North Shore Gardener October 2008

Photo: J. Donnellan

Oct 1 : Winter care of Astilbe, Hibiscus, Compost manure, Monarchs, Carefree Garden

Winter care of Astilbe
Q: I have two astilbe plants which have been in my garden for about four years. They are about 20 inches tall and have given me pretty plumes. The spikes are now brown and the foliage is turning color too. Each fall I wonder whether I should prune just the spikes or both the spikes and the foliage. I have called two garden centers and got two different answers. Thus I turn to you for advice. I so enjoy the plumes each summer so I would like to give them the best chances for survival. Also, what should I use for fertilizer? I think that they have not grown as tall as they should for four years growth but maybe I am expecting too much. Thank you for your anticipated advice. I read your column in The Salem News.
A.K... Peabody, MA

A: Astilbe is best suited for sunny to partial sunny areas that remain moist all summer. They can be divided about every 4-5 years, usually in the spring as new growth begins.
The wonderful plumes, which are white, red, pink or lavender, are often left on the plant for winter interest in the garden - then trimmed off in the spring along with any old, dead stems and leaves - but some gardeners who prefer a "clean" look to the winter garden cut both down after several hard frosts - it's really up to you.
Mark the spot in your garden where your astilbe are growing as they are quite late to reappear spring - they usually show their first growth about the same time as your peonies do.
Fertilize astilbe in the spring after the new leaves begin to appear - use an all-purpose fertilizer. This fall, you can also mulch them with a well-composted manure to add some winter protection- and feed them, too.
Size does vary within different varieties of astilbe - so don't worry if yours are shorter or taller than your neighbors! They’re all beautiful.

Hibiscus
Q: A couple of years ago I e-mailed you asking for information about hardy hibiscus. The responses you gave to me were very helpful.
After reading your column in the Eagle Tribune yesterday regarding hibiscus, I just had to e-mail you once again on this same subject. I too have been growing hardy hibiscus from seeds in pots, and also have purchased a new variety of hibiscus from a local nursery. My question is, if I elect not to plant these new hibiscus in the ground this fall, how best can I carry them over until next spring with the best chance for survival? The reason for not wanting to put them in the ground this fall is that the planting area is not as yet ready for plants. Do I leave them outdoors in their containers? Do I bring them inside? And if so, in the garage or cellar or where ever?
Thank you very much, R.

A: Your hardy hibiscus seedlings would be much better off if you plant them in the garden, wherever you have room this fall – and allow them to winter-over outdoors under normal freezing temperatures. But do it very soon - like now! Then, transplant the plants to their new and more permanent place next year.
Give the little plants some protection this winter. Remember - in spite of your careful care, hardy hibiscus does die down to the ground every winter - and re-appear again late in the spring.

Compost manure
Q: I believe I read somewhere that compost manure can be spread in the garden in the fall. Composting then would allow for leaching into the soil over the fall and winter, thereby enriching the soil. Is that correct? Any suggestions on type, when and how would be appreciated. This summer I got a business card for someone selling manure from a farm stand on route 22 and wanted to set up delivery.
Enjoy your column. Thank you.
C.S., Salem, MA

A: Yes - manure is dandy for a garden in the fall - but is should be composted or aged manure....fresh manure is unsafe for a vegetable garden or any eatables and should be composted at high temperatures before use in flower gardens. Freezing the manure over the winter will not guarantee that it will kill all the "germs" present in manure - proper composting heat will get rid of most of them.
You are right - to avoid burning, apply composted manure to the garden in the fall, when many of the plants are dormant. Spread it on top of the bed and leave it over the winter - or apply it and dig it in immediately next spring. (If you have kids or pets around, who might play in the freshly manured bed, it would be better to dig it in immediately – and always work with gloves and wash thoroughly after working with manures.
Best kinds of manure? Horse manure contains lots of weed seeds, mainly because of the bedding used for the animals - cow manure is preferable - but almost any manure of a non-meat eating animal is good for a garden: rabbits, birds, and sheep – but probably not pig manure, because your neighbors won't appreciate it - it’s very smelly!

