Ask and Answer Flower Questions Archive - Jul 2008

By Melissa Sutter: TIt says in the basic daffodil instructions that I need to pull the bulbs out every fall. Or am I misunderstanding? When I was a child, our daffodils automatically popped up every spring and we did nothing special in the fall for them. Can they be dug up every few years or every other year at least?

Answer By The Flower Expert: t is not needed to pull the bulbs out every fall.

What they may mean is Spring-flowering bulbs like daffodils must be planted in the fall or early winter to bloom in spring because they require a long period of cool temperatures to spark the biochemical process that causes them to flower.

As daffodil bulbs age they go through a lifecycle. The large flowering (mother) bulbs multiply every year or so to produce much smaller, younger bulbs that aren't large enough to flower. The mother bulbs then die and it takes a year or so for the smaller ones to reach flowering size.

By Kristen DuShane: Iam looking for food safe daisies. Is there such a thing? I want to use them on a wedding cake

Answer By The Flower Expert: Regular daisies are from the Chrysanthemum family are the safest one which are decorated on the wedding cake.

By Sandy: Why is my morning glories leaves turning yellow near the bottom, if I don't water them the leaves turn to wrinkle and hang. I feed them once in awhile. I don't over water them, please give me some advise?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Morning Glories, need Normal watering, means the soil should be kept evenly moist and watered regularly, as conditions require. Usually 1 inch of water a week during the growing season is needed.

The first two years after a plant is installed, regular watering is important for establishment. First year is critical. It is better to water once a week and water deeply, than to water frequently for a few minutes.

If the plant is healthy, then use a little compost or a slow release organic fertilizer mixed in with a quality soil.

You can Sprinkle epsom salt at the base of the plants and then slightly water it in.

Use about a cup for every 4 feet of ground that the morning glories are planted in.

The yellowing of Morning Glories can simply be from the heat of the sun, or watering from above instead from the bottom or a calcium defiency.

Try this and see the difference.

By Jessica: yellow daisies...sold as "Boston daisies"...are they annuals or perennials?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Yellow Daisies are Anthemis tinctoria, or Golden Marguerite and Yellow Chamomile, is a species in the genus Anthemis of the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). Several common names include, Golden Marguerite, Marguerite Daisy, Dyer's Chamomile, Ox-eye Chamomile, Boston Daisies, Paris Daisies.

It is a short-lived biennal, occurring in the Mediterranean and western Asia.

Biennial flowers are those flowers which take two years to grow from seed to flower before they die. Because many of them are self-propagating, they are sometimes mistaken for perennials. Usually it is best to start biennial seeds inside and move them outside after the danger of frost has passed.

By Jane: Our morning glory is growing, but the bloom that were there aren't any longer. We have in a pot rather than the ground. It receives morning sun. Thoughts as to what we can do to encourage the beautiful blooms?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Give your Morning Glories, a little compost or a slow release organic fertilizer mixed in with a quality soil is all you need.

If you give too much fertilizer, you'll get lots of green and very few flowers.

Be careful in giving fertilizers, according to the labelled instructions.

By Connie: My Zinnias look poorly. My bottom leaves are dried up but they get watered regularly. I treat with fungicide because I usually have a problem later in the season so I try to keep ahead of the issue What am I doing wrong?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Fertilize at least once a month and water frequently unless nature provides rain.

Avoid getting water on the lower foliage; that promotes mildew.

Zinnias need a site in full sun.

About the fertilizer, sprinkle a teaspoon or so on the soil around each group of seedlings for the rain to soak into the soil.

Do not allow it to get on the leaves.

Do not overdo fertilizer.

Too much nitrogen leads to excessive foliage growth at the expense of flower production.

See that these are satisfied and then make changes in your gardening.

By Noelia: I notice very,very tiny brown "ticks " or "bugs " coming from the center of the gardenia flower on my plant, I could not tell exactly what kind of pests these tiny bugs are but I want to know how to get rid of them withouth damaging my whole gardenia bush. What kind of spray can I use on the flower?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Probably the problem is by thrips, on gardenia blooms. They stay in the centre of the flower and eat the petals.

To avoid thrips, spray a mild insecticide directly into the bloom just before it opens. The thrips are not on the whole plant, so don't spray anywhere except into the center of the soon-to-open bloom. Each bloom gets one spritz of insecticide. If the bloom takes a while to open, you may have to spray a spritz each day to make sure the thrips are gone. Organic gardeners use garlic spray instead of insecticide.

