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 July Links
 I heard you say something
about liming the soil around Lilac's. How much lime should I use and when
should it be done?
 The best time to lime Lilac's
is during the cooler spring or fall months. I would wait now until about
October to apply the lime. Use about one cup of Dolomite lime per standard
size Lilac tree. Spread at the drip line, on the soil surface.
The dead flowers on our winter
flowering heather look terrible. Can I cut them off?
Yes, by all means cut them
back as soon as they get finished flowering. Heather will really benefit
from shearing right after their normal flowering period. The shearing encourages
branching, a much bushier plant and more flowers the following year. Plus,
it gets rid of those ugly dead, brown flowers.
Earlier this spring you said
'don't dig up the frozen rose bushes until you're sure they're dead'. Well,
I had 15 beautiful healthy bushes. Now they look very dead except there are
canes coming up from below the bud. I hate to chalk them off as a total loss.
Any advice?
Many of the new roses are grown
on their own roots, so if your bushes are rather new they may be OK. If they
are old bushes, they are probably budded and that new growth will be from
a root stock that would produce flowers of little or no value. There are
a couple of ways you can determine whether they are worth keeping. If the
growth is exceptionally robust, or if the leaves are different than last
years growth, chances are the growth is from a root stock that is not worth
keeping. But, if the leaf growth is the same as last year, and the rate of
growth the same, 'wait it out', your bushes may be OK. I have a two in my
garden that I thought were from below the bud, but now they are blooming
and are just fine.
I am inquiring as to where
I can purchase the 'Lazy Man's' (ground cover, moss) lawn seed?
I think you are referring
to a plant called 'Sagina Moss'. There are two varieties the 'Irish Moss'
which is green and the 'Scotch Moss' which is golden. These are usually purchased
as plants, then cut into 2 inch squares and set about 6 to 9 inches apart.
The true Sagina moss is 'Sagina subulata'.
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