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I bought a big, wonderful Fuchsia to hang on my porch which gets shade all day. It was doing fine till the last couple days when the weather got to the 80’s. It is going to get hotter, what can I do , the plant is never in the sun?

Fuchsias like cool days and cool nights. They are more suited to weather in the Pacific Northwest or highlands of Hawaii. They prefer morning sun and afternoon shade and cannot tolerate hot weather which causes them to wilt and drop their flowers. Continue to keep it in the shade and out of the drying wind until the weather cools down a bit. Water it enough to keep the soil evenly moist but not too wet. A misting will also be appreciated when the leaves get droopy. If it stops blooming, cut the plant back to a node and it should give off new growth within a month and rebloom from the new growth. When in bloom, feed it every two weeks with a 1/2 dose of a balanced fertilizer.

Eventhough fuchsia flowers are not fragrant their sweet nectar attracts hummingbirds.

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There are several ways to save your geranium over the winter:

1. Take cuttings and root them. Take 4 ” cuttings of healthy tips, remove flowers and lower leaves . Dip the cutting in rooting hormone and insert 2″ deep in a light well drained soil. Keep cuttings in a filtered light until roots form (3-4 wks).

2. Pot them up (trim up to 1/3 ) and keep them as houseplants by placing them in the brightest window for the winter. Water when needed and fertize once a month.

3. Store geraniums in a dormant state. Dig up the plant and place it in a papper bag with holes in it or wrap the roots in newspaper. Hang the bag in a cool, dark space (basement, crawl space). Another old way is to hang them upside-down,bare roots in a cool, dark basement and rehydrating the roots a few times during the winter by soaking them in water for a few hours. Pot up the plant in late winter (Feb) and resume watering. Place it outdoors when the weather warms up.

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PANSY viola x wittrockiana

One of my favorite flowers is the pansy. The flat-faced, lightly fragranced flowers that come in dozen of colors always make me smile. They are great in flower boxes, hanging baskets and bedding plants.
Pansies can be grown in areas where the summers are cool and winters are mild as they tolerate temperatures below freezing (-15F) and prefer cool summer temperatures below 85F.
In southern states pansy is grown as a winter flowering plant. In the north it is mostly grown as an annual. New cultivars such as ‘Skyline’, ‘Sky’, ‘Etain’, ‘Maxims’, Unviersal Plus’ have been known to be both heat and cold tolerant providing a longer blooming period.

Care: Plant pansies in rich, moist, well-drained soil in full sun to dappled shade and protect from the hot summer sun. Space them 6-8 inches apart. Add a balanced fertilizer at the time of planting and for maximum bloom, give the plant additional light feedings once a month over the growing period. Water early in the day (1/2-1″ per wk) to provide even moisture and avoid over-head watering to prevent fungal disease.

They bloom best in early spring before the hot summer sets in which causes them to stop blooming. For additional fall bloom, cut the plants down to 2 inches in July and fertilize. They will bounce back with the cooler temperatures.
Deadheading will prolong bloom time and pinching periodically will produce a bushy plant.

Pansies can be started from seeds in late winter 10-12 weeks before the last frost date

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HOSTA
Hosta, also known as Plantain lily is a popular shade plant that is grown primarily for its attractive foliage. Hardy in UDSA zones 3-9, this frost-hardy perennial is ideal for border plantings, large containers, and ground covers in shady areas. They also make great companion plants for early blooming bulbs because they hide the dying foliage.
Numerous cultivars range in all sizes from 6 inch tiny dwarfs to large cluster 2½ ft tall. The leaves can be dark or bright green, gold, yellow, blue, smooth, puckered or variegated and can grow up to 2½ ft long and wide.

Care: Once established, hostas require little care. Plant them at the same soil level as grown in the container, in rich, moist, well drained organic soil. They prefer partial shade to shade (morning sun and afternoon shade) and need protection from the hot summer sun. The bluer hostas need more shade to retain a true blue color conversely; the yellow and white leaved variety require more sun to maintain a brighter color.
Water: Give them plenty of water; they require at least 1 inch of water per week and more if grown in sandy soil. The larger leaved variety may also need more water. It’s best to water early in the day.
Feed: Fertilize in spring to mid summer at 6 week intervals (April, mid-May and July) with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer. Stop feeding after July to allow the plant to harden for the winter.
Hostas bloom in midsummer on tall spikes of lavender, blue, or white tubular flowers that rise above the leaves. Both leaves and flowers can be used in floral design. When finished blooming, remove the dead stalks. Hosta platanginea (Fragrant Plantain lily) is the only hybrid that produces white fragrant flowers that smell like tuberose.
Propagation: It takes 4-8 years for a hosta to reach full size. Propagate by dividing crowded clumps in the spring when new shoots appear, in the fall after the leaves die back or in August, 30 days before the first frost. They can also be started from seed but take 2-3 years before they reach blooming size and will not come true (except H. ventricosa).

