Q. Hi Peter: I was recently at the Seymour Botanical garden in Tacoma, WA and saw a Valentine Hoya. It had heart shape leaves and a black blossom… very unusual, but I have to have one. Would you know where I might find one? I would appreciate an email response. Thank you, Shirley Owens –…
Category: Gardening Q & A
Here you will find answers to questions from gardeners around the country. Some answers pertain to all but others are more regional so have a look at them all. You will also see that the Gardening Q & A is broken down into the following regions so please use the drop-down Categories menu to the right to see specific regions :
Apple Maggot Control
Q. As the apple maggot larvae live in the ground, is there an effective treatment to apply before they hatch? Is it time to start spraying my apple trees for the apple maggot? A. This is a timely question since today’s Insect Alert is for the Apple Maggot. The larvae have been in the dormant…
Peach Tree Borers
Q. Have lost several young cherry trees. Problem seems to be boreres that stress the trees – evidence of sap seeping out of possible entry wounds. Can a systemis insecticide be used? If not, what? John Delaney – Puyallup, WA A. I have Peach Tree Borers on my cherries this year as well. The sap…
Do Pesticides Expire?
Q. Do insect sprays lose their effectiveness by being carried over from the previous year? Bill McMonagle – Tacoma, WA A. Yes. Although manufacturers are not required to put an expiration date chemicals can slowly loose their effectiveness over time. In most cases you can expect to get 1-3 year shelf life from the average…
Training Grapes on Arbors
Q. Hello Peter, I have four grape vines, about eight feet long, that I planted a year ago. I want to have them fill in a grape arbor. Right now they are full of small leaves all along the vine. My question is, “What do I do to get the vines to spread out over…