Hi, I am interested in adding some flowers to my yard. What is the best time to begin in the spring?
Thanks,
Chad R.
Waxhaw, NC
Anne's Response:
The type plant you are putting in the ground determines what time of year it is planted. Cool season plants like pansies, snapdragons etc, can be planted in January and February. Roses can be planted in February and March. Flowering shrubs are best planted in the fall - late September and October. Tulips and daffodils are planted in the fall.
Petunias, marigolds, zinnias and similare annuals are planted after the danger of frost in April.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Yellow leaves
Dear Anne, I am a very new gardener. The leaves of my angel's trumpetsand iceberg roses are turning yellow and my camelias are not blooming. Please help! Kelly
Anne's Response:
I am going to assume that all of these plants are growing outdoors, probably in North Carolina. The yellow leaves at this time of year are expected although by February I would not expect the Angel's Trumpet to have any leaves. It should have been killed to the ground by cold weather. If the plant was mulched well it should start putting up new growth by May. The Iceberg roses may still have a few leaves if they were in a protected spot but again I would expect them to have defoliated by now. Roses get pruned back in late February. Camellia japonicas bloom in March most years although many have bloomed early this year with our mild winter.
Anne's Response:
I am going to assume that all of these plants are growing outdoors, probably in North Carolina. The yellow leaves at this time of year are expected although by February I would not expect the Angel's Trumpet to have any leaves. It should have been killed to the ground by cold weather. If the plant was mulched well it should start putting up new growth by May. The Iceberg roses may still have a few leaves if they were in a protected spot but again I would expect them to have defoliated by now. Roses get pruned back in late February. Camellia japonicas bloom in March most years although many have bloomed early this year with our mild winter.
Trimming back a Hibiscus
Hello,
We have a hibiscus indoors in a large pot. At present it is about 3' high and 3' wide. The leaves are starting to fall off. A friend told us we should prune back the branches. We are not sure how much and how far back to prune them. Perhaps you could give us an idea of just how much to remove from the plant.
Thank you for your time,
Jerry K.
Centerport, NY
Anne's Response:
The leaf drop could also be from moving air from a heating system and a change in the moisture level in the soil. I do not like to prune a plant indoors until it is time for it to start its spring growth. If you leave the hibiscus outdoors during the summer you may wish to wait until the end of March or early April to cut it back. If the plant has been in the same pot and potting soil for three years it is probably time to repot the plant as well. If you repot, remove the soil from the roots and trim 3 or 4 inches from the rootball before you repot it. Make sure the plant is watered well so the roots have good contact with the new soil. It is easy to remove at least 1/3 of the top growth of the plant. Reduce the height by removing branches so that you thin the plant for better air circulation as well as reduce its size. I find the tallest stem in the center of the plant and cut it back to an adjoining stem at the height I want the plant to be. I cut back the other major stems in the same manner then I tip prune the side branches. You want to remove any broken stems, stems that rub against each other and stems that grow down from a main branch.
We have a hibiscus indoors in a large pot. At present it is about 3' high and 3' wide. The leaves are starting to fall off. A friend told us we should prune back the branches. We are not sure how much and how far back to prune them. Perhaps you could give us an idea of just how much to remove from the plant.
Thank you for your time,
Jerry K.
Centerport, NY
Anne's Response:
The leaf drop could also be from moving air from a heating system and a change in the moisture level in the soil. I do not like to prune a plant indoors until it is time for it to start its spring growth. If you leave the hibiscus outdoors during the summer you may wish to wait until the end of March or early April to cut it back. If the plant has been in the same pot and potting soil for three years it is probably time to repot the plant as well. If you repot, remove the soil from the roots and trim 3 or 4 inches from the rootball before you repot it. Make sure the plant is watered well so the roots have good contact with the new soil. It is easy to remove at least 1/3 of the top growth of the plant. Reduce the height by removing branches so that you thin the plant for better air circulation as well as reduce its size. I find the tallest stem in the center of the plant and cut it back to an adjoining stem at the height I want the plant to be. I cut back the other major stems in the same manner then I tip prune the side branches. You want to remove any broken stems, stems that rub against each other and stems that grow down from a main branch.
