Posted on: October 4, 2019 | Written By: Doug Oster |
Everybody Gardens editor Doug Oster gets asked a lot of questions. A lot. And he doesn’t mind offering gardening advice. But rather than just limiting those answers to the person who asked, we thought it might be a good idea to share that wealth of knowledge with everybody.
There are three ways to send in your questions:
(The questions may be lightly edited for grammar/clarity/etc.)
Greg: Can I eat small green tomatoes or should I toss them?
Doug: Never toss them, as there are lots of ways to use them. Green tomatoes are super tasty. Fried green tomatoes are a classic, but hard to do with smaller varieties. There are lots of recipes online to make green tomato relish, salsa verde, green tomato pie, green tomato soup and even green tomato ketchup.
You just don’t want them to go to waste. Have fun with them and let me know what you end up making.
Mary: My neighbor’s daughter transplanted an arborvitae that originated on its own in the backyard. It was a beautiful green. It is in the front now, and it’s a sickly green yellow. There had been a yew in this site that never really prospered. Also the daughter had put some weed killer on this site earlier this year. My neighbor is 88 years old, and I don’t want this arborvitae to die.
Doug: When was the plant transplanted and how much water has it got since being moved? Any idea what kind of weed killer and how much?
One thing we know for sure. Trees that are transplanted need a good soaking twice a week, meaning letting the hose run at the base for about 20 minutes.
Charlotte: There is a plant growing on the side of my house, and I have no idea what the heck it is. Can you identify it? Is it just a weed? At first, I thought I was growing corn.
Doug: That’s a type of millet, it could be a cultivar or a wild plant, but it’s a beauty. Many gardeners grow varieties as ornamentals and as long as you like the way it looks, it’s a wonderful plant for the garden.
Pokeweed, weed control, osage orange and more
Gardenias, arbor vine, hydrangeas and more
Transplanting rose of Sharon, sedums and more
Amaryllis flowering early, ornamental grass and more
Growing garlic, liriope problems and calla lilies
Plant ID, knotweed, tree selection and more
Magnolia tree, cactus care, avocados and more
Shrub damage, dahlia tubers, rose issues and more
Planting apple trees, cabbage moths, lilacs and more
Dahlias, rose of Sharon, soil improvements and more
See also, Food Bank Garden At Chatham University Feeds Hungry, Teaches Students