Your garden is full of greenery and herbs, your perennials are blooming with gorgeous flowers, and your potted tomatoes are thriving. But there are still plenty of garden problems to solve. Charlie Nardozzi answers All Things Gardening listener questions.
This year's hydrangeas seem to be different in size and number than usual.
Q: I have several hydrangeas of various varieties. I've had them for over 20 years and they usually only produce a few blooms. This year they are covered in the smallest flowers I've ever seen. Another plant that is usually covered in large flowers is also slow growing and has only produced a few small flowers. Nothing about the physical environment or care has changed. Could recent weather patterns be affecting the blooming of the hydrangeas this year? – Maria, South Burlington
A: Uneven hydrangea flowering may be the result of a warm winter in your area. Warm early winter days may have allowed hydrangea stems to survive with flower buds instead of producing new flowers.
Additionally, heavy rains can wash away the fertility of the soil, causing the flowers to shrink. Adding fertilizer may help this. In the spring, get some granular organic fertilizer and sprinkle it around the plants.
Next year the flowers will probably be even bigger.
Raspberry plants not producing fruit
Q: I have some raspberry plants that I brought from my grandmother's land. I have several plants planted in a well-drained, sunny bed and prune the old branches every fall. I cover the soil with sawdust. Every year the plants flower, but the areas that would bear fruit die. What do you think? – Carolyn, via email
A: Assuming everything else is in good working order, such as your berry plants being grown in a sunny location with well-drained soil, the problem could be a virus.
If your berry plants are older varieties, they may have a virus that will stop the raspberries from flowering before they can actually produce fruit.
Unfortunately, you may have to start over with a new variety rather than using the one inherited from your grandmother.
Does using copper to repel slugs really work?
Q: I've heard that copper wire can be used to control slugs and other pests in vegetable gardens. Is that true? Have you used copper wire in your vegetable garden? If so, what other pests does copper help control besides slugs? – Mary, Newark
A: Copper does indeed repel slugs, so if you want to try this method, look for copper flashing boards or large copper sheets at your local garden center.
Once you have it, wrap it around your containers or raised beds. The copper flashing works by delivering an electrochemical shock to slugs when they approach and attempt to climb over the container or raised bed.
Use green mulch cover crops to reduce weeds
Q: This year I have started experimenting with leaving some “weeds” to help my raised beds and container vegetable gardens. So far the Yellow Wood Sorrel has served as a green mulch that covers the soil and retains moisture, and is tasty in salads. Also the Lamb's Quarter has served as a decoy plant for aphids. Am I doing it right? Are there any plants I should watch out for as beneficial or noxious weeds? Also, do I need to fertilize these plants differently if I grow them with my vegetables? – Alex from Berlin
A: Correct!
Experiment further by planting different plants such as mustard greens, wild yellow mustard, oats, etc. These types of plants have allelopathic properties that prevent weeds from germinating.
If you are looking for more ground cover plants, try plants such as wild strawberries and white clover, keeping in mind that you should not let these stronger ground cover plants take over your garden and that you should allow them enough space.
Where have the beetles gone?
Q: We live in the Eastern Townships, right next to North Troy, Vermont. I've asked around and it seems like most of my neighbors, including me, haven't seen any beetles this year. Is it the same where you live? Have you ever heard why? I can't remember a year without beetles banging against our windows in the middle of the night. This phenomenon, a harbinger of summer, has happened more often in May than June in past years, but this year we haven't had any. – Almut, Mansonville, Quebec
A: There are a few possible reasons for the lack of scarab beetles that you and your Eastern Townships neighbors are noticing.
First, too much soil moisture can lead to more diseases in the soil, which in turn can kill off the scarab beetle larvae.
Alternatively, if you notice raccoons, skunks, crows or jays in your lawn, they may be hunting and eating stink bug larvae, which could result in fewer adult stink bugs.
How can I protect my pumpkins from pests?
Q: I'm growing pumpkins for the first time this year. How can I protect them from animals? – Layton, East Montpelier
A: If you are growing pumpkins and are worried about pests, the repellent method you use should depend on the size of the critter you want to keep away.
If woodchucks and rabbits are bothering your pumpkins, try putting up a fence around your pumpkin patch. To keep out raccoons, moles, and voles, try wrapping some window screen mesh around your pumpkins.
All Things Gardening is powered by our listeners. Join us by sending us your toughest gardening challenges. Email your questions to gardening@vermontpublic.org or leave a voicemail with your gardening question and we'll use your voice on air. Call Vermont Public at 1-800-639-2192.
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