Question: I have a rubber tree plant that is several years old. I have transplanted into a large tub. It is doing very well under my carport however it is doing to well…the tallest part of the plant is now at 9 foot and the smallest part of the plant is at least 3 and 4 foot tall. I was wondering can I cut the top of the plant off and root it? If I cut the top of the plant off will it kill the rest of the plant? And what would I use to root the top I have cut off? Thanks for any information you can give me. Regards, Teresa

Anne Clapp: I think you can cut the top off the plant without harming your rubber tree plant. They are difficult to root because of the milky sap. Most people propagate new plants by making air layers. You nick the stem, wrap it in wet sphagnum moss and cover the moss with a layer of plastic that you tie at either side of the stem cut. It takes about 3 months for the plant to root.

---------------------------
Question: I have a beautiful flowering gardenia here in Florida. I would like to know how do you start another from the mother plant & take cuttings that are sure to take roots & grow do I put it in water with root powder or just dirt? Thank you, Barb.

Anne Clapp: Gardenias will sometimes root in water. Don't let any leaves stay under water, just bare stem. I prefer to root them in sand or vermiculite using a rooting hormone. Take cuttings when the new growth on the plant has hardened off to the point you can break the stem easily. A four inch stem works just fine. Leave the top two leaves on the stem and have at least one space where you removed a leaf beneath the soil level of your rooting mix. I cut the bottom out of a large soda bottle to slip over the cutting. You can loosen the cap to give the plant some air. Keep the plant in an area with doog light but keep it out of the sun.

---------------------------
Question: Anne, I live in Charlotte and know a few of our Leyland Cypress trees are slowly dying due to what appears to be "needle blight". What is a good alternative tree to plant that has the same fast growing and good screening characteristics of the Leyland? Thanks so much for your advice. Brian B.

Anne Clapp: I like Little Gem Magnolia, Thuja “Green Giant”, Nelly Stevens Holly, Eastern Red Cedar and Japanese Cryptomeria.

---------------------------
Question: Dear Anne, I have planted compacta hollies and inkberry bushes in my yard. I have already had to replace three of my hollies due to yellowing of the leaves in the center of the plant, which then drop off. Some of the holly bushes got so bad that eventually about 80% of the leaves dropped off. The inkberry bushes are now doing the same thing. The plants continue to have new growth all over the tips. What can I do to save these bushes? I planted them according to directions; a hole twice the diameter, planted in composted manure, root ball slightly above ground level, with mulch not crowding the plant too much. I'm very careful not to overwater; I try to watch for the plant needing it before I do, but aren't yellowing leaves a sign of overwatering? Our soil is hard clay. Would appreciate any help, Carla

Anne Clapp: The water may be standing at the bottom of the holes, not draining out. It often happens in clay soil if your plants are in a lower area of the yard. You should be able to tell if water stands in the hole. When you dig a hole in the clay you should be able to fill the hole with water and have it drain out completely within and hour.

---------------------------
Question: Hi, Anne. I have five apple trees and one pear tree in my yard. During the past two spring/summers each of these has developed dead leaves and withered fruit on the ends of some but not all branches of the trees. I have tried to keep these pruned away. This year, I am seeing the same situation begin AND the biggest apple tree now appears to be dying. Two weeks ago it was quite green with small fruit and now about 50% of the leaves have turned brown, most at the tips of branches, but many further back. I also notice what looks like many ant holes in the lawn beneath these trees. Any suggestions?? Also, I have a hedge of about 20 wax myrtles about 100-200 ft from these trees that has developed sections of dead foliage in them the last two springs as well. Thank you for any help.

Anne Clapp: It sounds as if your plants have “Fire blight”, a disease called Erwinia amylovora that often affects commercial orchards of pear and apple trees. Prune out all infected branches cutting at least 6 inches below the blackened portion. Clean your shears between pruning cuts and destroy the cuttings. The plants may be treated with a streptomycin spray called Agri-strep. It also helps to cut the amount of fertilizer used on the plants.

---------------------------
Question: Hi Anne: My question is I have about 35 three to four-year-old Leland Cypress tree that had the Top branches bent over during the early Feb. Wet heavy snows. A lot of the evergreens have to or three main branched growing up from the middle. They do not have a large trunk. My question is do I prune the bent branches? Also, do I prune one of the two little branches that are growing up? I would stake the trees but there are around 8 feet at the top. Regards, Mark

Anne Clapp: Heavy snows are very hard on young evergreens. Sometimes they will straighten up without help from their humans if the tops of the trees are not extremely heavy. It may help your plants to lightly tip prune the branches that are badly bent over, remove just enough of the stem to allow the branch to stop bending over so badly at the top.

---------------------------
Question: Dear Anne, We live in Dayton, Ohio. Last year we planted Myrtle for ground cover and put mulch between the plants for looks and to preserve moisture. This spring many of the plants are sort of a light yellow color. Is this an indication the plants are lacking nitrogen? What can we put on them to get them to a nice dark green again? Thanks, Bob

Anne Clapp: If the leaves are yellow but the veins in the leaves are still dark green the plant is deficient in iron. Treating the plants with “Ironite” will help the problem. If the veins in the leaves and the flesh of the leaf are all yellow the plant is deficient in nitrogen. I would apply a nitrogen fertilizer such as ammonium sulfate or use a liquid plant fertilizer that is high in nitrogen. The liquid fertilizer will give you faster green-up.