Monarchs
Q: I got a Q for you! I just pulled and tossed (into the ocean) all my aphid infested milkweed. Only one was to the pod stage. I know Monarchs lay their eggs on them, but when? Did I just pitch potential monarchs? I'm not fond of milkweed and I only allow a little of it to grow for the Monarch purpose, but what's their cycle?? If they lay eggs in July & Aug, um ... what happens then? What stage are said eggs in now? Were they still on the plant and did I murder them????????
Signed, Embarrassed

A: They lay eggs from March to August! - I don’t think you have much to worry about – but thanks for being concerned!
Most of the eggs in this last cycle hatched in four to six days after being laid and the adult butterfly’s life will last about 4 weeks, during which time it’s only food is a sip of the nectar of the milkweed flower
Beautiful little creatures, aren’t they? I keep growing milkweed, which is the sole food for Monarchs, for the same reason –and it easy and it seems to grow like bamboo! (Why can't everything else grow as well?) But did you know? The milkweed contains a poison that the monarchs system converts to a defense. While the poison doesn't hurt the monarchs, it does make them taste bad to birds and other predators. So predators soon learn to avoid the bright colors of the monarch caterpillars and butterflies!
Many years ago, I had a biologist- friend who spent several summers on the Monterey, A peninsula (which is one of the prime sites for the butterfly's migration) to study) to do her doctoral thesis on the Monarch butterfly. She was studying whether DNA could prove that it was the same creature when it was in the larva and chrysalis stage as the butterfly morphed into the adult stage - I think her research finally proved it was!!
Generally, there are four generations ( egg, larva, chrysalis, adult) each year each lasting about 6-8 weeks, each cycle beginning in March and ending about the end of September, depending on the weather, finally ending with their migration South. By early October in New England, the Monarchs have generally packed their bags and left the area and are on their way towards California and Mexico for the winter.
The cycle continues each spring - the Monarchs return north, the new baby caterpillars are born and the cycle continues throughout the year into the following spring. Truly MAGICAL and AMAZING!

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
October weather lore:
Onion skins
Onion skins very thin, mild winter coming in;
Onion skins thick and tough, coming winter cold and rough

If the crow calls twice quickly and then a third time, it indicates a storm.
If the crow hath any interruption in her note like a hiccough, or a croak with a kind of swallowing, it signifies wind and rain.

Oct 8 :Pruning burning bush, Azaleas: Flies and green discolorations , Overwintering fuchsias, Rocks as mulch

Pruning burning bush
Q: My Burning Bushes have grown to great heights and I would like to cut them back after they lose their leaves, they are over 6 feet tall. How much trimming can they tolerate?
I value your advice as you once helped me with my choice of rhododendrons which worked out fine.

A: Wait - and prune the Burning Bush in early spring, just before the new growth begins to sprout - that way, the plant will "heal" quickly - and run less chance of insect damage. They’re as strong as nails—you can safely prune back half the bush!

Azaleas: Flies and green discolorations
Q: I love your column and look forward to reading and learning from your experience/expertise.
In the front of my home in 2 separate areas, I have a few older azaleas that have developed splotchy light green discolorations on the branches. The splotches are dry, irregular shaped and not elevated. It is definitely not moss.
Would you know what this is? Is there something I can do, or are my azaleas doomed?
I thought I saw something similar on some trees in the city: One of the azalea bushes had a swarm of flies all over it, I know that flies generally go where there is death (but I thought death of mammal tissue or waste product or rotting food), I thought for sure there would be dead animal (rodent type) under the bush. But upon my search I could not locate anything.
The flies were on one of the azaleas but not the other, so not related to the green discolorations.
Thank You,
A.E.P., Salem, Mass.

A: Could the green patches be lichen? Heaven knows we've had enough rain to support all sorts of these little growths! You’ve seen lichens growing on trees and rocks - but other than being unsightly, they do little harm. Lichens are NOT parasitic –they do not sap their strength from a host plant - but their presence does indicate that the plant to which it attaches itself may be under stress! (Probably not caused by too little water this year. But could it be stress because of poor drainage?) Also, if there is any way to improve the air circulation in that area, that would certainly help deter lichen-maybe by
thinning out nearby growth.
The flies? My guess us as good as yours! (I once had a workman who was urinating in my garden area and causing flies...!) Could something have been buried under an azalea? A mouse or mole buried by a neighborhood cat? A bone buried by a wandering dog? What you think....?!
If you think it’s a dog lifting his leg on your azaleas – or any other plant – the urine can be diluted with a thorough spraying with the hose if done within an hour or two. While you’re at it, douse the dog!

