Consumer Q&A: Growing Pains

 Q: Why did my weeping fig lose all its leaves when I moved it to another window on the other side of the room?

A: Weeping figs are very sensitive to changes in their position and changes in the amount of light they receive. They can lose all their leaves after being moved to an area with less light. Be patient; it takes a while for them to recuperate from the shock of moving.








Q: What is vermiculite?

A: Vermiculite is a mica-like mineral that is commonly used as a medium in which to sow seeds or root cuttings. It is also used in potting soil mixes or used as a medium in which to store bulbs and tubers over the winter. It absorbs and holds moisture readily but also allows good air penetration to help prevent seeds, cuttings or the roots of plants from becoming waterlogged.

Vermiculite is heated before it is packaged and sold at garden centers and nurseries. This heating process is changes the natural mineral and gives it its desirable horticultural qualities.

Oddly, the word “vermiculite” comes from the Latin vermiculare, “to breed worms,” for the way it expands into wormlike pieces when heated. Think of vermiculture – worm farming or vermicelli – wormlike pasta.

Q: Can roses be planted in the fall?

A: Many hybrid tea roses are sold bare-root and are available only in late winter and early spring. However, some nurseries and garden centers now sell potted roses all year. These can be planted any time, and fall is an ideal time to plant them and other shrubs, too.




Q: I cannot get anything to grow under my crepe myrtle. Is the tree releasing a chemical that is killing plants under it?

A: We do not know of any alleopathic chemicals found in crepe myrtle roots or leaves that could poison or inhibit other plants. It is probably the shade blocking both sunlight and rain or the competition from the root system that are keeping things from growing under your crepe myrtle. Consider simply mulching around the tree or sticking in a few durable spring-blooming bulbs like crocus or daffodils that will bloom and complete most of their aboveground growth before the leaves on the tree come out.