Troubleshooting
Slugs and snails cause large holes in the leaves
Deer will eat the leaves down to the stem; rabbits will eat new emerging shoots.
Scorched leaves- plant needs more shade
Crown rot-outer leaves wilted and yellowed
Wilted and browning leaf tips-not enough water

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I had saved my hardy chrysanthemums in their original plastic pots and put the potted plants into the ground to over-winter. Now, I want to remove the plants from the plastic pots and transplant directly into the soil. My question is: When is the best time to do this? I live in Zone 4(Chicago area).

Not many of the “hardy” potted mums bought in autumn in zone 4 will survive the winter. Even though they are called hardy mums, their hardiness can vary. When growing mums for the market, there is more attention to color, shape and abundance of flowers than there is for cold hardiness. You can have a beautiful plant with a root system that cannot support it.
Planting in the fall, doesn’t always work because there may not be enough time to develop a good root system so plant in early fall. Best time to plant hardy mums is in the spring. In your case, try transplanting in the spring when the soil is workable; if any viable roots survived, you should see some green sprouting when the weather gets warmer. Otherwise, buy hardy mum plants in the spring and see how big they get by autumn.

To help hardy mums survive the winter cut back after they are done blooming leaving some of the stems to trap winter snow for insulation. Also mulch your mums after a hard freeze with several inches of straw, pine needles or evergreens. (Leaves tend to mat down and add little insulation. ) The added insulation will protect the root system.

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Geranium, belongs to the Pelargonium family and unlike its distant cousin (a true geranium and hardy version) is a tender plant grown as an annual in cooler climates and a perennial in zone 10.
Geranium (P. x hortorum) or commonly known as zonal or garden geranium is a favorite for container plantings and flower beds because of its long blooming season and brilliant colors. It bears rounded clusters of individual flowers which are either single or double on a stem which rises above the rounded scalloped leaves. The fuzzy leaves may have zonal markings and emit a “fragrance” when touched.

Care: Geranium requires little care as long as it gets full sun and well-drained, moist soil. In northern climates, they will tolerate light shade but if grown in shade will produce a leggy plant and little flowers. In southern climates, it is best to grow them in partial-sun with afternoon shade. Prolonged hot temperatures will trigger them to stop blooming.
For optimal bloom, feed the plant lightly with a well balanced fertilizer ( 10-10-10) once a month during the active growing season. Container plants may need to be fed more often (2x month) because the nutrients can leach out from the bottom of the pot when watering. They bloom best when slightly pot bound.
Geraniums need at least 1 inch of water per week. When watering, avoid getting the leaves and flowers wet, which can encourage fungal disease. Container plants may need to be watered more often but should be allowed to dry slightly between watering. Take care not to overwater as it can cause root rot.
Plant your seedlings outdoors, when night temperatures are above 40F or after the last frost date. Setting the plants out too early can cause the leaves to turn red from cool night temperatures.

Maintenance: Remove spent flower stalks and yellowing leaves. Pinching back or trimming some of the stems will encourage more branching and eventually more flowers.

Another Pelargonium worth mentioning is P.x peltatum know as ivy geranium. It has smooth leaves and grows in a trailing manner making it ideal for hanging baskets.

Winterover geraniums

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Butterfly garden plants

Butterfly gardens are very popular because they attract an assortment of butterflies. The key to attracting butterflies is to provide them with plants where they can lay their eggs and feed on the nectar. If you would like to attract these elusive visitors to your garden here is a list of plants you can grow.

Plants for nectar:
Anise Hyssop (Agastache)
Aster spp.
Azalea (Rhododendron spp.)
Bee Balm (Monarda)
Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii) *
Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)*
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia)
Cosmos
Dianthus, pinks, sweet william
Egyptian star flower (Pentas)
Fernleaf yarrow (Achillea filipendulina)
Foxglove (Digitalis)
Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata)
Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens)
Honeysuckle vine (Lonicera)
Hybrid delphinium (Delphinium spp.)
Lantana (Lantana camara)
Lavender (Lavendula)
Marigold
Orange, lemon,lime (Citrus spp.)
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Queen Ann"s Lace (Daucus carota)
Rudbeckia , gloriosa daisy
Sedum (Hylotelephium spectabile)
Snapdragon (Antirrhinum)
Spike gayfeather (Liatris spicata)
Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)
Tickseed (Coreoposis lanceolata)
Verbena
Yarrow
Zinnia

Plants for Larval Food
Black Cherry
Carrot
Clover
Dill
Elm
Fennel
Flowering crabapple
Hollyhock mallow (Malva alcea)
Milkweed (Asclepias)
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
Passion flower (Passiflora spp.)
Rose
Salvia
Spice bush (Lindera benzoin)
Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipfera)
Turtlehead (Chelone lyonii)
Violet, Pansy
Willow (Salix spp.)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

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BLEEDING HEART (Dicentra spectabilis)
A native of Japan, this beautiful delicate perennial produces arching branches with sprays of dangling heart-shaped flowers that are pink with white tips or solid white. The plant will bloom in the spring through summer and once established is relatively trouble-free. Bleeding heart is hardy to zone 3 and 4 and will tolerate the cold winters in Northern states.

