QUESTION: When the red flowering center part of a bromeliad dies out and the rest of the plant is still healthy, can you get a new bloom to come out? Or is it a one-shot deal?ANSWER: Flowering for that part of your bromeliad is over. The flowers do last a long time, don't they? But it has a long life ahead, especially if you look for young offsets emerging around the perimeter of the base that emerged as the plant bloomed.These youngsters called pups are the future of your bromeliad. People often call the portion that just bloomed the mother plant. Mother still has quite a while to go, perhaps a year while these little ones develop in plants similar to her rosette shape.Then they can be carefully cut off with pruning shears or a knife. Cut the pup off near the base where it joins the mother plant. Some of the pups may have put out roots. Plant each in a small pot with good soil kept damp but not soggy.And take care of mother, too. Fill in any gaps left by this surgery with more soil.

QUESTION: I am interested in abelia shrubbery, the varieties Confetti, Sunrise and Kaleidoscope, but I can't find any particular information such as height and width.ANSWER: Abelias are excellent semi-evergreen shrubs with long bloom seasons in summer. They are quite easy to grow and meet a variety of landscape needs, including ground covers, low hedges and foundation plantings. They look good as anchors in flower beds, especially ones planted for summer flowers.Kaleidoscope is my new favorite because of its long bloom season and interesting foliage of many colors including chartreuse, creamy yellow, green, red and orange. The foliage changes colors as the seasons move along and leaves mature. This is quite a hot plant in the industry now. Look for it in garden centers.Kaleidoscope plants grow 2 to 3 feet tall, but spread 4 to 5 feet, making it a good ground cover. The white flowers are bell-shaped and long-lasting from late June to late autumn.Sunrise abelia matures taller, 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 feet or more wide, making it useful for an informal hedge. It's no surprise that Sunrise gets its name from the bright golden margins on the green leaves that create a bright golden effect in the landscape. It is quite bright and beautiful. The fall foliage is a range of autumn colors including yellow, orange and red.The third abelia, Confetti, is shortest of all, rising 1½ to 2 feet and spreading 2 to 3 feet. The leaves have creamy white margins and the flowers are pure white. It is not as bright and dramatic as Sunrise and Kaleidoscope, but the effect is quietly elegant, and it stays short, a valuable asset.

Daffodil CareEnjoy the daffodils. But treat them right for next year's bloom.The foliage must stay, even if you don't like the look of it.It's OK to snip off the spent flowers. Leave the stem. And leave the leaves.These green parts of the plant will keep the biological activity going so that a new bud for next year's flowers develops inside the bulb.And it is important for these leaves to remain in their natural state. Folding over and tying or braiding the leaves is likely to shorten their green life and inhibit bud development.When the foliage turns yellow in late spring, you can dig, divide and replant your daffodils.