Question: Hi! I have large oaks in my yard. In fall I remove leafs, leaving some in garden beds. Can I use lime on my bed to neutrilize beds and increase decomposing of leaves without mulching them?
Anne Clapp: I usually grind my oak leaves by running over them with a lawnmower before I toss them in the flower beds. They compose a bit faster that way. Adding lime in the fall does help neutralize the acid of the oak leaves.
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Question: Hi Anne, My neighbor trimmed the sides of the 14 year old wax myrtles in my yard. The shrubs were planted to block the view of a large pipe that goes under the road behind my house. Now the trunks and lower limbs are totally visible along with the ugly eyesore behind them. Will the wax myrtles fill in at the bottom or will I need to plant other shrubs under them? If I need to plant what would you suggest? Thank you!
Anne Clapp: Wax myrtle will usually fill in after they have been pruned. You could trim them back a bit at the top to provide more light at the bottom of the plant and encourage growth. Neighbors are allowed to cut back any of your plant material that hangs over their property line but they should not be pruning material that is on your property. If they like to prune so much they should help you remedy their bad pruning job.
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Question: Last year, 2004, my wife and I planted several leland cyprus trees approximately 12"-16" high. They grew quite well over the summer and appeared to survive the brutal winter here in Northeastern Ohio. Unfortunately, recently we noticed that the top halves of the trees, which were not protected from the snow and wind, had turned brown in color. We have a large leland in our front yard that does the same thing each year, but recovers it's green coloration in the Spring. Are these young trees dying, dead, undernourished, or soon to recover? We would certainly hate to lose them so soon. Any ideas? Thanks...
Anne Clapp: Some evergreens turn bronze, brown or violet in reaction to cold temperatures. The growth usually returns to its normal color as new growth develops in the spring. When I gardened in cold, snowy areas we protected young plants with snow fences or burlap to protect them from being broken by heavy snow.
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Question: I live in Southern NC and would like to know how to and when to plant flowering cherry trees (Non fruit bearing variety.) Thanks, Sue E.
Anne Clapp: Flowering cherry trees are safely planted in North Carolina through their blooming season. My preference is to buy a plant when it is in bloom so that I can see the color and shape of the bloom on the tree that I buy. Plant it in a hole no deeper than the container the plant was in at the nursery and one that is at least 3 times the width of the container so the roots have loose soil in which to grow. Make sure the roots are untangled and pressed firmly into the new soil. Water the plant well after it is planted and mulch it with a 2 to 3 inch layer of wood chips. Keep it watered through its first summer and fertilize it in late March when the buds begin to open.
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Question: Dear Anne, Are there any greenhouses in Ohio that have Wisteria plants that I could purchase or be able to send for? Thank you, Larry
Anne Clapp: Mellinger's in North Lima. Ohio has wisteria listed in their catalog. They are at www.mellingers.com.
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Question: Hi Anne: I have two questions: 1) I have 52 Leyland Cypress trees that form a beautiful row, but I noticed that some of my trees are turning brown and I see one that is completely yellow from the middle up. One home and garden center told me that is winter injury, but the yellow tree is getting worst. What do you think is the problem?
2) I also have a cherry tree that I planted about two years ago, in the first year the tree was attacked by deer's, they chew on the new growth, this year is doing fine, but I don't see too much progress. Are they slow growers? Thank you
Anne Clapp: The tree that is getting yellow from the middle up probably has some sort of mechanical damage to the trunk of the tree just below the spot where it begins to yellow. It could be from insects, an animal such as a squirrel that has gnawed on the bark or a label or string that has cut into the bark at that point. The other brown damage could be caused by insects or by cold.
An injured cherry tree recovers very slowly from the damage of a deer attack. You may wish to fertilize it this spring to produce more growth.
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Question: I have several inside houseplants and a few of them have developed mold in the soil. I've never had this problem before and wondering what I can do to prevent or solve it? Perhaps I got hold of some bad potting soil?...just don't know! Any info you could give me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Anne Clapp: Mold is usually caused by a micro-organism in the soil and some soils are not properly sterilized to get rid of it. Excess water and a compacted surface of the soil in a pot help it grow as does excess fertilizer.
