North Shore Gardener October 2007

October 3,2007 : Miniature Rose, Mumstead Lavender, Bees in Yews, Mulch, Purple d'Oro Lilies

Miniature Rose
Q: Hello, Barbara -- Hope you can help.  My granddaughter has a rose bush in a clay pot on her balcony.  The rose is a miniature rose. Should she bring it in for the winter or can she leave it on the balcony for the winter as one would do with a regular rose bush?  She really would like to have it bloom again next year.
Lou

A: A miniature rose bush is treated just like a full-size rosebush.....but with greater care!
You said that she has grown roses on her balcony in previous years - then certainly, Missy can keep this one there, too - but the preferred way would be to plant it in the ground (maybe at grandpa's house if she is in an apartment???) Mulch plant well over the winter....and maybe buy another rose plant next spring for her balcony.....

Or she could grow it indoors under lights this winter. Unless she has a very sunny location, she will need supplementary light over the winter. You can always tell if any rose needs more light: watch how the distance between the leaves begins to lengthen and the leaf color lightens as the plant reaches toward the available light source.

Indoors, miniature roses are susceptible to even more garden pests than outdoors – watch for spider mites, aphids, and other houseplants bugs. Spraying the entire plant, underside of the leaves as well as the topside with plain water does help and raises the humidity as well as removing some bugs - a good soap spray will dislodge others, but keep watching! Water carefully when the top soil is dry - don't over water.  

Don't be too surprised in the tiny rose grows a few feet high over the years! There are many classed as "miniature" roses that eventually grow over three feet high, as well as the micro-miniatures, that stay under 6 inches! You'll just have to wait and see which she has!

Munstead lavender 
Q: I bought a small, but established Munstead lavender plant in June and planted it on the south western side of the house near my back steps and walkway.  It has done me proud and is blooming as we speak! This is the first time I've grown lavender (successfully) & I'm not sure how to protect it in the winter.  Do I cut it back, do I cover it with salt marsh hay, and do I leave it alone?   Because it is next to the back steps quite a bit of snow falls and is piled there in the winter.  Any advice would be very appreciated!
-B.

A: Your Munstead lavender was an excellent choice - it's quite successful in this climate. Since the planting area is near some stone/brick/cement steps, the plant will be getting some additional warmth and protection from the stone. .Protect plants from strong winds as well as from dry, sub- zero temperatures.....
 Lavender is more sensitive to wet weather and soggy ground than cold temperatures - but yes, I would certainly mulch with salt marsh hay this winter, especially since this is the first winter.......
 Please protect it from piles of snow - the sheer weight of it alone could be disastrous, not to mention the moisture piling up over the plant! You could place a well-ventilated basket or box over the plant - or mark the location of the plant, and inform whoever shovels the snow that the spot is to be avoided!

Prune in late spring by about 1/3 - don't prune any earlier or you might cut too deeply in the crown area and disturb new growth. It takes about three years for lavender to reach full size. If you are actively harvesting the tall flower stems, there might not be very much pruning to do in the spring.......

 
Bees in yews – yikes!
I have a problem that I hope you can tell me what to do about it. One of the yew bushes near my front door has a bee's nest as big as a cantaloupe and visible through the branches. While trimming the top of the bush, many of the bees came out and I had to run like hell.  I purchased a spray and used it at night but it seems that they are still there.
Is there a way to get rid of the nest or the bees? Please help me.
Josephine, an Eagle Tribune Reader

A: You're lucky you didn't get stung! I think you've done all you can do -
We've had suggestions in the past of spraying with WD-40, and streams of water, and simply cutting out the hive - but this can be very dangerous and we don't recommend it-
You did the right thing by using your spray in the evening when the bees "go to bed " - and you might want to repeat that for the next several evenings -
But then it's time to get a professional - for your safety!

Mulch
Q: A couple of months ago you wrote briefly about NOT mounding up mulch around a tree.  I notice that many landscape companies do just the opposite.  Come to the Loop in Methuen (the old Methuen Mall) off of 213.  You will be shocked.  Every young tree is buried up to a foot or more in mulch!
 Can you once again reiterate in your column why this practice is so prevalent and so bad for the trees.  In spite of your cautions, I don't see the trees falling over and dying.  Is it a long term affect?
G. D.