Saving my zoysia
Hi Anne,
I need your advice. I read that you have grown zoysia in Raleigh for many years. I have had zoysia in my yard for almost 6 years. It survived the drought of 4-5 years ago and continued to spread slowly but surely. I don't normally fertilize so it might have fully covered my large yard by now if I had. I also just now read about dethatching, which I have never done either. This year's drought was tough. Due to the drought and that we have a well, I have not watered at all this year, to conserve our well. But the last drought, the zoysia survived just fine. But in the last couple of months I've looked closely into the dormant grass and have now noticed many dead areas.
Can you advise me on how to save my zoysia from dying more and regrowing where it's died already?
Thanks for your attention,
Richard G.
Anne's Response:
Zoysia lawns are very resilient so I hope what you are seeing as dead patches are just dormant grass. My lawn has been in place for over 30 years and does not get watered. I cut the grass very short in late March or early April and rake it to remove the thatch. After the grass greens up in May I use a core aerator to keep the soil from being compacted.
Any lawn gets compacted with foot traffic from humans and animals and heavy lawnmowers compact it as well. Compacted soil keeps the roots from developing in the ground so that may the source of your lawn's slow growth. Every other year I top-dress the lawn when I aerate. I use composted manure to add organic matter and some nitrogen but some people use sand just as golf courses do on their Bermuda grass. In years of "normal" rainfall the lawn gets fertilized in June and August. Never fertilize the lawn if you don't expect to get rain but Zoysia does need a yearly application of nitrogen for a healthy lawn.
I need your advice. I read that you have grown zoysia in Raleigh for many years. I have had zoysia in my yard for almost 6 years. It survived the drought of 4-5 years ago and continued to spread slowly but surely. I don't normally fertilize so it might have fully covered my large yard by now if I had. I also just now read about dethatching, which I have never done either. This year's drought was tough. Due to the drought and that we have a well, I have not watered at all this year, to conserve our well. But the last drought, the zoysia survived just fine. But in the last couple of months I've looked closely into the dormant grass and have now noticed many dead areas.
Can you advise me on how to save my zoysia from dying more and regrowing where it's died already?
Thanks for your attention,
Richard G.
Anne's Response:
Zoysia lawns are very resilient so I hope what you are seeing as dead patches are just dormant grass. My lawn has been in place for over 30 years and does not get watered. I cut the grass very short in late March or early April and rake it to remove the thatch. After the grass greens up in May I use a core aerator to keep the soil from being compacted.
Any lawn gets compacted with foot traffic from humans and animals and heavy lawnmowers compact it as well. Compacted soil keeps the roots from developing in the ground so that may the source of your lawn's slow growth. Every other year I top-dress the lawn when I aerate. I use composted manure to add organic matter and some nitrogen but some people use sand just as golf courses do on their Bermuda grass. In years of "normal" rainfall the lawn gets fertilized in June and August. Never fertilize the lawn if you don't expect to get rain but Zoysia does need a yearly application of nitrogen for a healthy lawn.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Nematodes
When is the correct time to put out nematodes to help control the Japanese Beetle larvae?
Thank you,
Suzanne
Anne's Response:
I don't think you want to put out nematodes. I think you want to put out Milky Spore, a bacterium that kills Japanese beetle grubs. I prefer to put it out in early September when the grubs are hatching near the surface of the soil and before they go down to lower levels of the ground for the winter. You can also put it out in early May before the grubs begin to metamorphose into beetles. With the warm weather this February I am seeing some signs of grub activity already so I am at a loss to know when the optimum time would be other than say mid-April might be a reasonable time.
Thank you,
Suzanne
Anne's Response:
I don't think you want to put out nematodes. I think you want to put out Milky Spore, a bacterium that kills Japanese beetle grubs. I prefer to put it out in early September when the grubs are hatching near the surface of the soil and before they go down to lower levels of the ground for the winter. You can also put it out in early May before the grubs begin to metamorphose into beetles. With the warm weather this February I am seeing some signs of grub activity already so I am at a loss to know when the optimum time would be other than say mid-April might be a reasonable time.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Shrub
What is the best shrub to plant in front of our home. we just had a new home put in and trying to figure out the best shrub to plant that don't grow 10 foot tall. i would like to go in between with some color too what do you think?
Thanks,
Linda
Anne's Response:
There is no one answer for shrubs in front of a home. It will depend on how much light the plants will have, whether the base soil is sand or clay, the style of the home and the size of the space to be covered. The current style is to use a combination of several types of plants rather than a row of the same plant. Many landscapers are designing the area with one set of plants next to the house, a second set of slightly shorter plants in front of those and then a groundcover at the base to fill in the space between the shrubs and the lawn. You can mix flowering shrubs such as azaleas, camellias, pieris, abelia and osmanthus with hollies, boxwoods, juniper, Otto Lutken Laurel and cryptomeria. The best solution is to go to a good independent nursery or garden center that has a good selection of plants and try some combinations to find something you like.
