QUESTION: I have a rosemary bush thriving in a whiskey barrel, but I think it's time to plant it in the ground. When should I attempt this, and should I prune it way back first?ANSWER: You have grown one of the most magnificent rosemary plants I've ever seen in a container. Your plant would be happy living in the half-barrel for a long time. But if you have a yen to plant it in the ground, you can do so in coming weeks. Try to get this done before mid-October. Water the plant slowly and thoroughly in the weeks after planting.I would not cut it back at all. There may be some loss of growth after transplanting; just wait and see. And there could be winter damage that will require cutting back next spring.You will need some help, I think, in getting this plant out of the barrel and into the ground. Offer cuttings as a reward.Measure the depth and width first, then dig a hole of similar dimensions. The root ball should be slightly above ground once the plant is set into position.

QUESTION: I have seen the flowers of scarlet hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus) and love them. A friend has given me two seed pods from her plant. What is the best way to plant them? Do they have to be in a bog situation or will they grow in any kind of flower bed? Should I wait until spring or plant now? Do I need to soak the seed? Do they need cold weather to germinate?ANSWER: Seeds of this hibiscus can be sown indoors in late winter or outdoors now. Seeds are ready to harvest when the seed capsules turn brown and begin to split open. The seeds, even fresh ones like you have, are slow to germinate. Soaking them in very warm water for an hour or so before sowing should improve germination.This plant is at home in wet soil but has been shown to prosper in areas like the Carolina Piedmont. The plants require an open spot with lots of sunshine and regular watering.You should get good plants, but the faster way to get this plant would be with a cutting you could root in a small pot and then transfer into the ground. Perhaps your friend would give you a cutting. This would make you part of the tradition called "pass-along plants."By MCT News Service