The cure for overgrown pothos

QUESTION: My pothos in a hanging basket spent the summer outdoors in the shade this summer. When I brought it in, I discovered the stems had grown very long but most of the leaves are near the ends, and the stems are bare in the middle. Will it hurt to cut the stems back?

Pothos is a popular, easy-to-grow houseplant. It won’t hurt to cut the stems back; in fact, houseplant experts recommend giving them a trim every now and then to keep the plants bushy and full.

Pothos may be the perfect houseplant for anyone who says they can’t keep a houseplant alive. It does best in moderate to bright light and a moderate amount of water, but is tolerant if you forget to water it. In fact, it prefers soil that is on the dry side over soggy soil. If it stays too wet, the leaves may turn yellow and drop off. Houseplant expert and author Barbara Pleasant notes that if pothos grows in very low light, the stems grow longer with more space between the leaves.

To help the plants fill out again, cut the bare stems to within 2 inches of the soil, or cut stems above a leaf node (where the leaf emerges from the stem). These cut-off stem tips can be rooted in water, and the rooted cuttings can be potted in regular potting soil.

Great gift for gardeners

Here’s something any gardener would enjoy as the new gardening season cranks up in 2013: Rodale, the publisher of Organic Gardening magazine, offers the Organic Gardening Desk Calendar, a year-full of tips for good gardening, and providing ample space each day, diary-style, to jot notes, sketches, tasks and to-do lists. It’s illustrated with beautiful photographs by garden photographer Matthew Benson (who I talked to earlier this year after the publication of his book, The Photographic Garden), and it includes a special feature, “Fun with Backyard Chickens,” that’s perfect for anyone who may be thinking of adding hens to the backyard garden experience.

You can order the calendar/diary from Rodale for $21.95.

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Bring bay indoors

I bought a bay laurel seedling this past spring that was about six inches tall and set it out in a pot in the herb garden because I heard you may have to bring it indoors in the winter. It’s now about a foot tall. Could it survive outdoors? How do you harvest and use the leaves?

Bay laurel, or sweet bay (Laurus nobilis) is generally considered hardy to Zone 8 (well to the south of us here in Middle Tennessee), so it will need to come indoors before it gets too cold.

Place the plant where it gets as much sun as you can give it, in a south or west-facing window, if possible, and don’t let it get too dry (keep the soil evenly moist but not overly wet, the experts at the Herb Society of America suggest). It may also appreciate occasional misting if the air in your house is very dry. Take it back outdoors when the weather is consistently above freezing in the spring.

Bay leaves can be used dried or fresh; they’re usually added to long-cooking soups and stews. Snip them from the plant and use them as needed, or dry them to save for later. Use them whole (crumbled leaves have very sharp edges, which could be an unpleasant surprise to diners), and be sure to remove them before you serve. A bay leaf is a key ingredient in a bouquet garni (tied in a bundle along with thyme, parsley and other herbs), which would be added to a dish while it’s cooking and removed before serving.

By the way, there have been reports of bay laurel surviving the winter in colder climates, provided it is in a protected area. But to be on the safe side, find a sunny spot for it indoors.

Garden events in Middle Tennessee

Sept. 18:  Perennial Plant Society’s monthly meeting at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall begins with refreshments at 6:30 p.m., meeting at 7 p.m. Speaker is Terry White.

Sept. 22 & 23: Many rare and unusual houseplants will be available at the Tennessee Gesneriad Society’s annual Flower Show and plant sale, which will be held at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall. The event is open to the public 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Sunday. To learn more contact Julie Mavity-Hudson at Julie.mavity@gmail.com.

Sept. 27: Middle Tennessee Hosta Society meets at 6:30 p.m. at Cheekwood. Speaker is Susan Webb of Hurricane Valley Ornamentals in Gurley, Ala. Topic is “Growing Miniature Hostas in Hypertufa Containers.”

Sept. 29: Herb Society of Nashville’s Herb Day at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall: “Cooking & Gardening with Native Plants.” 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.; admission is $40 plus Cheekwood gate fee. To register: www.herbsocietynashville.org.

October 6: The Nashville Rose Society and Chattanooga Tri-State Rose Society host the annual Tenarky District Fall Convention and Rose Show Oct. 5 – 7. Events open to the public on Oct. 6 include Rose Garden Tours, 9 – 11 a.m.; a rose show, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.; and a public seminar: Basics of Growing Roses,” 2:30 p.m. Learn more here.