A: The reason you don't mulch right up to the tree trunk is to prevent bark rot. Obviously, this doesn't happen overnight! The bark decays and rot gradually sets in, leaving the tree open to bugs and other infections - it may take a few years!
Landscapers (and home gardeners) generally use mulch this way to give a "finished" look to their project before they move on.
Mulch, properly chosen and applied to a proper depth, will keep plants warmer in winter, cooler in summer, retain moisture, and inhibit weeds – and, if well-chosen, benefit the soil as it decomposes. Of course you can use mulch - but a properly mulched tree will have the mulch pulled back about a foot from the trunk - and maintained at this distance for the life of the tree.
If you want to see dying trees, I understand there are many around the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers - all with their trunks tented in mulch....or drive through any neighborhood!
Thank you for your letter! I'm sure the content will be of interest to many other readers.

 Purple d’Oro lilies
Q: First let me tell you that my wife and I both enjoy your column in the Eagle Tribune. I am writing you to ask you if you know of a place that we can purchase these purple daylilies. We have many yellow but have never heard of the purple. We live in Methuen Mass.
Thank you for any help you can give.
-L.

A: Purple D'Oro daylilies are available from the following mail order nurseries, among others:
www.willowcreekgardens.com
www.kelleynurseries.com
www.pburgess.com
-And if you hurry, you have time to order and plant them this fall! (Otherwise, order them in spring.)

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
Decide whether you are going to need artificial lights for indoor gardening this winter – buy new bulbs, if yours are showing a shadow of grey at either end. This year, date the new bulbs – and for best plant growth, stick to the manufacture’s recommendations for hours of bulb life.  

October 10, 2007: Rose of Sharon, Dahlias, Blue Lace Hydrangea, Transplants

Rose of Sharon seed pods
Q: I have a couple of questions for you.  First, I have several rose of Sharon bushes that seem to be producing large, firm buds which resemble seed pods after the bushes bloom.  Can I remove these so the energy of the bush will be used for continued blooming rather than production of seeds or should I leave them alone? 

A: It is quite normal for these seed pods to develop - Rose of Sharon is quite a prolific shrub! Most gardeners don't bother removing the seeds, unless they want to avoid the
little seedlings next spring - but you are quite right about seeds taking strength from the plant....
However, since the shrub blooms on new wood produced next spring, the removal of pods would probably have little influence on next year's bloom for an otherwise healthy shrub...Save your energy to rake leaves!

Dahlias
Q: I have many dahlia plants in my garden and they are dying a slow death.  The leaves on one of the plants started to turn grey and then the blossoms came out smaller than usual and died fairly quickly.  They also seemed to be covered by some type of web.  Now the plant seems to be completely gone.  The blossoms on the other plants now don't seem to be as brilliant as they use to be.  This happened a couple of years ago but last year they were OK.  I dig my plants up each year and keep them in a cool, dark, dry place for the winter.  Since this happened a couple of years ago, I spray them with a fungicide every few weeks but that doesn't seem to be helping.  Should I dispose of them this year and start fresh next year?  What about the soil?
Any Ideas?
Thank you,
S.S.,Gloucester, MA

A: You're right! Starting fresh might be the simplest way: buy fresh tubers and use a new planting area. But why don't you give it another year or two?
You have probably got a mold/fungus - and I guess that the webbing you see is caused by spider mites attacking the already stressed plants.
 Continue spraying with the fungicide you have until you dig and store the tubers after a frost - but use a systemic fungicide like Funginex as well - this will get right into the plant and tubers whereas the spray will only work on contact with surfaces. Also hit the soil with your fungicide!
Be sure to do a thorough fall clean out - turn the soil several times after the tubers are lifted to expose the ground to freezing temperatures and sunlight - this should reduce to fungus in the soil next year.
Be sure to wash and air dry tubers after digging - soil contains the mold spores. Then dust your tubers with Captan or sulphur before storing - and check on them every few weeks thru the winter, removing any that show signs of mildew or rot. If you must keep a questionable tuber, then at least remove it and treat it in a different and separate place, away from the healthy tubers.

