canada thistle, squirrels, fragrant violets, propagating philodendron: q&a with ken druse

TACKLING CANADA THISTLE, and the ethics of herbicide use. Reblooming amaryllis. Moss in the lawn or garden beds. Pesky squirrels. Propagating philodendron, and fragrant violets. Those are among the questions that have been asked lately, and my friend Ken Druse of KenDruse.com helped me answer them in the latest edition of our Urgent Garden Question shows.

We’ve got lots of questions coming via the contact form and on Facebook all the time. Thank you, and keep it up everyone.

Read along as you listen to the April 9, 2018 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).

Q. Hello, Ken. I have to say I was surprised not to get any amaryllis questions this whole last winter at all. Usually I get, you know, “How do I re-bloom it from last year’s bulbs,” whatever. So that was one that didn’t show up; that’s one of my usuals.

A. Why? [Laughter.]

Q. Why is it one of my usuals, or why didn’t it show up?

A. No, no. I’m surprised, frankly.

Q. Yes. Me, too.

A. That’s always the question. And I have to admit I’ve had amaryllis for years unsuccessfully, and they have these strappy leaves, and they look terrible. And maybe they get mealybug, maybe they don’t. And they never bloom again. But last year I was determined to get my amaryllis, at least one, to bloom again, and I did.

Q. Oh, O.K… And you did it by?

A. Well, I kept it in a really good place, lots of bright light through the summer, and watered it and fed it a little bit with a balanced organic fertilizer, kind of like a 5-5-5 or something like that. And then in September I moved it, still outside, but to a spot where it wouldn’t get any rain.