Start with a hydrangea that was blue when you bought it. Some kinds never turn blue; white varieties always stay white. Some pinks turn purple instead of blue.

Plant and grow blue hydrangeas in acid soil mix. When planting in containers use a commercial soil mix designed for camellias and azaleas. When planting in the ground, amend the native soil in the planting hole with the same acid planting mix, according to package directions, or use two-thirds premoistened peat moss. Mulch with leaf or redwood.

If planting in the ground, check the root run of established plants to make sure the soil is not too alkaline. Use a soil test kit to test the pH of the soil. A pH of 4.5 to 5.0 yields blue flowers, a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 yields mauve, and a pH of 7.0 to 7.5 yields pink.

Maintain the desired pH with aluminum sulfate. Use 1 tablespoon aluminum sulfate per foot of plant height, or 1/4 teaspoon per potted plant. Mix this in water and apply it as a drench several times in spring and fall, beginning in September.

Never use fertilizer that contains phosphorus. Phosphorus is alkaline, so the use of it will raise the pH of the soil and turn blue hydrangeas pink.

Wives' tale, myth or fact? What really works to make cut flowers last longer?

Aspirin, vitamins, vinegar, 7-Up, Sprite, pennies and sugar. Some say they work, some say that they don't. There are many folklore additives, and we have a few other tips that will help as well.

• Remove all foliage from the stems below the water line; this minimizes bacterial growth in the water.
• Cut at least an inch from the bottom of each stem. Some say to then crush the bottom of the stem.
• Keep the water fresh.
• Add this homemade recipe: 1 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. bleach, 2 Tbs. lemon or lime juice to a quart of water.
• Check the water level and replenish as needed.

Did you know that flowers in bud form will open if placed into warm water? Yes, indeed. Conversely, flowers kept in cool water will last longer and buds will be slow to open.

If you have a tip that works, please let us know and we'll be happy to share it with everyone! Who knows? You might even become famous!

Many gardeners give up on their roses in the summer believing they only produce quality flowers in the spring. Rose blossoms do tend to be smaller in the summer and the colors not quite as vivid, because the summer heat forces the blooms to open before the blossom size and color pigment has completely developed. But given the proper care--combined with a few simple pruning techniques--roses will re-bloom every six weeks until the first frost. 

There are two ways to prune roses during the growing season and both will encourage new blooms to set. Most roses have leaflets (with three to seven leaves) every couple of inches along the stems. In order to produce blooms you need to prune at least to the second five-leafed leaflet. (Pruning just above will eliminate nasty dead stems called coat hangers).  

If you also want to prune for size control, you can go as far down as two leaflets above the previous cut. Pruning beyond the previous cut tells the rose you don’t want it to bloom. Remember, that hybrid tea and grandiflora rose stems tend to grow at least 18 inches between each pruning before blooming, so if you only prune the minimum amount you will have a very tall (and possibly leggy) rose by the end of summer. 

If thrips or spider mites become a problem consider spraying the plant with an all -purpose horticultural oil or a systemic spray like Bonide Guard & Grow. Make sure and make at least two more applications 7-10 days apart to break up the complete life cycle (egg, larvae and adult stage) of the insect.

If black spot, powdery mildew or rust is prevalent, spray with an application of Bonide Rose Rx 3 in 1. 

Because roses are constantly growing they are always in need of food. It’s important to feed roses every 6-8 weeks with a quality rose food such as Espoma Rose Tone. Continue feeding through September and you will have quality rose blooms into fall. So don’t give up on your roses. With a little help, they will provide loads of blooms for you all season long.

One of the most useful additions you can make in your garden is to plant a tree. A tree adds scale and structure to a garden and pulls together the various elements that create the overall look and feel. The tree's foliage throughout the seasons, and flowers when they are significant, will also add impact to your garden design.

Yet today, many gardens do not have the space for large spreading trees (along with their imposing trunks). But most of us have a small garden--or even a courtyard--that still can use a smaller tree to give balance to the landscape.

Sometimes gardening isn't limited by space, but by time and interest. If you love the idea of being surrounded by a garden, but you can't see yourself spending countless hours with a pruning shear in your hands, a wonderful option is to create a garden paradise on your patio or terrace in containers. And small trees will add balance and make a great addition to any patio collection.

Small trees are sometimes called patio trees and are usually defined as slower-growing and ranging in height from six to fifteen feet. Most produce an incredible display of blooms at some time of the year, and have non-invasive roots as an added landscape benefit.

When selecting a patio tree, allow adequate width to keep walkways, entryways, driveways or buildings clear of overhanging branches. Many small trees, although short, can spread as much laterally as vertically.

Product Spotlight: Achla Rain Barrels

Achla Rain Catcher Barrels are the perfect way to water naturally and save water at the same time. Available in 50 Gal, 54 Gal and 75 Gal sizes, these rain barrels are constructed of durable, UV-stable polyethylene. A foolproof linking kit is included with every barrel, so you can add capacity as your garden expands!

Product Spotlight: Achla Compost Bins

Achla Compost bins are a great way to create nutritious and weed-free compost for you entire garden. Made from 100% recycled plastic, these attractive and functional bins have a 7 cu. ft. capacity and feature an easy access door and mixing fins to break up clumps. The heavy duty plastic is also rodent proof. Composting helps minimize landfill waste and will help to feed your plants naturally!

