Q: My rosemary died. I purchased it this spring and put it in a pot in my kitchen window. Did I do something wrong?
A: It can be tricky to grow rosemary indoors. Perhaps you gave too much water, not enough water or the plant didn’t get enough sunlight. You will have better luck with rosemary by planting it outdoors in a sunny spot in well-drained soil. Not only will it be easier to care for, it can grow to be a shrub that will provide your more rosemary for cooking than you will ever need.

Question: What are pepitas? They are green and are sold next to nuts at the grocery store.
Answer: Pepitas are pumpkin seeds. However, don’t expect to get the same meaty seeds when you carve your jack-o’-lantern this October. The seeds you describe are usually from special hulless or “naked-seeded” varieties that lack the tough outer hull and are grown expressly for their seeds instead of their flesh.

Q: I heard that placing a ripe banana under the roots of rose bush when it is planted will help the rose grow. Is this true?
A: A ripe banana under the roots of a rose may have some very minor beneficial effects in that it adds organic matter to the soil and a tiny about of nutrients. However, these small benefits do not warrant burying bananas or banana peels as a generally recommended horticultural practice. Organic matter and nutrients can be more efficiently and effectively added to the soil by using compost or finely ground pine bark mulch.

Q: I saw some strange cu
umbers at the farmers market called Suyo Long. How are they used?
A: Suyo Long is a slender, ribbed cucumber with a dark green skin with a bumpy surface that can grow to be 15 to 18 inches long. It can be eaten when young or more mature. It is good for fresh eating or using in bread-and-butter pickles or quick pickles. Those grown on a trellis may be straighter than those grown on the ground. Give one or two a try. Your children may enjoy the novelty of these unusual cukes as well as their mild taste.
If you have questions about services or products regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, write Arty Schronce (arty.schronce@agr.georgia.gov) or visit the department’s website at www.agr.georgia.gov