Oct. 16: Perennial Plant Society’s monthly meeting at Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall begins with refreshments and plant swap at 6:30 p.m.; program at 7 p.m. Speaker is landscaper Tina Ramsey  on the topic, “Winter Gardening.” Open to the public.

Good luck with ‘bamboo’

QUESTION: I have a “lucky bamboo” plant in a pot of water with pebbles that looked great for awhile, but now it has grown big shoots out of each of the stalks. Can I cut off these shoots and re-pot them?

The first thing you need to know about lucky bamboo that it’s not bamboo at all, but a plant in the genus Dracaena (specifically, D. Sanderiana). Its close kin includes two other popular houseplants: corn plant andMadagascar dragon tree.

Growers of this easy-care plant suggest not cutting it from the top, but you can remove the extra shoots from the stalk with a sharp knife. Cut it flush with the stalk if you don’t want another shoot to grow in the same place. If you do want a shoot to re-emerge, cut it about 1/8-inch out from the stalk. You can try to root the cut-off shoots in water: Dip the ends in rooting hormone powder and let them dry overnight, then place the shoots in water. Eventually, new roots may grow. You can grow lucky bamboo in water or in soil.

These are relatively low-maintenance plants, but you do need to pay attention to the water they’re in, and add water as it evaporates so the roots don’t dry out. Every week or so, pour out the old water and add fresh, preferably filtered water, or tap water that you have allowed to sit out overnight.

Keep lucky bamboo out of direct light and away from extreme heat or cold, and feed it every couple of months with a very dilute solution of plant food (about 1/10 the recommended strength, plant care specialists suggest).

Upcoming events

-Nashville’s native plant expert Margie Hunter is the guest at the February 21 meeting of the Perennial Plant Society. Her topic is “Going Natural in the Garden: Let Nature Be Your Guide.” The meeting is in Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall. Refreshments at6:30, meeting begins at 7, and is open to the public.

-Spring is on its way! The Nashville Lawn & Garden Show is March 1 – 4  the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. Gardens, exhibit booths, lectures and more. Details here.

-In Putnam County, the Upper Cumberland Home & Garden Show is March 2 – 4 at Hyder Burks Agricultural Pavilion at Tennessee Tech inCookeville. Vendors, speakers and more, 4 – 8 p.m. March 2; 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. March 3; noon–4 p.m. March 4.

-The Nashville Rose Society is holding its annual Vendor Night at the March 6 meeting. This is the chance for rose growers – and all gardeners — to shop for supplies from mid-state vendors. 7 p.m.in Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall. The event is open to the public, More on the Nashville Rose Society here.

-The Middle Tennessee Daffodil Society Spring Show is March 31 and April 1 in the Potter Room, Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall. More about MTDS here.

-And it’s not too early to get these on your calendar, because these are events you won’t want to miss:

The Perennial Plant Society’s annual sale is coming back to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds April 14,9 a.m. – 2 p.m. There will be thousands of perennials for sale for sun and shade, all fromTennessee growers, so they’re adapted to our growing conditions. Admission is free, but PPSMT notes that the Fairgrounds has a $5 parking fee. To learn more, visit the PPSMT’s website here.

The Herb Society of Nashville’s annual plant sale is April 21 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. It’s 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., but get there early to browse through 15,000 herbs (including some of those hard-to-find varieties) and talk to the Answer Ladies and all the other herb fanciers who turn out for this annual event. Look for more info at the Society’s website here,  and on Facebook here.

Keep African violets blooming

QUESTION: My African violets were blooming beautifully when I got them a few months ago, but no longer. How can I get them to bloom again?

It’s easy to love those dainty clusters of blossoms rising from rosettes of downy leaves. African violets look like they’d be fussy plants, but quite the opposite: “They’re easy to grow if you know a few secrets,” says Julie Mavity-Hudson of the Nashville African Violet Club.

One of those secrets may surprise you: African violets tend to bloom better when they’re slightly root-bound, so don’t rush to move them to larger pots. They thrive in bright, indirect light and average room temperatures, in soil that is kept slightly moist. “The thing that kills more African violets than anything is overwatering,” Mavity-Hudson says.

Failure to bloom might be because the plant is not getting enough light. In winter, when the light is low, try moving it to a south or west window where the light is brighter, but move it away from the window when the light is more intense. Direct sun will burn the leaves of African violets.