The color fading of the flowers could be caused by the fungus - or the spray - or by too much sun - dahlias do best with partial sun....

In general, keep the planting area clean throughout the year: Remove dead foliage, and destroy, do not compost. Next summer, when watering, water in the root area - keep water off the foliage - this will help keep fungus and molds AND slugs off the plants!

Blue Lace hydrangea
Q: I have a Blue Lace hydrangea, about four years old, that has been beautiful, full and green but NO BLOSSOMS.  Is there something I can add to the soil around the plant or something I can feed it to make it bloom next year?   The plants is now about 2 l/2 foot high and just a beautiful plant. 
 Thanks,  A.N., Methuen, MA

A: Check two things: Is your beautiful plant in too much shade? If it's planted too close to trees, it might be in too much shade - AND be competing for water - it needs about a half day of sun, or even a little more in our climate.......the cure is transplanting to  a better location. Is the plant getting too much nitrogen in fertilizer? -And it might not be the fertilizer that you're spreading around the hydrangea - it might be the lawn fertilizer used near-by: spring "green-up" formulas contain lots of nitrogen which makes the lawn grow lush and green - but doesn't aid plants that flower. -And pray for a more normal spring – extreme cold in spring kills the flower buds.

Transplants  
Q: I wrote you last week and now I have a few more questions.  When is the best time to move perennials:  now, or after they stop blooming? I have some bee balm I put in the sun, which I think is the wrong place for them, and they are full of mildew.  They also got crowded out by my cannas.  Can hostas be divided before the first frost or is it better to wait until the spring when they are first poking their heads through.
D.V., Methuen, MA 

A: Perennials can be moved almost any time - but some times are better and easier for you- and the plant!
 The bee balm can be moved anytime you can dig it, anytime you can plant it and in the fall, anytime you can give it a few weeks to re-establish its roots before the ground freezes. Of course, you may be sacrificing some bloom - but monarda will recuperate, trust me. Your bee balm (monarda) should do very well in full sun - the mildew is probably due to poor air circulation - bee balm needs dividing every few years as it grows fast and crowds itself and other plants very quickly!
 About the only time during the growing season that you WOULDN'T move a plant is in mid-summer heat spell, unless you could tent the plant over to shade it, and water and mist it daily for the first few weeks.

The same goes for the hosta - you COULD move it anytime during the growing season and the roots would live and be lovely next year - but it sure is EASIER to move early in the spring or after a frost, when there isn't as much beautiful foliage to wrestle with!
Hosta is a unique plant - it grows just one set of leaves per season - if you damage leaves, the root lives, but the leaves won't re-grow until the next year.
So hostas are easier to move in the spring before the leaves appear (but don't damage those new leaf sprouts!) or in the fall after a light frost, when you will be removing the leaves anyway. But sometimes, the right time is right now, like when home construction forces you to move plants or lose them. Do it carefully and expect to give them additional care for a few months. 

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
Keep your eyes open for dry materials in your garden and by the roadside to use in holiday and winter craft projects; the classic grapevines, and pinecones, berries, grasses and seed pods, in all shapes and colors…. You might even include some mosses and lichens, and attractive rocks and pebbles and sticks! Almost anything goes, everything except most leafy materials!

October 17, 2007 : Pumpkin Ripening, Moss Removal, Moving Plants, Soil Testing and Pest Control

Pumpkin ripening
Q: I planted pumpkins this year and have already harvested small to medium orange.  I have a few large pumpkins still on the vine but still green.   Will they turn orange soon or more importantly, if I pick them will they turn orange on my doorstep?
P.K., Byfield

