Gardeners Supply Plant Care & Gardening Advice/Tips/Secrets @ HortChat.com®

I have beautiful, healthy Norfolk Pine that has grown close to 7 ft tall & about 6 ft wide. Can I trim off the top without causing damage to this tree??

Unfortunately, Norfolk Pine does not take well to pruning. The tip is the growing point of your tree and once you cut that off, your tree will still grow sideways but not upright. It will be misshapen and loose its pyramidal shape.  Sometimes a tree can send out another tip from a different growing point.  Cut only the lower dead branches.

My mum has been growing a pineapple plant for about 2 yrs now and it gets more and more leaves, but as yet it has not sent up a flower, she is worried that she’ll never get a fruit. Is there anything we can do to aid it?

                  

Sometimes pineapple plants are stubborn and need to be coaxed into bloom. One way is to place it in a plastic bag with a few ripe apples for a week. Loosely, seal the clear plastic bag allowing  for some air circulation and keep it in light shade (avoid direct sun).  The apples will release ethylene gas which will stimulate the plant into fruiting.
Another option is placing a small lump of calcium carbide (size of your little fingernail) into the center of your pineapple plant and pour a quarter cup of water over it. This will release acetylene gas which will force it to flower. Do this in the evening when temperatures are cooler. Calcium carbide can be bought in garden center, pharmacy or toy store.

After ”coaxing the pineapple to bloom”,  you should see the start of a flower bud in the center of the plant within 6 weeks.  If not try again.

THINGS TO DO:

Fall cleanup time      
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

 One of the most important things you can do in your flower beds and garden this Fall is to remove all diseased plants, vegetables and weeds. Bacterial and fungal diseases as well as insects can winter over in debris and re-infect new plants next year.  Good sanitation will result in less problems next year.

Also

-remove frosted annuals

-trim messy perennials- leave healthy perennials for the winter.  Their seedheads will feed the birds.

-dig up tender bulbs

-plant next spring blooming bulbs.

-recycle fall leaves.  Use the lawnmower to chop them up.  To improve your garden soil imcorporate chopped leaves into the soil.   

If you are reblooming last year’s poinsettia,  it should be starting to show some color by early November.  

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Bougainvillea, also referred to as Paper flower is a native of Brazil and belongs to the Nyctaginaceae family. This tropical climber is ideal for hanging baskets and grown in containers where it can cascade its vibrant blooming vines. The flower is unremarkable compared to the brightly colored, paper-like bracts that surround the flower. 

Bougainvillea do well in a tropical climate. They thrive in full sun and heat and bloom best when kept slightly stressed and on the dry side. They are heavy feeders and should be fed regularily with 1/2 strenght fertilizer to keep them blooming all season long.

WINTEROVER BOUGAINVILLEA

Bougainvillea are tropical plants hardy in zone 8-10. It will tolerate temperatures as cool as 30-40 degrees for a short time  but will need protection or it can freeze and die.

There are two ways to winterover your bougainvillea indoors,

1.  Treat it like a houseplant.  Keep it in the coolest, brightest room in the house (east or north window) with temperatures between 50-60 degrees. If it gets too warm, it will grow but look lanky and pale because of insufficient sunlight. Water less during the winter allowing the soil to dry out between watering and don’t fertilize. You can prune the plant to make it more manageable but major pruning should be done in the spring before new growth starts. It may drop its leaves during this time but the idea is to keep the plant alive till spring.

2. Force it into dormancy.  Bougainvillea can be stored in a basement, garage or dark closet at temperatures above freezing (32F) . Reduce watering, cut back it just enough to make it manageable. With no light and water, the plant will drop all its leaves and go dormant. Check the soil periodically during the winter, watering it a few times just to keep it from completely drying out.  Don’t fertilize during this time.  In early spring, repot the plant in fresh soil, water thoroughly and bring it to filtered light.