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Question: Hello, Can you tell me why hostas lose their varigation from one year to the next.. These are not new seedlings, but in-ground plants that came up, again this year, but have all but lost their varigation. Thanks, Stan W.
Anne Clapp: Sometimes varigation in plants is a genetic trait that may not be permanent. If a plant develops solid color leaves you do well to remove them as they appear so the plant does not revert to a solid color plant. Some plants will develop varigation as leaves develop but there are very few hostas that produce a solid color leaf that then develops varigation.
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Question: Hi Anne, I have a lucky bamboo plant and it has 3 main stalks (2 straight and 1 curly) I was wondering if I need to cut or prune the stalks with leaves to continue the branching process. Thanks, Justin
Anne Clapp: Each one of the stalks is actually a single plant. Each stalk will put out a side shoot at the top of the cane and that new cane will continue to grow longer. The plant does not branch.
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Question: I am trying to find a supplier for Crepe Myrtle seedlings (inexpensive). We will be moving to a house with 3 acres and would like to trim the yard with Crepe Myrtles, any colors. If you know of a source, please send me the contact information. Thank you. Laura E.
Anne Clapp: I don't know of an inexpensive source of crepe myrtles. Most of the large mail-order houses that sell three inch seedlings are growing plants further north than the range of crepe myrtles. While I love crepe myrtles and think they are under-used in the landscape, I would actually like to discourage you from growing seedlings of unknown color and size. You could end up with a rather garish landscape. Why don't you find a landscape professional to help you develop a plan for your new landscape – that includes good soil preparation to prevent problems down the way. Just plant and develop your property as you have the time and money available. Good luck.
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Question: Good morning Anne! I have a very old spirea (bridal wreath) that has become entangled in a flowering quince (I think this was the fashion many years ago-to plant these two together as one bush). I would like to take a cutting off the spirea and root it. Can you tell me how or where I can find instructions on rooting. Would the same procedure apply to most any shrubs-roses, sweet betsy, viburnums? As always many thanks! Tony D.
Anne Clapp: I'm not sure whether the two plants were planted together on purpose or whether two plants were so close they grew together and people liked the look. Most of the general gardening books have a section on plant propagation and there are several books in bookstores that have instructions that would cover plants that are most likely to be propagated by home gardeners. The spirea is propagated from soft wood cuttings and is successful for cuttings taken from late May through September. The green growth should have fully expanded leaves and the stem should be firm enough to bend and break. Take a cutting about 4 inches long from the tip of the new growth and make sure there is no part of last year's wood on the stem you remove. I put the cut stem in water when I remove it from the plant so the wood does not dry out. Remove a lot of the leaves from the stem leaving enough to make a tuft on the top inch of the stem. Cut the bottom of the stem at an angle and dip it in a rooting hormone. Tap off the excess rooting powder (if you use a powered hormone) before you put the cutting in the potting medium. I make my cuttings in a mixture of half sand and half peatmoss that has been moistened but is not dripping water. The rooting medium can be put in a 6in. flower pot or a gallon milk jug that has the top cut off. (You can make at least 6 cuttings in this size container.) Use a pencil or such to stick a hole in the rooting mixture and then put the plant stem into the hole and firm the medium around it. Cover the container with a plastic bag to keep in the moisture and put it in a spot that is light but is out of the direct sun. I put mine under some shrubs near the house. The spirea should root in about 4 weeks. Other plants may take longer. Make sure the rooting mixture stays moist until the plants root. When they have a root system pot them into 4 inch pots. They should be ready to put in the ground the following year.
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Question: Anne: I was curious if there was any need to try to stand this tree up and hope for the best. It was transplanted from a nursery back in January, It is 20 feet tall. We have had a very windy week and the tree is resting completely on its side. It appears to me that the root ball has separated, Due to the fact that this tree was transplanted utilizing a spade machine, and the depth of the hole was approximately 4 feet deep and it appears the root system has became unattached approximately 18 inches below the surface of the ground.
