Q&A

Howdoi care for a chain of hearts plant (Ceropegia woodii)?

Give it bright light but not direct sunlight, and water sparingly, especially in winter. Although not technically a succulent, the plant is best treated like one— it can even go outside in summerso long as there’s sun protection. The threadlike stems emerge from a tuberous base which eventually grows hard and woody. Flowers often appear in late summer. Propagate in water or by pinning leaves and stem on top of the soil and misting daily to encourage roots without rotting.

What’s the difference betweenjapaneseand European plums?

Japanese plums (which were originally from China) flower sooner and are susceptible to early spring frosts, making them more suitable for warmer districts. European plums are usually lateflowering and are generally more frost-tolerant; they tend to do better in colder districts. Be aware thatmanytypes of plum tree need another specific variety of plum nearby for pollination— if your backyard is small, look out for a self-fertile variety. Plum trees are best pruned in latesummeronce fruit has been picked.