By Tina: One more question about my gardenia...I noticed a lot of large red ants coming out the soil as I water the plant. Should I be concerned about them harming the plant? If they are, what type of pesticide should I use?

Answer By The Flower Expert: These insects are Dasymutilla occidentalis wasps, not ants. Common Name: Red velvet ant. Females are wingless and covered with dense hair, superficially resembling ants. The red velvet-ant is the largest velvet-ant species, reaching about 3/4 inch in length. They are black overall with patches of dense orange-red hair on the thorax and abdomen.

By Robert: I grew some Africa Zinnia outside in a full sun they started real good but they died. I live in Georgia i dont know if that is important are not but that is what happen.?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Zinnias, thrives well if its needs are met. Here is the growing tips for zinnias.

African Zinnia is a mounded plant with small daisy-like flowers; long lasting cut flowers. Prefers full sun and alkaline soil; exceptionally heat tolerant. Easy to grow in poor soil. Good drought tolerance; more mildew resistance than zinnias. Use for cut flowers, edging, ground covers, planters and rock gardens.

By Jim: I was recently in Italy and was exposed to the Jasmine bush. It had a very nice scent and I want to know if it can be grown in the Chicago, Illinois, USA area or will the winter kill the plant?

Answer By The Flower Expert: In general, jasmines are tropical plants. They thrive in full sun.

If the area in your garden recieves full sun, they will thrive, keeping n view of the plants requirements.

By Samantha: Am getting married next month in Nerja, Costa del Sol, Spain and was wondering if you could reccommend flowers that would be in season and local to the area that I could use in my bridal bouquets?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Pomegranate is the official flower of Spain, national flower of Spain is the beautiful Red Carnation. This red carnation is not only beautiful but also long lasting. It sends a message too. If you receive Red Carnation then it means - my heart aches for you

Carnations can be used during your wedding ceremonies.

These are some of the flowers blooming in spain as Spain has extremely diverse climatic conditions, with rich soil.

Spanish Bluebells, Lantana flower, Gazania flower (blooming all the year), Valencia Red Rose, Lilies, Geraniums.

Instead of calla lilies, freesia and gypsophilia, you can use the above flowers as they are easily available at your place.

By Dave: I have a few Lillies that were Easter gifts (white) after blooming I let them dry/die. When I unpotted them they had a bunch of small (3/4-1 inch) bulbs around the old stem. Can I plant them outside? Should I plant them now or do I have to wait till fall? Can large and small bulbs all be planted? If I need to wait till fall to plant how and where should I store them?

Answer By The Flower Expert: The lily bulbs you receive in the spring (during Easter) will bloom in their first summer; they have gone through their cooling cycle and are ready to go.

Each bulb will produce one stem, and three to seven flowers in the first year. They are a perennial and will return year after year (DO NOT DIG THEM UP IN THE FALL). As the bulb ages it will grow bigger and eventually split into two; two stems will appear where there used to be one. They will grow to a height of about four feet (except Stargazers, three feet).

How to store them:

Put the bag in the back and bottom part of your coldest place in refrigerator.

Never FREEZE! Keep bulbs moist, but not wet, sprinkle with water if they look dry. Bulbs will slowly begin to sprout, but will store well for several weeks. For best results, plant as soon as possible or when the ground is workable, do not wait for the last frost. Be careful not to break the sprouts or you will not get any flowers.

By Sandra: I received a lovely plant that I think is a dwarf Calla Lily. When I received it, it had two lovely white-shaded-to-pink blossoms. It is doing very well in my East window and has several new blossoms. However, they are green, the same as the leaves. The original blossoms have also become green. What am I doing wrong and how can I get the blossoms to be the original white color?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Calla Lily is very good cutflower.

I think your Calla flower is going through its normal progression from normal color to green before it finally fades altogether. There is nothing you can do to restore the color.

By Kristen: Iam looking for food safe daisies. Is there such a thing?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Regular daisies are from the Chrysanthemum family are the safest one which are decorated on the wedding cake.

By Jianna: why do hibiscus flowers grow but the next day they fall off?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Hibiscus flower live for a single day. They fall off the next day. We do not know the exact reason, but I think that, this may be because the the hibiscus plant blooms constantly and heavily all the year around.

By Patti: "i am looking for a flower name i think it has the word fire in it they are a flower that spreads can you help me?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Probably you are talking about Gaillardia pulchella from Asteraceae family. The plant has common names as blanket flower, firewheel, Indian blanket.