Is there any hope for this tree. Thank You very Much, Al
Anne Clapp: There is a Bradford Pear on Creedmore Road in Raleigh that met a similar fate. One of the problems with the plant is brittle wood that breaks in high winds and ice storms. Most of the time when a tree that large is transplanted they tree is staked to give it additional support until the root system becomes established in its new home. Someone from the nursery that transplanted the tree would be able to give you a better evaluation of the problem than I can but I would not expect you would be able to salvage the tree.
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Question: Hi, I have two camelia bushes on the side of the house facing west. They have been very healthy since I started fertilizing them and have big plump pink buds, but the buds don't open before they fall off. What should I do? Leaves are green and they appear very healthy. Roxanna
Anne Clapp: Your plant may have too many blooms so Mother Nature solves the problem by dropping them from the plant. Many camellia growers disbud their plants so they do not have as many flowers but the bubs that remain have a better chance of opening. Sometimes a late freeze will damage a bud so that it does not open and it will later drop. Sometimes the problem is uneven moisture while the buds are developing. Then there is the problems that some varieties have just always had problems opening their buds.
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Question: Morning Anne! Can you offer any help and hope for my once beautiful outdoor lilies that my wonderful but very well intended husband seems to have over fed with none other than Miracle Grow. Funny thing is, the lilies out front which receive a lot of sun are taking a nose dive while the lilies in the backyard have a good amount of shade with shaded sun. They were both seemingly doing great until my honey fed them both just before sun down two days ago and now the lilies out front are looking real bad. The ones out back look great, much more perky than before. What do you think? Anything we can do to remedy the situation? Thank you, Anne, and have a good day! -Pati and Tom
Anne Clapp: While I don't like a lot of Miracle Grow on anything it shouldn't hurt plants when used in moderation. You may find that the tender growth on the lilies in the full sun was hurt by colder temperatures than the ones that were in a more protected area. It may also be that those in the sun need more frequent watering.
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Question: Leyland Cypress trees are 15 years old 15 trees. aprox 40 ft. tall. What is the life expectancy? Have bag worms this year and maybe were there last year. they are destroying the trees. An arbourist advised spraying may save them. What time of year is best.? If we deside to replace what tree would be more disease resistant that give us the privacy of these trees. Are these trees native to NC? Help Anne! Thanks Jerri
Anne Clapp: There are Leyland Cypress trees in England that are close to 100 years old so with good care it is a long lived tree. It is a plant that has been used in England for many years with few cultural problems. It got introduced in North Carolina in the 1970's; because of our heat, humidity and clay soil it seems to have more health problems than it did in England. Bag worms can be controlled by spraying. Eggs are laid in the bag and over- winter; they hatch in early spring and pupate in late summer. The organic control is Bt, Bacillus thuringensis, sold with trade names such as Dipel or Thuricide, Handpicking the bags during the winter and destroying them works when you have only a few to take care of. Spraying is done as soon as the insect hatches.
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Question: Hi Anne, I live in the Carribean Island of Trinidad and i have taken on the task of transforming my small yard into a lovely gardian.I bought three small plants of lantana about half a foot or so, i've put them in a plastic pot about about 15 inches deep and 20 inches across. They are in a nice sunny spot and i water regularly as we are now in the dry season.When i bought them they have one or two flowers on them, this was about two months ago. Now they have no flowers, just kinda blob like formation with tiny holes. I love flowers and bought them for just this reason, please help.
Anne Clapp: Any time I hear about tiny holes in a plant I suspect insect damage. Since I do not garden in Trinidad I do not know what insect problems you might have or what products would be available for you to use. I suggest you take a cutting or you plant with the problem back to the store where you purchased the plant and ask for there suggestions on how to take care of the problem. In my garden, Lantana usually like moist soil, full sun and fertilizer about every 4 weeks to keep them blooming.
