Here are some of Larry's helpful flower and gardening tips:
Larry's Tip: Now is a great time to plant winter pansies.
These plants can last from fall to spring in protected areas. Stop by today and see our large selection. We'd be happy to discuss with you the best ways to keep your pansies safe through the winter weather so you can have a beautiful outdoor garden all year long.
Q: Larry, there is a wonderful plum tree in Elkins that I would like to propagate. Is it possible to grow a plum tree/shrub from seed or can I do this from a twig cutting? If from a twig is best, what are the steps? Thanks—Melissa
Hello Melissa...It would be best to try and take a cutting from from the plum tree.The proper time to do this would be in March just prior to new growth leafing out. Cut off about 6-8” of a branch tip. Carefully scrape the bark off the bottom part of the cutting up about an inch.Take a 6” plastic pot and fill with 50% sand and 50% potting soil. and water thoroughly. Insert the cutting about 2” into the soil. Try and mist the cutting several times per day to maintain high humidity. Do not keep the soil waterlogged...just keep it evenly moist. In 4-8 weeks it MIGHT root. This is much easier in a greenhouse with bottom heat and a commercial type mist system. Doing this in the house is much harder. It may not grow true from seed so I would forget that idea.
This is fact may be easier than trying to root a cutting...
Q: Larry, What can I do about tomato blight?
A: First choose varieties that have VF after the name.....that stands for verticilium and fusarium resistant. If you are growing heirloom tomatoes with no blight resistance and you currently have blight issues then you need to pick another spot to plant the tomatoes. Also there are fungicides that if sprayed weekly it will help eliminate some of the factors that cause blight....but choosing resistant varieties is the key....
Visit us on Facebook and take advantage of the opportunity to Ask Larry! your plant and gardening questions. Larry Gouer is Mary's Greenhouse owner and a WV Certified Horticulturalist.
