Best Time to Transplant?

My mother has several small to about 4 ft. crepe myrtles that have started near older plants. I would like to transplant these smaller plants along the drive and around my newly constructed house. First, when is the best time of year to transplant them. Second, how do I go about it to best insure the transplant works and last, when is the best time of year to thin out a crepe myrtle?

-- Vickie


Anne's Response:

Prune and thin out crepe myrtles before they begin to put out new spring growth in April. The small crepe myrtles may be root suckers from the parent plant or they may be seedlings. Rook suckers will be identical to the parent plant; you can gently remove soil until you find the root system of the plant you want to move to determine whether it is a separate plant grown from seed or a plant that has sprouted from a damaged root of the parent plant. If the plants are seedlings you have no idea what color they will be or the ultimate size of the plant. In either case the plants can be moved in January or February.

What is this vine?

Can you tell me what this plant is? I frequently see it growing on houses here in Raleigh.

-- Jason


Anne's Response

I think it is a smilax.

Tall Tomato Plants

My 11yr. old grandson planted several kinds of tomato plants this year and they have all grown quite tall and produced many tomatoes. His Red Beefsteak tomato plant is between 8 and 9 feet tall. (This was his first year planting tomatoes.) He was wondering if this was normal or was this some type of record in NC.

-- Andrea (and Kaleel)


Anne's response:

Congratulations to Kaleel on growing such healthy tomato plants; I hope they tasted good. I can’t find the record height of tomato plants but there are pictures of plants as tall as two story houses in some magazine articles. The tomatoes are being picked from the top of a tall stepladder.

Identify This Flower

Please help me identify this flower. It grows on a vine, and it has long green beans. Three pictures are attached with blooms at various stages.

-- Cynthia


Anne's repsonse:

The flowers and pods do look like a legume but I am not sure which ornamental bean it might be. It is similar to Dolichos Lablab or hyacinth bean. It is an annual vine with similar blooms to your photograph but the bean pods are usually purple.

Pests Eating Loropetalums Leaves

I planted some loropetalums this past spring. They did well most of the summer. I have recently noticed that something is eating the leaves from the sides of the leaf. I had heard these plants were pretty disease resistant. Any thoughts on what this might be? I don’t want to lose these plants.

-- Kristain


Anne's Response:

The plants really are quite disease resistant but there are several insects that eat the leaves. Beetles and caterpillars both start eating leaves from the sides of the leaves and the leaves do get disfigured but the plants will not be killed by an occasional visit from visiting insects.

Best Grass Seed for Shady Lawn

Our lawn in Raleigh is pretty much total shade. We would love to have your advice on the best grass seed to use. We are avid listeners to you show!

-- Connie


Anne's Response

The lawn that best tolerates shade is a mixture of fescue and bluegrass but with full shade and competition from tree roots you will never have a lush green lawn.

Staghorn Fern Clippings

I have a Staghorn Fern that I received as a clipping from a neighbor about 12 years ago. A friend is wanting a clipping from it, but I have only done it once about 7 years ago. What is the correct way of removing a clipping from the fern and attaching it to a board or a basket with moss? The one time I did it, I grabed some of the leaves close to the base of the fern and very carefully pulled them loose. However this time I think I may need to cut them from the ferns base.

--Rock Roll


Anne's Response:

Use a sharp knife to cut two or three stems and their attached roots from the base of the fern. You need as much of the root as you can safely remove. Allow the roots of the cutting to sit in water for a few minutes to be sure the cutting is moist. Soak the mounting moss in water and then wrap the moist moss around the roots of the cutting. Attach it to the container or mount with string or wire. The new cutting needs to be kept out of direct sun and it needs to be misted until new roots develop.

What Kind of Flower is This?

I listen to your show most Saturday mornings and I have recently come across a flower that I don't know what it is. I found this in a wooded area between my drive and a field. The flower with stem is approx. 10 inches tall, it has no leaves near the ground that I can tell. It is a spiral arrangement of small white flowers with green in the center area. If you can identify this please reply and let me know, if not I would appreciate a response anyway.

-- Ken


Anne’s Response:

That is a lovely photograph of Spiranthes gracilis, commonly known as Slender Ladies’ Tresses. It is a wildflower found in dry to moist fields, meadows and sandy hardwood forests of the North Carolina mountains and Piedmont regions. The leaves come out in early April, then the bloom spike starts to develop. The leaves usually die and disappear before we notice the bloom in August or September.

Help With Hydrangeas

Our blue, white and pink hydrangea bushes all turned to a light green color and have remained green throughout the summer. What would cause the colors to change? We have also had very poor success with the roses the last two years. They bloom early and the all the leaves fall off leaving just the flower. After the leaves fall then the newest buds never open. They seem to be starving for something but we cannot figure out what is lacking. Can you help?

-- James, Fayetteville


Anne’s Response:

Your hydrangeas are growing just as they are supposed to. The plant blooms its original color (blue, white or pink) then instead of having the flower turn brown and fall off it turns green and remains on the plant until frost turns it brown in the fall. That is one of the joys of the plant - a bloom form that remains attractive on the plant for a very long time. The problem with your roses is harder to diagnose. In most cases the leaf drop comes from leaves that have been affected with Black Spot fungus. The leaves get spotted, turn yellow and fall off. It is quite near the end of the rose season this year and there is not enough time to control Black Spot and produce a set growth of foliage and bloom before the first frost. Clean up all the dropped foliage and dispose of it. After the first frost spray the ground around the plants with a Lime-Sulfur spray to control any fungus spores that may be on the ground. In December spray the plants with the same product. Next spring start a fertilizer and disease control program. Many gardeners with just a few rose plants have found the Bayer 3 in One or All in One product a safe, easy way to fertilize the plants, and protect them from diseases and insects. The chemical is mixed with water in a watering can and the product is poured on the ground around the base of the bush, being careful not to get the chemical on the foliage of the plants.