Overwintering fuchsias
Can you tell me whether the fuchsias I planted in hanging baskets in the spring can be saved for next summer? I don't want to bring them into the house: I don't have the space. Some of my tender plants do fine if I put them in the basement and water them a few times over the winter, including Brugmansia. Will fuchsia go dormant and then come back in the same way?
Thanks for your help -- and keep up the good work! Your column is a great help to us gardeners.
R.C.

A: Yes, fuchsias can be overwintered in a cellar or garage - just as long as the temperature stays above freezing. Allow the plants to get cold and begin dormancy - a light frost won't hurt!
Then reduce the size by 2/3 - and remove all remaining leaves. It’s really important to clean the plants well - there are so many bugs that would LOVE to spend the winter on your fuchsias!
Store at temps about 35 degrees, not much warmer. With these low temperatures, little or no light is required - but don't ever let the roots dry out completely -check the plants at least once a week! A moisture meter is useful to measure moisture even within the root ball. Sometimes the soil at the top of a pot can look bone-dry, but the roots are still damp - you want to keep the roots alive during dormancy but don't want them to rot with unused moisture...
In early spring, increase water, fertilizer and light - and gradually begin to take the plants outside on warm days - until summer arrives again, and you can be confident of warm days and nights.

A few fuchsia hints:
Do not fertilize after September - you can begin again in the spring. Do not repot in the fall - save that for spring.
Before storing and after pruning, touch the ends of any cut, live branches with a 3% hydrogen peroxide on a Q-tip to stop the "bleeding" that is sap loss - and deter rot and mildew or fungus as well as bugs from attacking the fresh cuts. Better yet, if you have the space, you can wait until spring to do your pruning. (Fuchsias need about 12 weeks of dormancy.)

Rocks as mulch
Q: We decided to replace the mulch in our gardens with rocks; your opinion on the pros & cons?
A.K.

A: Rocks - I think you mean crushed stone - can make attractive mulch - but you're right! It has its pros and cons:
Esthetically, in this climate, I like to see rock used in rock gardens, or around specimen trees and shrubs or in rock gardens or as accents to larger decorative rocks - not in vegetable gardens – organic mulch, such as bark mulch or well-composted manure or chopped leaves provides nourishment as well for the garden as well as protection.
In the desert southwest, stone is beautiful in cactus gardens...in the South, around palm trees... but not in northern perennial gardens – but that's just a personal opinion!

Pros:
Stone is long lasting....
It's fireproof!
It doesn't get moldy!
It's attractive to very few insects
Weeds which grow up through rocks (and the weed cloth barrier you will want to install under it) are easy to pull....
Stone doesn't blow or wash away!
Lasts for YEARS - consider it permanent mulch....keep this in mind if you think you might change your mind some day about stones...!

Cons:
Rocks add no nourishment to soil - in fact, certain kinds of stone (like limestone) can change the pH level of soil...
On a hot, sunny day, stone gets really hot and could overheat or burn plants: Choose the stone color carefully! Light colors reflect, dark absorb heat and light.
You cannot rake it thoroughly - or remove leaves and debris with blower...
Holds a little moisture... but does keep deep moisture in soil...
You have to carefully hand-weed when weeds do appear...
It's very heavy.... both to deliver and to use and spread....
Stone is more expensive in initial cost, but may be lower or at least equal if prorated over the years...
Let me know if this is the information you need!

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
Sharpen mower blades!
I’ll bet you haven’t sharpened your mower blades since early last spring – and yet they’ve performed for you all summer. It’s time to give them a final sharpening before you do that last cutting, which will come in a few weeks. A clean, sharp cut produces healthier grass – healthier grass will weather the winter better.