Thanks,
Linda
Anne's Response:
There is no one answer for shrubs in front of a home. It will depend on how much light the plants will have, whether the base soil is sand or clay, the style of the home and the size of the space to be covered. The current style is to use a combination of several types of plants rather than a row of the same plant. Many landscapers are designing the area with one set of plants next to the house, a second set of slightly shorter plants in front of those and then a groundcover at the base to fill in the space between the shrubs and the lawn. You can mix flowering shrubs such as azaleas, camellias, pieris, abelia and osmanthus with hollies, boxwoods, juniper, Otto Lutken Laurel and cryptomeria. The best solution is to go to a good independent nursery or garden center that has a good selection of plants and try some combinations to find something you like.
Raspberry Bushes
Dear Anne,
I purchase two raspberry bushes from my local home improvement store and both of them have new growth from the stems. My question revolves around the time for planting these outdoors. Should I wait until the weather warms or are raspberries hardy enough to survive hard frosts and still come back? Needless to say, I plan on planting them in a full sun location so there will not be much protection from the nightly frosts.
Thanks,
John
Gastonia, NC
Anne's Response:
I would keep the plants in pots in a protected area with a layer of mulch or chopped leaf mulch around the pots and new growth to keep the roots from freezing and to keep the new growth from freezing. If temperatures are predicted to go below 20 degrees at night I would cover them with burlap or a blanket - not plastic. They should be able to be planted in the ground by the first week of March but you will need to keep the mulch around the new growth.
I purchase two raspberry bushes from my local home improvement store and both of them have new growth from the stems. My question revolves around the time for planting these outdoors. Should I wait until the weather warms or are raspberries hardy enough to survive hard frosts and still come back? Needless to say, I plan on planting them in a full sun location so there will not be much protection from the nightly frosts.
Thanks,
John
Gastonia, NC
Anne's Response:
I would keep the plants in pots in a protected area with a layer of mulch or chopped leaf mulch around the pots and new growth to keep the roots from freezing and to keep the new growth from freezing. If temperatures are predicted to go below 20 degrees at night I would cover them with burlap or a blanket - not plastic. They should be able to be planted in the ground by the first week of March but you will need to keep the mulch around the new growth.
Winter grass
I see grass that is bright green during the winter. What kind of grass seed do I need to purchase to have green grass during the winter and does this grass stay green during the summer?
Karen K., Charlotte
Anne's Response:
There are two types of “bright green grass” in the winter. The one that appears in spots in brown lawns and in gravel areas is Poa Annua, annual bluegrass. It dies out with warm weather but usually reseeds in the fall. It is considered a weed by most homeowners. The most common year-round green lawn grass in this area is fescue. It is planted in the fall and provides a bright green lawn in the fall, winter and early spring. By summer the heat does put the lawn under stress so it has to be watered frequently to keep it alive. With drought and water restrictions in North Carolina many homeowners are having difficulty keep fescue lawns green in the summer.
Karen K., Charlotte
Anne's Response:
There are two types of “bright green grass” in the winter. The one that appears in spots in brown lawns and in gravel areas is Poa Annua, annual bluegrass. It dies out with warm weather but usually reseeds in the fall. It is considered a weed by most homeowners. The most common year-round green lawn grass in this area is fescue. It is planted in the fall and provides a bright green lawn in the fall, winter and early spring. By summer the heat does put the lawn under stress so it has to be watered frequently to keep it alive. With drought and water restrictions in North Carolina many homeowners are having difficulty keep fescue lawns green in the summer.
