305 useful answers · Page 8 of 13
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Search this topicCombine them with appropriate fresher materials such as grass clippings or vegetable scraps instead of using only a dense dry leaf mass. Keep the pile accessible for turning so air can enter. Penn State describes alternating leaves with nitrogen-rich material. Use suitable clean ingredients, not every weed or treated clipping indiscriminately.
No. A manageable pile or simple enclosure can work if the mix, moisture, air, and time are suitable. Leave access for turning and monitoring. An expensive container does not replace those conditions. Choose a location and size you can maintain without scattering leaves into neighboring areas or drainage routes.
For herbaceous peonies, keep three to five healthy buds, called eyes, together with a good portion of root. Very small pieces may survive but take years to flower well. Divide in the locally recommended fall period, using a clean sharp tool. Healthy established peonies can remain undisturbed; they do not need routine division simply because they are old.
Position the upper buds about one to two inches below the finished soil surface, following local growing guidance. Planting substantially deeper can prevent flowering. Set roots in well-drained soil with at least six hours of sun, then water to settle them. Check the depth after settling; this advice is for herbaceous peonies, not grafted tree peonies.
Where dahlias cannot survive outdoors, lift the clumps after frost has killed the tops, before the ground freezes. Remove excess soil and let the surfaces dry. Pack the clumps in boxes with a suitable material such as vermiculite or wood shavings, and keep them in a dry, frost-free location around 40–50°F. Label varieties before their tops disappear.
Divide after flowering, during the early-summer window recommended for your area. About every three years is often enough for crowded bearded irises. Lift carefully, inspect for borers and rot, and retain sound young sections with foliage. Discard damaged or exhausted pieces. Let cut surfaces dry briefly before replanting in sun and well-drained soil.
Keep the roots buried while leaving the main rhizome exposed at the surface, as recommended by Maryland Extension. Deep burial and mulch piled over the rhizome encourage trouble. Choose a sunny, well-drained location and settle soil around the roots. Do not apply this bearded-iris planting rule automatically to other iris species with different moisture and planting requirements.
Not necessarily. A pot sold for seasonal color may contain a florist type or a cultivar unsuitable for your winter temperatures. For a lasting planting, choose a named garden mum rated hardy in your area and give it sun and well-drained soil. The word “mum” and a healthy display of flowers alone do not establish winter hardiness.
Plan for the mature plant, not the small pot. Minnesota’s Mammoth series can spread about three to four feet in its second year. Check the particular cultivar’s label and leave that space between neighboring plants. Squeezing it into the gap intended for a compact cushion mum can create crowding after its first winter.
Look up the cultivar name first. Early spring bloomers generally flower on older growth; early large-flowered types often need light pruning, while later-flowering group-three plants bloom on new growth. If the name is unknown, observe when and where it flowers before cutting hard. Removing all old stems indiscriminately can remove the coming season’s flower buds.
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Without its annual hard prune, a group-three clematis can keep extending from old stems and carry flowers increasingly high up. In late winter or early spring, cut to a strong low pair of buds according to the cultivar’s pruning instructions. Confirm that it really is group three first; spring-flowering clematis needs a different approach.
Some clematis are herbaceous, nonclimbing types rather than self-supporting climbers. Check the species or cultivar on the label before assuming something is wrong. Choose a climbing type when you want trellis coverage, and match its eventual size to the space. A small plant’s current height does not tell you how large a mature climbing variety will become.
Old-fashioned bleeding heart commonly goes dormant after its spring display, especially in hot or dry conditions. Yellowing and disappearing foliage then do not automatically mean the roots are dead. Keep its location marked and avoid digging through the crown. For the next season, a moist but well-drained site with light shade or morning sun suits it well.
Use neighboring plants that grow into the visual gap after old-fashioned bleeding heart becomes dormant. Ferns, hostas, astilbes and suitable hardy geraniums can work in compatible shade and moisture conditions. Allow room for both plants at their mature sizes. Keep track of the bleeding-heart crown so adding a companion does not mean cutting through the dormant roots.
Astrantia generally performs better with cool conditions and consistent moisture than in a baking, drought-prone bed. Choose a spot whose soil stays moist without becoming waterlogged; very deep shade can also reduce flowering. If your border dries severely each summer, choose a plant suited to that site rather than depending on constant rescue watering.
Astrantia seed benefits from a cold, moist period before germination. Wisconsin Extension describes roughly two to three months of stratification, with fresh seed preferable. Follow the seed supplier’s instructions for your variety rather than repeatedly moving dry seed to a warmer shelf. Dividing an established plant is another option when you want to preserve a named cultivar.
Hairy toad lily dislikes drying out. Drought can brown leaf margins, bring on dormancy and reduce its late flowers. Check actual soil moisture and give it a sheltered, partly to fully shaded site with moisture-retentive soil. More sun is practical only where conditions stay cool and moist; extra fertilizer does not correct a dry, overheated location.
Because hairy toad lily blooms late, an early frost can interrupt its display. A sheltered planting position helps, and a temporary plant cover may protect flowers during a light frost. Remove the cover when conditions improve. This extends a late-season display only within the weather’s limits; it does not make flowers immune to a hard freeze.
Shade alone is not enough if the soil dries out. Astilbes need reliable moisture in rich, well-drained soil; a dry bed beneath thirsty trees can be unsuitable. Check beneath the surface and water according to actual conditions. Container plants need particular attention. Aim for moist soil rather than leaving the roots standing in stagnant water.
Divide the existing clump if preserving a named variety’s color and characteristics matters. Seedlings may differ from their parent and can take several years to flower. Spring division is a practical approach for established clumps. Replant healthy divisions into suitable moist soil and water them in, rather than leaving exposed roots to dry while preparing the new bed.
No. Ants visit the sugary material around peony buds, but the flowers can open without their help. Seeing ants on otherwise healthy buds is not, by itself, a reason to spray insecticide. If buds fail to open, investigate the plant’s growing conditions rather than trying to attract ants or assuming that removing ants caused the problem.
Install a suitable support early, while shoots are emerging or before heavy buds open. Stems can then grow through it, which is easier than trying to lift a wet, collapsed plant into a ring. Large double flowers are especially prone to flopping. Position supports so stems have room to grow rather than tying the whole clump into a tight bundle.
After a killing frost, cut the tops back to several inches and lift the clumps before freezing soil damages them. Leave a little soil attached and let the surfaces dry for several hours. Store the rhizomes in a box, crate or mesh bag in a dry, frost-free place around 40–50°F. Identify the varieties before putting them away.
Iowa State recommends planting canna rhizomes about four to five inches deep in a sunny location with moist, well-drained soil. Wait for the appropriate spring planting period in your region rather than copying another state’s calendar date. Spread the rhizomes with enough space for the variety’s mature size, and water after planting to settle the soil.
Source checks for these answers: September 22, 2026. Product instructions and local requirements can vary.