Boardash: ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Tuesday September 29, 2009

Monday, September 28, 2009

ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Tuesday September 29, 2009

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Gardening Daily Tips
For You
Tuesday September 29, 2009

Strawflower (Helichrysum bracteatum)
Q&A: Harvesting Plums
Q&A: Dividing Hostas
Tip: Clean Up Fruit Trees
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Reader Photos

Strawflower (Helichrysum bracteatum)

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Strawflower (Helichrysum bracteatum)

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Q&A: Harvesting Plums

Question: I have an old plum tree on my property that is producing nice plums. The problem is that either the birds get the good fruits before I can, or the ripe plums fall from the tree as soon as they are nice and sweet. Can I pick the fruits a little early and let them ripen indoors?

Answer: If you are going to use the plums for canning or jelly, you can pick them when the bloom (whitish waxy coating) first appears and the fruits are still a bit tart. When fully ripe, the plums will fall from the tree. Plums taste best when allowed to ripen on the tree, but as you have seen, that can be problematic. Some gardeners cover their trees with netting to protect the fruit but that isn't easy on a big tree. If you pick them a bit early, you can bring them indoors to ripen at room temperature, out of direct sun.

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Q&A: Dividing Hostas

Question: Is there a better time of year to divide hostas? Ours are 3 years old. The patch they are in will be dug up before the end of the summer to insert a patio. Should we replant then in another spot and divide them later or can we divide them any time this summer and replant? Are there any keys to success?

Answer: Spring is the better time to dig and divide hostas. If you wait until the weather gets hot, they'll have trouble adjusting. Clumps of hosta aren't too difficult to divide, but the roots tend to tangle so it's easiest just to cut through the root mass, taking a few leaves with roots attached, and planting them in their new garden spots. Amend the soil first, and add a peatmoss mulch around the plants after transplanting. Water them well once they're in the ground, but don't fertilize until new leaves begin to unfurl.

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Tip: Clean Up Fruit Trees

When deciduous fruits such as apple, pear, and peach finish producing clean up the rotted fruits and leaves, mummified fruits on trees, and dropped fruits on the ground that can harbor diseases. This will insure less disease next season.

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