By Jeni: my lavender plant has gotten huge in the 2 years since i planted it. can i transplant and split it up into different plants or should i leave ti alone?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Yes, you can transplant the lavenders in late spring. During the first summer the plants will need plenty of consistent watering to ensure that they develop deep roots to take them through their first winter.

I think you can very well transplant them now.

Several other perennials like Lavenders are actually small woody shrubs and should not be divided.

These plants often have rooted layers (branches that have developed roots while touching the soil).

Transplant them when the plants get established. The layers of these lavenders can be cut off the parent plant, dug up and replanted as separate individuals.

By Ellen: my iris bulbs are getting sun from sunrise until 3:00pm i was thinking this was tooomuch sun but you say otherwise I was concerned about the stems which were once green are now like straw are these dead?

Answer By The Flower Expert: The Irises should receive 7 hours of direct sunlight without shadowing. As they do not like shadowing. This also depends upon the place you live, as the light intensity varies depending upon the season and the region.

Coming to the stems turning to other color, It may also be due to the result of weather damage. If the withering is mid- stem it is caused by wind and sudden weather change drying out the stem during a period of very fast growth.

By Shwana: I believe my hellibore has black death disease. As I dig up the plant and dispose of it, is it safe to replant in that same area, both for another hellibore and/or another plant?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Black Death is a virus on hellibore which many claim to be on the increase. It is virus that has no cure, once signs of the virus are apparent. The hellebore plant die within 8 months.

It is not adviced to plant anything where the black death disease spread.

By Lisa: What is the significance of a fuschia rose?

Answer By The Flower Expert: We do not have the exact meaning, but these fuschia roses can be combined with a variety of flowers in a bouquet, for weddings, etc.

I think it is considered as traditional, and good luck, sacred, when you present it as gifts. We can say this because, there are number of Fuschia roses combined with some other cutflowers.

By Chad: I recently started dating a girl, and her birthday is tomorrow.I want to send her some flowers that say I'm interested,I like you but I'm not talking real seriously.What should I send?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Roses, that too, red roses are the ultimate love symbols anywhere in the world.

So, in my view, Roses are the best ones to present to your girlfriend.

You can give her a single rose, or a bouquet of roses.

By Jim: just found I have daffodils growing on my property. planted years ago. Dug up a 'plant' and found nearly 2 dz bulbs. want to transplant where they can be seen. Should I plant each bulb separately? Should I cut the green stems? Can they be planted among iris's? Hostas?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Separate the daffodil clumps and transplant separtely.

Let the foliage die, then you divide the Daffodil clumps.

Yes, You can plant Hostas and Daffodils together. Yes, You can plant IRses and Daffodils. All these make a good combination

By Anne: are the seeds to grow arum lilys in the "flower pod"?

Answer By The Flower Expert: If you peek down inside the Calla you will find small kernels forming next to the stamen.A few weeks later, as the Calla fades, snip the heads off the Callas and there we can see seed pods in some of them.These pods must ripen for months.

That pineapple-looking pod holds plenty of seeds. The pod will continue to grow bigger, heavier and wider, and the entire stamen will begin to look like a pineapple.

When the pod looks rotting, it means its mature. Each kernel will hold one to five sticky, pod-shaped seeds that you can squeeze out of the pod.

By Rosina: We figured it was caused by Aphids. Now, how do we get rid of them?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Aphids are soft-bodied insects that vary in color from yellow-green to almost black.They are typically more of a problem during cool weather in the spring. They feed on leaves and flower buds by inserting their mouthparts and sucking plant sap.

How to Control Ahids: Due to phenomenal reproductive rate, aphids are very difficult to control with insecticides. Natural occurring enemies like green lacewings and ladybird beetles (ladybugs) feed on Aphids.

As much as possible, these predators should be allowed to reduce aphid populations. A single Aphid produces, a new colony can be produced in a short period of time. Using Insecticides means that beneficial predators will also be killed.

By Some One: I bought some chicken pellets for fertilizer. I have not put them in yet. How much should I put? I also have a gardenia plant and this is the first time I see a bud sprouting. Should I put fertilizer in that too? How much and how often? I also have vegetables that are starting to grow too...cucumber, tomato, pepper, parsley & peas. Can you please give me tips on these things?

