I planted 5 chokeberry bushes to attract birds to my backyard. The bushes are loaded with berries but I do not see any birds eating them. Could I pick and freeze the berries and put them out during the winter?

I have a very old white tree, in my back yard and when we were building my house (Habitat Home) my neighbor ask me not to cut down 3 - trees that are on my property. His family has had the property since way back when the property was farm land. I agreed, but as the years go by this tree's leaves fall every summer and another new tree begins to grow and now I have parts of this tree under my propane tank. Being a single mom I can't afford to have tree cutters come to my home. And now I'm not even sure I can somehow get rid of it. Or how to kill it. Can you give me some suggestions? P.L.E.A.S.E.

Sweet potatoesSo you don't have much space to grow vegetables? Don't give up. Pat Glover of Blue Springs, our new featured gardener, has tips on you can grow just about anything in tight spaces. This photo shows sweet potatoes growing in plastic bags inside boxes. For more check Pat's tips over in the left column. -- Craig

"September is officially here and this is the best time to fertilize cool season lawns such as tall fescue and bluegrass."

That's what you'll read in Chelsey Wasem's new Tip of the Week. For details, click on the tip in the left column. - Craig

We are now in our driest stretch of the summer. Let's hope for some rain after this wonderful summer. Just to get our hopes up I am attaching a photo of the Earth Kind Rose 'Quietness.' This photo was taken at our demonstration garden earlier this year.

Rain drops on 'Quietness' Earth Kind Rose

From Debbie:

Unfortunately I was unable to attend the K-State Extension Field day. I have seen pictures from it posted on KC Gardens. I'm wondering if there was ever an article or blog about attending that day, or the plants that had done well this year. I am interested in the results.

Thanks for your answer.

P.S. I really do check KC Gardens frequently, and enjoy reading the questions, answers, pictures, info, etc! Thanks for the good work!

What success rate would I have if I transplanted 1 year old knock out bushes? They are large, probably close to 3' by 2'.

My Weigela bushes are doing so well they have outgrown the area in which they were planted. How successful would transplanting them be? They are 3 years old, about 4' x 4. Do I cut them down to the ground and then dig them up? Your help is appreciated.

This past week one of my trees was struck by lightning. I have done some research and none of it is very clear concerning whether the tree will live or not.

The tree was struck right below the start of limbs and it looks like the lightning traveled down to the ground, due to the appearance of the ground around the tree.

Do you have any information about the care of a lightning struck tree or should I prepare for the worse...

Thanks!

My endless summer hydrangeas haven't bloomed since June. The foliage is healthy and green, but I haven't had an actual flower since the first bloom. They are planted in partial shade with filtered sun on the north side of the house. Should I give up on these? They haven't lived up to their name for me. They were beautiful last year, but this year has been so disappointing. Would there be a better variety to try other than annabelles, which I have in another part of the yard? Should I plant new this fall or next spring?

AstersCheck the Featured Story over on the right called "New bed." It gives some good recommendations for planting a garden to get spring, summer and fall blooms. Asters, like these, can play a big role. - Craig

Pruning: Watch the calendarYou may want to prune those trees and shrubs but be careful -- this probably is not the best time to do it. Take a look at Dennis Patton's Tip of the Week over to the left on whether you should prune now or not. -- Craig

NOW is the time to order garlic for planting this fall.

I bet you didn't know there were so many varieties of garlic.

Like heirloom tomatoes, garlic choices come in an array of intensities and flavors. Some are more hot, some are more mild. Some have purple or red striping. Some store longer and some are superb for roasting.

Planting garlic in the fall produces a better crop next season (next June). Garlic is a very easy crop to grow.

I have grown about 40 different garlic varieties in our area. All have done well. We seem to be in a good transition zone between hard winters and mild winters which seem to limit choices for northern areas and southern areas. I have not seen that here with the few Ive chosen.

Do evergreens need sun or can they be planted close to a large tree next to a home?

My hostas look like they are rotting. They were planted this spring and have done fairly well. Two of the five have developed this problem. Is this a fungus. Is this Anthracnose? Is there anything I can do about it?

Hosta Problem

I also have a golden barberry that is developing problems. It is near the hosta.

Please help.

Golden Barberry

Does anyone have some suggestions for summer blooming (July and August) perennials or shrubs (full sun) that are about 5 feet tall (or taller) but not as wide? So far, the only plant I have that I really like of this description (love it, actually) is my Rudbeckia nitida 'Herbstonne'. I do not much like Joe Pye Weed...can anyone offer some other suggestions for this area?

Same description (tall but not too wide & summer flowers), I am also looking for some shade plants...help?

If you want to plant a fall garden where can you find seeds. Seems no one has any.

I couldn't resist the temptation to buy a crape myrtle from Lowe's in Lee's Summit for $7.50 today. I know it's taking a chance since they aren't suppose to be hardy to our Zone 5, but I'm not investing much money to try it. I bought the Lagerstroemia indica 'Country Red'. What do you mean in earlier articles when you say it is root hardy? If they aren't hardy in our zone, why do so many homes have 8 or 10-foot tall beauties blooming every year. Surely all these shrubs aren't getting winter protection! Are they getting more hardy or has our climate changed that much?

Does anyone else have this problem? My spiderwort plants bloom great in the spring and early summer but after that the stalks look so trashy that I cut them back to about a foot. They still look bad and leave big black holes in the garden. Any advice? Thanks...

Reblooming rose bedHere's a garden with Flower Carpet Scarlet roses that border a flower bed in the left foreground with pink Knockouts in the background for color. (Click on the photo to enlarge it.) To see a story about reblooming roses, go over under Featured Stories in the right-hand column.