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Q - Bob Stueber of Muskego, WI
What product would be easiest & enviromentally safe to remove parts of a prairie garden?
A – Melinda Myers
Strategically timed mowing and fire have been traditionally used to control weeds in a prairie. You can also spot treat weeds or unwanted plants with Burnout (made primarily of clove oil, vinegar, citrus and sulfate), Bioganic (made from plant oils), Sharpshooter (salts of fatty acids) or other more environmentally friendly product. These chemicals burn the tops off growing plant they contact. So protect near by desirable plants and plan on making applications to kill both top growth and roots of perennial plants.
Q - Toni of Greenfield, WI
What, if anything, do I do as far as winter care for these plants that I bought and planted this year in May...royal burgundy barberry, green velvet boxwood, and Russian sage. Thanks for you help. A – Melinda Myers
Proper care throughout the season helps our new plantings survive their first winter. Water all your plants, especially new plantings and evergreens, thoroughly before the ground freezes. This all the special care you need to give the barberry. Green velvet boxwood is one of the hardier boxwood and usually requires no special care in Wisconsin winters. You may decide to wrap it in burlap if it is exposed to winter sun from the south or winds from the northwest. Leave your Russian sage stand for the winter. The silvery foliage and airy seed heads make a great addition to the winter garden. Cut the plants back to 4 to 6 inches above the ground in late March or early April. Those with established plants that tend to flop may want to prune those back one more time in mid June. Cut the tops back by one half to reduce flopping. Those considering adding Russian sage to their gardens may want try Little Spires, a shorter (four foot tall) cultivar that is less prone to flopping.
Q - Pat Chartier of Pewaukee, WI
I have two Rhododendron plants and a few bush Roses that I need to get ready for winter. I know that I have to cover the base up with a mound of mulch but do I need to cut the plants back before doing that? If so, how far back? Thanks. A – Melinda Myers
Your rhododendrons have formed their flower buds for next spring. Do not prune these until after they bloom next spring. And only prune if you need to shape or control the size of these plants. Shelter these and other broadleaf or sensitive evergreens from the winter wind and sun. Use a screen of burlap or lattice or a cylinder of hardware cloth sunk into the ground and then filled with evergreen boughs or straw after the ground freezes. Hardy shrub roses do not need winter protection. Wait until next spring to do your pruning. Remove dead tips and branches. Remove a few older stems to the base on established plants. The less pruning you do in fall the higher the survival rate. Hybrid tea roses do need protection to survive most Wisconsin winters. Prune only what you must to apply the winter protection.
Q - Suzanne of Pewaukee, WI
We may be moving and I want to take cuttings of some of my favorite shrubs if possible. Is November too late to try? Most of them have dropped leaves already, is there a way to do it indoors? Thanks A – Melinda Myers
Trees and shrubs are more difficult to propagate than annuals and houseplants. Timing and the type of cutting made and the particular shrub species influence success. Some shrubs can readily be started from 6 to 8 inch hardwood cuttings taken during the dormant season. Bundle the cuttings, lay them on their sides and bury in sand or sawdust. Store the cuttings in a cool frost free location for the winter. Plant them sand or vermiculite next spring. Once rooted you can pot up and grow them in a container for a season or two or move them directly into the garden. These cuttings will need extra attention while establishing their root system. You may also want to include an option for you to return to your home in spring to collect more cuttings. Softwood cuttings made from the tender new growth may be more successful.
Q -Joel Leetzow of Grafton, WI
I have a hibiscus that I purchased this summer and it flowered all summer. It has always been in the house in an east window. The leaves look fine but it has not had blossoms or flowers for the last 2 months. Any solutions? A – Melinda Myers
The lower light intensity and shorter days may be the reason your hibiscus is taking a rest. Supplement daylight with artificial light. Use a plant light or a combination of cool and warm fluorescent bulbs. This will give the plants the wide spectrum of light needed for flowering. Fertilizing actively growing plants with a flowering plant fertilizer (high in phosphorous) can also encourage bloom. Those with struggling hibiscus should allow the plants to adjust to the more stressful growing conditions and show signs of recovery and growth before fertilizing the plants.
Q - Howard Klug of DePere, WI
When is the best time to prune apple trees? A – Melinda Myers
Late winter or early spring is a great time to prune apples. The plants will soon begin to grow, closing the pruning wounds and reducing the risk of insects and disease. In addition the worst of winter weather has passed, we hope, so you can correct any winter damage while doing structural pruning. Severely overgrown apples should be pruned over several seasons. Heavily pruned trees often produce an abundance of growth so you have even more pruning to do the following year. Start by pruning damaged, diseased or dead branches. Remove crossing and rubbing branches that create wounds that make perfect entryways for insects and disease. Then remove water sprouts (shoots that grow straight up from the branches). Your goal is to have well spaced branches that spiral up the trunk of the tree. This allows light penetration for flower and fruit production. See the chapter on fruits in my Month by Month Gardening in Wisconsin book chapter on fruit for more detailed information.
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