Answer By The Flower Expert: You can fertilize Gardenias monthly between Spring and Fall (stop around early September?).

Yes, you can fertilize when it has flower buds if it is during the time frame above.

Feed it with a 1/2 strength acid fertilizer every 2-4 weeks from March-October.

An acid fertilizer at half strength every few weeks during the summer should be sufficient.

Fertilizers for Cucumbers:

Cucumbers require plenty of fertilizer. Scatter 1 cup of a complete fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 10-20-10 for each 10 feet of row. Put the fertilizer into the soil and leave the surface smooth.

By Rosina: This is year 2 for our rhododendrom. It is full of blossoms but I am noticing the leaves look they are being chewed on. What can I do?

Answer By The Flower Expert:Probably it is the work of weevils on Rhododendrons. They chewed in Leaves.

The adults feed on the foliage causing it to have a notched appearance. Early in the infestation the injury may be confined to interior and less obvious foliage. Larvae and adults may feed on leaves and fruit. Larvae make zigzag paths into roots, fruit, or stems.

By Dianne: I have been collecting oods and seeds, they feel very soft.These trees here have been dropping there pods and seeds for over a month now and it is only just getting cool now here in Brisbane QLD.Do the seeds grow and shoot a plant from them? what is their meaning to dropping the seeds?

Answer By The Flower Expert: The seeds from the pod of African Tulip tree drops and shoot up into a new plant in favourable conditions.

Plants therefore must disperse their seeds in such a manner and in such quantity that some at least, will survive so that the species may continue.

By Kim: what do I do with the spent sunflowers cut back they are annuals?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Cut spent blooms and plants. Spent blooms can weight down the plants, shading the still growing, remaining flowers. See that if the entire plant is spent, it's best to remove it.

When removing old plants, do not pull them out, this could disturb the roots of neighboring sunflowers. But use a knife or shears to cut the stalk at the base.

By Mary: I live in Houston TX. I have recently planted a Gradeia flower (already 2 feet tall) and it seems to be dying from lack of water though I water it everyday and realy soak it. The leaves keep turning yellow and brown, but still look like no water is getting to the remaining green leaves and buds. I love these plants and want this one to live what is wrong?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Leaf yellowing in Gardenias and other bushes has generally been attributed to a magnesium deficiency and treated with applications of Epsom salts (sulphate of magnesium) but the plant is probably more in

need of an all purpose fertiliser and a good watering.

The reason your plant is yellowing is due to overwatering. Overwatering causes foliage to yellow.

Make sure the soil remains evenly moist, but not saturated. (Never allow the plant to become dry.)

For potted houseplants, insert your finger at least 2 inches into the soil to check for wetness, as it feels moist to the touch. Ample humidity is also important.

Try an all purpose fertiliser.

By Barbara: Why aren't my iris's blooming? They sprout in the early spring, produce large green leaves, but very few blooms?

Answer By The Flower Expert: When you plant your irises, make sure the top surface of the rhizome is level with or

just slightly below the soil surface. If you bury the rhizome too deeply, the plant may refuse to flower. Do NOT mulch directly over the rhizomes.

Your South facing house is the ideal one for planting the Irises. As they receive the most amount of sunlight. As a rule, just establishing Iris plants need full sun.

They do not like shadowing.

When Iris receives sufficient light, only then it blooms profusely.

Filtered shade (dappled sunlight) is suitable for growing Iris or daylilies.

I think the place where the Iris receives more Sunlight will bloom profusely, and the other one with sparse blooms.

By Gregory: I keep a window box filled with Hostas and Marigolds. The balcony gets low sunlight and the hostas are growing well, but the Marigolds died. Can you recommend a blooming plant / flower that will do well under these conditions with my hostas

Answer By The Flower Expert: Most of the flowering plants need lot of sunlight, for blooming.

I think "a Jade Plant " would suit your space.

By Hann: I have no idea how far apart I need to plant my sea lavender plants,but I think I have put them too close together, any help?

Answer By The Flower Expert: You need to give space between each Sea Lavender plant is from 1 to 3 feet.

By Carolyn: i have an area of iris that are green and healthy but do not flower. what do i do?

Answer By The Flower Expert: If your Iris plants are doing well, then have patience, they will bloom next time. There might have some problems during transplanting. Only 60-75% of Iris bloom the first year after planting. Sometimes they need an extra year to become established.

If you have transplanted them, it should satisfy the below rules.

