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Groton, MA
Blue wildflowers for Massachusetts meadow garden
I am restoring a 1980's era barn in Massachusetts. To celebrate the roll-out of the restored barn, I would like to plant wildflowers in the hayfield next to the barn (aprox. 3 acres). I would like ...
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Harvard , MA
Ground cover for Massachusetts
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, We are trying to kill poison ivy in shaded areas bordering our driveway and want to plant something quickly to replace it. There are many tall trees in this area, mainly pi...
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Nashua, NH
Failure of non-native mock orange to bloom
We have a mature mock orange shrub that is very healthy but has not bloomed at all. What can we do?
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Leominster, MA
Source of seeds for helianthus salicifolius (Willowleaf sunflower)
Where can I purchase seeds for helianthus salicifolius?
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Fitchburg, MA
Native plants for gravesite in North Central Massachusetts
I live in North Central Mass. Would like to plant something on my parents gravesite that would not be invasive or require a lot of care. Any suggestions? I just took 2 shrubs out that had become way...
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Fitchburg, MA
Dutchman's pipe vine dying in Fitchburg ME
I have 2 dutchmans pipe vines they have been growing for over 20 years. Now all of a sudden the foliage is wilting and dying. The other one is completely fine. What would cause this?
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Lowell, MA
Why won't my Campsis cultivar flower in Lowell MA
I bought a Campsis trumpet vine cultivar in 2006 and planted near my fence in my yard hoping to cover the fence with the vine. Well 4 seasons later the vine has grown about 5 ft. in area but has yet ...
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Clinton, MA
Comptonia peregrina tea as topical treatment for poison ivy
I have been told that Sweet Fern stewed into a tea is a great topical treatment for poision ivy. Is this true?
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Billerica, MA
Idendification of plants with white cotton ball flowers
A few months ago I found a small plant with a white cotton ball type flower on it. It had red spots. It was on the bank of the Nashua river. I had never seen this before, and I am having a hard time ...
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Billerica, MA
Cutting costs on purchase of plants in Boston
I spend OVER $600 per season on annuals for my gardens here in the Boston area each year. I wonder if there is any place you are aware that I can buy discounted plants? I grow the typical geraniums, m...
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Westminster, MA
Orange eggs on milkweed plants
Hello I have milk weed in my flower garden. Every year I find small orange 'eggs' on the leaves and stems of the plant. I don't think these are the monarch eggs, but not sure if they are other...
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Marlborough, MA
What eats American holly bushes in winter?
I live in Marlborough, MA and I was shoveling snow on January 19th and noticed how beautiful my Holly bush was covered in red berries against the new fallen snow. My husband said to me this morning (...
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Marlborough, MA
Chile pequin not ripening to red from Marlborough MA
I have a healthy Chile Pequin in Marlborough, MA, flowering and fruiting profusely. But, the fruit are not ripening to red, as did their parent plants in Florida. Fruit go from green to deep purple ...
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windham, NH
Propagating a Magnolia tree from a twig cutting in New Hampshire.
I have a twig cutting from a rare magnolia tree I found on a farm in central New Hampshire. The tree seems to be at least one hundred years old. It was in full bloom in late August and I was told by t...
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Burlington, MA
Groundcover for erosion control
I have a sloped area in my back yard where we need to plant some erosion control plants. The area is above a large (100 foot long x 4 foot tall) stone wall and another smaller wall of natural stone. ...
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Burlington, MA
Dwarf native plants for shade in Burlington, MA
Hi, I removed all of the evergreen shrubs in front of my house in Zone 6. It is in full shade all summer but has some sun during the spring because of a huge beech tree in front yard. there is 2 8'...
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Lexington, MA
How to get rid of invasive vine
We moved into our very old (300+ year house) several years ago and I am slowly getting round to cleaning up and replanting flower beds. When I cleared the space to grow clematis along a fence in the b...
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Lexington, MA
Distinguishing native Celastrus scandens from non-native C. Orbiculatus from Lexington MA
Dear Mr. Plants, I maintain a wildflower garden with the Lexington Field and Garden Club in Lexington, Massachusetts. Every year, I pull up sprouts of Celastris orbiulatis. I want to plan...
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Lawerence, MA
Should non-native Royal Empress tree be planted in Lawrence MA?
I am researching the Royal Empress Tree because I want to plant one in my yard in Massachusetts. I wanted to know if the Royal Empress will have rapid reproduction and bring more Empress trees to the ...
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Andover, MA
Native plants to preserve soil on river bank
I live in eastern Massachusetts. We have a small stream in our backyard and a woodland area on the other side. Japanese Knotweed is pretty well established on the opposite bank of the stream from our ...
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Andover, MA
Plant identification in Andover MA
I live in MA. I have found a tree that produces an avocado like fruit with a round grooved pit. There are several of these trees in the fields where I walk and the ground is littered with these fruits...
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