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Question: Dear Anne, I have 2 sago palms in my backyard, I have trimmed off the yellow/brown branches and at the base of the leaves, it is still green. However, in the very center, it appears to have a fur like substance growing in it. Is this the new growth or is my palm sick? Thank you, Sherri B.
Anne Clapp: The new growth of a Sago is a furry bundle in the middle of the plant. Don't disturb it or the new leaves may be bruised a bit. Cutting back the old brown growth usually stimulates new growth. You may want to use a slow release organic fertilizer such as Plant Tone to encourage the new growth.
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Question: Hi there. I have a question regarding fertilization for a Sugar Maple tree. I was recently told to use Hollytone and have since applied it. Would it also be beneficial to use one of the fertilizer spikes? The tree was bought last fall and has put on it's buds for this year's leaves. Many thanks, Regina Z.
Anne Clapp: I am not a fan of fertilizer spikes. They concentrate fertilizer salts in a small area and could cause damage to new roots on plants. I prefer to use the organic, slow release products and mulch plants to keep the soil healthy.
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Question: Hi Anne, I want to kill off the grass in my garden and re-seed it . What would be the best thing to use, bearing in mind that I have pets and do not wish them to come to any harm. Thanks, Pete
Anne Clapp: I really think that “Round-Up” based on the chemical gly-phosphate is the safest product for killing plants. After the ground is dry the area is safe for re-entry and the product is not left in the soil when the grass and weeds dry. Read the label very carefully before you use the product – but I have used it in a yard where cocker spaniels live to 18 years old.
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Question: Hi Anne, I just wrote about my leyland cypress problem. Upon further examination I see that something has bored long slits (up to 1 1/4 inch long although usually smaller) into the affected branches. Could this be cicada damage? (I am in Maryland at "ground zero" for the seventeen year arrival this year). I hadn't thought they would affect the cypress. Thanks, Laurie
Anne Clapp: The cicada damage that I have seen is usually chewing the foliage rather than boring a hole in the stem. There are some extension agents who are saying that some of the damage showing up on plants this spring is from cicada damage last summer that is just now showing up. There are some types of carpenter bees that will bore holes in limbs to lay eggs for their young.
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Question: Dear Anne, We live near Bunn, NC. Our 2 year old otto luykens were doing wonderfully until we went on vacation last summer. A swam of somethings must have decended and picniced on the otto luyken leaves. Almost every leaf of the 7 bushes were full of holes when we returned. I've been taking lots of leaves off this week. Will snipping the leaves away hurt the plants?; my husband says it will kill them. What type of insect should we lookout for this summer and how can we get them to stay away from the otto luykens? Thank you, Pat
Anne Clapp: I think you have a problem with some members of the weevil family. Otto Luyken laurels are actually a member of the prunus (cherry) family and have some of the same insect and disease pests. I don't like to remove the leaves unless they are badly damaged. The plant needs all the leaves
- however ugly - to make its food supply. Liquid Sevin usually keeps the insect problems under control. The weevil usually works at night so you don't notice the problem until the leaves get chewed.
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Question: Anne: I live in the Phila suburbs and planted two small (4 ft) leland cyprus last July. This winter I noticed that some leaves were browning and it has gotten more severe this spring. I followed the planting instructions to the letter and would like to save both trees. They are in plenty of sunlight and on the side of a hill. Any advice you can offer is much appreciated. Regards, Mike F.
Anne Clapp: You may have had some insect damage on the plants last summer. There are some extension agents that think there was damage to Leylands from the 17 year locusts that emerged last year. You could use one of the dormant oil insecticides to smother any developing insects on the plant. Cut back the dead material to healthy wood. I would take the pieces of damaged wood to the nursery where you bought the plants and ask them for any suggestions of the cause of the problem.