Oct 15 :Is it white mold on pots?, Pruning Butterfly Bush, Mandevilla- ID and winter care, New house and garden

Is it white mold on pots?
Q: I grow all my houseplants in clay terracotta pots. Although I try not to over-water, the pots really do retain a lot of moisture and a fine, dust-like, white mold begins to grow on the outside of most of the pots. I periodically wipe down the outside of all the clay pots in the house with vinegar, to control the mold. Is any of this necessary?
S.M, Salem

A: The "white stuff" accumulating on the flower pots could be a mold - I love clay pots, too, and they will stay evenly moist - but therein lies the problem: mold spores like it, too. One of the best ways to get rid of mold spores is to empty pots, scrub them and soak in a weak solution of chlorine bleach and water - boiling water just isn't enough. Dry thoroughly and allow to air out before re-using!
There is a chance that the "white stuff" is excess fertilizer seeping through the clay - are you over-fertilizing your plants?
And there should be no reason to constantly wipe pots,

Pruning Butterfly Bush
Q: We have a Butterfly Bush in our yard. The first year we did not cut it back and the following year (last summer) it came in beautifully. Last fall we were told we should cut it back to the ground and this past summer it barely did anything. Should we cut it back again this year or leave it alone.
Thank you, D.R., Middleton MA

A: Your heart was in the right place! Butterfly bushes can be pruned anytime - and benefit from pruning, since they bloom on new wood. But in this climate, you're better off pruning in the late spring after the last frost - remember that these bushes can be very late to show growth each spring. A plus in leaving the pruning till spring is that the dead branches mark the spot where the bush is growing- which you might miss since they are so late in showing spring growth.
This year, wait till spring and do a minimum of pruning - I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. This fall, you might mulch gently around the base, although this shouldn't be necessary, unless we have an unusually cold winter - you really can't kill a butterfly bush! (In the Northwest, they are considered invasive!!)

Mandevilla- ID and winter care
Q: I look forward to your column each week and I'm hoping you can help me. I purchased two plants this spring from a local gardening store. They are vine like plants (potted) with trumpet shaped hot pink flowers. They love the sun and grow to wrap around a trellis or support. They came out around the same time as the hibiscus plants this year. Unfortunately I have lost the tags that identified the plant. Your help is much appreciated. I'm hoping that if you do know what this plant is, you will be able to tell me if I can grow them indoors this winter. Of course, I could always just bring them in and take the chance. Thanks. L.B.

A: With the information you've given me, I think you have a Diplodenia, or what is most often called a Mandevilla - it's a lovely tropical vine first discovered in Rio de Janeiro - they are usually pink to red to whites in color with a slightly crinkled leaf, depending on variety.

Since it is a tropical plant, it is not winter -hardy in New England and must be brought in for the winter as the temperatures drop to 45-50 degrees. They can be pruned hard, to within a foot or two of the soil line in the fall if you need the space - don't prune in the spring as they bloom on the new growth. And stop fertilizing now till spring.

Yes, you can maintain them indoors through the winter if you can manage to give them enough light! (The light we get through our windows in mid-winter is not even equal to a cloudy day outdoors in mid-summer>) Put the plant in the sunniest window you have and consider using grow lights. Don’t plan on seeing a lot of flowers during the winter - you will just be maintaining the plant over the winter.

Do not overwater - Mandevillas don't like wet feet in winter - and they do like being pot-bound, so don't be too quick to shift pots size in the spring. Continue to supply a support for the vines where ever they are grown and begin fertilizing again in spring as growth begins.

New house and garden
Q: My wife and I will be moving into our new home end of this month and I want to begin preparing a new garden bed for next spring. The base of the yard is sand with a top coat of 8” of loam. What do you suggest I do to prepare this garden to be nutrient rich for next spring?
Thank you,
E.

A: Congratulations on your new home! You're going to be very busy the first years!
Soil improvement won't happen in a year! But you can start the more lengthy jobs this year:
Depending how long you plant to remain at this address, I always advise buying and planting the slower growing trees and shrubs as early as you can on a new property - this will allow time to enjoy even a tree that might require 10 years of growth!
Consider flowering shrubs like rhodys and azaleas - and evergreens or vines to define a property line, or shield a view, etc. Only eight inches of loam or topsoil could be a problem, although you probably will have excellent drainage, maybe too good for moisture-loving plants like hydrangeas, unless you irrigate. Eight inches isn't enough to support more than some perennials, most annuals and grass - so you'll have to work on soil enrichment every year.
In the spring - Plants, like trees and shrubs with deep roots, can be planted in specially prepared "pits" of fertile soil.....plant some "heirloom" plants this fall, such as peonies, iris, lilacs, daylilies - and be sure to plant some bulbs for instant and dependable color next spring!