A light feeding of high-phosphorous plant food every few weeks may also help. Houseplant expert Barbara Pleasant (The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual) suggests adding a light pinch of Epsom salts to water to push balky plants into bloom.

To get together with other African violet aficionados, check out the Nashville African Violet Club, which meets the first Sunday of most months,1:45, at the Green Hill Women’s Center,10905 Lebanon RoadinMt.Juliet. The meetings are open to the public.

Events coming up

– Professional Landscape Association of Nashville, Tennessee – P.L.A.N.T. – will hold its winter seminar Thursday (Jan. 12),8 a.m. – 4 p.m., in Massey Hall atCheekwoodBotanical   Garden. The day’s topics include “Right Plant Right Spot,” by Kerry Mendez; “Pruning Techniques & Best Management Practices” by Karla Kean; Perennial Plant Collector’s Corner by Kerry Mendez; and “Longwood Gardens’ Vision for Horticultural Excellence and Beauty,” by Rodney Eason. Registration at the door is $100 for P.L.A.N.T. members, $125 for non-members (includes lunch). To learn more, visit P.L.A.N.T.’s Web site here.

–Another reminder that the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show is March 1 – 4 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. This year’s theme is Gardens Past, Present & Future, and as always the show features beautiful live gardens, 250 exhibit booths, a floral design gallery and a roster of free lectures.

Peter J. Hatch. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation Inc. at Monticello, photo by Robert Llewellyn.

Peter J. Hatch, Director of Gardens and Grounds at Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, is one of this year’s speakers. Hatch is scheduled to speak on Friday, March 2 about “Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Garden,” which featured more than 330 varieties of vegetables. On Saturday, March 3, Hatch will discuss Jefferson’s use of native plants, the union of gardening and sociability, and his experimentation with useful plants as a means of social change in his talk, “Thomas Jefferson, Gardener.” Other popular speakers are returning: Jeff Poppen, The Barefoot Farmer from Long Hungry Creek Farm in Red   Boiling Springs,Tenn.; Rita Randolph of Randolph’s Greenhouses from Jackson, Tenn.; and Justin Stelter, historic gardener for Carnton Plantation in Franklin and The Hermitage, Home of Andrew Jackson. Information about these free lectures is at the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show Web site.

Admission will be $10 for adults ($9 if you’re 65 or older), and this year the Tennessee State Fairgrounds will charge $5 per vehicle to park during the show. The Web site promises group discount and coupon offers coming soon.

Rubber tree can bounce back

QUESTION: I have a huge rubber plant that is very old. I’ve had to tie it to stakes in the pot to keep it from growing in all directions and out of control. Can I prune it?

A rubber plant, or rubber tree (Ficus elastica) can be transformed from an unmanageable mess into a more dignified plant. It takes a little planning and observation, but the results can be worthwhile, and can provide more plants in the process.

Before you make the first cut, look at the plant to determine how it might look after it’s pruned. New leaves will grow where you cut it, so keep that in mind as you remove the branches. The cuttings you remove can be placed in water, where they will often form new roots. After they grow a good system of roots, they can be potted in soil.

Houseplant experts also suggest a process called air-layering to prune old plants and grow new ones. This is accomplished by cutting into the plant’s stem where you want to prune it. The cut is then wrapped in moss and plastic wrap, and new roots grow from the cut area. After new roots form, cut off the new plant and pot it separately. Early spring, when the plant is entering a period of active growth, is a good time to try to trim it into shape.

Here are general guidelines for keeping a rubber plant alive and well: bright to moderate light (no direct sun) and average room temperature. Keep the soil evenly moist. A rubber plant probably does not need as much water during the winter. It can spend summer outdoors in a protected location, but be sure to bring it in before temperatures begin to drop in the fall.

No-fly zone

QUESTION: Some of the plants I brought in from outdoors seem to have tiny white flying bugs all around them, and are a nuisance. What are they? And what can I do about them?

 

Schefflera can play host to whiteflies.

These are likely whiteflies, and they often ride in on plants that spent summer outdoors. They’re more than a nuisance; they feed on the plant’s juices and can cause the leaves to turn yellow and die. The insects that are flying are the adults, and if you look at the undersides of the leaves you may be able to see the tiny yellow eggs and larvae.

