Annuals and Biennials Problems

For 3 years, I've grown a white angel's trumpet in a large pot.  Over winter, I keep it in the sunroom until it is warm enough to move back outside onto the patio.  The plant produces a constant display of flowers, but the leaves drop off in summer.  I water it regularly and it doesn't seem to show insect damage.  Do you have any suggestions?

I've raised cosmos and zinnias and have a problem with the roots growing out all along the stems of these plants. Sometimes, these roots become very large and unsightly by mid to late summer.  What causes this and how can I prevent it?

What’s the secret to coaxing bougainvillea to unfurl its bright summer colors? Mine is large and healthy looking after spending the winter indoors, but so far, no color.

My mom has a candy corn vine. It gets these little red-orange to yellow cone shaped flowers that are reminiscent of candy corn. The problem is that on every leaf the tip or leaf margin turns very dark and then the leaf dies.  The plant seems to be struggling but it keeps growing up the trellis and is now 4 feet tall.

My sisters & I were wondering if anyone has ever seen this before. It looked like all the stems were fused together.

My zinnias and gladiolas were quite spindly this year. The zinnias grew 5 feet tall and the gladiolas reached 6 feet.  The stems were so weak they could barely support the blooms, even with the help of stakes.

I have a hibiscus that I purchased this summer. It has always been in the house in an east window.   It flowered all summer long.  The foliage still looks fine but there have been no buds or flowers since late fall.

I have two hibiscus plants, one in sun and the other in shade. Several leaves at a time seem to be turning yellow on both plants. Can you give me the cause and cure?

How can we get rid of an aphid infestation on our hibiscus plant we brought in for the winter? The plant is blooming beautifully, however each bud is covered with aphids. One thing to keep in mind is the treatment must be safe for our 5 young children.   

I moved my hibiscus in for the winter and discovered it is covered with white flies.  Where did they come from and how can I get rid of them?

I've heard there is an old-fashioned remedy for the holes and discoloration that hollyhocks get. Do you know what it is or have any other tips to offer?

The leaves of my hollyhocks look like lace.  What is causing this and how can I prevent it?

The stems, leaf stalks, and the bottoms of the leaves of the hollyhocks in my garden are filled with orange-black blisters.  The leaves eventually dry up and fall off.  The blooms are not affected.

I have been planting maintenance free impatiens for years. The plants have always been healthy and attractive.  This year the plants are blooming but the leaves are blotchy yellow with black markings. What could I do to prevent this problem in the future?

My garden consists of a balcony on the north side with a little bit of eastern exposure with a little morning sun. I've had so much trouble with bugs and mildew. I've been dumping plants all summer and buying new ones. Even begonias and impatiens didn't do well. First it was aphids, then mildew, then white flies. I did so much spraying with all kinds of things including insecticide. The bugs finally seem to be gone but the plants look terrible.  The leaves have white stuff on them and some have black.

I plant Morning Glory but they always seem spindly, not very lush. They get flowers but the leaves seem to yellow early and fall off from the bottom of the plant up. I've read not to fertilize them causing more foliage and less blooms. I haven't seen any bugs to cause problems and I plant 4 or 5 plants together. Is there a trick to getting them looking lush and healthy?

The leaves of my morning glory vines are riddled with holes.  I haven't seen any insects.  What is eating the leaves?

Two years ago I grew a variety of different colored morning glories.  I collected seeds from the plants and used them in last year's garden. Only two colors returned. 

I can never get nasturtiums to do well in my garden. The blooms are sparse and never last.

I have several baskets of wave petunias. They did wonderfully well all summer long. Recently the leaves turned dry and brown. What could have caused this?

My snapdragons produce beautiful flowers and then stop.  Can I get them to bloom again?

The zinnias I planted all developed normal blooms except for one. It has a bright red and yellow center, but is missing its petals.  Do you know what could have caused the unusual look?