When you plant your irises, make sure the top surface of the rhizome is level with or just slightly below the soil surface.

Do NOT mulch directly over the rhizomes.

To improve your chances of bloom, add fertilizer and divide large clumps.

Reasons for non-blooming of Irises:-

Lack of full sun, good drainage, lots of space, and quality soil to bloom consistently.

Unfavourable weather conditions or late spring frosts can also harm bloom.

If you bury the rhizome too deeply, the plant may refuse to flower.

By Debra: I have a Bougenvillea on the back side of my house, it gets plenty of sun, but it has not bloomed for 2 years.What could be causing this?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Bougenvillea bloom in spring and fall in most areas. They bloom on the short stems that come off of the main branches. General, Bougenvillea's should be pruned in early spring. Now what you do is, prune them to encourage strong stems that produce bloom spurs.

Remove (in pruning)all dead wood.

Select some of the strongest, best placed new growth and cut as much as a quarter of the length off and tie them into place if needed. Remove other new growth completely.Cutting the tip off of some of the new stems will encourage them to make bloom spurs.

If you give much fertlizer there comes a bunch of new, weak growth and fewer flowers. So, prune your plant this year and see the difference.

By Cathy: My iris are very full. The problem is that my stalks have begun to grow curved and wind amongst the leaves.Is stalk height dependent on variety completely or is it also due to a cultivation need?

Answer By The Flower Expert: You did not specify whether the Iris plant has completed its bloom or not.

However dig and reset clumps of iris that are crowded, usually every 3-4 years growth.

Yes, Variety of iris will determine the height of the bloom stalk (stem) and bloom time.

By Julie: my jasmine is outside for its third year, growing great but no flowers. Any suggestions?

Answer By The Flower Expert: It seems that your Jasmine is not getting sufficient sunlight. It should be placed in

full sun, as it is a tropical flowering plant.

Check that the soil is more dry and gets lots of sunlight atleast for 6 to 8 weeks. Only then the jasmine blooms.

Do not Fertilize your Jasmine during the winter months.

In the late winter or early spring, prune the entire plant back by half.

New growth will soon emerge.

Flowers appear only on new growth.

Propagation: Jasmine can be propagated at any time, although early spring is the preferred time.

By Some one: How do I physically obtain the correct pH levels for plants such as New Guinea Impatiens? I have no idea

Answer By The Flower Expert: New Guinea Impatiens need only moderate levels of micronutrients.

We should not over fertilize New Guineas.

They are susceptible to salts injury.

Micronutrient toxicities can occur if substrate pH is too low.

Excess micronutrients cause dieback of the growing tips, marginal necrosis of leaves.

Finally the plant collapses.

By Angela: I received a Bird Of Paradise from a friend. It is in a pot because our weather fluctuates so much. The plant didn't look to be doing very good,What can I do to turn this around?

Answer By The Flower Expert:Anyways, It is mainly because of the weather fluctuations.

The Birds of Paradise plant should receive adequate moisture during the establishment period (i.e., the first six months).

Dry or soggy conditions will cause leaves to yellow and eventually die.

Once established, bird-of-paradise prefers frequent watering from rain or irrigation during the warm growing season. During the winter months, plants should be watered only when the soil is fairly dry.

Probably if this condition continues, it may die. Give it the correct weather, and it may survive.

By Della: When should marigolds be planted from seed. Also I'm looking for a very hardy perennial that flowers all summer and goes well with sedems?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Growing your Marigolds from seed means Sow the seeds in containers in spring.

Transplant to recycled six plant packs or similar containers when the seedlings are large enough to handle.

When the seedlings are well established and beginning to crowd each other in the six packs (i.e. 3 to 4 weeks after transplanting), plant them in their permanent location.

An alternative to starting the plants in containers is to sow the seed outdoors in a permanent location.

After the plants have germinated, thin to the proper spacing for that particular cultivar.

By Angela: Flowers Native to Holland?

Answer By The Flower Expert: The flowers native to Holland (Netherlands) are Daisies, Buttercups, Purple Heather, Keukenhof, and the Sunflowers.

Best known among them are the Dutch Tulip and Flower Bulbs.

Answer By The Flower Expert: I had an Umbrella plant.It had squared white flowers that resembled umbrella's, deep green leaves. Flowers were about an inch in diameter. Do you know what it is?

Answer By The Flower Expert: The Umbrella plant is a widely cultivated, ornamental, robust sedge (Cyperus alternifolius).

