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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Gardening Information Service is located in the Gardens' administration area directly across from reception. Volunteers have been operating Gardening Information Service for more than 10 years. During the summer, the desk is open mornings, Monday to Friday, and then Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings for the remainder of the year.
Ask us your plant questions today by phone: 905-527-1158 ext. 226, fax: 905-577-0375 or e-mail at grow@rbg.ca.
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MAY I HELP YOU?
We have a magnolia tree in the middle of the front lawn and it has not bloomed in the three years we have lived here. There have been signs of buds but nothing seems to come of them. What can we do?
The fact that it is in the middle of the lawn may well be its problem if you are feeding the grass. Nitrogen will cause the buds to abort and since this is the main component of lawn fertilizer, it may well be the problem. Dig up the area around the tree (no deeper than five centimetres), extending to the drip line if possible, and augment with humus-rich soil that will both retain the water and maintain an acid pH. Ensure that the tree is well watered at all times and especially going into winter. If you are feeding the lawn, place a barrier around the soil under the tree to prevent the lawn fertilizer from reaching there.
I received an azalea at Christmas and it is not blooming any more and the leaves are dying back. What can I do to get it to flower again?
First, prune back dead branches to stimulate new growth. If your azalea is planted in a peat moss mixture it is important to soak it and then allow it to drain fully. The pH should be at a slightly acidic level, which can be maintained by digging in a tea bag or two each month as our tap water tends to be alkaline. Place your plant in an east-facing window and away from heat sources, as cooler temperatures are required for blooming. When it warms up, azaleas enjoy summer light and temperatures outside. In the fall before the first frost, bring the plant indoors and place it in a bright, cool spot. It should bloom in a month or two.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here are some of the most common gardening questions asked at the Gardening Information Desk:
When is it safe to move and split peonies?
When is the best time to prune rose bushes, spring or fall?
When the weather warmed up I put my amaryllis plants out in the garden. They appear to be healthy and the leaves are very long. When should I bring them in?
I live in British Columbia and have had four colewort (Crambe cordifolia) plants for about three years. They have large leaves but no flowers. Is there a special formula to encourage bloom?
Over the last several summers we have suffered drought and watering restrictions. Is there anything I can do to prepare my garden to make due with less water?
When is it safe to move and split peonies?
It is best to wait until the leaves begin to die back in September. Dig around the roots as deeply as you can and mark with tape the level where the stem erupts from the soil. Remove the clump and cut between stems using a sharp spade or knife, keeping at least two fresh growth knobs or "eyes" with each section. Insert each section into a prepared site only up to the level marked by the tape. Try to plant each section using the same orientation that the original plant had, e.g. facing south in morning sun.
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When is the best time to prune rose bushes, spring or fall?
Many people want to "tidy" the garden in the fall. By all means remove any branches that are blocking paths, entrances and driveways but leave the real pruning for the spring, after you have seen how much damage has been done by the winter freezes and thaws.
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When the weather warmed up I put my amaryllis plants out in the garden. They appear to be healthy and the leaves are very long. When should I bring them in?
Just before frost is forecast for your area, you should start their dormancy. Bring the amaryllis plants into the house and put them in a cool, dark place like a closet or crawlspace. Ignore them until early or mid-November when you can start to water them and expose them to light. You should repot them and remove any bulblets that appear around the edges. (These can be potted up separately but won’t bloom for several years.) When you repot your amaryllis, remember to only cover-up two thirds of the bulb with soil. You should be able to keep your flowers going for several holiday seasons, until they eventually get tired. By then, those little bulblets that you planted will have matured enough to bloom.
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I live in British Columbia and have had four colewort (Crambe cordifolia) plants for about three years. They have large leaves but no flowers. Is there a special formula to encourage bloom?
The plants, if grown from seed, will need up to three years to reach maturity. They are well suited to British Columbia’s climate as they are recommended for zones 6 to 9. They prefer full sun but will tolerate light shade for part of the day—too much shade will prevent blooms. They require well-drained, evenly moist to dry soil. One reason that perennials in general do not bloom is because they may have a high nitrogen diet, which often comes from lawn fertilizer. Nitrogen is the first number in fertilizer formula (i.e. 20-10-10) and is great for grass but not for flowers. Use a fertilizer with a higher second and third number (i.e. P-phosphorous and K- Potassium).
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Over the last several summers we have suffered drought and watering restrictions. Is there anything I can do to prepare my garden to make due with less water?
The best thing that you can do is use drought-tolerant plants, like sedum, yarrow, thyme, gazania and portulaca. Plants with silver, grey or hairy leaves grow especially well in sunny, dry sites. Mulch well around each plant and throughout the garden with compost or shredded leaves—this will help retain water in the soil and absorb dew or surface water for root use.
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