when we bought our house there were 32 crepe myrtles inthe yard. the previous owner had NEVER trimmed any of them nor any of the other trees other than 1 apple tree. the CMs along the drive are roughly 20 ft apart, yet when we moved inthey were all grown together almost in a hedge! i had to do sever pruning to get them to look like a CM should look, and even now 3 years later some look like crap because they have not filled back in. mild pruning is best, never take more than about 1/3 the total volume of the tree away at any one cutting. mine suffered because i took about 60% and it took them a couple years to start recovering. you can cut the tops completely out of a CM, leaving just the main trunks, but i prefer to just selectively prune them instead of commiting "Crepe Murder" as the local horts call it. as far as the compost heap, just keep piling it on, it will start back cooking again.

Now my husband tells me he knew that area was called North Orange, but doesn't think it was a true city with N.O. in the address. And I thought he'd told me everything!!! We both got a laugh out of the riddle. Thanks. We have one Japanese Yew left in our front yard. It is the kind with the long, wide leaves and was here when we bought the house in May 1967 and the two yews were mature back then. When we added a double carport to our house, they took out the one on the right side of the house front, but I wouldn't let them take out the one on the left because there was no reason to do so. The house was built in the 1950s and the yews were probably the builders' choice of plants at the time because they are all over the subdivision. They just won't give up living and have the spirit of the fig tree, IMO. I'll have to let the yew know how much I value it when I'm outside tomorrow. Looks like my yew is an elder..... ;) noss

I had few plants in pot and I left side by side..all the colors planted initially was different colors but when plant grew big side by side and plants started flowering it was all same color...why was that and what can be done next?

Did you trim the flowers after they finished blooming? If not now is a good time. Below is an exerpt from a newsletter I receive from a local lavender farm...dated 12/4/08 3. Garden Note: Prune Your Lavender Now Pruning lavender is essential to good plant growth and flowering. As a general rule, lavender should be pruned to shape at the end of the first growing season. After the second and following years, plants should be cut back by one-quarter to one-third. It is important to remember not to cut the plants too short. Leave at least one inch of leafy stem on each branch, as there is little assurance that bare stems will sprout new growth. We encourage fall pruning for several reasons. First, fall pruning allows the gardener an opportunity to identify and cut out dead wood. Second, fall pruning will minimize the chances of branches being broken under a heavy snowfall. Finally, fall pruning eliminates the possibility of accidentally cutting off new growth -- on which blossoms are formed -- in the spring. ----------------------------- 4. Winter Care of Herbs (Indoor Plants) Some professional growers claim that more indoor plants are killed by over-watering than under-watering. This is often the case with herbs; they simply do not like wet feet. So water them when they are dry -- usually not more than once a week. And -- this is important -- don't let the pots sit in saucers full of water. About an hour after you water your plants, empty those saucers and let the roots breath. Fertilization requirements vary by plant. Generally, plants that are largely dormant in the winter, e.g., lemon verbena, rosemary, and scented geraniums, should be fertilized no more than once a month. Actively growing plants such as that basil you treasure should be fertilized every 2-3 weeks. Basil requires lots of light (14-16 hours a day) and warm temperatures (at least 60 degrees at night). It loves a sun-filled room, but don't place it too close to windows where night-time temperatures may drop down to 45-50 degrees. Rosemary is an impressive indoor plant, but it can sometimes be difficult. Start by thinning out the plant to allow good air circulation. Rosemary wants all the light it can get and prefers cooler temperatures in winter. A drafty south window is a perfect spot for it. Do not over water! And remember that most rosemary is hardy down to 15 or 20 degrees; don't bring it in too early. Bertha Reppert of The Rosemary House once said that rosemary should be brought in after Thanksgiving, moved back to the garden in March, and taken for a walk on nice days in winter. If you're still bringing plants inside, remember to properly prepare them. Plants that have been in the ground need to be dug up and potted. Plants already in pots need to be checked to see if they are root bound. Repot any that are. Wash the soil off the roots and prune any broken or oversized ones. You should also prune the branches taking special care to open up the middle of the plant to allow good air circulation and let in light. As a rule of thumb, both the roots and branches should be cut back by about one third. Give your plant a serious shower to wash off as many insects, larvae, and eggs as possible. And remember that most insecticides kill only adult insects -- not larva or eggs. In order to insure that you've gotten them all, spray your plants with insecticidal soap every 5 days for two weeks before bringing them indoors.