Jessica Walliser stories, Page 3

Jessica Walliser

Pruning techniques for burning bushes

Question: I have two gorgeous, big burning bushes in my yard that are really, really in need of trimming. I don’t want to trim before they put on their autumn show, but I need to know when is the best time to trim and how much can I really cut...
Mexican sunflower attracts pollinators galore to garden

Late every summer, I’m amazed at how different my flower garden looks than it did in the spring. While I grow many perennials that produce beautiful blooms, the show-stoppers in my garden are often the annuals I plant. I always make it a point to grow cosmos, sunflowers, marigolds and...
Clematis pruning is not one size fits all

Question: I know there are three types of clematis. And that the specific type determines when the clematis should be cut down. Can you give some direction as to when each should be cut, and perhaps what some of the most common varieties are? Answer: Clematis is a popular flowering...
Learn about 5 beneficial insects in the garden

While some gardeners still think that any bug in the garden is a bad bug, change is in the air. Most plant-lovers now realize that insects and plants go hand-in-hand and that there are far more beneficial insect species than there are harmful ones. In fact, of Earth’s million insect...
Do deer contaminate garden crops through their droppings?

Question: Can rhubarb be eaten even though deer roam through the rhubarb patch? Amswer: Deer droppings do have the potential to transmit both E. coli and chronic wasting disease (CWD), the latter of which is specific to deer and elk and has symptoms similar to mad cow disease. CWD has...
Keep your compost pile cooking all winter long

Compost is often referred to as “gardener’s gold” and rightfully so. Its ability to add organic matter, nutrients, and beneficial microbes to the soil, along with improving the soil’s over all structure, is unparalleled. Adding compost to our clay-based soils opens up pores within the soil to allow easier passage...
Learn how to propagate bleeding hearts

Question: I have a bleeding heart that was given to me by my mother-in-law. My daughter would like to have a piece of the plant, but I’m not sure how to divide it since it has died back for the season. What is the best time to divide a bleeding...
Spittlebugs are common finds in the spring garden

Have you ever come across what looks like a blob of spit clinging to a plant in your garden? If so, then you’ve had the “pleasure” of meeting a spittlebug. While finding the white, bubbly blobs of spittlebugs clinging to the stems of your precious plants is pretty disgusting, there...
Why’s the daylily looking so brown?

Question: This is a photo of our daylily. The flowers are beautiful, but the leaves are striped with brown. Do you know what’s wrong with it and what we can do to keep it from happening in the future? Answer: Daylilies (Hemerocallis species) are popular perennials for sunny areas of...
7 compact plants perfect for small pollinator gardens

Gardens can be really beautiful places, full of color and interest, that bring peace and joy to those who tend and visit them. But, gardens can also serve purposes far beyond their beauty. Gardens can foster and support pollinators and other insects, increase local biodiversity and provide food and shelter...
Remedies for fungus gnats on philodendrons

Question: I was given a Philodedron scandens oxycardium. The original plant was around 20 years old, was divided, and I was given 1/3 of it. The plant is in a container and weighs about 150 lbs. It is outside on a screen in porch that gets the morning sun. It...
The culprit to blame for missing flower buds

I’ve heard from a few gardeners this season, asking about what’s happening to their flower buds. The damage, at first, seems like it may be rabbits, deer or groundhogs nibbling off the flower buds before they can open, but after a bit of investigation, it’s often discovered that a small...
When is the right time to dig potatoes?

Question: We have a few raised beds in our backyard. We’ve grown zucchini, tomatoes, peppers and basil for the last few years, and we planted seed potatoes in one of the beds earlier this spring. The plants are green and very big, but we aren’t sure when to dig the...
Overcome these 4 nagging zucchini problems

There’s a joke among gardeners who grow zucchini. During good years, we tease about leaving a few baseball bat-sized zucchini on the neighbor’s stoop and doing the old ding-dong-dash just to get rid of them. But, the truth is that it always seems to be feast or famine when it...
Why kohlrabi split and how to grow them

Question: I grew kohlrabi in my garden this year. Most of them split. What causes them to split and are they still safe to eat? Answer: For those not familiar with this delicious and crunchy vegetable, let me sing the praises of the kohlrabi before I dive into what likely...
When and how to harvest winter squash

Winter squash varieties are a staple in many gardens, thanks to their prolific fruiting, their ease of growth, and the long shelf life of the fruits. Whether you grow acorn, butternut, delicata, Turk’s cap or any one of the other dozens of types of winter squash, the most important part...

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