What to do with herbs, given stretch of warm weather
“And I wove the thing to a random rhyme, For the Rose is beauty, the Gardener, time.” —Austin Dubson
Q: I have some perennial herbs, like lavender and rosemary, in containers. Can I leave them out for the winter on the patio? —Gretchen, East Greenwich
A: You have three options including the safest, bringing them indoors for the winter.
They will need a cool spot with plenity of light indoors. You can cut 10 back and cover them with straw or peat in a protected area away from the wind, preferably on a south facing side. Lastly, you could try planting them in the ground without the pots. If we continue to have warm weather, then the roots can get established before the frosts and the winter wind dry them out. You should cut them back a third before planting and mix the potted soil with the ground soil to make for a better transplanting.
Q: I want to get some new Rose of Sharon plants. Can I get them from the seeds? —Francis, Norwich, Conn.
A: Yes, you can. Make sure they are dried and plant them an inch or two deep in soil out doors. This time of year the Rose of Sharon does this by popping their seeds under the leaves.
You could benefit from both methods.
You could get a larger quantity by making cuttings. Cut six to eight inch terminal shoots from the mother plants.
Cut the bottom at an acute angle. You can germinate the cuttings indoors or out. Make a box that is six inches deep. Place the bottom two inches of the cuttings into straight sand. Mist them every day indoors. This can be done now or in early spring. I have done this often and they have always rose to the occasion.
Q: We have a lot of limestone near our pond. Can we use that on our lawns? —Katie, Upper Peninsula, Mich.
A: Limestone is a soil sweetener. It is especially good for grasses, which like a pH over 7. Use 200 pounds per 10,000 square feet every fall for the lawn. If you can pulverize it, you can reapply hydrated lime in the spring as well.
Q: We have a 10-inch diameter Magnolia grandiflora that is planted within a foot of the house. We also have some other plants up against the foundation. The magnolia has brown edges on the leaves.
What can I do? —Jim, Amarillo, Texas
A: You have two choices. In the late fall, around the beginning of December in your area, you can hire a tree service company with heavy equipment to come to your house for a transplant of the required trees that are too close to the foundation. It should be at least 30 feet from the building. You can also invite a dozen brother-in-laws on a weekend to a BBQ and put them to work moving the trees or the house. You cannot leave the trees in that location for much longer The stress will invite insects and disease.