Flower buds form on my peonies, but don’t open. Why?
There are several possible explanations why peony buds may fail to open.
Peonies bloom best in full sun. In partial to heavy shade, plants are weak and may not be able to supply adequate food to the developing buds. As a result, the undernourished buds don’t develop fully. Peonies growing in partial to heavy shade should be transplanted to a sunny site in September.
Fungal diseases, such as Botrytis blight, may infect peony buds. Infected buds turn brown or black and fail to open. Fungal diseases are most common during cool, wet, spring weather. Sanitation is the most effective means of controlling Botrytis blight and other peony diseases. Cut off the dead debris at ground level and remove it from the area in late fall or late winter/early spring of the following year.
The flower buds may have been damaged by a late freeze. While the plants themselves can tolerate a light freeze, the buds are much more susceptible to cold injury. Unfortunately, little can be done to avoid this problem.
Extremely dry conditions in early spring are another possible explanation. In dry weather, water plants deeply once a week during bud development.
Some of my strawberries in the garden are covered with a gray, velvety growth. What is it and how can it be controlled?
The gray, velvety growth on your berries may be gray mold. It is also known as Botrytis fruit rot. Gray mold is favored by poor air circulation and a high humidity in the strawberry planting. The most commonly infected berries are those touching the soil or other infected berries.
Cultural practices can reduce losses due to gray mold. Do not fertilize June-bearing strawberries in spring. The application of a nitrogen-containing fertilizer in spring promotes lush, vegetative growth. Dense foliage slows the drying of the strawberry planting, resulting in a more favorable environment for gray mold. Control weeds in the strawberry bed. Weeds reduce air circulation and slow the drying of the strawberry plants. Mulch the planting with straw to keep the berries off the ground. Berries resting on a damp or wet soil are more susceptible to gray mold. During dry weather, irrigate in the morning when using a sprinkler. Plants dry quickly when irrigated in the morning.
“Clean-pick” the strawberry planting. Harvest the strawberry planting frequently. Pick berries as soon as they are ripe. Handle berries carefully during harvest to avoid bruising the fruit. Immediately refrigerate the unwashed berries. Berries that exhibit symptoms of gray mold should be picked and removed from the bed. Finally, fungicides are used by commercial strawberry growers to control gray mold. However, cultural practices are the best way to control Botrytis fruit rot in home gardens.
After planting the vegetable garden, I have some left-over seeds. Can I save the seeds for next year?
If stored properly, the seeds of many vegetables and flowering annuals will remain viable (alive) for two or three years. Ideal storage conditions are cool and dry. It’s generally best to keep the seeds in their original packets. Fold over the ends of the packets, then place the seeds in a tightly sealed jar or plastic container with a snap-on lid. Also place a desiccant in the storage container. The desiccant will absorb moisture from the air inside the container and keep the seeds dry. Suitable desiccants include a silica gel packet (often found in shoe boxes and purses) or 1 to 2 tablespoons of powdered milk wrapped in a napkin. Place the tightly sealed container in the refrigerator or other cool location.
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