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Question: Hi Anne, I have a stand of leland cypress bordering my woods and acting as a very important screen for the big road beyond. I've noticed in the last few weeks that some branches are starting to brown and die back, maybe one or two branches on each one at different locations - one high branch here, one low branch there. I don't see any signs of insect infestation. What could this be? Thanks, Laurie
Anne Clapp: Lots of animals, insects and high winds or ice can break limbs on a tree. The damage may not show up until well after the plant has been damaged. I suggest you prune the dead limbs back to the trunk of the tree. You might take the damaged plant material to a plant clinic or the local extension office to see if they notice any unusual cause of the problem.
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Question: I have several otto laurels that have done very well. They need pruning and I would like to know what is the best way to cut them back? My second question is HOW TO GET RID OF MOLES? Thank you for your time – Dianne – Atlanta, Ga
Anne Clapp: I prune Otto Luykens in late February though I know I miss the bloom on the old wood. Cut them back as you would a boxwood by cutting back into the plant to remove growth back to an adjoining stem. That keeps the plant thinned out for better air circulation and keeps the form of the plant.
As for moles, getting rid of the grub population in the soil reduces their food supply and sends them to someone else's yard. I prefer to use one of the biological controls such as Milky Spore to kill the grubs. Traps also work – and most people who have good luck with harpoon traps for moles think that it takes three traps to do an effective job.
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Question: hi! hope you can help me out. i have 8 nelly stevens hollies that were planted a year ago. they looked great all summer and throough ut the winter but now have a number of yellow leaves with brown spots on them that are falling off. what do i do to stop this?
Anne Clapp: If you look at many holly, azalea and camellia plants in the area right now you may see the same problem. Plants will lose about a third of their leaves in a year as the plant starts to put on new growth. Rake the leaves that drop from the plant and compost them or put them out as yardwaste. If the holly produced a lot of berries last winter you may want to fertilize it with a slow release material such as Holly-tone.
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Question: Hi Anne, Last Spring we planted 70 Leyland Cypress trees around our property. We were very careful about spacing them, knowing that they become stressed when planted to close together. They made out great during the summer months and have all grown much larger than we expected. The problem we are having now is that they have started turning brown. We have 6 that have turned brown and others that are not looking healthy. What can we do to save them? Thanks, Brandon - Delaware
Anne Clapp: The brown color may be from uneven moisture levels in the soil. If the plant grew very quickly over the summer it may not have had enough water during the winter as the growth hardened off. A good layer of mulch around the root system of the plant does help correct that problem. There could also be a problem with chemical damage such as over-fertilization, ice-melt solutions used during the winter or weed killer products used nearby. You might want to contact your co-operative extension service to see if problems with Leyland Cypress are being reported in your area.
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Question: I live in Washington and I have about 300sq.feet of various thyme plantedthat have been over run with weeds and grasses. Will roundup kill my thyme if I use it to kill the weeds and grasses?
Anne Clapp: Yes, Round-up will kill off things that have green leaves – thyme and grass or weeds. There are some weed killers that kill grass only. Read the labels very carefully and I think you can find one that is safe to use on your thyme. That would at least reduce some of your hand pulling of weeds.
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Question: Dear Anne, I am trying to root chinese wysteria from cuttings from an original plant. Can you tell me the most effective way to do this? Thank you , Ric and Cath
Anne Clapp: You may root cuttings of wisteria from June through August. The plant should be at the soft wood stage where you can break the plant stem. If you take the cutting too early it will drop its leaves but you can take another cutting if needed. The cutting stem should be about 6 inches long and you will want to reduce the length of the leaves on the stem by cutting them shorter. Use rooting hormone on the stem. Stick the cuttings in a mixture of moist peat moss and perlite. Cover the cuttings with a plastic bottle to provide humidity. Keep the cuttings in a light area but out of direct sun. Keep the cuttings moist. They should make roots in about 6 to 8 weeks. You can also layer the plant. Pull one of the stems to the ground and cover it with dirt and keep a brick or rock on top to keep the stem in place. When new roots and top growth for on the stem you should be able to cut if off the mother plant.
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Question: How does the NC Highway Dept. keep weeds out of their beautiful day lilly beds? Thank you.