---------------------------
Question: Dear Anne, I am part of the landscape committee at our condominium complex in Michigan. We are on a lake and our lawn slopes down to the water. The slope is partially planted with assorted vegetation but we are looking for the best option for the remaining area. We need something that is low maintenence, grows in partial sunlight, is inexpensive and spreads easily. What would you suggest? Thank You, Lisa B.

Anne Clapp: I think your best bet is to get in touch with someone in the Co-operative Extension Service in your area to see what they are recommending for your area. The staff extension specialists at Michigan State have some lists of plant material that will give you several choices.

---------------------------
Question: Anne: We have three lilac bushes and this year they had blooms but very little leaves. Do you know what causes this and what we can do about it?

Anne Clapp: I am not sure whether you meant the plant had leaves that were smaller than usual or whether there were not as many leaves as the plant usually has. Plants under stress from herbicides sprayed in the area sometimes have small deformed leaves. Plants with low levels of nitrogen fertilizer will sometimes have fewer leaves than usual. At this time of year I would fertilize the plant lightly to encourage leaf production.

---------------------------
Question: Please tell me what are the small black flies on our burning bushes and what home remedy we can use to get rid of them. They are killing the bushes. Thanks, Sue

Anne Clapp: I am not sure what plant you are calling a burning bush. Some people call Euonymous alatus which has a winged stem, red berries and red leaves in the fall a burning bush. Its pests are aphids, scale and thrips, none of which are black. Dictamus albus, a perennial with white or purple flowers is the burning bush referred to in the Bible. It is sometimes infested with black flea beetles. Sevin takes care of those. Bassia scorparia is an annual often called Summer Cypress or Burning Bush. The leaves turn bright red in the fall. I don't know of anything that looks like a small black fly that would infest them. Often a spray of soapy water will remove insects from plants. Make sure you treat the bottom and tops of the leaves.

---------------------------
Question: Hi. I was wondering if you have any information on a tree called a Paulownia or royal empress tree. I saw one at a friend's home in Cridersville, Ohio, and was wondering who might have ordering information to secure this tree. It has trumpet shaped, lavender flowers with a felt-like base at the bottom of the flower (base actually feels artificial)...very beautiful blooms, however, no scent comes from them. Also, has nut-like shells which remain on the tree when the tree is in bloom. Thank you for any information on this. Patricia S.

Anne Clapp: The Paulownia is being grown by a Japanese farming cooperative in Eastern North Carolina. The tree is very fast growing and the wood is used in some home construction projects in the orient. It is often considered an invasive species because so many of those little seed pods sprout along highways. Several of the mail order nurseries do offer the plant for sale. The Sunday Parade section of the newspaper often has them offered. Michigan Bulb Company and some of the mail order nurseries operating out of the Bloomington, Indiana area have them in their catalogs.

---------------------------
Question: Hi, I planted a yoshino cherry tree last year - it was 3 years old at the time of purchase. How and when do I prune it? If at all. It has gotten long leggy looking branches - I,m afraid that my lawn fertilizer affected it. I use 16-16-16. Also, I only got a few of the very beautiful blossoms this spring. Did the fertilizer cause this or is the tree just too immature? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank You, Tim D.

Anne Clapp: Too much nitrogen fertilizer will produce the symptoms you describe but the lack of blooms may also be because the tree is newly planted. Often newly planted trees will develop a root system the first year they are in the ground and postpone a major bloom display until the second or third year in the ground.

---------------------------
Question: Hello, I have several small shrubs that are tagged as Cleyera's that are growing in the front of my house. I have read several articles about the size they will become and none of them are the same. I'm wondering how big they will actually get and how I would go about propagating them. Would I take a start from the woody stems or would I actually use the seed from them? I have been to several sites and have not found an answer. Thank you, sunnygirl64

Anne Clapp: Cleyera are a member of the same plant family as camellias and Stewartias; with the right growing conditions most of them can become the size of small trees. Some cultivars may be dwarf plants that will remain small shrubs. If you want to propagate a plant that will be a duplicate of the parent you need to propagate from a vegetative cutting. I root cleyera in July when the growth has reached the soft-wood stage. Growing from seed works; they do need to be sown as soon as the seed is ripe.

---------------------------
Question: Hi Anne. I have one side of my yard that receives no sun at all but is in desperate need of some plants and shrubs. Are there some suggestions as to which plants would be suitable for planting around that side of my house? I live in Durham. Thank you for your time and expertise. Rebecca.

Anne Clapp: Shrubs that work well in shady conditions include hydrangea, leucothoe, pieris andromeda, azaleas, nandina, camellias and osmanthus. Ferns and hostas are good shade perennials. Solomon's seal, hellebores, lobelia, coral bells, foam flower, columbine, epimedium and the native gingers and green and gold (chrysogonum virginianum) are woodland perennials for bloom.