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topicquestion
Is a yucca going to have a stalk from Sylvania OH
March 15, 2012
Hi, I was wondering if the stalk on a yucca plant grows back every year after it is cut off? How to tell if it is going to have a stalk because some of my yucca's do not have one? Thank you for your ...
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Non-native hylocereus undatus for Austin
February 24, 2012
Can we plant Hylocereus (Dragon Fruit) here in Austin, TX? We are going to have a large xeriscape bed and want to know what all we can put in it. We are new to Texas so we have no clue what grows here...
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Container plants for Arlington TX
February 10, 2012
Mr. Smarty Plants, I just moved to Arlington, TX. I am trying to create a container garden on my apartment balcony. What flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruit combinations can I put together that wil...
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Yucca filamentosa suffering from damp feet in Houston
February 09, 2012
Last year, I planted three enormous and gorgeous Yucca Filamentosa in my backyard. Two are thriving but the third started turning yellow then brown from the bottom up after a few weeks of rains. S...
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Wholesale dry yucca trunks and branches from California
January 29, 2012
Where can I buy wholesale dry yucca trunks and branches? I have spent the last hour looking for them and can only find nurseries and decorative branches.
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Speeding up growth of Hesperaloe parviflora (red yucca)
January 12, 2012
I have germinated Hesperaloe parviflora, Red Yucca, for our Caddo Native plant sale. I have kept in the cool greenhouse for 2 months and they are about 2 inches. A friend put one outside and they froz...
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When should cochineal bugs be on prickly pear cactus?
January 05, 2012
I am a fibers artist that would like to harvest the cochineal bugs from the prickly pear cactus. I would like to know what time of year should I expect to find the cochineal bugs around the Austin ar...
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Can Joshua Tree yucca be grown in Denham Springs LA
December 31, 2011
If planted in a patch of raised and well-drained soil and covered during heavy rains, would it be possible to grow a Joshua Tree yucca in eastern Louisiana?
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Need help with yucca palm in New York City, NY.
November 10, 2011
I have had my yucca palm plant for almost 10 years. The bark has started to peel off although leaves seem fine. The second smaller separate yucca plant has half its bark and trunk gone. I can't see a...
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Winterizing non-native sedum in Saskatchewan CA
October 31, 2011
What should be done to winterize a autumn joy (sedum)?
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Growing Conditions for Yucca cernua
October 22, 2011
Nodding Yucca or Yucca cernua: I bought many lovely plants at the Wildflower Center sale on Friday, among them, a Nodding Yucca or Yucca cernua. 24 of the 25 plants I bought are already in the grou...
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Sun loving plants for flower bed by the pool in Weatherford Texas
October 03, 2011
We have a 40' long x 2 1/2' wide flowerbed along our pool. It is in full sun with the pool deck across the front and a 6' privacy fence across back. Also, the level of the bed is 18" below the l...
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Container plants for cool weather in Cypress TX
October 02, 2011
I am a novice gardener and I am looking for some ideas on potted plants for the fall/winter. They would be covered by a roof, but still susceptible to the elements. What can be planted now that will...
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What variety of Opuntia is best for eating in Boerne, TX.
September 26, 2011
Which variety of Opuntia, is best for eating the pads and which are the ones best eaten for fruit?
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Worms in non-native snake plant from Hillsborough NC
September 17, 2011
I purchased a snake plant this summer for my screened in porch. I did not repot it and left it in the plastic pot in came it. I was about to repot the plant to bring it in and noticed there are worm...
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Transplanting young Nolina texana plants
August 05, 2011
Mr. SP, I am looking for information relating to transplanting some young Nolina texana. Esp. the best time of the year and whether to replant directly in the ground or .. Thanks,
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Native Plant Suggestions for Dripping Springs
August 02, 2011
I have a very dry commercial property in Dripping Springs TX where the dry sand/dust isn't a good rain conductor (whenever we get rain). What can we plant there? We have no irrigation and use a rai...
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How to remove plume from Yucca elephantipes in NJ?
August 02, 2011
In Manahawkin, NJ, how do we cut plume (2" diameter) off 10' Yucca elephantipes?
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Controlling Cochineal Insects on Cholla Cactus
July 07, 2011
We have cochineal insects on a cholla cactus. Will they kill the plant? What should we do to get rid of them if water spraying them won't work?
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Replacement for Spanish Dagger from Georgetown TX
June 22, 2011
I have a Spanish Dagger plant in my garden which appears to be dying. Where can I purchase a replacement for this plant? The Spanish Dagger I have is close to 10 feet tall. What is the best way t...
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Obtaining Agave parryi in Cherryville NC
May 11, 2011
I live in western North Carolina and I had a friend that had a Agave parryi that bloomed about 1 year ago and of course it died. Since i saw the beautiful agave I have wanted one, but no one in my are...
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Agave with large stem growing
May 01, 2011
It is a large stem growing from my agave plant in the middle of it. It looks scary and ugly, what is it? Is it poisonous? Is it rare? It gets taller and taller everyday, what to cut it.
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Blue agave with freeze damage in Lockhart TX
March 16, 2011
I recently planted a blue agave plant, and 4 days after I planted it the temperature dropped to 20 degrees at night. The plants are still alive but 75% of the outer limbs turned brown. What do I do wi...
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Need advice about an agave that didn't survive the winter in Myrtle Beach, NC.
March 09, 2011
I live in Myrtle Beach, S.C. bought an agave big last summer and it died in the winter. Some green is showing on the bottom should I cut it all down because the whole top is dead. Thank you
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Loss of agaves to freezing weather in Austin
March 04, 2011
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants: I live in Austin and lost all my agaves in the subfreezing weather this winter. Around town, I've noticed some agaves that seemed to tolerate the cold just fine and other tha...
