A.Ah, I'm always willing to settle a bet. The best time to water is whenever there's no wind, when there's high water pressure and it isn't hot outside. The latter is to prevent "burning" on sensitive foliage. Typically, this translates to the first hours of the morning -- anywhere from 5 to 9 a.m. Watering late at night also fits the above guidelines, but watering at night can promote fungus diseases. Thus, if you have a choice, water in the early morning. Now that I've solved your argument, I will only be too pleased to join you two for dinner!
Q. I seem to have a lot of little gnats flying around my houseplants. What can I do?
A. The gnats you see flying around are fungus gnats. They're often mistaken for fruit flies because they're about the same size, but fruit flies aren't attracted to houseplants or their soil. The gnats will continue to lay eggs and perpetuate the problem if nothing is done. What to do? You might try cutting back on your watering first of all. Fungus gnat larvae live in the soil, feeding on decaying roots or organic matetr in the container. They generally only attack roots that are rotting, and rotting roots are usually caused by overwatering. A quicker solution is to treat the soil with a special strain of Bt (Bacillus thuriengiensis H-14). Gardens Alive! carries "Knock-Out Gnats" in its catalog. (Call Gardens Alive! at 812-537-8651 or write to 51-- Schenley Place, Lawrenceburg, IN., 47025.
Q. The blue blossoms on my hydrangeas are edged with brown. What can I do?
A. Probably during a heat spell, your hydrangeas dried out, causing burning at the edges of the petals. Hydrangeas need more water than almost anything else in the garden, including fuchsias and impatiens. Give them plenty of water, including every day when it's hot. Of course, they can't be planted in the sun either unless you live along the ocean.
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