Q I recently won an African violet as a door prize. I have not had much luck growing houseplants and would like to know how to care for it -- how much water, sunlight, etc.
A African violets can be easy to grow indoors. They like even moisture, but not waterlogged conditions. Many gardeners use a special African violet pot and add water to the tray at the base of the pot. The container usually has a cord coming out the base that absorbs moisture from the bottom tray and moves it up into the soil, keeping the top of the soil fairly dry. You can top water as well, but avoid getting water on the foliage. If cold water gets on the foliage of African violets, it can lead to spotting of the leaves. Light is going to be the key factor for blooming. They like a very bright eastern or northern location. Plants grown in low light often have darker green leaves with long stems and thin leaves. If you put them in a western location with too much light, they can be sunburned. They also grow very well under artificial light. Use a water-soluble liquid fertilizer every 4-6 weeks.
Q I was given a plant that has a lot of miniature hot peppers. If you have any clue what I am talking about -- because I don't know the name of it -- I need to know how to care for it. The peppers are withering but a few new ones are coming on.
A My guess is that the plant in question is an ornamental pepper plant. They are edible, but usually grown more as decoration than for consumption. Some ornamental peppers have minimal flavor, while others can be quite hot. Growing peppers indoors all winter will be a challenge. They need very bright light for 10 hours or more if you want them to bloom and set any more fruit. I would enjoy it as long as it lasts, then toss it. They can add a lot of color for a long season outdoors from April through October.
Q I would appreciate any advice you can give concerning a camellia that I'm attempting to grow in a pot. In late summer the plant's leaves began to turn brown. I took a photo of it to the nursery where I'd bought the plant and was told that it looked like it was getting too much sun. (It had been outside and getting full sun part of the day.) I moved the pot onto my back (south-facing) porch where it receives filtered sun. It has now shed all its leaves, and so now I wonder if it's still alive and has gone dormant. If so, should I just keep it watered and see if new growth appears in the spring?
A Camellias are one of my favorite plants, but I think they would be happier in the ground than in a container. They are evergreen plants and should not lose their leaves. I wouldn't throw it away just yet, but I don't think you have a healthy plant on your hands. See what happens next spring and then decide. If it does survive, plant it. If not, buy a new plant. They like even moisture, morning sun and afternoon shade or filtered sun, and an acidic soil.
Q We see these green plants beside sidewalks and streets in North Little Rock and wonder whether we can safely eat them. [The reader sent top photo.] Are they edible?
A The weed in question is commonly called curly dock. There are various species of this weed which forms a rosette of foliage and a strong taproot. The plant is edible but I would avoid harvesting or eating any that you see growing along streets since there could be a high load of heavy metals there. Dock was actually fairly popular as an edible during the Depression. The young foliage supposedly has a tart flavor, and some people even eat the large taproots as a potato substitute. Who knew?
Q Can you identify this plant for me? [The reader sent bottom photo.] It has an interesting attachment of berries which are farther back on the stems.
A The plant in question is a wax myrtle. This evergreen shrub does well in shady gardens and tends to grow wider than tall. It can be a bit sprawling in its growth habit. Bayberry candles were originally produced from the fruits of this plant. People would boil the berries and skim off the fats to make scented candles.
Janet B. Carson is a horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Write to her at 2301 S. University Ave., Little Rock, Ark. 72204 or email her at
jcarson@arkansasonline.com
HomeStyle on 12/22/2018