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Pruning tomatoes

Before you prune your tomatoes, you need to know the difference between indeterminant and determinant growth habit of tomato plants. This just means continuous growth or not. The patio tomato will grow to a certain length, the plant will set flower at the same time. An indeterminant tomato will continue to grow and flower throughout the growing season. These plants need to be pruned. Remove sucker growth that has grown between the leaf axil and the stem. Stake the plant 1' away from the stem. Use a soft garden twine or old nylons cut into pieces. Tie a figure 8 around the plant and the stake. There will be less rotting and less problems with slugs if the plants are off the ground.

from the 7/3/2003 Hamlen's Helping Hints.
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Pruning lilacs

The most important feature of a lilac are the fantastic blooms in the spring. To prune or not to prune. That seems to be the common question. Only prune the old spent flowers on the shrub. Cut just below the spent flower, taking care that you do not cut the buds below the base of the flower. The flower buds are produced at the tips of young stems grown the year before. The flower bud forms in pairs where leaves join the stem.Pruning too far below the old flower will prune out next years buds.to rejuivinate an mature shrub, remove a few of the oldest branches by cutting them right back to the ground. Cut out also anything that is dead, dying or diseased.

from the 7/17/2003 Hamlen's Helping Hints.
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Water plants

The most common question I am asked in the garden center for water plants is “ what are oxygenating plants?” These are water plants that either float or are fastened to the bottom of the pond. floating plantsThey do not have to be fastened . Their roots hang down into the water and the plants are free to move over the surface of the pond. The roots help to clean the water and put oxygen into the water.The most common types are water lettuce and water hyacinth. Oxygenating grassesThis type of grass is one of the ponds most important aquatics, remaining completely submerged. Sufficient amounts of oxygenating grasses will make it difficult for algae to grow. The plants will also provide food and shelter for the fish.

from the 7/31/2003 Hamlen's Helping Hints.
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