It is a native to Madagascar and Mauritius, having long triangular leafless stems, a terminal umbrellalike cluster of grasslike leaves, and a compound umbel of spikelets with drooping rays.

By Gayle: A week ago my stocks were doing beautifully.Now the flowers are dying off. Should I pick off the dead flowers or the stock so they will continue to bloom?

Answer By The Flower Expert: You need to dead head Stock flowers after they drop the flowers.

Stock flowers will reflower quickly after you deadhead.

Remove the entire Stock flowers stalk that just flowered all the way down to the base of the plant.

By Graham: I planted some sunflower seeds, and they shot up to about 4 inches, ive noticed that they have all gone except for a few short stumps! do birds eat them or has someone cut them off?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Gold Finches, House Finches, Purple Finches, Cardinals, Bluejays, Scrub Jays,

Chickadees, Nuthatches, Titmice, Mourning Doves, Buntings, Grosbeaks, Juncos and Sparrows eat sunflower seeds.

It is also possible that 3-4 inches tall seedlings can also be eaten by squirrels.

By Annette: My calla lillies refuse to bloom. The plants look very healthy. Some planted in full sun, some in shade. Erll gertilizef with Myrical Grow and 10-10-10. What do I need to do to get them to bloom?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Calla need full sun.

It does not like shadowing.

Probably callas are not getting full sun, so they grow healthy and leggy.

Fertilizer is not a probles, as you are giving a balanced gertilizer.

By Becky: What types of lilies are available during the winter?

Answer By The Flower Expert: lowers Blooming in Winter and available are :

Amaryllis

Asiatic Lily

Casa Blanca Lily

Lily

By Della: When should marigolds be planted from seed. Also I'm looking for a very hardy perennial that flowers all summer and goes well with sedems?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Growing your Marigolds from seed means

Sow the seeds in containers in spring.

Transplant to recycled six plant packs or similar containers when the seedlings are large enough to handle.

When the seedlings are well established and beginning to crowd each other in the six packs (i.e. 3 to 4 weeks after transplanting), plant them in their permanent location.

An alternative to starting the plants in containers is to sow the seed outdoors in a permanent location.

After the plants have germinated, thin to the proper spacing for that particular cultivar.

By Angela: flowers native to holland.

Answer By The Flower Expert: The flowers native to Holland (Netherlands) are Daisies, Buttercups, Purple Heather, Keukenhof, and the Sunflowers.

Best known among them are the Dutch Tulip and Flower Bulbs.

By Muriel: Will moon flower grow in shaded area?

Answer By The Flower Expert: The amount of sunlight required by Moomflower vines varies, but most vines grow and flower best in full sunlight to partial shade.

They do not grow in shaded regions.

By Alan: Could I pollenate one lilly to a another lily?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Yes you can cross pollinate one lily to a another lily.

To your information, Lilies in general, either species or cultivars are self sterile.

This means they will not produce seeds if their own pollen from the anthers is placed on the stigma.

Therefore in Lilies cross pollination is the only way seeds can be produced.

By Kristin: Where and how do you remove the old flowers from lilies? My lilies have lots of blooms, but I'm not sure how to remove the old ones to get new ones to grow?

Answer By The Flower Expert: Once the Lily plant blooms and the petals fall off there will not come a new flower this year. The plant will die in the fall and come up again in the spring and flower again in June or July.

After Flowering Care:

Once your lilies have finished flowering and the stem of the bulb has turned yellow (in autumn) you can cut the stem off , but not before.

By removing the stems any earlier you are in effect starving the bulb of all the energy it needs to flower again the following year.

Lilies can be left in the ground for several years without having to transplant them, but if you are planning to dig and replant your bulbs this should be done in autumn.

By Sherry Yenser: Would you please let me know how often I should water my red poppies? I have them planted in full sun.

Answer By The Flower Expert: Red Poppies need Average Water Needs. But Water regularly. Make sure do not overwater.

Average water needs implies that water the plant when the top soil dries up.

By Sondra Howel: Where can I order a book with pictures of various floral designs?

By Webmaster: Mastering the Art of Floral Design by Paula Pryke's is the best book it gives good information and pictures of various floral designs. You can buy them at Amazon. Mastering the Art of Floral Design by Paula Pryke's is the best book it gives good information and pictures of various floral designs.You can also look at these books also The Complete Book of Floral Design and Wedding Bouquets: Over 300 Designs for Every Bride.