Q. Are you able to inform me about this plant that grew in my yard?
My mom planted some bulbs for spring onions, after which these unidentified vegetation began rising. I pulled a number of out, considering it was some sort of weed, however a pair have been left and the subsequent factor we knew, they produced an attractive flower, which at all times was closed by the point I obtained residence within the night.
Just lately, I used to be residence, and I obtained to witness it.
Danguole, Dublin, Eire
A. The flowers your mum by accident grew within the onion patch are tiger flowers (Tigridia pavonia). They’re native to Mexico, however are cultivated all through the world. They’re a part of the iris household, and so they typically are mistaken for gladiolas due to their sparse, sword-like foliage.
The tri-petal blooms are open for under a day, however the plant produces a number of flowers — and what wonderful flowers they’re.
I’m unsure how the tiger flower bulbs obtained blended in with onion bulbs, however until your mom or a really shut neighbor has others rising shut by, it’s seemingly these have been mislabeled. The flower bulbs — in case you’re holding them — ought to be dug up and divided each three years. In case you reside in a zone with significantly chilly winters, you may must dig them up and retailer them indoors till spring.
Don’t prune the tiger flower till the foliage dies and turns brown within the autumn. Permitting the foliage to proceed to develop after the flowers have pale will assist replenish the bulb and enhance the possibilities they’ll bloom once more in spring.
Q. I reside in an older condominium constructing, and there’s a lengthy driveway resulting in the rear with double curbs about 18 inches aside, full of small rocks. There are not any vegetation or shrubbery, however there may be one peach tree close to the top.
The tree isn’t pruned or watered, however annually bears a lot fruit that most of the branches actually snap. This 12 months, nevertheless, one thing very unusual occurred.
The tree produced a couple of quarter of its traditional yield, and the peaches are the scale of grapefruit. The fruit is as candy and attractive as ever, however only one is sufficient for 2 meals.
Oops, what occurred right here? What message is Mom Nature sending? My neighbors and I are confused.
Joe Hargrove, Santa Clara
A. A few issues could also be accountable. The peach tree could have discovered simply the appropriate climate circumstances to provide scrumptious fruit, and somebody or one thing seems to be to have thinned the fruit early within the season.
Gardeners wrestle with the thought of eradicating — or thinning — what seems to be like completely good fruit so as to produce fewer, however tastier and bigger ones. Thinning means the fruit has much less competitors for a tree’s sources, and fruit grows bigger when it isn’t crowded on the tree. An excessive amount of fruit, as you’ve seen, can break and harm limbs, so thinning helps on the market, too.
Whether or not a gardener took pity on the tree and thinned the crop, the wind knocked some off or animals helped themselves at an important time, I can’t say. However one thing labored this 12 months.
Have a gardening query?
Use this manner to submit questions. Pictures ought to be mailed individually to jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.
