Gardening : Long Production Not Unusual for Tomatoes
Q: Last year my spring-planted tomato plants produced tomatoes through summer, fall and even most of the winter. Is this unusual?
A: No. In our mild Southern California climate, it is not unusual for tomato plants to produce fruit into the winter months and until they succumb to our first frost. This is especially true of some of the vigorous hybrid tomatoes such as Better Boy.
Wants to Plant Potted Mum Out of Doors
Q: A friend gave me a chrysanthemum in a pot and told me I should eventually plant it outdoors. How long can I keep it indoors before I have to plant it outdoors?
A: About three weeks. Don’t just take it from an indoor environment and replant it outdoors. Gradually expose it to outdoor conditions--one hour the first day, two hours the next, etc., for one week--before planting outdoors.
Crape Myrtle Tree Ideal for Dry Climate
Q: My friend who lives in Orange has a beautiful flowering tree called a crape myrtle. Will it do well here in Riverside where it gets quite hot during the summer?
A: The crape myrtle will thrive in Riverside. It is an ideal tree for a warm, dry climate and a good candidate for a drought-resistant landscape. Once established, it does well with infrequent watering.
NEW COLUMN
A new garden question-and-answer column emphasizing local growing conditions and questions relevant to the Southland starts today. Gardening experts Mary Ellen Guffey and Bill Sidnam, both veteran writers with The Times, will answer reader questions of general interest, as will, on occasion, Times Garden Editor Robert Smaus.
