REJUVENATION PRUNING: Cure for old azaleas

May 15, 2008

I have a border of specimen azaleas - maybe 20 to 30 shrubs. Come May, they are absolutely beautiful! But they have to be 30 years old by now and are becoming sparse looking. How long do azaleas last, and what is the best way to take care of these older shrubs? -- Rita Stasi, Miller Place

Recent columns

• Planting and caring for lilacs

  May 8, 2008

  I bought two 8-inch lilacs from Costco. Couldn't resist! There were no directions for where and when to plant. They had 8 inches of woody stems, and now are about 18 inches in height with light green leaves above the woody stems. I have put them outdoors for a few hours on a sunny day. Please advise. -- Emilie Dixon, Huntington Station

• GARDEN DETECTIVE: PROPAGATION Rerooting Japanese maple cuttings

  May 1, 2008

  Is there a way to take a piece from my Japanese maple

• Rubber mulch’s pros and cons

  April 17, 2008

  Your discussions about mulch have been very informative. My question is in regards to the up-and-coming popularity of nonorganic rubber mulches. What are the pluses and minuses to using such a product?

• Transplanting bushes is safest in late fall

  April 10, 2008

  I want to transplant several forsythia bushes. When is the best time to move them?

• Mulch techniques remain vital to health of trees

  April 3, 2008

  Last week we talked about mulch and why we need it. In a nutshell: Mulch keeps the soil moist and its temperature even, suppresses weeds and keeps things looking nice and tidy. It helps keep soil from eroding and reduces soil compaction around delicate roots.

• Natural mulch wears away, but it helps plants and soil

  March 27, 2008

  We had our beds filled with mulch when we landscaped several years ago. The gardener says we now must put more mulch down at a great cost. Is it necessary? - S. Freese, East Meadow

• Garden Detective: Overwintering Mandevilla

  March 20, 2008

  I received a Mandevilla plant for Mother's Day last year. It did beautifully on the deck, and we brought it inside in the fall. The leaves started to fall off in November. I see new growth starting to come up. Should we cut it back from the bottom?

• How to get rid of garden slugs

  March 13, 2008

  Is there a way to get rid of slugs? I'm finding round holes in my hostas.

• Garden Detective: Prune your woody plants now

  March 6, 2008

  Mid-February to mid-April is the ideal time for pruning most woody plants, both because they're dormant and because you can better see what you're doing when your view isn't obstructed by leaves. It's also the period of most rapid plant healing, called compartmentalization.

• Planting peppers? First, get out the calendar

  February 28, 2008

  My son wishes to raise green peppers from seed. When should you plant the seed indoors to get seedlings? And when should you transplant them outdoors?

• Plants that thrive with little sun

  February 21, 2008

  What is hardy that grows in full shade? My hostas don't grow like my neighbor's. I like color and variety.

• Undemanding houseplants

  January 31, 2008

  If you love indoor plants but can't seem to find the time to care for them, you're not alone. And the tropical-plant nurseries that breed houseplants know it. "There aren't many stay-at-home moms who have time to dust off their plants anymore," said Lori Vanderlaske, tropical-plant buyer for Hicks Nurseries in Old Westbury. "People are busy, and I've been noticing a lot of easy maintenance, lowlight, sturdy plants coming on the scene."

• How to care for lucky bamboo

  January 24, 2008

  I was just given a bamboo plant and do not know how to take care of it. Your help would be greatly appreciated. -- Barbara Barci, West Babylon

• Garden Detective: New catalogs are food for thought

  January 17, 2008

  Given that January is National Mailorder Gardening Month, it comes as no big surprise that catalogs have begun trickling in. I'm expecting I'll have a nice collection covering my dining room table by the end of the month. Last week, I wrote about new flowers and trees and shrubs that have been introduced for 2008. This week, I'm putting my money where my mouth is - literally - and writing about new edibles to grow this summer.

• Blooms are hosta's best part

  December 6, 2007

  How can I store 'Nonstop' tubular begonias over the winter for replanting next spring? -- Bill Whiteford, Babylon Village

• Blooming problem for hydrangeas

  November 16, 2006

  I did not get flowers on my hydrangea bushes this year. Why?

• When arborvitae look shabby

  June 22, 2006

  I have 20-foot arborvitae that I need to trim. When is the best time to trim them? Also, I have many decorative trees and shrubs that need the same attention.