Centipede grass question
Dear Anne,
I have many weeds in my centipede grass that are difficult to control (nut sedge, clover among others). One that is relatively new that I can't get a handle on is (not sure if it's a weed or what) something that looks like centipede but grows from one spot and shoots out very long stems or "creepers" into many directions. They are located in many different spots in my backyard. If I find one, I pull up all the "extensions" and they seem to all come from one "host." Now that it is winter time, you can actually see all of the spots as the color is more tan (or just tan) than the rest which is more of a mix of brown and tan (dormant centipede). Any ideas as to what this is and how to get rid of it. Ripping it up does not seem to work as the roots are extremely difficult to pull out and then clear out totally. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Adam, Winnabow, NC
Anne's Response:
I think you may be having an invasion of “Seashore Paspalum”, a grass in the same family as Dallis Grass and Bahia grass. In fact, it could be Bahia as the highway department has planted some as part of the right-of-way program. Seashore paspalum has been used on some golf courses near the coast so the seeds could have spread to your area. I suggest you take a sample of the grass to the country cooperative extension service and ask for an identification and a suggestion for a chemical that can be controlled it in centipede. I don’t know of a product that is available for homeowners to use but there are some that people with commercial pesticide applicator licenses can use.
I have many weeds in my centipede grass that are difficult to control (nut sedge, clover among others). One that is relatively new that I can't get a handle on is (not sure if it's a weed or what) something that looks like centipede but grows from one spot and shoots out very long stems or "creepers" into many directions. They are located in many different spots in my backyard. If I find one, I pull up all the "extensions" and they seem to all come from one "host." Now that it is winter time, you can actually see all of the spots as the color is more tan (or just tan) than the rest which is more of a mix of brown and tan (dormant centipede). Any ideas as to what this is and how to get rid of it. Ripping it up does not seem to work as the roots are extremely difficult to pull out and then clear out totally. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Adam, Winnabow, NC
Anne's Response:
I think you may be having an invasion of “Seashore Paspalum”, a grass in the same family as Dallis Grass and Bahia grass. In fact, it could be Bahia as the highway department has planted some as part of the right-of-way program. Seashore paspalum has been used on some golf courses near the coast so the seeds could have spread to your area. I suggest you take a sample of the grass to the country cooperative extension service and ask for an identification and a suggestion for a chemical that can be controlled it in centipede. I don’t know of a product that is available for homeowners to use but there are some that people with commercial pesticide applicator licenses can use.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Cutting back lithodora diffusa
My Lithodora Diffusa ‘Heavenly Blue’ is too big for the area where it is planted. Can I cut it back to the ground? If so, when should I do it?
I live in Portland, Oregon. Thank you for your advice.
Helene
Anne's Response:
Lithodora does spread quite readily when it is planted in a good spot and for that reason it is a great ground cover plant. It can be cut back after it blooms in the spring. It roots easily from the cuttings. Be sure when you cut it back that you are leaving the rooted ends of the stems in the ground. Top dressing with fine organic material in the area where the plant is growing will help it recover from severe pruning.
I live in Portland, Oregon. Thank you for your advice.
Helene
Anne's Response:
Lithodora does spread quite readily when it is planted in a good spot and for that reason it is a great ground cover plant. It can be cut back after it blooms in the spring. It roots easily from the cuttings. Be sure when you cut it back that you are leaving the rooted ends of the stems in the ground. Top dressing with fine organic material in the area where the plant is growing will help it recover from severe pruning.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Red tip removal
I have red tips that I cut off down to the ground, and this year they started regrowing along with some other plants that I wanted to remove. Can you suggest a way to permanently remove these plants?
Thank you. George
Anne's Response:
Cutting them to the ground and spraying or painting the cutting wound with a Round-up solution works. You can also cut them to the ground and cover the top of the stump with black plastic. It will take several years for the stumps to rot out of the ground.
Thank you. George
Anne's Response:
Cutting them to the ground and spraying or painting the cutting wound with a Round-up solution works. You can also cut them to the ground and cover the top of the stump with black plastic. It will take several years for the stumps to rot out of the ground.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Crape Myrtle
I live in the very southern end of north Florida and I planted 3 crape myrtle's 3 years ago and are about 6' high and I can't get them to bloom. I planted them where we had pine tree's removed about 8 years ago. Could this be the problem? Also when can I prune them?? Tks, Bobbie
Anne's Response:
Crape myrtles usually bloom when they are planted in full sun. There should be no problems from the pine trees previously planted in the area. Crape myrtles may be pruned in very early spring before new growth begins to develop as the plants bloom on new wood. Excess nitrogen fertilizer does reduce the blooms on the plants. Getting a soil test from the area would give you some indication of excess fertilizer in the fall. Not doing any “tip pruning” on stems for a year or two might help. You could remove limbs the rub against others and dead wood but no other pruning.
