I agree with hubby. :) When I bought mine last year, it was soooo pretty all loaded with pink flowers. I wasn't thinking about what I'd do with it in the winter when I put it in a gigantic pot that is difficult to move. We're by the coast so our winters are not usually super harsh, and our garden is sheltered from the wind so I thought I'd risk it. it worked out fine. If you bring it in for the winter, it should be in a unheated spot, like a garage. Otherwise you will bring it out of dormancy. :) Yes, dormant is when it drops its leaves. I've read to bring them in after the first hard freeze. That's what I tend to do - during my winter clean up I bring in stuff like my other topiaries and dahlia tubers. I've always heard slightly moist. It's dormant so it won't be taking in a lot of water. I have other topiaries that go dormant (smaller than my rose, I keep them in our unfinished basement) and I give them a little drink once a month.

It also must have plenty of light and cool temps in winter. Indoors, fresh air, in the form of a fan, is a must, as is excellent drainage. Rosemary is also very particular about not drying out and will will not recover if waatering is neglected. It does want to be a big shrub, almost a tree and I personally had success using a rather generous pot, because if it is happy, its roots quickly fill up the pot and drink all the water in no time. I now have two plants, both of which I started last year because our huge former plant which we had kept going for many years succumbed at last when we went on a vacation and left it with a plant sitter (I have to admit, though, that, it didn't use to look so great by the time it was ready to go outside at the end of winter). Ironically, it met its death in the summer, while outdoors. This time I also am trying a topiary, because I just don't have room for more huge plants on my windowsills. I just put mine outside because I noticed signs of mildew. They would be happier in a greenhouse, I guess. But I have to have it for pork chops. Only fresh rosemary will do and I don't have a greenhouse. Will it live in North Carolina? Well, I did have a so-called hardy one live over for two winters in a sheltered, large wooden container near the house on L.Island, that I planted for my friend who has a house there. I don't think the experience of freezing winters made it very happy because it was a puny thing that never grew as big as the ones I take in for the winter. Rosemary is kind of on the unforgiving side, but on the other hand it is so easy to propagate from seeds or cuttings that it balances out.

Ivy is usually very tough. First place to check is the potting mix. If someone put it into peat and it's dried out then it can be very difficult to rehydrate. Being a reckless soul, I'd plunge the whole lot into a big container of rainwater, or tap water that's stood for a while. If it floats, then water take-up is part of the problem. if it slowly sinks, giving off endless streams of bubbles - ditto. If you have access to good garden soil you could mix one part garden soil with two parts of non-peat potting mix and a half part of sharp clean grit (NOT sand). The grit lets more air into the mix and helps the water spread out. No water crystals, and no extra fertiliser until the plant starts to recover. If your weather isn't too variable, put it outside in a sheltered place and bring it in at night if there is frost danger. About a half day of sun or a little less. Wind shelter until it settles down in the pot. If you find wildlife in the pot has eaten a lot of the root system you'll have to (sob) take back some of the leaves and branching. They have to be in balance so there are enough roots to send water up to the leaves. Not there - wilt and drop. Easy on the water. When you repot give it a thorough soaking, then let it dry out until the mix is dry to about an inch down. Then water again. When new leaves start to peek out, liquid feed. MiracleGro is pretty good, at about half normal strength. Only go to full strength after about six weeks and several new leaves fully out. There's also the point about the annual change of leaves from the winter set to the summer producers. I'm not sure when that happens in zone 5. Here, it's toward the end of summer, but ivy rarely gets powdery mildew - hence my suggestions about the water status. Spraying powdery mildew with just water can help to control it on some species. Worth a try, perhaps?

Hi, I wanted to see if you might know the answer to this question. Any help or info would be greatly appreciated!! I recently purchased 3 spiral shaped, Eugenia Monterey Bay Syzygium Paniculatum topiaries. I planted two in the front yard and they are very healthy. I put the third in my back yard in the screened porch area. I re-potted it in a larger container. It has been slowly starting to grow, but just this past weekend, I started to see the very top of the tree slowly turn brown and lose it leaves. Now, it has spread to the top portion of the tree. The branches have black bumps on them, it looks kind of like chicken pox. Do you know what this could possibly be?? Should I return this plant to the nursery and exchange it for another?? Thank you, Kimberley