BY STEVE BENDER
—CHARLES
Many scientists contend that the answer is no because plants lack central nervous systems; are not self-aware; and do not talk, hear, read, or watch movies like Oppenheimer. Others argue that they do indeed communicate by releasing volatile organic compounds into the air, by sharing chemicals using linked root systems, and by emitting electrical signals. When you repot, be careful not to damage the roots, for I happen to think plants do have feelings and are actually pretty smart. In fact, I’d take the advice from a cabbage over that of a member of Congress any day
My dad has beautiful roses and is very steadfast about fertilizing, spraying, and watering them. His white ones have healthy foliage, but the flowers look sickly and deformed. This makes him very grumpy.
—JANIECE
There are a few possible causes for his justifiable curmudgeonliness. The first is a physiological phenomenon called “balling” that typically strikes globe-shaped blooms with densely packed petals during cool, rainy weather. The petals stick together, don’t open, and eventually turn dry and brown. There is little you can do about this other than planting them under umbrellas, which is a nonstarter for your dad—trust me. The second potential perp could be thrips, tiny bugs that infest roses and suck and chew on the petals, causing the buds to stay closed and turn brown. To control these pests, apply BioAdvanced All-In-One Rose & Flower Care according to label directions in early May.
I was gifted a weeping cherry tree. It’s about 7 feet tall and doing well. However, a whole bunch of long, thin branches have sprouted near the base. How should I deal with these?
—MARTHA
Most weeping cherries are grafted at the nursery. The drooping, flowering branches are attached to the top of a tall, straight trunk (called the understock) so they don’t crawl along the ground. I think these slender shoots are growing from the roots of the understock. Prune them off. If you don’t, they’ll eventually dominate the tree and you’ll lose the weeping form.
Any advice on keeping house finches from nesting in a hanging Boston fern?
—JUDY
I would try inserting sharp wooden skewers into the soil. Finch fondue is delicious! I’m sure Southern Living is cooking up a recipe now. Chef’s tip: Always remove the feathers.
I’m starting tomatoes from seed. A friend told me to pinch off the top two leaves when they appear, claiming this will make the plant grow stronger. What do you say?
—KATE
You’re lucky I’m here. If you follow your friend’s counsel, you’ll kill your tomatoes. Seed leaves are the first to sprout. Their purpose is to nourish the plant immediately after it germinates. A short period later, true leaves will appear from between the seed leaves (which will turn yellow and drop), and your tomato will commence growing more stems from there.
What is this on my gardenia? It looks like a wad of spit!
—MARIANNE
Count your blessings. It could be tobacco juice. The “spit” is foam produced by a fat green insect called a spittlebug. It hides from predators beneath the foam while it feeds on sap but won’t cause serious harm. Just blast the gunk off with a jet of water.
illustration by JONATHAN BROWN
New colors put this delightful succulent high atop the pecking order
Hen and chicks has been around for a long time. Perhaps that’s because its Latin name, Sempervivum, roughly translates to “live forever.” The common name describes its unique growth habit. A rosette (tightly wound ball of leaves) 2 to 3 inches tall and 6 inches wide in the center is the hen. Buds (or “chicks”) sprout all around it and can be detached and repotted. Plant breeder and succulent fanatic Chris Hansen developed a series of them called Chick Charms. They feature striking foliage of gold, red, burgundy, copper, plum, silver, and more and change colors throughout the year. (That’s ‘Gold Nugget’ shown above.) Give them full sun to light shade in USDA Zones 3 to 9. Good drainage is a must to prevent rot. You can even try growing them in terra-cotta strawberry pots.
—Steve Bender
MAY MARKS the height of planting season and, with it, garden scams. Among the most egregious I’ve seen this spring is a multicolored butterfly bush. You know something’s up when only the shakiest mail-order sources offer it and their descriptions vary greatly. One touts shades of lavender, pink, and magenta. Another promises red, white, and purple. The accompanying photo is always garishly retouched. Warning: This is not how it will look in your yard. Three different hues in one pot won’t grow uniformly, and one will eventually dominate the others. Don’t fall for this “organic fertilizer.”
illustration by KENDYLL HILLEGAS
Grumpy has a podcast! Hover your phone’s camera over the smart code, and listen to episodes of Ask Grumpy on Apple Podcasts.
Ask the Grump! No question goes unanswered on his Facebook page: facebook.com/slgrumpygardener.