It’s question-and-answer time again. Remember, if you have a
garden question, please write me in care of this newspaper included
a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Or, you may e-mail me at:
ga********@jp*.net
.
Q: I consider myself a pretty knowledgeable gardener, but I need
help in one area. What is a colorful fall and winter annual to
replace all the summer color I’ve had and am starting to
remove?
It’s question-and-answer time again. Remember, if you have a garden question, please write me in care of this newspaper included a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Or, you may e-mail me at:
ga********@jp*.net
.
Q: I consider myself a pretty knowledgeable gardener, but I need help in one area. What is a colorful fall and winter annual to replace all the summer color I’ve had and am starting to remove? I’ve used pansies and violas before, so please something other than those.
– J.H., Gilroy, via e-mail.
A: Ah, something other than pansies and violas – my two favorite cold-weather bedding plants! Well, another favorite are Iceland poppies and primroses/primulas. Iceland poppies grow in full sun, while primroses and primulas do better in partial shade. Iceland poppies do take a while to get established, so you won’t see the bright pastel flowers for another six weeks or so. However, the delicate flowers bloom atop slender 12-inch stems for a welcome sight throughout winter. Shade-loving primroses and primulas are related, but both offer bright, 2-inch flowers. Primroses bloom on shorter stems, while primulas bloom atop slightly taller stems.
Finally, another personal favorite are cyclamen. These are actually bulbs, so they’ll cost more. You’ll have to buy cyclamen already blooming in 4-inch or 6-inch pots, meaning they’ll cost you anywhere from $5 to $8 apiece. But these shooting star-like flowers are definitely worth the investment, plus they’ll come back year after year.
Q: I planted six cauliflower plants this year. When I told a girlfriend that I was growing cauliflower, she told me I needed to do something special with the leaves to make them grow better. Do you have any idea what she was talking about?
– P.C., Gilroy, via e-mail.
A: The cauliflower question has to do with keeping the heads white. When cauliflower heads first appear, some people tie up the large leaves around them to keep them white. This prevents them from getting splashed from mud or dirty water. It also provides a little protection against crawling insect pests.
Q: When is the best time to plant a weeping flowering cherry tree?
– A.H., Morgan Hill, via e-mail.
A: Many deciduous trees, including flowering and fruiting types – are sometimes sold as “bare-root” plants from January through March. You can save money by buying bare-root specimens because you don’t have to pay for the soil and container. Plus, this is the ideal time to plant since specimens will be well on their way toward establishment by springtime. Weeping flowering cherry trees can sometimes be found in bare-root form. If not, you can still plant canned specimens any time of year.
