Question: What plants are best for a garden in the shade?
Answer: Most flowering plants require direct sunlight to bloom, with some exceptions. Shade doesn't mean no light at all-- shade plants still need indirect light or low light, like under a tree or patio. Here are some plants that thrive in the shade:
Question: Is pH important to factor in when planting? If so which pH should I be looking for when I buy?
Answer: A pH of 6.5 is perfect for most home gardens, since most plants thrive in the slightly acidic to neutral range. Some plants like blueberries or azaleas prefer more acidic soil, while asparagus does best in soil that is neutral to slightly alkaline. It's best to search the levels needed for your plants to be sure.
To alter the pH of your soil to suit your plant needs, acidic soil is made more alkaline by applying finely ground limestone or wood ash, and alkaline soil is made more acidic by applying something like compost.
Question: How often should I be watering my garden?
Answer: Various factors govern the quality of water your plant requires. The frequency of watering your plant needs will change with season, the best way to gauge when your plant needs to be watered is to check the soil. Water your plants every time the top two inches of your soil dries out.
Here are some tips: More sunlight means a higher rate of photosynthesis – meaning more water will be required. Summer months mean that more water will be lost by the plants to maintain optimum temperature in the plant – meaning more water required. Water also will be lost through soil. Rainy months reduce the rate of transpiration though leaf and the constant moisture reduces the rate at which the soil dries out, so less watering. In winters, plants undergo dormancy which means lower rate of photosynthesis and the lack of bright sunlight also adds to it, thus reducing or eliminating the need for water.
Question: I bought a weeping pussy willow tree about 10 years ago. This year it started to bloom then it got cold again and now it looks dead! It has suckers growing off the base so that is alive, but nothing is happening above the graft. Any suggestions on what to do and if it will live?
Answer: Looks like old man Winter finally got the best of this pussy willow. Rodents may have chewed on the bark of the roots during the Fall and Winter and maybe a rabbit near the base of the tree as well. Other than that, I would guess that is got winter killed. Even though it was established, this can happen. If it hasn't leafed out by now, I don't think it will. Suckers near the base of the plant is also a telltale sign that the top part of the graft is dead.