Anne Clapp: They use a pre-emergent herbicide – the one I've seen them use is Tupersan- but there are many pre-emergent that can be used during the year. The plants beds are free of weeds before the plants are put in the ground – Roundup works for the homeowner. Plants are mulched and the pre-emergent chemical is put on top of the mulch and replaced twice a year to keep out fall and spring weeds.
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Question: Hi Anne,I have taken great care in trying to transplant a 6ft Leyland to a different but sunnier place in the yard. It has recently started to turn a slight copper color.I have seen this before in other Leyland's and most of the times it means death. I believe it's missing something in the soil. Can you help me? Thanks, Barry
Anne Clapp: The browning is often caused by poor water uptake by the root system. It may be caused by many things but in this case it is probably because the smaller root system on the plant after moving could not pick up enough moisture from the soil to support the growth of the plant. A six foot Leyland grows very quickly and needs quite a bit of water. Depending on the time of year the plant was moved it may have lost water through the needles faster than the roots could absorb moisture from the soil.
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Question: Dear Anne, We have an ornamental plum tree. It doesn't produce fruit. We have the problem with new litte trees sprouting up all over the back yard I am assuming from
the roots of this one tree. Is there any way that this can be prevented or controlled? Please help....we are so frustrated that we have even thought about cutting down this very beautiful, mature tree. Thank you very much for any help you can give us.
Dana W. of Raleigh.
Anne Clapp: I think your ornamental plum is producing very small plums. The fruit and seeds fall to the ground and produce the little trees. Pulling them up is the only solution I know of. I don't know of any control on the market to keep the tree from producing fruit although there is research being done on such a product. Plums do not usually produce root suckers unless the roots are cut. There is not a control for the root suckers tha might form.
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Question: I have 20 or so Cypress going up my property line. Only about 3.5 feet right now. This winter the deer thought it would be great to scratch their horns on EVERY SINGLE ON OF THEM. Let turned brown in some places, but it seems to be getting worse. I have done nothing to them. Should I cut off branchs or fertalize. I have a serious brown thumb I know nothing about this stuff.
Anne Clapp: Deer cause a lot of damage to our plants. If they damage the bark of a Leyland Cypress with their teeth or antlers the plant does loose branches and in some cases the tree dies. When you prune the plants you have to remove damaged limbs because Leylands do not grow new green foliage on a bare branch. If the branch does not have green needles remove the branch. You may want to apply a little fertilizer to encourage new growth. I prefer using one of the organic products that improves the soil and does not burn the roots of the plant. You also might try some of the products that keep deer away from plants – but you will find most deer will eventually return to the plants you are trying to protect.
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Question: Can you tell me with what and when would I fertilize Pittosporum (Tall n Tough)? Thank you for all your fine work.
Anne Clapp: My Tall and Tough pittosporum grows quite well without the addition of fertilizer. If the soil has good organic content a mature plant is usually well nourished. If the plant is a little off color you might add a bit of iron to provide an instant green. If the stems are weak you could try one of the slow release organic fertilizers and apply it in late February.
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Question: Anne, I understand that it is a good time to lay down some fertilizer for zoysia grass. Where can I buy this type of product? Thanks, Tom M.
Anne Clapp: I have been very satisfied with the Espoma lawn fertilizer for my Zoysia. I apply it in mid-April. There are several firms that make a fertilizer for “southern lawns” and most of the independent garden centers have them on the shelf. People seem to get good results from products containing no more than 16% nitrogen.
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Question: Dear Anne,
When I plant tulips every fall in my Raleigh garden, I expect them to bloom only once because I understand that our winters are not cold enough for them to bloom again a second year. However, last fall I planted tulips whose color is the most beautiful purple I've ever seen, and I wish I could have them blooming again in subsequent years.
Even though of course it would be a lot of trouble, could I dig them up and store them in a spare fridge for the summer, then plant them again next November? If so, when should I dig them up? Should I dry them at all, or should I immediately put them in the refrigerator? I am guessing that they would need to be stored in net bags (or similar) for ventilation?