A: Pumpkins turn orange with warmth, sunlight - and time!
 It's best if you can leave it on the vine and protect it! If there is a frost warning, cover the pumpkins well with plastic, removing the plastic promptly in the morning as the temperatures rise so that condensation doesn't rot the pumpkin.
 (If you really want to be safe, cover with newspaper or an old sheet or blanket first, then a layer of plastic - the newspaper or fabric will absorb moisture).....weight the plastic down with bricks or rocks so it doesn't blow off....
Remove all leaves that remain on the vine so that every ray of sunshine can reach the pumpkin.....
 If you choose to pick the green pumpkins, leave it out on the steps or a sunny dry deck, turning the greenest side toward the sun each day, and bringing it in each cold night.....- you could also ripen it indoors at a sunny window....
Whatever you do, they might not be fully-colored by Halloween – so keep them for your Thanksgiving decorations –
Be proud of having been a pumpkin farmer this year - use them what ever color they are!
(I'll bet you never thought when you planted those seeds last spring that you'd be babysitting your pumpkins in October!!!)

Moss removal   
Q: I wonder if you can help me with this terrible problem that we have in our yard.  Moss started growing replacing the grass on one side of my lawn last year and has now spread everywhere.  We have tried spraying but it hasn't helped.  We do have some trees.  Can you tell me if it is the trees that cause this and what can I do to get rid of the moss.
 F. LeC.

A:  Your moss isn't exactly taking over the lawn - it's filling in spots in the lawn where the grass can no longer grow because of one or more problems:
 -It's gotten too shady - trees have grown taller and become leafy and more dense over the years and now shade out the sun...grass needs sun.

 -It's too dry - and the trees are competing for the little water they have in the area - and the trees are winning! When the grass looses, it dies and moss moves in......
-The soil pH is too acid - correctable with applications of lime in the fall.....  
The soil in the area should be tested - it probably lacking in nutrients and needs some additional fertilizer as well as lime – but don’t guess! Test!
- The area may be too compacted. Moss grows on anything - grass needs to put down roots into softer soil. Aerate the soil every few years....and try to keep repeated traffic off the area - (bikes, dog walkers, go-carts, bikes, etc. - Temporarily fence the area, if necessary, to re-route traffic and wear.)

This fall, or next spring, use a moss control /remover, a spray or pellets, on the area. Once the moss has turned yellow or brown and died, rake it out, loosen the soil and patch the bare spots with topsoil or compost, and reseed with a proper grass seed formulated for shady areas.

Dispose of the dead moss. Remember – “dead” moss is almost never dead - it's just dehydrated, and hibernating and it will sprout again at the drop of a gardener’s hat if the conditions are right! Make the corrections above if you expect the grass to grow again in the same area.
Fall is the perfect time to make lawn repairs - good luck! And let me know how it goes by next spring.

Moving plants
Q: I have a hydrangea and an ordinary rose bush (rugosa?.... only one layer of petals) too close together, next to the foundation.  Both of these plants have a sentimental value.  Which one would it be better for an amateur gardener (me) to move?  And would you move it in the fall or spring?
I would appreciate any suggestion.
M.B., Beverly, MA

A: If we could only control the weather - at this time of the year, we just don't know what's coming - and anything you transplant in fall, has to have the time to put feeder roots out so it can survive the winter. Next spring would be safer to move plants, particularly your plants for which you have a sentimental attachment....you wouldn't want to lose either one.
-Move the rose in early spring - it probably won't show any damage at all!
-Move the hydrangea in spring and you should have little trouble, although you might sacrifice a few blooms the first year. Depending on the variety, most hydrangeas have already formed their flower buds for next year, so don't prune it this year or next spring until flowering is finished, then do it immediately.
I'm sure you'll have no trouble with either move - then we'll be calling you an expert!

Soil testing and pest control
Q: I enjoy reading your column in the Salem News.  This morning's column was especially helpful.  My mother's garden has been decimated this year by some sort of critter.  I can't wait to tell her about Shake-Away.  Is it available locally or only over the Internet?
She has had a garden for many years, and while she rotates the crop planting, this year's crop has been less than desirable.  I'm thinking that perhaps she should have the soil tested to see what nutrients she should add for next year.  Do you know where on the North Shore this can be done?

A:  ShakeAway product is what we've been recommending for years for safe pest control  and is available at many garden centers - try Northeast Nursery on Rt. 1 at 114, or Kane’s or Home Depot..