Voles are small, mouse-like rodents that are commonly called meadow or field mice, but with shorter tails, a stocky build and small eyes that distinguish them from true mice. Moles are slightly larger with longer tails. Both can inhabit garden areas but prefer a subterranean life in the soil.

Moles are usually harmless except for annoying tunnels that can create air pockets around some plants, which can lead them to dry out faster. Moles feed on insects, grubs and earthworms and rarely consume plant materials.

The difference between them is that voles can wreak havoc in the home landscape, attacking young plants in early spring when they are emerging from the soil. Voles clip off the young plants and dig up the seeds; they can also consume flower bulbs and vegetable crops, leaving significant damage. Vole damage can be costliest during the winter when a shortage of preferable foods forces them to eat the inner green bark layer of trees and shrubs. The gnawing required to reach this layer can severely damage or kill many young trees, shrubs and landscape plantings.

Voles can also scar lawns by constructing runways and clipping grass very close to the roots. Though the damage done is not usually permanent, it may detract from the appearance of a well-kept garden, just as mole tunnels may. Voles also tunnel below ground and feed on the roots of trees and shrubs.

Voles have been known to travel tunnels developed by moles to gain access to flower bulbs and other plant roots. Damage of this type is often mistakenly blamed on moles. Voles don't always cause significant property damage--but it only takes a few voles to damage a highly valued tree or flower bed and to warrant control.

There are a number of approaches one can use against both voles and moles that are both preventative and controlling. If early in the season, consider using a repellant. Existing animals can be controlled by trapping or using toxic baits.

Simple mouse traps set together within the runway, with the triggers facing away from each other, can be very effective and no bait is needed. The use of a bait containing zinc phosphide can also be very effective, especially during the fall and spring seasons. For moles, we also recommend using a grub control product, to remove one of the mole's major food attractions.

The most effective management of leaf miners is simply to remove the infected leaves and throw them away. These larvae eat until full and then fall into the soil beneath the foliage to grow up. If you don’t want their life cycle to go that far, throwing out the leaves is best. If you miss a leaf or two, chances are birds or other natural predators will probably eat the pupae in the soil.

Answer:

That depends how long your plants have been suffering. Plants don’t die from heat exposure, but rather from a lack of water to combat the drying effects of the heat.

(Think walking in the desert without water.)

Plants need moisture to keep the cells in their leaf tissues healthy. If there is no moisture for the plant to take up, the cells will burst and the foliage will start to shrivel and burn in the areas farthest from the root ball (source of water) and work its way towards the center of the plant.

When plants are first stressed, they will show you by wilting. When watered within a few hours of wilting, most plants will perk up and look just fine again. They may be saying a few choice words under their breath at you, but all will be forgiven. But if your plant is shriveled and burned, it means your plant was neglected and you could be facing five to ten for plant homicide.

If the plant is in the ground, water the root ball with your hose so that it is only slowly dripping. Water for 1-2 hours or until the root ball looks fully saturated. If the plant is in a container, try to soak the entire container in a bucket of water until it has fully absorbed enough water and the container is heavy again. Then continue back on a regular watering schedule. Do not fertilize your stressed plant to "help" it recover.

If the plant is still alive, it should show some new growth within 7-14 days. At that point, prune off any dead foliage above where the new growth is appearing. Once you have at least 3 inches of new growth, you may give it a light feeding.

Look out into your yard. Do any of your trees have a neon sign flashing “Food Food Food – The Place to Eat!”? Most people did not plant their trees to create a fast food station for insects. Could someone please tell this to the voracious Japanese beetle?

Native to Japan, as the name suggests, this beetle is a huge pest in the eastern USA and unfortunately, it is moving west. The adult is oblong with metallic green coloration. The larva or grub lives in the soil and feed on roots.

Japanese beetles are chewers, and they can chew alone or in a crowd. If they are congregated together—maybe celebrating every beetle's birthday—they can chew their way and completely defoliate a tree or shrub in short order. The list of host plants is long, very long.

How do you manage Japanese beetles? They do have a few natural predators (predatory wasps), but these predators are not as effective with the Japanese beetle as other beneficial insects are with aphids, mealybugs, etc. If you see only one or two, you can hand pick them and squish, drown or flush.

When there are only a few Japanese beetles on a tree or shrub, handpicking removal is actually effective. The beetle is releasing pheromones that will attract masses of Japanese beetles. Collecting up the few that you observe, and even hosing down the plant, will help stave off the arrival of more adult beetles.

But if you have a tree teeming with them, there are a few treatments to try. One is a yellow target trap that is treated with a lure to attract the beetle. These traps are effective, too, (for the same reason hand-picking collection works) when numbers of pests are low.

The grubs, larvae of the beetle, can be killed by introducing parasitic nematodes. Or there are other pesticides available that will target the larvae. Don’t hesitate to consult with one of our salespeople.

If the infestation is large, there are pesticide sprays. Please be sure to ask one of our salespeople which product would be best suited for your problem. Japanese beetles love fruiting plants, and you must be careful which product to apply if the fruits are intended for consumption.