Ed Hume Answers Your Gardening Questions Ed Hume cannot answer all of the garden questions he receives, but questions of general interest will be answered here every month.  Email your questions to HumeSeeds@aol.com.  Please note: we do not accept attachments. Before submitting a question, be sure to check the index of previous questions and answers or search our site using key words.  Many questions have already been answered here on the site. Other December Links Discouraging Moles (and other small animals)  Protecting Plants During Cold Weather Wintering Geraniums Fuchsias & Begonias Rhododendrons -Winter Care Forcing Bulbs Frost Dates and Hardiness Zones Cold Frame Gardening Ed's Favorite Gardening Books Christmas Projects Living Christmas Trees Winter Pruning Taking Cuttings Tool Care December Projects   December 2002 Q&A December 2001 Q&A December 2000 Q&A December 1999 Q&A    December 1998 Q&A    December 1997 Q&A   December 1996 Q&A Transplanting Bachelor Buttons We have some volunteer Bachelor Button flowers that popped up in our lawn. Can they be transplanted & when is the best time to do that? They've put on such a pretty show for us I hate to lose them!  Bachelor Button's are annuals, but will often reseed themselves. The past couple of years have been so mild, that they have even over-wintered in many gardens. You can try transplanting them, but they will not survive more extreme winter weather. Removing Oregon Grape I have a lot of Oregon grape that is trying to take over. What is the best way to get rid of it? Probably the most effective way would be to pull it out then treat what comes back with a brush killer type product. Of course, read and follow label directions. Moving Passion Flower My wife's parents bought us a beautiful red flowering passion flower when we got married this year and, being concerned by the way it is NOT growing happily. I have just discovered that I have planted it in the wrong place. We live in Bath, UK and, unfortunately, on a windy hill. The poor passion flower is planted in full force of this wind. As we have a greenhouse, my wife wants to repot the plant and was just concerned as to what she would need to do in order to save it. Could you help? I love Bath, what a great place to live. Repotting the plant sounds like a good idea. Since it has been suffering, keep it in a protected spot until spring, when you can permanently relocate it into a more protected area. If you are experiencing mild weather this autumn, you could simply relocate the plant and skip the need for repotting, that is if the plant is still in suitable health. Pruning a Jade Plant  I've had my jade plant for, well, 25 years, and I still can't figure out how to prune it so that it looks nice. I know how to fertilize and how they should be potted, and have resolved a lot of problems with that. However, it is hard to find information on how to trim them. Mine always seem to end up with long, dangling branches and look awful. Can you help??? Yes, the branches are in segments. Cut at a segment or where the plant branches. They will rebranch and usually form a new nice shape if this is done properly. If you have doubts as to how to do it, take a part of a branch to your local greenhouse firm, or large Independent garden center and have them show you where it can best be cut. Return to Library - Back to Home Page