Q. I have lilac bushes that haven’t bloomed in two years. What should I do?
Norwalk, Connecticut
A. Are your lilacs planted in full sun? They bloom very poorly in the shade.
Are your lilacs old with lots of suckers that have not been thinned? A plethora of suckers could be using up all the energy [...]
Also posted in lilac, pruning | Tagged lilac blooms, lilacs |
Q. Something seems to be eating the leaves of my Butterfly bush. Can I use a bug spray on it? Is it safe?
Chatham, Massachusetts
A. There are a few different insects that can feed on a Butterfly Bush. However, not all controls (sprays) work equally on different insects. It is best to monitor the plant [...]
Two answers for this question!
Q. I planted Hydrangea Endless Summer Macrophylla mophead three years ago. Bloomed first year and hasn’t bloomed since. Plant looks great. Any ideas?
Gibson, Illinois
A. Hydrangeas not blooming after planting is very common. The plant spends its energy on providing the plant with new leaves and growth once it is moved [...]
Q. Can I put two different types/colors of honeysuckle vines beside each other against my lattice? I have a pink honeysuckle that has been in the ground for about seven weeks now and is doing great. I just bought an orange honeysuckle vine and am wondering if I could plant it beside the one I [...]
Q. I’ve been given a winter-flowering honeysuckle, and it’s been suggested that I plant it at the base of a (mature) apple tree. Would this be likely to cause either plant problems? My garden is directly south facing.
-London, United Kingdom
A. If your winter-flowering honeysuckle is Lonicera fragrantissima or Lonicera purpusii Winter Beauty they will grow [...]
Q. We recently moved to South Carolina and this house. I think we have a honeysuckle bush growing along/up our fence. It doesn’t match up to what I am finding online. I am not sure I have smelled honeysuckle before, but this is wonderful and I assumed this is what it was. I think the [...]
Q. I cut my forsythia back completely last spring, to about 3 to 4 inches in height. Over the course of last summer it grew into a nice looking shrub. This spring it is too leggy. Each branch is a good 36 to 46 inches and hanging low. The bush cannot be mowed around for [...]
Shrubs for shade, it’s always a problem. Here are some suggestions.
Q. What kind of light little do little lamb hydrangeas and rhododendrons need…the area I have in mind is relatively shaded.
-Brighton, Massachusetts
A. Both the Hydrangea and the Rhododendron can be grown in conditions from full sun to about half shade, and still bloom. In dense [...]
Q. Hi! In trimming our lilac tree, we noticed what appears to be a fungus growing on some of the limbs down to part of the tree trunk. It is white in color and looks like small mushrooms. Could you please let me know what you think could be the problem and how to correct [...]
Also posted in lilac, pest control | Tagged fungus, lilacs |
Butterfly bushes, one of my favorite sub-shrubs! But they look like heck in early spring. What to do? Here are two answers to that question:
Q. My six-plus year-old Buddleia (butterfly bush) has never really been pruned. It’s about six-ft. tall now and very thick and unwieldy. It has new growth emerging. Should I prune? [...]