I understand that Northern gardeners routinely dig up their dahlias and store them in a warm place for the winter, so it should not seem too extreme that a Southern gardener would want to store her tulips in a cold place for the summer!
Many thanks, Gretel
Anne Clapp: Getting hybrid tulips to repeat bloom in the Raleigh area is a bit more complex than the temperature in the summer. For some bulbs it is a problem with the winter chill hours when roots develop and food gets stored in the bulb so that it increases in size. The flower actually develops in the bulb during a long growing season - and that cannot happen as a bare bulb in the refrigerator. The only way would probably be to keep the bulbs in a potting soil in a cold cellar or refrigerator. Because ethylene gas produced by ripening fruits and vegetables will retard the development of flowers that means the refrigerator has to be off limits to fruits and vegetables. If you really like a particular tulip you may want to order the bulbs from the supplier each year.
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Question: I have over fertilized my Leland cypress trees with Scotts 8 Shrub Slow Release Plant Food. Is there any way to reverse this? The trees are starting to turn yellow on the end of the branches. Denise - Delaware
Anne Clapp: Sometimes the over-fertilization can be corrected by the application of Gypsum. It must be applied before the fertilizer gets into the root system which sounds like it may be too late in your case. It might be worth a try even at this late date. Leyland Cypress really don't need fertilizer to grow quite well.
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Question: Does it matter what temperature water is when watering house plants or flowers?
Anne Clapp: Some tender plants such as orchids and African violets don't like cold water from the faucet but room temperature works just fine. Because our water has chlorine added for human safety I try to keep water for sensitive plants in a plastic jug for a day so before I use it. That allows the excess chlorine to disappear and lets the water get to room temperature.
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Question: Hello Anne, I hope you can help me. I have an African violet that just won't bloom. I water it once a week, but it just won't bloom. I also changed the potting soil, but I was informed that I should use a special potting soil instead of just the everyday stuff. Can you help me? Zula B., Durham
Anne Clapp: African violets like evenly moist soil, high levels of light but not direct sun and fertilizer for blooming plants. There are special liquid fertilizers for African violets but I have found that a good quality potting soil for houseplants works well with African violets.
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Question: Hello, My camellia bush is turning yellow and I am very worried about it can you please help? I have used miracle grow with acid is this the correct miracle grow that it need? Thank you for your time.
Anne Clapp: I prefer not to use Miracle Grow on camellias because I think it is too high in nitrogen to be used safely with them. I use very small amounts of an organic fertilizer such as cotton seed meal or Espoma's Holly Tone. Yellowing can be due to the age of the leaves, a pH that is too alkaline or a moisture problem in the soil. If it is on the oldest leaves on the plant it may just be old age because camellias do lose about 1/3 of the leaves in a year. Sometimes adding a small amount of a product such as Ironite will correct the problem of soil acidity and fertility and green up leaves.
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Question: Hi Anne, I have been using Image for the past year to kill nut sedge in my st. augustine lawn. It seems to kill the weeds, but after each application they return in greater numbers than before. Is there another way to control the nutsedge? Thanks.
Anne Clapp: Nut sedge is hard to control and Image is the only product I know that is safe to use on St. Augustine grass. The nut seeds that are underground are not always killed out so it usually takes more than one year to get the problem under control. Follow the directions very carefully and apply more than one time for better control.
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Question: Hoping you could help! Here are some photos of our cherry tree. For many years it's been fruitful and beautiful until last spring. Here are some photos of what it did this past spring. Not near as many cherries or leaves. and some sort of growth on the branches. The leaves also fell very early..we thought it was dying. I'm not sure how to take care of it. Thanks!
Shelle
Anne Clapp: I think the problem with the cherry is a disease called black knot. There is no chemical cure that I know of but you can prune out the affected limbs and destroy them. For additional help you may want to contact the Wake County Co-operative Extension Service. One of the Master Gardeners should be able to give you additional information. The phone number is 250-1084.