Anne's Response:
Crape myrtles usually bloom when they are planted in full sun. There should be no problems from the pine trees previously planted in the area. Crape myrtles may be pruned in very early spring before new growth begins to develop as the plants bloom on new wood. Excess nitrogen fertilizer does reduce the blooms on the plants. Getting a soil test from the area would give you some indication of excess fertilizer in the fall. Not doing any “tip pruning” on stems for a year or two might help. You could remove limbs the rub against others and dead wood but no other pruning.
Pruning rose bushes
When is the best time to cut back rose bushes? I live in Lexington, NC.
-Lillian
Anne's Response:
Late February or the first week of March is a good time to prune roses in your area.
-Lillian
Anne's Response:
Late February or the first week of March is a good time to prune roses in your area.
Question on Crape Myrtles
Anne,
We moved into a newly built home in Delaware in the summer of 2006. The landscaper planted a white (acoma) crape myrtle in the front that is about 7ft tall. There has only been one stem that flowered during each of the 2 summers we have been here. Everyone else in the neighborhood had trees full of blooms but us. Can you please tell me why ours isn’t blooming and every other tree in the neighborhood is??? I only pruned it once in Fall 2006 and even then I only took a couple of inches off of the stems. I pruned it thinking that I would get more blooms this past summer but that did not happen. Instead, new leaves started growing sometime in late July or August. Can you please tell me how to get some blooms out of this tree? I love it and would really like it to bloom.
Please help.
Diedre
Smyrna, DE
Anne's Response:
Crape Myrtles bloom on new wood so they can be pruned in early March if there are stems that must be removed. I prefer not to prune unless there are limbs that are damaged or rubbing against other limbs. The plants need at least 6 hours of sun. They do not really like to be fertilized and they would prefer not being watered – especially after the first of August. The plants can be hurt by a late freeze so if there are dead leaves on a stem after a freeze you can tip prune to promote new growth. If new leaves were just breaking in late July and August I would suspect freeze damage.
We moved into a newly built home in Delaware in the summer of 2006. The landscaper planted a white (acoma) crape myrtle in the front that is about 7ft tall. There has only been one stem that flowered during each of the 2 summers we have been here. Everyone else in the neighborhood had trees full of blooms but us. Can you please tell me why ours isn’t blooming and every other tree in the neighborhood is??? I only pruned it once in Fall 2006 and even then I only took a couple of inches off of the stems. I pruned it thinking that I would get more blooms this past summer but that did not happen. Instead, new leaves started growing sometime in late July or August. Can you please tell me how to get some blooms out of this tree? I love it and would really like it to bloom.
Please help.
Diedre
Smyrna, DE
Anne's Response:
Crape Myrtles bloom on new wood so they can be pruned in early March if there are stems that must be removed. I prefer not to prune unless there are limbs that are damaged or rubbing against other limbs. The plants need at least 6 hours of sun. They do not really like to be fertilized and they would prefer not being watered – especially after the first of August. The plants can be hurt by a late freeze so if there are dead leaves on a stem after a freeze you can tip prune to promote new growth. If new leaves were just breaking in late July and August I would suspect freeze damage.
Banana trees
Anne,
I have 3 banana trees that thrive on the marsh near Charleston, SC.
With killing frosts, they totally die back. They usually grow to about
5 feet each summer. After the frost, do I cut them back during the winter or spring, or do I just leave them alone and take care of themselves? I hear opposing viewpoints all the time.
Darlena
Anne's Response:
The Charleston area is a bit warmer in winter than we are in Raleigh so you can cut back bananas after the first winter frost kills them back.
If you do cut them back in cold weather the ground should be mulched with ground leaves or pinestraw to protect the trunk of the plant. You can safely cut back bananas in my area in the spring and I prefer to remove the remains from last years' plant. It looks better and you remove any overwintering disease or insect problems.
I have 3 banana trees that thrive on the marsh near Charleston, SC.
With killing frosts, they totally die back. They usually grow to about
5 feet each summer. After the frost, do I cut them back during the winter or spring, or do I just leave them alone and take care of themselves? I hear opposing viewpoints all the time.
Darlena
Anne's Response:
The Charleston area is a bit warmer in winter than we are in Raleigh so you can cut back bananas after the first winter frost kills them back.
If you do cut them back in cold weather the ground should be mulched with ground leaves or pinestraw to protect the trunk of the plant. You can safely cut back bananas in my area in the spring and I prefer to remove the remains from last years' plant. It looks better and you remove any overwintering disease or insect problems.
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