BUILD A COMPOSTING AREA!
Start composting right now on a large scale! And consider buying some compost for immediate use now.
This fall, run a mower - or use a mulching mower - over all of your fallen leaves and dig the pieces into the flower beds. If the leaves are well-chopped, they will rot - i.e. "compost" in place over the winter - and the beds will be richer for it by spring. Continue to do this over the years....use any additional leaves and grass clippings, and other vegetative material in your new compost pile. Depending on the size of pieces, the new material may be ready in by spring.
Best wishes to you and your wife in your new house! It's a very exciting time!
Let me know if I can help further!

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
Gardening or being around plants bears fruit ….is measurably very beneficial.
In one study, blood pressure jumped in workers given a stressful task—but rose only a quarter as much if there were plants in the room.
And patients who had a view of trees as they recovered from surgery left the hospital almost a day sooner than those with had a view of a brick wall.

Oct 22 :Newly cut grass as mulch, Yellow leaves on white rhododendron, Coffee grounds as compost, Saving tender bulbs over the winter

Newly cut grass as mulch
Q: As always, great new articles. My Q is it good to put grass cuttings on my newly cut back garden at this time of year going into winter? I know grass decomposes and is good for garden, right? Can I put new mulch over the grass to protect some plants?
As always, thanks. Jude

A: Grass clippings are better composted or dried well before applying to the garden – but at this time of the year, since the garden is cut down for the season, you could dig them into the soil. -There probably isn't enough time to dry them out this month but by burying them they’ll compost over the winter right in the garden and be ready to enrich the garden by spring!
If you decide to dig the fresh clippings into empty beds, be very careful!
Don't apply thick layers of the green grass as they will mat down and become slimy with the addition of moisture -
As the green clippings compost, they also produce heat - which can burn tender roots, so don’t get them too close to your perennials. And be sure there has been no dangerous chemical used on the grass this past season - and this includes weed killers!
You'd probably be better off composting them - and using them next year – put down a layer of chopped leaves or finished compost this year.

Yellow leaves on white rhododendron
Q: We have a rhododendron (Boule de Niege) along side the house that is about 10 years old. This year an inordinate amount of leaves have turned yellow and are falling off the bush. Questions: What is the cause of this yellowing and what can we do to alleviate this problem?
Sincerely,
B.M.

A: Do or a soil test - kits are available at garden centers or you can send a sample to a lab at U. of Mass., Amherst, MA
The most common reason for yellowing leaves is iron chlorosis, particularly if the leaf is yellowing between the veins....
If the entire is yellowing, it could be a calcium deficiency..... Only a soil test will tell you for sure!
A soggy soil can also cause yellowing...
You have a beautiful pure white rhody - and one that is very hardy in New England - it'll be worth any bother and work it takes to save it!

Coffee grounds as compost -
Q: As I go out of one of the coffee shops, I sometimes see a bin of “free” used coffee grounds they’re giving away to use as compost. Are these really useful – or is this just a way to get rid of their garbage?

A: Never quite thought of it that way! But I’m sure it’s their way of going green – just think of how many bags of coffee they must use every day! Every pot of coffee requires a fresh bag
Yes – certainly coffee grounds are very useful, even desirable in the compost pile…they are already ground up and small particles compost fast!.
For good compost you need “browns”, and “greens” which have little or nothing to do with their color – you need browns which contain high carbon, and greens, which contain high nitrogen – and you need them in an approximate ratio of three parts green to one brown –
Greens – which include coffee grounds along with stuff like fresh weeds and grass clippings, seaweed, and rotted manure.
Browns include dry leaves sawdust and straw.
Since compost is made best by layers of waste matter, you can see that coffee grounds would be a very handy green layer when a lot of the other “greens” aren’t available – add them to dry leaves, which are certainly readily available in the fall, and there is the start of good compost.
With any compost, be sure to keep the pile slightly damp – and don’t forget to turn it about once a week to mix the layers of brown and green – and stimulate faster composting.
Or they could be tilled directly into the fall garden where they will compost “on site” over the winter without any help.
Coffee grounds are slightly acid – gently scratch in a few handfuls around your acid-loving azaleas and rhodys and blueberries.
Whatever you do, don’t overdo it with the coffee grounds just because they’re free! Keep track of soil acidity with inexpensive soil tests or a soil testing meter.

