Meteorologist Dave Epstein is our go-to person for pressing weather questions on everything from winter blizzards to summer droughts. He’s also a horticulturist, meaning he’s an expert in anything that grows leaves and flowers. We at GBH's Morning Edition asked you, our audience, for your weather and gardening questions, and Dave graciously answered them on the air. This transcript has been edited for clarity.
Have a gardening or weather question for meteorologist Dave Epstein? Tweet him @GrowingWisdom, email us at thewakeup@wgbh.org or text 617-300-2008.
More Local News
What's the difference between "snow" and "snow showers?" – Andy in Plymouth
Location, location, location, Epstein said. If he’s calling for snow (or rain, for that matter), everyone in the region can expect to get some precipitation. Snow showers, like rain showers, are a little more geographically scattered. One city or town might get some snow while its neighbors do not.
“If I said, ‘Hey, it’s a snowy day,’ everybody would be seeing snow over the course of the day,” Epstein said. “If I said, ‘Hey, there will be snow showers today,’ you may or may not. Showers tend to be less widespread.”
Wondering how long should I keep my hummingbird feeders going. Still seeing some hummers in the garden but am worried they should be heading south soon. – Desirée in Reading
Hummingbirds are indeed migrating south, Epstein said, but it won’t hurt to leave feeders out a bit longer.
“If you look at the bird migration maps, which you can find online, there was a huge migration last night of a lot of birds just leaving,” Epstein said.
Still, a few hummingbirds might be straggling around southern New England for a few more weeks, and they might appreciate the food, Epstein said. He typically leaves his hummingbird feeder out until early October.
When should I put the plastic on my hoop greenhouse for the fall? – Unnamed listener
Not yet.
“I would hold off on that for quite a bit because there's no frost at the present time and you'll actually maybe overheat things a little,” Epstein said. “It just depends on what's in that hoop house and what you're growing. If you're growing cool-weather crops, you can hold off until early October, mid-October, even early November.”
I got a new plant recently. I have a bad history of taking care of them, though the fern Paris got me survived. We got a dracena marginata, and it did not have many roots when when we transplanted it. They were kind of small and a little bit wilted. Since we planted it like that, the leaves have been drooping down a little bit. Is my plant going to be okay? And if not, any advice on how to make it okay? – Jeremy Siegel, Morning Edition co-host
First, it’s important to know that not every new plant has to be repotted. Unless it’s outgrowing its pot — and there are roots exploding out of the bottom — or there are signs of root rot, like a lot of yellowing leaves and mushy stems, it might be best to leave your new plant in its original pot for a while.
But since it’s already in its new home, Epstein said, err on the side of underwatering. Remember that short roots can’t reach every part of a big pot, so it’s best to lightly water right around the plant and let it be.
“I would be careful about overwatering it because you can cause root rot,” Epstein said. “Really keep it on the drier side would be my recommendation.”
And with dracaenas, a little droop is not concerning.
“It should be okay,” he said. “The leaves kind of naturally go down and that's kind of how it looks.”
Another tip: If you do repot a new plant, look for mesh binding the roots together. Some growers will join multiple plants together for a fuller look to make them look more appealing. Some will also grow seedlings in so-called compostable planters that never actually decompose, which they then throw directly into bigger pots, suffocating the roots. If you find mesh, carefully cut it off and throw it away.