You’re very right – soil should be tested every few years. There are soil testing kits available at garden centers - all prices and all capabilities.
But the U Mass labs provides professional, and very thorough testing results and offer suggestions for soil adjustments as well:
The standard soil test is what I usually have done. Follow the directions for digging the samples and packaging carefully – depending on the season, they're reasonably fast with results!
Call for further information:
University of Massachusetts-Amherst labs @ (413) 545-2311
Soil Testing 2007 Price List 

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
A caution while bulb planting:
Some people may experience an itchy reaction to hyacinth bulbs, so you may want to wear protective gardening gloves when handling them. Wash your hands thoroughly when you have finished planting.

October 24, 2007: Amaryllis in Bloom, Planting Horse Chestnut, Rose of Sharon seed pods, Final Transplants

Amaryllis in bloom
Q: I was very pleasantly surprised when I approached my garden corner in August and there was my leftover bulb from January in full bud and ready to give me 4 more beautiful blossoms on a short firm stem. I did as I was told and placed it in the garden to rest, with occasional watering. Now my question is what next? Do I let it die back again and hope for more beauty in the winter months?
 Have a nice day, G.

A: -Could be several reasons why the amaryllis is blooming now:
Depending on the variety, it might be a re-bloomer - some of the exotic varieties like "Exotic Star" will do this...and sometimes, it "just happens"...and the bulb just feels like blooming!
Or: Dormancy was interrupted....it should bloom “on schedule”, next year...
It's not a reliable bloomer: meaning it can't always be depended upon to bloom at a certain time of year - it blooms when it's ready! 
Now - to return the bulb to dormancy and make it bloom, you will need to grow the foliage (indoors at this time of the year) for a few months, then put the bulb into a dry rest period of at least 8 weeks - then start the cycle again. In any case, it won’t bloom in time for Christmas. I suspect someone forgot the water the bulb while it was in the garden early summer, which put it into dormancy - then resumed watering, which brought it into bloom.
You could chance growing it indoors as any green houseplant on the chance it MIGHT bloom again this winter....
In any case, the bulb is not lost - you can eventually dry the bulb out NEXT fall - and start the cycle over again in time for NEXT Christmas!

Planting horse chestnut
Q: When & how is the best time to plant a Horse chestnut?
 Thank you,   Dick E.

A: Do what the squirrels do! They know best! Bury or plant the huge seeds outdoors in the fall - they need a period of cold to germinate, which is called cold-stratification. Seeds can also be cold-stratified by placing them in a plastic bag with some barely damp peat or sphagnum moss and refrigerating until spring, when they can be planted.

Whenever you plant your seed, be sure to protect it from the very squirrels you are imitating - they might watch you and dig it up for dinner some cold day in January. Cover the planting area with chicken wire - or start the seed in a pot,  place it in a cold area outside where it can be carefully watched, then bring it indoors for the rest of the winter. Plant the seedling outside next spring.
Plant the seed just under the soil. If you start the seed in a pot, choose as tall a pot as possible - horse chestnut trees have a long tap root. Transplant outside as soon as possible next spring, to avoid root shock.
Horse chestnuts are slow-growers - I have one planted by a squirrel in my asparagus bed - it's only about knee high after several years’ growth-

Rose of Sharon seed pods 
Q: I have a couple of questions for you.  First, I have several rose of Sharon bushes that seem to be producing large, firm buds which resemble seed pods after the bushes bloom.  Can I remove these so the energy of the bush will be used for continued blooming rather than production of seeds or should I leave them alone? 

A: It is quite normal for these seed pods to develop - Rose of Sharon is quite a prolific shrub! Most gardeners don't bother removing the seeds, unless they want to avoid the
little seedlings next spring - but you are quite right about seeds taking strength from the plant....
However, since the shrub blooms on new wood produced next spring, the removal of pods would probably have little influence on next year's bloom for an otherwise healthy shrub...Save your energy to rake leaves!