Saving tender bulbs over the winter
Q: Can I save some of my other bulb plants that are grown from roots and tubers each summer? I always save the tuberous begonia bulbs – but I haven’t done some others. What can be saved and what shouldn’t I bother with?

A: Tuberous begonias, of course – and then there are the cannas, tuberoses, caladiums - are all tropical bulbs that we use as tender annuals and all can be dug and saved! Just like your spring bulbs, the tulips and daffs and crocus which you can plant and forget – tender bulbs have to allow the foliage to grow and mature and gain strength to feed next year’s blooms or beautiful foliage. Let the bulbs stay in the ground until a couple of frosts turns the foliage wilts and then dig them carefully – look how big they have grown! Now you know why they’re worth saving!
Examine all bulbs and tubers and discard any that are damaged -damaged bulbs and tubers will rot over the winter. Shake to remove excess soil – or rinse in a bucket of water or with a hose and dry thoroughly in a well ventilated spot, indoors or out, weather permitting. Trim the dead foliage off, leaving a few inches of stem – cut, don’t pull off the dying foliage. Then pack away in a rodent -safe, cool, dry place in boxes or bags of peat moss or sawdust until spring – whether you store them in the garage, cellar or shed, keep them from freezing!
Don’t forget them entirely! Check every month or so and remove any moldy or rotten tubers – and check for rodent damage.
In no time it will be spring and it will be time to start the bulbs and tubers indoors for use in the garden or containers next summer.

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
Annual Day of Mourning for all gardeners – Saturday, October 25th
Saturday marks the average first frost date for our area – and the end of another growing season. We will have used up the 192 growing days we are allotted each year – and we must now wait until April 25th, or thereabout to about to begin again.

Oct 29 : Ripening late tomatoes,Irises, Clematis transplanting, Hosta and rose pruning,Penny Mac hydrangeas

Ripening late tomatoes
Q: I want to harvest every tomato in the garden that I spent so much time and money and energy on this past summer.
My precious homegrown tomatoes have probably cost me about $50. a pound to raise but they were delicious – so I want to save every one! Can I still harvest them while if they are still green and ripen them indoors to a point where they will be eatable – besides frying green tomatoes?

A: You should save every one of those last precious home-grown tomatoes! You’ve worked so hard all summer – why let them go to waste? Harvest them as soon as possible.
If possible, green tomatoes which show a little color should be chosen for this final harvest – light green to even a small blush should be harvested before the first frost. They won’t be as luscious as an August tomato but green tomatoes hit by a light frost should still ripen indoors - however, if they are hit by a heavy frost, they will not – but can still be used as soon as possible cooked or in relish or salsa.
No more ripening green tomatoes lining the sunny windowsill! Green tomatoes will usually ripen better if they are removed from the vine and wrapped individually in newspaper. Wrapping the tomatoes separately helps to keep them evenly warm, and tomatoes require temps between 68-77 degrees, indoors or out, to ripen for the best taste and color. Wrapping them separately helps prevent rotting, and provides the proper atmosphere for ripening to occur. Allow wrapped tomatoes to ripen at room temperature, not refrigerated. It may take 2-4 weeks to ripen totally green tomatoes, so be patient!
Plan ahead - and you can have your fresh homegrown tomatoes for Thanksgiving dinner! Green tomato slices breaded in cornmeal and fried are a real Southern treat – try them!

Irises
Q: As far as the irises that I asked you about in the spring, I did as you recommended, but they did not bloom again this summer. The leaves get very big and tall, but no flowers! I dug around the tops of the tubers, removing some soil, but they still did not flower. I am going to move them to another area because where they are now, as it gets very wet in the spring. You told me they don't particularly care for wet feet, so perhaps moving them will get them to bloom elsewhere.
My question to you today is, when I transplant the irises, do I cut the tops off, or just plant them leaves and all and let the frost take care of the leaves? Someone told me I was suppose to cut the leaves short in the shape of a "V" before transplanting. Fact or fiction?

A: Wait - and transplant your iris just after bloom time in the spring (I know you said they didn't bloom, so you'll just have to figure the average bloom time in your area’s gardens). As you transplant, cut them back to about 6 inches above ground. I think the cut in a sharp point is because there MIGHT be less danger of rotting than if you cut straight across - but not significant! And the "V' shape does look nice - and promptly identifies the plant in all the other foliage. And you're right in moving them into a less soggy planting area!

