they go in any sort of order, or do I scroll down etc.

Corn Gluten is available from some Organic Gardening sources. Check the ads in Organic Gardening magazine. It's out there but not always easy to find. The WEBMASTER posts the Q&A chronologically so scroll down to find yours. You may also enjoy reading the others as well..