Simplifying the drying of peppers

Sheryl C. of Windsor asks: I have quite a few hot peppers that I would like to dry and save. Have any ideas of an easy way to dry them so they don't rot?

To make the job of drying hot peppers easy, simply pull out the whole plant and hang it upside down in a dry, airy place. Remove the peppers when dried and store them in a paper bag. You can be a little more creative and pick them with the stem attached, thread a needle with strong thread, and run the needle through the stem, NOT the pepper. Then you can hang them in your kitchen to dry. You could even make wreaths this way and they'll last for about two years.

Jacquie B. of Santa Rosa asks: Where are all these weeds coming from that keep popping up in my garden? Every time I work an area to prepare it for planting, here come the weeds.

If you're discouraged about the weeds in your garden, and you've done everything by the book to prevent them from coming up, it's time you got some perspective about weeds. You cannot control them completely! Birds flying overhead drop dry seedheads and thousands of seeds are sown. Weeds are also carried by wind and water. Thousands of seeds can also lie dormant in the ground for many years and then one day make their debut when the soil is disturbed or watered. Weeds are not a problem to be solved, but a condition that needs to be accepted and controlled. Yank, curse and cultivate! But the best thing you CAN do is MULCH! Any material used to cover your exposed soil will help "control" the population. Ultimately, we must learn to live with them!

Kathy R. of Santa Rosa asks: What should I look for when purchasing bulbs, such as daffodils and tulips? There seems to be such a price difference everywhere you go.

If you're starting to think about your fall plantings of bulbs, remember: the bigger the bulb, the bigger the flower. That is why big bulbs are more expensive. If you want to create a spectacular tulip bed, for example, you'll need to buy the biggest bulbs you can afford. Besides, tulips bloom their best the first year and subsequent years can be disappointing. Daffodils are different. They're one of the few bulbs where you can save money and buy the smaller sized ones since daffodils multiply so quickly and bloom better year after year. All other varieties of bulbs . . . go big!

Linda G. of Sebastopol asks: How can I make my pink Hydrangea flowers blue?

The flower color of many Hydrangea varieties is affected by the pH of the soil. Acidic soils will produce a blue color, while the more alkaline soils will produce pink shades. Not all Hydrangeas are affected. White flowering varieties like the paniculata and quercifolia species are not affected, and some of the macrophylla varieties are only slightly affected. If you would like a blue flowered Hydrangea, don't purchase a variety named Forever Pink.

The first step is to find out what your soil pH is. There are soil test kits available at most nurseries. After determining your existing pH, you can increase the acidity of your soil for enhancing the blue Hydrangeas by adding either aluminum sulfate or sulphur to the soil. The amount needed will depend on how alkaline your soil is, so it is important to follow the directions on the package in order to achieve the desired flower color.

Carol H. of Healdsburg asks: Why prune Clematis? What happens if you don't?

If left unpruned, Clematis vines become overloaded with weak stems that produce few flowers. By the same token, more vigorous species that are left unpruned bear most of the flowers high atop the plants, and run the risk of tearing down their supporting structure or pulling themselves down under their own weight.

Pruning Clematis vines stimulates new growth, which increases the number of flowers, encourages flowers at a level where you can best enjoy them, and takes weight off the plant to keep it from toppling over. Pruning also helps keep Clematis vines healthy, preventing Clematis wilt or fungal stem rot, which causes the shoots, leaves, or sometimes whole vines to collapse and turn brown, usually in the summer.

Also, pruning the dense tangle of stems opens the remaining shoots to air and light and reduces the number of leaves that can hold moisture, which encourages wilt and diseases.

Dana Lozano is a horticultural garden consultant and designer. Gwen Kilchherr is an arborist, garden consultant, and horticulturist. They are partners in a Windsor horticultural consulting and design business, The Garden Doctors. Fax questions to them in care of the Press Democrat at 521-5343.