Clematis transplanting
Q: I have a white clematis vine that I would like to transplant from a wet area. I bought it this year and it is a young vine. It only grew to about a foot tall this summer and had one flower. Should I move it now, or wait until spring?

A: The clematis: Transplanting to a less-soggy area is correct!
If you hurry, and mulch it well, you'll be safe doing it right now - but pray for mild weather to follow! Late October can be very unsettled! Otherwise, do it early next spring, as new foliage appears.

Hosta and rose pruning
Q: A couple of quick questions.
Is this the time of year to trim rosebushes? I have some that are quite leggy and would like them to be fuller next year.
Also, do I fertilize them now or in the spring?
And I have a lot of hostas that I'd like to divide and/or transplant. Can I do that now or should that wait? And, is this the time of year to fertilize them?
Thanks so much for your advice!
L.

A: In general, prune most rose bushes in the very early spring before new growth begins (in late March or early April-)
Divide your rose fertilizing into three applications: first in Mid-May, second in mid-July and third after a killing frost, (when it's too late for the plant to use it but it's available as soon as spring growth appears!)- or apply in early in the spring, before growth begins
Hold off on the hosta - and transplant them VERY early in the spring when the first tiny shoots appear. Be very careful and gentle in transplanting because if you damage the new shoots, you will have damaged the leaf for the coming year! The existing undamaged leaves will recuperate - but won't grow another new leaf until the following spring!
They're easy to transplant then - and will be most grateful for a fertilizing as you divide/transplant and again in mid-summer.

Penny Mac hydrangeas
Q: I have eight Penny Mac hydrangeas about 4 years old. This past winter was so mild. I had a lot of growth on the old stems. I trimmed off the dead tips when I was sure there were no more leaves budding I late spring, I applied fertilizer as the leaves seemed very pale – they quickly greened up.
I was disappointed though because the flowers on the old growth were very small and the flower stems – near the stalk –seemed slightly deformed. The new stems had big flowers,
My question is with Perry Macs is whether I should allow any of the olds stems to rebloom – or only let the new stems grow? I have not been able to find the answer.
I do know I should have applied a 10-10-10 in early spring which I’ll do this coming year
Thanks! Love your column!
P.B., Rockport, MA

A: Your Penny Mac hydrangeas are a wonderful cross which blooms on NEW wood, not the old as with older varieties – some smaller blooms will appear on the old wood, as well – and they’re smaller, mature bushes, great for foundation plantings. But the joy of them is that since it blooms primarily on the new wood, there is little chance that a late spring freeze, a sudden ice storm or a cold night, will ever damage your beautiful hydrangeas again! They are named for Penny McHenry, who was the president of the American Hydrangea Association, You’ll recognize later crosses: Penny Mac and Half-a-Penny are both equally compact and cold hardy!
The difference in care is minimal – but there are some important differences:
Unless your plants get open-sea exposure with high winds, there is probably little need for winter protection such as burlap wind shields or cages of leaves.
Fertilize once a year with a time-release fertilizer that is low in nitrogen. (Nitrogen promotes leafy growth, not flowers.)
If pruning is necessary, do it in late summer or very early spring – they tend to be more upright than many other hydrangeas, so this won’t be as necessary.
Prune to encourage new growth – and more flowers. The more new growth you can encourage, the more flowers you’ll get. Even the light pruning as you remove old flower heads or are cutting armloads of flowers in mid-summer will encourage more bloom on these easy bloomers. Some gardeners choose to cut them to about a foot from the ground each spring to promote new growth – and flowers! The choice is yours – experiment a little.
Old canes can be gradually pruned out any time to encourage new growth and flowers – dead or diseased canes can be removed anytime.
In the far North, the plants can take more sun – be sure they get enough – and pamper them with compost-rich soil and plenty of water.
Now sit back – and enjoy a burst of flowers in late spring and another through mid-summer until frost – you’ll be the envy of the neighborhood!

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
Don’t winter mulch yet! Mulch applied over warm ground would provide a cozier place for bugs to hide. Wait until the ground is frozen solid! It’s usually safe to mulch by mid- December – but not always. Test the frost level of your garden with a pitchfork.