Early September Q&A

Our customers are asking…

Q. We just purchased a lemon and lime plant at CG…  when can they go outside  and what should we do with them now?

A. I’d put them in a slightly larger pot right now, and leave outside until early October. Then bring them indoors and put them in the sunniest place you have. Get a bag of Citrus-tone and apply a tablespoon on the surface every month. Keep them evenly moist but not wet…in other words, have a good sized saucer underneath so you can water them very well once a week. Put them back outside when the night time temperatures are reliably above 50 degrees – usually that’s in late May.

Q. What’s the best aster? Is there an aster you recommend?

A. Choose an aster for the height that it is likely to grow, matching it to the place in your garden where you’ll plant it. Some of the New England asters grow three to four feet tall so are good back-of-the-border plants. There are several named varieties that are mid-height, such as Raydon’s Favorite. And the “woods series,” such as “Woods Blue” or “Woods Purple” are shorter, and only grow about sixteen inches tall.

Q. Rosa rugosa is taking over part of my garden.  Thinking of transplanting it elsewhere.  What time of the year do I dig it up?  Thinking of planting it next to my hydrangeas?

A. Think twice before you transplant it elsewhere, since it will take over there too! If you put it next to your hydrangeas, it will grow into your hydrangeas, and trying to get it out once it’s entwined with the hydrangea roots will be difficult. Rosa rugosa is a very high-maintenance plant…it spreads aggressively, and doesn’t choke out weeds so often it becomes weed infested.

Q. Do I have to dig up and store my Canna lilies during the winter?

A. Yes, these are tropical plants and they will die if the temperatures fall below freezing. Dig them up and set the plants, roots, some dirt and all, in a large pot. Overwinter them in the basement or an unheated garage. If they are very tall you can cut them back by half when you bring them in. In the spring, cut the remaining stems down and replant at the end of May.

Q How late can I plant cold-weather seeds?

A. On Cape Cod the seeds that need a chilling period should be planted by the end of December. There will be enough time from January through March for them to have the cold they need.

Q. When do you use liquid Plantskydd vs the dry Plantskydd.

A. The liquid, sprayed directly on the plants, is the most long lasting and effective because the scent is taken into the plants. The dried falls off of the plants, especially if they are more than a couple of inches tall. You can use the dried most effectively on smaller plants; get them wet before shaking the Plantskydd right onto the foliage. Try not to apply the dry right before a rain or on a very windy day.

Q. I want to move my blue hydrangeas, which are too big for the location where they are growing. When should I transplant them?

A. Move blue lacecaps and mopheads in mid to late September. Be sure to water the transplanted shrubs well once a week into November. Don’t prune until late May when you will be able to tell what made it through the winter and what has died back.