Care
Bleeding heart can be planted in the spring or fall in moist, rich, well-drained soil and in semi-shade to shade. Plant it in an area where is gets direct sun early in the day and avoid the midday full sun, as that will cause the foliage to dieback prematurely. Maintain even moisture during the growing season. If needed place a layer of 1-2 inches of mulch around the plant away from the base to keep the soil evenly moist. When the hot summer sets in, the foliage will turn yellow, die back and go into summer dormancy.

Divide the plant in the spring every 5 years to reduce overcrowding and produce new plants. You can also divide in the fall after the foliage dies back. A mature plant will produce seeds making more give away plants.
Bleeding heart is relatively disease free except for wilt and stem rot caused by a fungus from growing in water-logged, wet soil.

All parts of this plant are poisonous.

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I was given a plant start from what I believe is a coleus plant. It has green leaves with a magenta center, the more sun it gets the deeper magenta the leaves get. I was told this is an inside plant. Aren’t coleus plants usually grown outdoors? It’s an extremely fast growing plant and I would love to know how to best care for it indoors. I would also like to make new plants to plant outdoors.

Coleus plants grow better outdoors in the sun/shade during the summer. They do get more colorful with extra light. If the plant gets too leggy, you can pinch it back and it will develop side shoots making a nice bushy plant to suit your size. They are not cold tolerant and will die back in the winter.
To save your coleus for the winter, cut off a 4-6 inch tip with a node, remove any flower stalks and place it in water. It should root within a few weeks. Once rooted, plant the cuttings in individual pots in a sunny window.
Another way is to take the cutting, remove lower leaves and insert in a moist, very well-drained potting soil. You can also dip the bottom end in rooting hormone but it’s not necessary. Place the container in a plastic bag away from direct sun. Check the soil periodically, so it stays moist. It should root within 10 days. Lightly tug on the plant to check if rooted.

The brilliantly colored coleus also makes a nice houseplant. When indoors, provide bright filtered light, well-drained, evenly moist soil and temperatures between 70-85F. For continued vegetative growth, remove any flower spikes it produces or the plant will go to seed and decline or die. Start fertilizing in the early spring when the plant begins to show signs of new growth. You can take cuttings from the mother plant in early spring to make more plants for outdoor planting. As with any houseplant, keep them away from heating vents/air conditioners. They are easy to care for.
more info

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Gerbera Daisy

Gerbera daisy (Gerbera Jamesonii) also known as African daisy ,Barberton Daisy, and Transvaal Daisy originates from South Africa, Madagascar to South American and tropical Asia.

Gerbera is known for its bright vivid colors and large daisy-like flowers that grow on bare stems 10-18 inches tall. It is hardy in zones 9-10 and usually grown as an annual or tender perennial that can be brought inside during the winter. This eye-catching flower attracts bees and butterflies. In a NASA study for indoor air improvement, Gerbera proved effective in removing chemical vapors and toxic gases.*

Culture
Gerbera should be planted in rich well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade (in hot areas). Full sun is best for more flowers production. Plant the crowns above the soil level, too deep will invite crown rot. .
Water early in the day and allow it to dry slightly between watering. Avoid overhead watering. Improper watering and poor drainage will lead to problems such as crown rot and poor flower production. Some sources say to fertilize monthly others every two weeks during the flowering period (spring and summer). Maintain the plant by removing spent flowers and old leaves.

Propagation
Gerberas can be started from seed 10-20 weeks before the last frost. No pretreatment is required. After collection, seeds should be germinated within 1-2 months. Plant the seed pointed end down and do not cover completely as they need light to germinate which should take 15-25 days. Once the weather is warm and danger of frost has passed, move them outdoors. They may even reseed themselves during the summer. Keep in mind that plants grown from seed may differ from the parent plant. You can also divide the plant in the spring or take basal cuttings in the summer and dip in rooting hormone.

Not only are Gerberas attractive in the garden or as a potted plant; they are also a favorite in the cut flower industry. The long vase life of up to 14 days and a myriad of available colors make this a favorite for floral designers. Hybridizers have produced hundreds of varieties with almost every color available except for blue and purple.
*Eco Friendly House Plants/Wolverton

Buy Gerberas Daisy

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I love my lantana, how can I propagate it?

Lantana should be propagated in mid-summer from stem cuttings. Make 3 inch cuttings off non-flowering shoots. Strip off any leaves that come in contact with rooting medium and the soil. Dip the ends in a hormone rooting medium and insert in a moist, well drained, soil made of peat moss and sand or perlite. Cover the container with a clear plastic bag and keep in a spot with bright filtered light. It should root in 2-3 weeks. When you see new growth emerging uncover your container and place it in brighter light and start to lightly fertilize every 2 weeks to promote healthy new growth. When the plants have about 2-3 inches of new growth, pinch the tips to encourage bushy growth. The following spring repot plants in individual pots. Young rooted plants usually bloom more profusely than older plants. Lantana can also be started from seeds sown early in the spring. Seed grown plants may have a variation in color and quality of the original plant.
The above method may be used on many other plants.

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