Top five gardening questions

All gardeners answer gardening questions.  It is inevitable.  Just let someone have a peek at your perfect tomatoes or dinner plate-sized dahlias and the questions will come, regardless of your overall expertise.  Gardeners, by nature, love to share information.  Likewise, all gardeners have questions, even those of us who have pursued knowledge at colleges and universities and have made our living from that knowledge. There is new research available every year that reveals better ways of planting, growing, and fertilizing. Professional plant-growers and hybridizers are unveiling new plants each year.  Gardening is a very regional activity.  Plants that grow in New England often struggle in other parts of the country.  Soils generally are on the acid side in our region, while they are much more alkaline in other parts of the country, and pH levels affect plant growth.   Perfection is rarely achieved in the garden but the pursuit of perfection is one of the things that makes gardening interesting.

I answer gardening questions both personally and professionally every day.  Sundays from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on 96.9 WTKK I answer questions on The Garden Guys radio show.  Not every Sunday - three a month - and I always have a professional co-host at my side so we can share in the fun.  The questions come in from callers and are always a surprise.  How do you answer a question concerning gardening about which whole books have been written? We strive to answer each question adequately and concisely.    Every show has some new questions but there are several gardening questions that are repeated each week.  That said, the top five gardening questions asked on our radio show, starting with number 5, are as follows:

5.  How late can I plant a tree, shrub or perennial?

The truth is that you can plant any plant that is grown in a container as long as the ground can be worked, which means as long as you can dig a hole.  One of us will always elaborate on how to actually plant.  Dig a hole twice as wide and just as deep as the container.  Remove the plant from the container.  If the roots seem very tight and compacted, gently wash off as much of the soil from the roots as you can and tease the roots out of that container shape just a bit. You can score the rootball with a knife if necessary.  Fill the hole halfway with water, put the plant in the hole and backfill with the existing soil.  Water thoroughly.  That is my advice. Mulch lightly with an organic mulch and keep watered until established or until the ground freezes. Click here for great mulch choices.

4.  When can I transplant my lilac (or other deciduous shrub)?

The best time to transplant deciduous shrubs is when they are dormant, which is to say when the leaves have fallen or before they emerge in the spring. There are exceptions to the fall transplanting so if in doubt, wait until early spring to transplant.

3.  How do I control grubs in my lawn?

There are many varieties of grubs.  Japanese beetle grubs are usually the most prevalent and the best way to control Japanese beetle grubs, according to the most recent studies, is with beneficial nematodes.  Milky spore has been shown to be an effective control but requires repeated applications to build up the necessary bacteria in the soil, which then attacks the grubs.  It is also specific to Japanese beetle grubs.  Beneficial nematodes are becoming more readily available and are very effective at controlling many types of grubs.  Since we promote organic methods, we rarely mention available insecticides.  If the caller asks, we suggest they consult their garden center personnel for their recommendations.

2.  When should I prune my lilac, roses, et cetera?

The answer to this question starts with ‘Why do you feel you need to prune?” Many shrubs require little or no pruning. The necessity for severe pruning usually means that the plant is planted in the wrong place.  The general rule for pruning flowering shrubs is to prune them right after they flower.  Incorrect pruning rarely kills a tree or shrub.  The flowers might be gone for the following season because you have pruned off the flower bud, but usually the plant survives the cut.  However, there are exceptions, which leads to the following number one question that we answer nearly every week and that is,

1.  Why aren’t my hydrangeas blooming? 

‘What kind of hydrangea?’ is the first response and the answer is usually the blue mophead, Hydrangea macrophylla.  There are eleven species of Hydrangea and innumerable cultivars in production but it is that blue, that reliably blue…(another question on color for later), which garners the most interest.  Our quick answer is ‘Stop pruning this plant’.  Wait until new growth commences in the spring and prune only the dead wood above the first set of leaves.  Full sun is best for prolific blooms.  Fertilize with an organic fertilizer and use a mulch  to retain moisture, as this plant will wilt on the hot days of July and August.  The most complete answer for the ‘Endless Summer’ variety is here and is answered very eloquently.

Those are my top five.  As you can see, they are very basic questions but they are important questions.  There really are no stupid questions.  Well, there may have been one or two in the past but they are my secret.  Gardeners have to start somewhere.  What question are you most frequently asked concerning gardening?