Final transplants  
Q: I wrote you last week and now I have a few more questions.  When is the best time to move perennials now, or after they stop blooming? I have some bee balm I put in the sun, which I think is the wrong place for them, and they are full of mildew.  They also got crowded out by my cannas.  Can hostas be divided before the first frost or is it better to wait until the spring when they are first poking their heads through.
 D.V.
Methuen 

A: Perennials can be moved almost any time - but some times are better and easier for you- and the plant!
Bee balm can be moved anytime you can dig it, anytime you can plant it and in the fall, anytime you can give it a few weeks to re-establish its roots before the ground freezes. Of course, you may be sacrificing some bloom - but monarda will recuperate, trust me. Your bee balm (monarda) should do very well in full sun - the mildew is probably due to poor air circulation - bee balm needs dividing every few years as it grows quickly and crowds itself and other plants very quickly!
About the only time you WOULDN'T move a plant is in mid-summer heat spell, unless you could tent the plant over to shade it, and water /mist it daily for the first few weeks.

The same goes for the hosta - you COULD move it anytime and the roots would live and the plant would be lovely next year - but it sure is EASIER to move early in the spring just after it sprouts or after a frost in fall, when there isn't as much beautiful foliage to wrestle with!
Hosta is a unique plant - it grows just one set of leaves per season - if you damage leaves, the roots will live, but new leaves won't re-grow until next year. So hostas are easier to move in the spring before the leaves appear (but don't damage those new leaf sprouts!) or in the fall after a light frost, when you will be removing the leaves anyway. But sometimes, the right time is right now, like when construction forces you to move plants or lose them.....do it carefully and expect to give them additional care for a few months. 

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
Compost those leaves!
If you’ve never tried composting, fall is the best time to experiment with simple composting: no formulas, no measuring, no cost– just a pile of leaves that you keep damp and turn once in a while. Everyone has plenty of leaves – and if you don’t, I’ll bet your neighbors will loan you some of theirs. Fall is the easiest time to start composting: Why waste all those leaves when your plants can put them to good use? It’s far easier than raking and bagging them and putting the out for the trash. And think of all the money you’re going to save. What is composting? Simply, it’s rotting. There’s nothing magical or mysterious about it - compost happens! -
If this is your first time composting, make it simple:
Fence off a small area for the leaves so they don’t blow around all winter….pile them up – and in a year or two, they’ll be ready to enrich the garden...
Run your mower over the leaves to chop them and they’ll rot even faster – chopped leaves may be ready to use by next spring. This fall, water the whole pile every week as long as you have the hose out – and begin watering again in the spring if we don’t have enough rain and snow.
Make it even easier: you can by-pass the whole compost pile idea and get the same benefits: If leaves are shredded with the mower or a shredder, they can be added directly to the garden, dug in, and allowed to compost on site. No turning the pile and very little watering – the result is better soil for no cost at all.
Next year, when you’re really hooked on composting, you can try one of the compost accelerators, and a thermometer to check  the temp of the pile, and a compost tuning fork, and a bin……..but not this year –just let compost happen!

October 31, 2007: Blueberries, Campsis, Burning Bush, Strawberries under Plastic,

Blueberries
Q: We have a bunch of blueberry bushes (all different varieties so we're getting cross pollination) that aren't doing very well where they are; they definitely need to be moved but I'm a bit confused as to when, should we do it in the fall or wait until spring?  Also, how to prep the area - obviously some compost but anything else, like maybe vermiculite or are they better suited to a more sandy soil? 

 A: Blueberries are best transplanted in the spring. Years ago, they used to say that "any month with the letter "R" in it" would be an acceptable time - but I certainly wouldn't do it in December! -And common sense says you wouldn't do it in mid-summer heat!
 Blueberries do best in full sun, with well draining, and well-amended acidic soil - a pH of 4-5 should be fine (do a soil test in the new area) - then you can mulch with peat or pine needles as the years go on.....
I'm sure you know that transplanting will set the berry production back by 2-3 years, but after that, you should be set for the life of the bush. .So choose your new spot carefully, and in particular, look ahead to where adjacent trees might become a shade problem in future years. 

