Amaryllis storage, fruitless peppers, headless broccoli

I have a question for which I need your expertise. I have three amaryllis plants, which I kept outside until October and then brought in and laid in the garage. So far only one has dried out and the other two still have green shoots. I am wondering if I should cut off those shoots or wait until they finally turn brown. At this rate it looks like I will have amaryllis blooming in spring. Thank you for your help. -- Antonia Ackerman, East Setauket

Amaryllis are typically forced to bloom indoors for the holidays and then all too often ditched afterward. But they can be kept for reblooming indoors next winter, either by continuing to keep them as houseplants until mid-September, or moving them outdoors in spring until then, as you've done.

They benefit from time outdoors by soaking up sunlight to use for energy to produce the next batch of flowers. If any of the foliage is still green in September, they should be cared for as houseplants - watered and placed by a sunny window - until leaves turn completely yellow. Then withered foliage should be removed, and when stalks and shoots turn yellow, cut them just above the bulb.

Store bulbs right in their pots in a cool, dry spot like an unheated basement with a temperature around 40-45 degrees. Don't water at all while in storage.

In May after danger of frost has passed, sink the pots into the ground up to their rims in a spot that gets full morning sun and a bit of shade in the afternoon.

I am a very novice backyard fruit and vegetable gardener. Last year was the first year that I bought starter plants. All my pepper plants appeared to thrive, but they grew to 6 feet or more but did not set any fruit. I am wondering what was missing from my soil or what I could have added to turn the plants' production from foliage to fruit? Is there anything I should add so as not to have the same problem next year? -- Rich Haviland

Very likely you can blame the weather. Nighttime temperatures above 70-75 degrees often inhibit fruiting in tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, and we certainly had our share of hot summer nights last year. Some varieties are affected by the heat more than others.

Also, because your plants grew so tall, I'm wondering whether you overfertilized. Excess nitrogen can force plants to use much of their energy to grow big and lush, leaving little left for fruit production, though this isn't as much of an issue with peppers as with tomatoes.

For years I've had a successful summer garden with the common summer vegetables. In the fall I tried four plants each of broccoli and cauliflower, to no avail. They grew but produced no heads. I planted in early September. Do you know what could be the problem? --Charles M. Rullmann, Oceanside

You planted them too late. While it's true broccoli and cauliflower are cool-season vegetables, they should be planted outdoors between mid-June to mid-July for a fall crop.

The good news is you don't have to wait until next summer to try again. You can reap a spring harvest if you plant them in mid-April. Pick a sunny spot (shade will slow maturity) with fertile, well-draining soil, and keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy.

Before putting the starter plants in the soil, remove lower leaves to allow for deeper planting, and apply mulch. Use a starter fertilizer at planting time, and side-dress three or four weeks later with a 33-0-0 product, repeating after heavy rainfalls.