Gardening Q&A

When should I trim my Japanese maple tree?

I usually wait until winter is firmly entrenched before doing any pruning, typically in December or January. Cut away any dead branches or twigs first. Next, cut away any branches that are crossed or rubbing each other. Step back and take a look. Often, this is all that's needed. Any additional trimming would be for shaping.

When do I cut back ornamental grasses?

Ornamental grasses such as miscanthus and Calamagrostis look beautiful as they develop fall colors. They aren't brilliant—mostly shades of gold—but they are striking. Leave them until December. By then, winter will have washed the colors away. Any later and the grasses will start to fall apart and become messy. Be careful when cutting them to the ground, because some have sharp edges. Their foliage is called blades for a reason!

One of my tomato plants says it is determinate. What does that mean?

Determinate tomatoes, also called bush tomatoes, grow to a predetermined size, produce flowers and tomatoes, and then die. It's part of their genetic makeup. Once fruits form, the tomato doesn't keep growing and flowering and producing more fruit. Most are early producers. Paste tomatoes, such as Roma, are determinate. Indeterminate tomatoes, also called vine tomatoes, continue to grow throughout the season. They keep producing leaves, flowers, fruit, more stems, more leaves and flowers until the weather forces them to stop. If not caged or staked, they sprawl. Most cherry tomatoes and heirloom tomatoes are indeterminate, as well as varieties such as Big Boy, Beefsteak, Beefmaster and Brandywine. For tomatoes all season, choose indeterminate varieties.

I'm a new gardener. What tomato varieties should I grow?

There are so many fabulous tomatoes, you could practically throw a dart at the list and come up with something amazing. The most popular heirloom tomatoes are Cherokee Purple and Brandywine. I like Black Krim. As far as hybirds go, Celebrity, Early Girl and Beefsteak have been favorites for years. I like to try a few new ones each year, and choose them based on their evocative names: Mortgage Lifter, Bull's Heart, Green Zebra, Speckled Roman, the list goes on. Have fun with it.

My zucchini is misshapen this year—sort of narrow at one end and normal at the other. What happened?

It's the weather and the water. When temperatures fluctuate from the mid-80s to well over 100 degrees, it's hard for people to regulate our intake of water, much less our poor plants living outside 24 hours a day. Once the temperatures settle, the plants will produce properly shaped zucchini.

I accidentally sprayed some of the plants in my garden with an herbicide. Can they be saved?

I've done the same thing myself. If it's an herbicide that acts through the leaves and takes the substance down to the roots, you're in luck because you have a bit of time to reverse what you've done. Immediately and thoroughly wash the foliage of the plants you sprayed. Give them plenty of water during the next week or so, and wait. Either it worked or it didn't, and there's nothing else to do.