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Freeze damage on Barrel Cactus in Llano TX
March 04, 2011
I believe my barrel cactus has freeze damage. The flesh turned yellow and is now turning dark. The base is still green. If I cut off the damaged top portion, leaving the green base, should it survive?...
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Growing Variegated Century Plants in Portugal
February 09, 2011
Hello Mr. Smarty Plants, I am contacting you from Portugal, because of century plant(Agave americana). I had one of that plants and I collected the seeds, which I planted, but I am quite disappointed ...
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Scale on Agave attenuata from Melbourne, Australia
January 27, 2011
I have an agave attenuata in a pot. It has been attacked by scales. I have been spraying it every 3-4 days at night with a chemical sold to me by the local gardening store. It's not helping and I am...
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Lesions on Agave Leaves in Spring Branch, Texas
January 14, 2011
I have a giant Agave americana that was beautiful until recently. Several of the leaves have lesions, some of them quite drastic, on the last third of the leaf. What is causing this?
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Reasons to leave a century plant in place in Florida
November 01, 2010
Can you please list ALL the reasons to leave a century plant (as opposed to cutting it way back or removing it) in the wilds of the sand dunes on the coast of Florida, other than its prominent beauty?
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Mulching Spring Bulbs in Upstate NY
October 25, 2010
Just planted tulip bulbs for Spring. The Parks Department then put 4 inches of mulch on top. Will the tulips be able to get through and bloom come Spring? Is mulch a good winterizer for them? Indoor c...
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Dead leaves on yucca in Georgetown TX
October 18, 2010
We have 2 6ft and 3 smaller soft leaf yuccas out back in a kidney shaped area with a wax myrtle and a mountain laurel. The yuccas have done great but now two of them have a large number of dead leaves...
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Damage to yucca in San Marcos TX
October 18, 2010
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, thank you for helping me with my buffalo grass is San Marcos TX back in the spring, my lawn is gorgeous thanks to you! I really need your help as someone sabotaged my beauti...
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Nightflowering plants native to Northern Illinois
October 12, 2010
Looking for any/all info on night flowering plants that are native to Northern Illinois.
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Are Agave Seed Pods Poisonous
September 27, 2010
Are the seed pods, found in clusters, hanging from century plants(agave) poisonous to kids or dogs? They are large, light green, and shaped like fat bananas.
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Century plants spread through offshots from Rye TX
September 20, 2010
How do century plants spread? Are the little ones the babies?
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Prickly cactus in Williamson County, Texas
September 12, 2010
Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, Can you tell me what species of prickly pear cactus we have here in Williamson County? I see two listed as being here in Texas. One is the Plains variety and the other is ...
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Transplanting yucca pups from Dallas
September 01, 2010
Can I transplant Pup Yucca plants off of the main yucca and how do I cut them off?
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Specimen evergreen for sun in Central Texas
August 28, 2010
I'm soliciting suggestions for a specimen plant for a new garden we're building. It will be planted in a 3' square raised (18") Limestone bed. It will be full sun, Western exposure, and relative...
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Branches of yucca being blown down in Torrance CA
August 19, 2010
I have a Yucca tree about 30 ft tall. Lately when the wind picks up in Torrance we have had about 3 branches fall out of the tree. Can you help me with this. I don't want to cut all of the branches...
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Cutting bloom stalk of century plant in San Diego CA
June 25, 2010
My 28 yr old century plant will bloom soon. I understand it will die. Will this 30 ft stalk then likely fall? Will I need to call someone to cut the dead stalk? The base is nearly 7 ft by 6ft - n...
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Dealing with beetles feeding on cholla cactus
June 20, 2010
Hi Mr. Smarty Pants, I bought a Cylindropuntia imbricata from the Wildflower center and it was growing like crazy. I recently noticed a lot of beetles feeding on it. Some are black and some are gra...
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Flying insects attacking yucca flacida in Wilmington NC
June 11, 2010
How do I treat flying insects from eating the flowers on my Yucca Flaccida shrub.
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Succulents, wildflowers and grasses for Austin
June 09, 2010
I live on a bluff over Lake Travis and am replanting two beds in front of my driveway with Mexican Feathergrass and Agave. What other grasses or wildflowers could I mix in with the Mexican Feathergra...
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When may I remove seed heads from yuccas?
June 07, 2010
Soft tip yuccas dominate my home's landscape. When is the best time to remove the heavy seed heads after flowering? In addition to being difficult to work around, the pods seem to attract infestatio...
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Should an agave bloom stalk be cut as soon as it flowers from Corpus Christi TX
May 18, 2010
My agave plant is flowering, with a stalk approaching 12 feet tall. Should that stalk be cut once it flowers? I am concerned about wind catching it and pulling the whole plant out of the ground. I ...
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Does cutting off the budding agave bloom save the plant from Sunrise FL
April 30, 2010
I have an Agave(century plant) just starting its long flower stalk. I have read the mother plant will die after flowering. Can I cut off the stalk before it flowers to save the plant? If not, how do i...
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Can I save my century plant by cutting the flowering stalk in Austin, TX? Probably not.
April 28, 2010
Our century plant is starting to sprout it's flower (four feet). If we cut it down can we save the plant? Thank you.
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How can I eradicate 20 acres of cactus?
April 28, 2010
Cactus eradication. I have about 20 acres that are covered to the point that it is not safe to walk on the property. What can I do? Are there classes out there for eradication?
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Yucca with halticotoma valida bugs in Burleson TX
April 18, 2010
I have had Yucca plants in my yard for 10 years, but this year is the first time I have seen halticotoma valda, and there are thousands of them. How do I get rid of them? are they harmful to the plan...
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topicquestion

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