Grapes not so great? Squash too stupendous? Seattle’s favorite gardener is giving advice this week. #k5evening
SEATTLE — Ciscoe Morris decided to take viewer’s gardening questions via Facebook this week.
“You folks sent me about a billion Facebook questions. I will not be stumped!” he declared.
First question was from a viewer named Mark Erskine, he wanted to know what was wrong with his grapes, which were small, and dropping a lot of leaves.
“There is a type of grape called a champagne grape. So if you’ve got, for example, Interlachen grapes, one of those, you might have that type of grape. They’re little and you’ve got a billion of them,” said Ciscoe. If they’re not that type if grape, I suspect that you’re either watering them too much or too little. The way you could tell if the leaves are kind of getting brown and curling up, and look like they’re burned, it’s not enough water. On the other hand, if those leaves are turning yellow, then I have a feeling you’re watering too much.”
Kate Sarf asked: “Why did my hydrangeas only bloom partially?”
“I don’t think they’re in enough sun,” Ciscoe said. “If you put hydrangeas in too much sun they burn up. Too little sun they don’t bloom well. So you can either prune ’em to get a little more light in there or you might this move them to a spot with good morning sun this fall.”
Carla Whiting asked: “What’s the best way to prune an overly happy rosemary?”
“Carla, love your question. I have news for you, don’t prune it too hard,” Ciscoe said. “According to English folklore if you have a beautiful rosemary in your garden, it means a woman is the head of the household. I have a great one right by my front door, but I prune it every day to keep it low – Oh la la! So you can cut it by a third in the spring, never cut into the wood bare wood, just cut the foliage, and it’ll keep growing for years and you’ll stay the head of the household!”
Sally James asked: “How can I avoid growing too big of squash?” And she sent a photo of her two kids, one of them holding an 8 and a half pound honker.
“There is no such thing as too big of a squash. And I love the picture of your two cute kids holding onto one,” Ciscoe said. “You know looking at those kids, I can tell the one holding that big squash is going to end up World Champion giant pumpkin grower. Next time I see a picture of your kid, she’s gonna be sitting on a giant 2000 pound pumpkin!”
“Okay, are you guys keep those questions come in, and be aware. I will not be stumped. Because I eat so many brussels sprouts – brain food!”
