Can I overwinter my fuchsia indoors? 

Fuchsias are popular flowering plants that are commonly grown in hanging baskets. While they are not cold hardy outdoors, fuchsias don’t have to be discarded in the fall.  It is possible to overwinter them indoors. Before the first frost, place the plant in a cool (40 to 45 degrees F), dimly lit location, such as a basement or an unheated bedroom. Water sparingly, only enough to prevent the stems from drying up. Remove the plant from its overwintering site in March. Severely prune back the plant and water thoroughly. Set the plant in a warm (70 to 75 degrees F) location. When growth resumes, place the plant in an east or west window or under artificial light. Water regularly. Fertilize once or twice a month with a dilute houseplant fertilizer solution. Move the fuchsia outdoors again when the danger of frost is past. 

Is there anything I can do to keep my butterfly bushes from dying in winter?

While butterfly bushes (Buddleia spp.) are woody shrubs, they typically die back to the ground each winter in Iowa. Occasionally, plants are completely destroyed. 

The survival rates of butterfly bushes can be improved with careful site selection. Butterfly bushes perform best in moist, well-drained soils in partial to full sun. Avoid wet, poorly drained sites. Also, select sites that provide winter protection. Butterfly bushes planted in open, exposed sites are much more likely to be destroyed by harsh, winter weather. 

It may also be helpful to mound a few inches of soil around the base of the plants in late fall. The soil will help protect the plant crowns and hopefully prevent their destruction. The following spring, remove the soil and prune the plants back to within a few inches of the ground. 

What are the best storage conditions for apples? 

The storage life of apples depends on the cultivar (variety), storage conditions and other factors. Optimum storage conditions for apples are a temperature of 30 to 32 degrees F and a relative humidity between 90 and 95 percent. When provided with optimum storage conditions, ‘Jonathan’ and ‘Red Delicious’ apples can be stored up to three to five months. In contrast, ‘Wealthy’ has a short storage life (3 to 10 weeks). Apples stored at a temperature of 50 degrees F will spoil two to three times faster than those stored at 32 degrees F. Apples will shrivel during storage if the relative humidity is low. 

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