Campsis
 Q: I bought a Minnesota Red campos vine (I'm going by memory, it's dark outside right now and I can't find the flashlight to go read the tag) last fall and we put it in before the first frost.  It took a while to get going in the spring but it took off like crazy, however there were no flowers this year.  Is this a vine that goes every other year with blooms or did we do something wrong?  I gave it some all purpose fertilizer in the spring, it looks very healthy but no flowers.  What gives - any idea?
 -M.

A: Now the campsis vine (I assume this is the vine you are asking about): this vine can take several years to bloom, although “Indian Summer” blooms somewhat faster.
I have a yellow campsis that was planted on an old tree trunk about 5 years ago. Now everything around it has grown taller and shades it – and it hasn’t bloomed yet because of lack of sun!
 If I move it, it will take another few years to bloom....
If I leave it in the shade, it will never bloom. I think I have some pruning to assure better sunlight - and some waiting to do - and you probably wait with me.
Yes, they're slow to start in the spring, but once they take off, you won't be able to stop them. Have you ever seen the red campsis growing along Rt. 127, on a stone wall near the Endicott College beach in Beverly? It's usually in bloom about mid-August and it's just beautiful! It's what made me buy my plant five years ago.....we can dream, can't we?

Burning bush
Q: Do burning bushes have to be in direct sunlight to turn their spectacular red color in the fall?  I think we might need to move one or cut down some sun-blocking limbs overhead.
Any help, as always, is greatly appreciated.
Thanks M.

A: Burning bush is more beautiful the more sun it gets - I think it will be well-worth moving the bush, or pruning the trees nearby - time passes, trees grow, plants are shaded!  

Strawberries under plastic  
Q: I've got a good one for the strawberry-growing masses:  I had NO time to commit to my veggie garden this year, so I tilled it, rolled down permeated black plastic, cut in 6-inch X's, and filled it with strawberry plants.  I did not mound them as I should have -- again, no time!  Oddly, I got quite a few berries (1st year!).     
Fall is here and I need to mulch them with salt-marsh hay, which I bought a bale of.  My quandry is how I am to hay-mulch unmounded 6-inch openings while leaving the crowns exposed (yes?) with the added ointment-fly of my garden being about 20 feet from open water, read:  major wind.  How can I put down this hay and keep it down?   How do farmers do it?  Their fields are exposed to major wind?   In addition, one plant didn't make it, but several others have thrown off babies -- can I cut one and plant it into the spot at this late date?  I'm thinkin' no, but if yes, do I need to root it first? What if anything should I do w/ said babies?                       
  I know about pulling the crowns and replacing them w/babies, but that's hopefully a coupla years down the road.  If I didn't screw myself by not mounding, I'd Hugely appreciate any ideas you can offer.     Oh yeah ~~  When should I mulch and when do I stop watering?  The plants are still green but a few leaves are red.                         
                                                                                                           
A: You always have interesting questions!!!
 If you must, you could mulch around each crown with the salt marsh hay - water the strawberries well before doing it - continue watering until the ground freezes. Don't mulch until the ground freezes, although with the heat under the plastic, you might be out there at Christmas doing it! The mulch can be pinned down with the same pins used for row covers - but once it freezes it may stay put all by itself. (I have made the U-shaped pins by cutting the ends off of old wire hangers - that was in the old days when hangers were made entirely of metal, not half cardboard!) - But I'm not really sure that you need it, since you are keeping the plastic in place year round.....do you have the plastic anchored with rocks or dirt?
 You're a little late to cut, save and plant a runner - but with the mild weather, I might try anyway, because of the additional warmth under the black plastic. Otherwise, tuck it in the soil, under the plastic, (in the same hole) planted it right there it will probably be fine till spring. Don't cut the runner off from the mother plant till spring.

This week’s dirt…………………………………………………………
 That Halloween pumpkin that your kids’ carved this week will soon be soft and squishy – and begin to mold! Compost the Halloween pumpkin! Next year, if a few pumpkin seeds are left behind in a warm compost pile, you might even find a new pumpkin vine growing from your rich compost pile! Life goes on in the compost pile even over the winter.

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