Milky Substance on Vines

I have some well-established, apparently healthy scuppernong and muscadine vines. On some of the vines, there is a milky white, sticky, gooey substance. The grapes seem fine and I just wash the gooey stuff off if it's not too much. I wonder if you can tell me what this substance is and how to get rid of it, if necessary.

-- Kemie


Anne’s Response:

I don't find a reference to such a problem in the material I have at the house and it is not one I have seen on the scuppernong vines I visit regularly. I suggest you contact your local co-operative extension office for an answer. Check the government listings in your local telephone book for a phone number.

Calla Lillies Won't Bloom

Why are my calla lillies not blooming? They are 3 feet tall but have no flowers.

-- Ann


Anne’s Response:

Calla lillies need sun, not too much nitrogen fertilizer and a rich loamy soil. Bulbs that are planted too deeply do not bloom as well. The bulb is planted no deeper than three times its height in the ground. They need a protective mulch in the fall to reduce the danger of cold damage. Some callas are not completely hardy in this area of North Carolina so yours may be able to have survival of foliage but not the bloom.

Reseeding a Damaged Lawn

I live in Charlotte, NC, and have the typical lawn damage sustained from the recent drought. Due to some health problems we were not able to overseed year before last as well, so my lawn is mostly crab grass. I have been putting down lime over the previous month and plugging the yard about every two weeks to improve conditions for growth. Would I be better off to "Round Up" the entire small yard before overseeding? Would it be a mistake to till up the yard and bring in a small load of topsoil or compost? Is it too early to do this or should I wait till the end of September?

-- B. Long


Anne’s Response:

With the problems you have had with weeds I suggest you use Roundup as quickly as possible to kill the weeds and existing grass. You can till the soil about 10 days after the spraying, rake out the dead weeds and grass and then re-seed the lawn. If you can find a good source of weed free compost you could add that at the time you till. In Piedmont North Carolina it is usually safe to reseed a fescue lawn until October 15.

Hurricane water damage to hibiscus

I live in an area that receive lots of hurricane Dolly rain -- my hibiscus was drenched before I could get to it to cover it. Drenched to the point that every single leaf wilted. I allowed it to dry out and am now watering gently with a growth enhancer. Branches are still supple, but wilted leaves are now brown and still hanging on. Should I trim them off or let the plant shed them on its own?? It appears that there is life, but only 2 new green leaf buds have appeared 2 weeks after the drowning. Is there anything else I should do? I live in hot San Antonio, Texas. ~

-- Susan

Anne's Response:

Be patient! I am not sure what you are using as a “growth enhancer” but most products should not be used every time you water a plant. The extra nitrogen in some products can cause even more root and leaf damage. If the plant is in the full sun you may want to move it to a place that gets good light but not hot afternoon sun. You are in effect going to treat the plant more like a newly rooted cutting until new foliage develops.

Pesticide Damage?

Thank you for your response about my Mary Nell. Maybe I did the damage. I sprayed it with a product called Malathion spray b/c I thought it had spider mites. I sprayed this at the same time on my Encore azaleas and they responded well. It just seems lately that I battle everything. I planted three sweet shrubs (Calycanthus) and they are losing leaves. The leaves are drying up and it almost looks scorched. I know you said to contact Bartlett Tree Service, but I was wondering if you thought the pesticide did the damage. I would greatly appreciate any input.

Anne's Response:

Malathion should not cause the damage you are describing on the plants you named if you followed the directions. It does damage some perennials and roses. Most spray products will damage plant leaves if the leaves are under heat and drought stress. Mites are not killed by most insecticides. Mites have eight legs and the products used to kill them are generally referred to as miticides. . Kelthane has been used and the products containing tetradifon are usually listed as being less harmful to humans. With all the damage to plants in your yard is it possible there is too much fertilizer being used in your yard or a neighbors’ where it would run off to the affected plants? You may need to take samples to your cooperative extension office to see if their horticulture agent can provide help.

Infested with Voles

Help! I have voles and moles in my yard. They are everywhere. What can you do? I have read all about the flower pot and trap ideas on the internet. I even talked to a Master Gardener at the Farmer's Market. They told me to get an outdoor cat or black snake. I have 4 vibrating vole sticks from the garden store in my yard. So far nothing has worked except dumb luck when I accidentally dug up a mama and her 7 babies (voles) and caught a mole under a stepping stone. What is your suggestion?


Anne's Response:

The vibrating sticks do not work. My best luck with was with mouse traps baited with an apple slice and a bit of peanut butter. Place the trap next to one of the small holes where vole damage is spotted. Cover the mouse trap with a large pot and hope for the best. Moles can be run out of the yard with castor oil – but it drives me out as well. Finding an active tunnel and setting one of the harpoon mole traps was the best solution. Remember, moles do not harm your plants, voles do.