Garden letters

Southern Living, Jan 2002

Editor's Notebook

The holidays are a hectic time. In between such heartwarming events as having the oven break right before Christmas dinner and driving 500 miles to visit relatives you don't like, it's easy to overlook the little things, such as planting those tulip bulbs you bought in October. Should you toss them out along with Aunt Jen's chickpea-and-sauerkraut dressing? Not so fast. They can still bloom for you this spring. But you have to chill them for at least eight weeks before planting. There is a right and wrong way to do this. The wrong way is to shortcut the process by shoving the bulbs in your freezer. They look fine when frozen, but thaw them out and they turn into disgusting mush-kind of like that dressing. The right way is to place them in the vegetable crisper, making sure there's no fruit in there (it gives off a gas that damages bulbs). After eight weeks in the fridge, the bulbs can go into the ground-which, come to think of it, is a good way to dispose of Aunt Jen's dressing. -STEVE BENDER

My Mexican heather is three years old. The cold has turned it brown. Should I prune it or just toss it Out? R. MYERS - DERIDDER, LOUISIANA Mexican heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia) is a reliable perennial in the Lower and Coastal South, so yours should come back. Don't prune it now, though, because you don't know how far it will die back. Wait to prune until you can see where new growth starts on the stems in spring; then prune back to that point. If you see no signs of life by mid-April, you probably should replace it.

When is the best time to prune crepe myrtles? I have two near the house that are getting too tall. HENRIETTA CHAMBLEY

VALLEY, ALABAMA

The best time to prune crepe myrtles is in winter, when they're leafless. Don't commit "crepe murder," like every bored husband seems to do anytime there isn't a game on; avoid topping the plant and leaving ugly stubs. Why? Because next year, a thicket of scrawny branches will sprout from each of those stubs, and they are too weak to hold up the flowers. Therefore, use hand pruners to selectively shorten branches, cutting back to a crotch or an outward-facing bud. In the future, find out a plant's mature size before you buy. Depending on the selection, an average crepe myrtle can grow from 6 to 35 feet tall. Why do the leaves of my peace Illy have brown, brittle tips? PATTY WASHINGTON

MILES CITY, MONTANA

We can think of two possible reasons. One, the leaves are frozen to the ice glazing your windows (a reader in Montana-now that's loyalty). Two, the plant has dried out recently. This foliage plant (Spathiphyllum sp.) likes constantly moist, well-drained soil. Don't let it wilt before watering. You should use room-temperature water (never cold) that has sat for 24 hours to allow any chlorine to evaporate.

A friend gave me a florist cyclamen. All the label says is to keep it out of direct sunlight. I put it on a table and the leaves turned yellow and the blooms wilted. What caused this? CHERON RHODES SPRINGFIELD, VIRGINIA

Florist cyclamen needs perfect drainage or its leaves will turn yellow and collapse. Check the bottom of the pot for an open drainage hole; decorative foil often covers it up. Give your plant cool temperatures (50s and 60s) and bright, indirect light. Most people chuck florist cyclamen after it stops blooming, but you can keep it going with a little effort. To do this, coax the plant into dormancy by ceasing to water in late summer and letting the foliage die down. Store it in a cool, dark place for two months. After that, take the plant out into bright, indirect light, and water thoroughly. When new growth appears, feed with a water-soluble fertilizer and resume your regular watering schedule.

Tip of the Month

I recycle aluminum piepans as saucers under my flowerpots to keep water off the floor. They are inexpensive, lightweight, and rustproof. CAROL W. ADAMS BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY

Tips of the Month are ideas readers say work for them. We do not test them. Submit tips on a postcard with your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address to Garden Tips, Southern Living, PO. Box 523, Birmingham, AL 35201 or by e-mail to southernlivingocustomersvc.com. For each published tip you will receive $25.