Whiteflies feed on dozens of plant species and they reproduce quickly, so the problem could get out of hand quickly. To get rid of them, remove the badly infested leaves, then rinse the plant thoroughly and spray with an insecticidal soap. Be sure to treat the undersides of the leaves. Repeat the spraying every week or so.

Next fall, examine them closely to be sure there are no pests hitching a ride. Wash the leaves and treat the plants before you move them indoors. There are several other insect pests that you should watch for:

Aphids: they usually gather in clusters on tender young leaves. They also feed on a plant’s juices. Insecticidal soap, or washing with water or rubbing alcohol, is usually effective.

Mealybugs: You may see white, cottony clusters on stems or leaves, or where the leaf joins the stem. They also feed on the plants, so get rid of them by rubbing them off with water or alcohol.

Spider mites: They are barely visible, but you’ll certainly notice the damage – light-colored, speckled areas on top surfaces of leaves. You may see webbing stretching between leaves if there is a heavy infestation. Wash the plant with soapy water, and treat with insecticidal soap a day or two later. It may require diligence and several applications to control these insects.

UT Extension provides a booklet at its Web site that addresses these problems and more: Insects and Related Pests of House Plants (PB1157).

Poinsettias in the spotlight

QUESTION: I like to decorate with poinsettias for Christmas. What’s the best way to keep them looking good from now until New Year’s?

Poinsettias are a tropical plant, native to Mexico, so the first thing to remember is to keep them out of the extreme weather. If it’s a cold day when you bring them home (less than 50 degrees), don’t leave them in the car too long, and make sure they are protected on the trip from the car to the house.

Once inside, place them in a spot that gets indirect light. They’ll do well and last longer in a room that is not overly warm – 68 to 70 degrees is just about right. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy. Most likely the plastic pot will be wrapped in foil; it’s best to take the foil off when you water, to avoid trapping water that will cause the roots to rot. If the leaves become dry and curled, that’s a sign that it needs water. If a poinsettia wilts, that’s an indication that it may be getting too much.

Those are the basics for keeping a poinsettia looking cheerful through the holidays. If it starts to look a little sorry after that, don’t feel bad about tossing it into the compost. However, as often happens, a poinsettia can surprise you by pushing on healthy and strong into the New Year, and it’s a shame to discard something that’s growing so vigorously.

So, let it grow. Keep the soil moist and it should continue to thrive. As spring approaches, cut it back to about 8 inches tall and fertilize with an all-purpose plant food, and after there is no longer any danger of frost, re-pot it and set it outdoors, or plant it in the ground where it can survive as a nice, interesting green plant all summer (and succumb to its inevitable fate at the first sign of frost).

Here’s an interesting tidbit that comes from California poinsettia grower Paul Ecke Ranch: National Poinsettia Day is coming up! Dec. 12 marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States ambassador to Mexico, who gets credit for introducing the plant to the U.S.

Just water, please

Last summer, when it was very hot, I ran my dehumidifer upstairs when it was impossible to cool and used the water to water my indoor plants. Within a week or so they perked up like they were new plants, so I’m wondering how to duplicate that water, or what do you suggest? I have tried plant food, tea water, etc. and nothing works like the water from my dehumidfier. -S.W.

Houseplants may benefit from water that is free of added chemicals.

A likely explanation might be that since the water in a dehumidifier is “collected” from the air, nothing has been added — no chlorine or fluoride, such as we have in tap water. A lot of houseplants are sensitive to the additives in tap water, especially fluoride, according to my favorite source on caring for houseplants, author Barbara Pleasant’s Compete Houseplant Survival Manual.

You may be able to duplicate that unadulterated water by letting tap water sit out overnight before watering plants with it; supposedly that allows the chlorine and other chemicals in the water to escape. Or you could try using distilled water, or collect rainwater to use on your plants.

The author goes on to suggest using water that is at room temperature when you give it to the plants. “Giving cold water to tropical plants chills their roots, which can cause them to rot,” she writes.”

Spring is coming!

Dates for the 2012 Nashville Lawn & Garden Show have been set. Plan to head to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds March 1 – 4 to enjoy Tennessee’s largest and most popular annual gardening event. This marks the show’s 23^rd year, and the theme this time is Gardens Past, Present & Future. Details should be coming soon to the show’s Web site.

Waterfalls were featured in many of the 20 live gardens at last year’s Nashville Lawn & Garden Show.