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Question: I have over fertilized my Leland cypress trees with Scotts 8 Shrub Slow Release Plant Food. Is there any way to reverse this? The trees are starting to turn yellow on the end of the branches. Denise - Delaware
Anne Clapp: I hope you are not too late to reverse the damage from over-fertilizing but when plants start turning brown they have been severely damaged. Gypsum is a product that is used to counter the effects of chemicals such as fertilizer and ice melt. Water the leylands thoroughly and apply the gypsum as recommended on the package. Leyland cypress are fast growing plants that need very little fertilizer to remain healthy.
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Question: When the leaves fell from our Maple trees, I noticed that the bark was somewhat black. Also there was some orange-ish growths as well. I am not sure what this is, nor how to treat the problem. Also our Ligustrum has severe leaf damage, and white specks on the bark, looks like leaf minor along with scale. Is this something I can treat? Thank you, Dan F.
Anne Clapp: The black bark could be sooty mold left by aphids eating on the leaves last summer. It is very common in the South. You an get rid of the black mold by spraying the tree with a dormant oil spray or with an insecticidal soap spray. The orange growth is a problem more often seen in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It is often caused by a fungal disease such as Phytoptera. I do not know f a control. The ligustrum probably has scale. Spraying with horticultural oils such as Volck will control the problem.
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Question: (1) Would a Japanese Cherry Blossom tree do O.K. in mid-Indiana (Indianapolis)? (2) What is their official name? (3) What trees might be considered similar? Thanks.
Ernie
Anne Clapp: The flowering cherry used at the tidal basin in Washington is Prunus x yedoensis or Yoshino cherry. There are many other flowering Japanese cherry cultivars that are cultivars of Prunus serrulata. All of them are laeled as hardy to Zone 5 so they should do well in the Indianapolis area.
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Question: I have a group of English Boxwoods in the front of my house that act as foundation plants. The house is approximately 20 years old and they were planted when the house was built. They are at least four feet tall and probably that big around. I would like to cut them back to about half of their present size. When is the best time to do this and can you give some quick directions on how to prune them so heavily without killing them? Thanks, Patrick P.
Anne Clapp: The problem with heavy pruning on English box is that the plants grow so slowly that you are left with a very ugly plant for a long time. You may safely cut off 1/3 the height of the plant by cutting back limbs inside the plant rather than shearing the plant. It may be done safely until the middle of April. I start at the crown of the plant and cut the longest stem back to an adjoining stem or a rough growth node that is at the height I want the trimmed plant to be. Then you just go around the plant making cuts inside the plant so that you are reducing the height and width of the plant and thinning the branches so it has new areas to put out growth. Remember that you want the bottom of the plant to be the widest part of the plant. If it nips back in at ground level the lower limbs do not get enough light and they will die back and give you a very uneven shape.
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Question: Is there anything that can be sprayed around grape vines to kill weeds and not harm the grape vines?
Anne Clapp: As long as you keep the spray off the grape vines themselves you should be able to use any weed control spray. As a personal preference I use Round-up because it does not remain in the soil. The trick to using it is to spray on a windless day and use a barrier of plastic such as a drop cloth to prevent the spray from getting on the leaves of the grapevine.
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Question: Hi Anne: I have 2 questions. In regards to grape vines. I pruned my grape vines 2 weeks ago and I have noticed that they are dripping a clear liquid. Did I make a mistake for pruning to late or to early?
I have several crape myrtles in my yard. What can I do to have the flowers stay nice and pretty and not get attacked by Japanese beatles. can you help me?
Anne Clapp: One of the problems with pruning grapes is the liquid they "bleed after pruning. To avoid some of the problem it is best to prune in February while the plants are completely dormant. Keep an eye out for any insects that may be attracted to the plants until they heal.
Japanese beetles may be controlled with the insecticide Sevin. The liquid form is easier to use. Spray late in the afternoon or in the early evening so you don't kill the bees that are busy pollinating other things. |
