FREQUENTLY ASKED HORTICULTURE QUESTIONS

• What kind of fertilizer should I use?
• How can I identify and control insects or disease?
• How can I divide, increase or otherwise propagate my plant?
• When and how should pruning be done?
• How can I learn more about plants for the home and garden?
• Where are you located?

What kind of fertilizer should I use?

Both chemical and organic fertilizers supply nutrients for plant growth. Most are added to the water or soil, but some fertilizers are sprayed on the foliage. The best fertilizer to use depends on many factors, such as the plant's growth stage, the soil structure and chemistry, and the method of applying the fertilizer. Applying fertilizers according to soil test results greatly increases fertilizer effectiveness and may reduce fertilizer costs.
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How can I identify and control insects or disease?

Before a problem can be controlled, one must be certain as to the cause. Diagnosis of plant problems is often a very difficult task since there can be many different causes for a given symptom. Even with the necessary laboratory equipment, it is sometimes difficult to determine the exact cause of a plant's problem. Many people bring samples of insects or diseased plants to our office for identification and assistance. If I am unable to determine the cause of the problem, the plant sample can be submitted to a diagnostic library.
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How can I divide, increase or otherwise propagate my plant?

Plant propagation is the process of multiplying the number of plants either through seed production or by taking a part of one parent plant and causing it to regenerate itself into a new plant. The major methods of asexual propagation are cuttings, layering, division, and budding or grafting. Cuttings involve rooting a severed piece of the parent plant; layering involves rooting a part of the parent and then severing it; and budding and grafting is joining two plant parts from different varieties. Since the method selected depends on the plant species and its growth stage, please email me for more specific information.
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When and how should pruning be done?

Most gardeners feel they ought to prune their trees, shrubs and some flowers, but are not sure how. The gardener who prunes because he or she thinks it ought to be done, but does not know when or how often, can actually harm or even kill their plant.
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How can I learn more about plants for the home and garden?

The North Carolina Master Gardener Program is an ideal way to learn more! Through classes and hands-on learning experiences, Master Gardener Trainees learn practical gardening skills and knowledge, communication skills, and techniques for working with people and groups. After graduation, Master Gardener volunteers share their gardening knowledge and skills with other gardeners. A really good source of additional horticulture links is Horticulture on the Internet. back to the list

Mark Blevins , Horticulture Agent

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/