Established hardy geraniums do not need much more than an application of compost in spring. Most commerical fertilizers will provide too much nitrogen, causing weak growth that flops over or needs staking. (Source: The Gardener's Guide to Growing Hardy Geraniums, by Trevor Bath, 1994)

Season All Season
Date 2006-02-26
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Following is information about fertilizing Hydrangeas. It is from an excellent website: www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com.
This takes you to their main site, then click on Planting Fertilizing in the the left-hand column. Scroll down to the bottom to see the section on Fertilizing. The site is worth visiting, but get a cup of tea (or something) and put your feet up because you will get hooked!

Also, if you are ever in Seattle, feel free to stop by the library and take a look at our Hydrangea books. Even though I have daily access to our collection, I purchased two for home.

Season Summer
Date 2006-10-26
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I consulted sources from the PNW, for example, Hennings Rhododendron and Azalea pages. Washington State University also has a link to info about fertilizing in summer.The general recommendation is to avoid fertilizing after mid-summer. The tender new growth that results is susceptible to frost, disease, and insects just at the time of year when the plant is beginning to shut down. This is also true of roses, which are even more tender and susceptible than rhododendrons and azaleas. So, I would wait until spring.

Season All Season
Date 2007-09-07
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Here is what The Rodale Book of Composting (Rodale Press, 1992) says about using hair as fertilizer. "Between 6 and 7 pounds of hair contain as much nitrogen as 100 to 200 pounds of manure. Like feathers, hair will decompose rapidly in a compost pile but only if well-moistened and thoroughly mixed with an aerating material. Hair tends to pack down and shed water, so chopping or turning the pile regularly will hasten decay."

I would think that any hair, including dog, would respond similarly. I would not add the hair directly to any planting area without putting it through the composting process described above. Also, hair which is heavily processed with chemicals (perms, dyed hair, etc.) doesn't seem like anything I would want to add to the garden.

I could not find anything in the literature which mentions the use of hair as a pesticide, although I have heard that hair strewn around the garden beds may discourage animals from foraging there.

Season All Season
Date 2008-02-28
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Christmas cactus, or Schlumbergera bridgesii, does occasionally have problems with insects. Whitefly nymphs and adults cause damage by sucking plant juices, and their feeding can weaken a plant. They also secrete a sticky substance called honeydew, which may then harbor sooty mold. For indoor plants affected by this insect, you might try gently washing the leaves. Rodale's Encyclopedia of Indoor Gardening, edited by Anne Halpin (1980) says that adults are easy to wipe up when it is colder indoors, and the young are usually on the undersides of leaves and may be wiped off with a sponge. Many whiteflies are now resistant to insecticides, and so it is best to start with plain water or soap and water. The book Indoor Gardening the Organic Way by Julie Bawden-Davis (Taylor, 2006) lists sticky traps, insecticidal soap, alcohol spray, oils, and pyrethrin as potential controls. There are products containing Neem oil which could help, if plain water or soapy water don't control the problem.

Clemson University Extension has some helpful information on general care of this plant.

As for using grass clippings as fertilizer, as long as the grass was not treated with weed-and-feed or other pesticides, it should be a good source of nutrients. Also, avoid using grass which has already gone to seed. Mulch It! by Stu Campbell (Storey Books, 2001) advises not to spread the clippings too thickly, and to let them dry out a bit before using. Here is a link to Virginia Cooperative Extension's page on recycling grass clippings.

Taylor's Guide to Fruits and Berries edited by Roger Holmes (Taylor, 1996) says that "reasonably good soil enriched with an inch or two of good compost or a moderate dose of balanced fertilizer each year should provide sufficient nutrients for your plants to thrive. Berry lovers sometimes provide regular doses of foliar fertilizers to give their plants a boost. Absorbed by the leaves in liquid form, seaweed, fish emulsion, and similar organic materials in balanced formulations provide a broad spectrum of nutrients."

Season All Season
Date 2008-05-24
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