Repotting Houseplants

Rick Pudwell, Director of Horticulture at the Memphis Botanic Garden demonstrates how to repot a houseplant and gives some tips for healthy, happy houseplants.  The first plant he repots is a sansevieria, otherwise called a mother-in-law tongue.  Rick then repots a Croton. When he is done repotting the plants, Rick gives general houseplant care advice.

​Related Videos:
Building a Self-Watering Houseplant Pot
Repotting Aloe Vera

Related Resources:
​Indoor Plants - Transplanting & Repotting
Repotting Houseplants
Caring for Houseplants

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Digging Up Flower Bulbs

This week in the garden University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond shows how to dig up flower bulbs. In her case she is getting rid of tulip bulbs, but you can use the same method to move bulbs to another location.  >>Watch
Garden Notes
Pine Straw Mulch
Pine straw or pine needles make a good mulch. UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper says pine straw is an organic mulch that will stay in place and not wash or blow away. Like other mulches it shades the soil, aids in water retention, and reduces splashing. It also has a unique benefit that is discourages slugs and snails because the roughness of the needles cuts their bodies. >>Watch


Summer Lawn Watering

UT Extension Agent Booker T. Leigh talks about the ins and outs of watering lawns in the heat of the summer. Booker says that the best time to water your lawn is early in the morning.

Lawns with warm season grasses like Bermuda and zoysia should have about one inch of water a week. It is best if the lawn gets that water all at one time.  >>Watch
Summer Lawn Problems

Lawn Fertilization

Square Foot
Gardening Basics

Gardening Expert Tonya Ashworth talks about the basics of square foot gardening. Square foot gardens are grown in raised beds, usually four feet square. The bed is then divided into square foot sections. In each square foot of garden you can grow sixteen carrots; a tomato, pepper or eggplant; four bush beans; or nine sweet peas.  >>Watch
Building Raised Bed

Planting Vegetable Seeds


Imidacloprid

Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid which means the chemical resembles nicotine. It is a systemic insecticide that interferes with insect nervous systems. It is effective both as a contact and ingestion insecticide. There is some controversy about imidacloprid, it has been accused of being part of colony collapse disorder in honey bees. Read and follow the label.  >>Watch
Carbaryl

Permethrin
Ask Us Your Gardening Question

Making Low-Sugar Strawberry Freezer Jam

UT Extension Agent Cathy Faust shows how to make a low sugar strawberry freezer jam. While she makes the jam she talks about other recipes she has tried and how they came out.  >>Watch

Get the Recipe:
low_sugar_strawberry_freezer_jam_recipe.pdf
Download File
Canning Peaches

Canning Green Beans


Wildlife Friendly Gardens

Garden Expert Tonya Ashworth talks about things you can do to encourage wildlife to visit your garden. Wildlife will come to your garden when there is food, water, and shelter. These things can be provided by plants in your yard, and you can supplement with feeders. Learn how to attract birds, butterflies and bees. >>Watch
Planting a Butterfly Garden

Birdbaths

Hanging a Hummingbird Feeder – Family Plot

Replacing a Wooden Raised Bed with Concrete Block


Planting Myths

Preparing lawns for Summer

How to Calibrate Your Fertilizer Spreader

Fish for Water Features

Planting Blackberries
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Viewer Questions



Can I use 2 or 3 fungicides at the same time?

The short answer is no. There are several reasons why. First, the chemicals in the fungicides may interact which would reduce their effectiveness or harm the plants. Also, if the fungicides have the same mode of action you are wasting your money and product because they are both trying to do the same thing.  >>Watch

What can I do to grow tomatoes and other veggies on a north facing balcony?

Rick Pudwell, Director of Horticulture at Memphis Botanic Garden says the balcony will see some sun in the morning and late afternoon, but not as much as the plants would like. He says you probably can get some production out of cherry tomatoes. Rick recommends growing the plants in large containers and watering daily because the soil will dry out quickly. >>Watch


What is this grass growing in my vegetable garden? -Nutsedge

This is Nutsedge or nutgrass. It is not a grass but a sedge. Nutsedge is hard to get rid of. Rick Pudwell, Director of Horticulture at Memphis Botanic Garden recommends smothering it with cardboard during the vegetable growing season and then, once you are past harvest attack it with a herbicide like Image that is labeled to kill nutsedge. That way you keep the chemicals off the garden while the vegetables are growing.  >>Watch


Should I cut pampas grass back every fall?

Pampas grass is an evergreen grass and normally does not die back in the Memphis, Tennessee area unless there is a severe winter.  Rick Pudwell, Director of Horticulture at Memphis Botanic Garden says in March before the grass starts growing again cut out the dead blades with scissors. Now that it is June there is too much growth to be able to do that. Rick says that at this point in the year the best thing to do if it looks like it is dying is to give it some fertilizer and hope it pulls through. Pampas grass has a sawtooth edeged grass so it can cut you easily. Wear gloves when working with it.  >>Watch

Why does my Crape Myrtle have curling leaves?

The curling leaves are probably caused by lawn chemicals, probably a phenoxy herbicide. Phenoxy herbicides are frequently sprayed on lawns to control broadleaf weeds. When a small amount of this herbicide from careless spraying or drift gets on a plant like crape myrtle it causes this sort of leaf curling.  UT Extension Agent Chris Cooper says that when herbicide damaged leaves curl up it is Dicamba, when the leaves curl down it is 2,4-D. Remember that most ornamental plants are broad-leafed and can be affected by phenoxy herbicides.  >>Watch

More Questions & Answers
Family Plot