Posts Tagged ‘azalea’
Virginia Creeper – Killing the Vine
Q: Virginia creeper has invaded my azalea beds. What can I do to save my azaleas and kill the vine? A: Mix a small container of diluted glyphosate (Roundup, etc). Put a rubber glove on one hand and use it...
Azaleas – Fertilizing
Q: Last fall I transplanted a number of mature azaleas. This past spring I fertilized them with cottonseed meal. How often and when should I use this? A: Cottonseed meal makes an excellent fertilizer for azaleas because it acts as...
Topiary Azaleas – How to Plant
Q: How are the topiary azaleas with braided stems best planted? A: Florist azaleas are not usually as winter-hardy as the smaller-leaved Japanese azaleas that bloom reliably each spring. If yours has been indoors since you received it, wait to...
Mulch – Reusing
Q: You suggest that we replace all mulch under roses. Can we reuse the old mulch elsewhere? We’ve got a ton of hardwood mulch under our roses and I can’t imagine throwing all that away. A: I like your recycling...
Angel’s Tumpet – Poisonous?
Q: A parent at my school is concerned that the Angel’s Trumpet planted in the school’s front yard is very dangerous. They couldn’t believe we had it near children. Should she really be worried? Should the plant be removed? A:...
Red Twig Dogwood – Growing in Georgia
Q: I planted a red twig dogwood bush about three months ago. At first, it seemed to be doing very well. Now the growth seems to have slowed quite a bit and the leaves seem to be falling off. The...
English Walnut Cultivar – Ruin Apples?
Q: I have ordered an English walnut cultivar for my back yard. The only available spot will place it within thirty feet of young crabapple and apple trees. Very recently I learned that English walnut cultivars are grafted to black...
Azaleas – When to Fertilize
Q: I continue to get mixed messages on when I should fertilize my azaleas. I have three of them, planted last spring. When is the right time to feed them? A: It’s best to fertilize after blooms begin to fade...
Soil pH – Lowering
Q: I want to plant azaleas and rhododendrons in a spot where I had a vegetable garden last year. We had the soil tested last year and found the pH to be 6.1. Since azaleas love acid soil, what should...
Roundup – Safe to Use
Q: I am rehabilitating a yard that hasn’t had anything but occasional mowing in fifteen years. There are some nice surprises under all the privet and vines, like a battalion of daylilies and some demure nandinas. I prefer to dig...
Wild Azaleas – Pruning
Q: When I bought my home, I discovered some wild azaleas in my back yard. They have bloomed beautifully for years. Do they require pruning? A: Wild azaleas are quite a find on your property. Most of the native species...
Azalea Lacebug – Control in Spring
Q: I have big leaf azaleas along the side of our home. Last summer the leaves lost their bright green color. It looked as though the leaves had been bleached. The back of the leaves looked like they had bugs...
Azalea – Cold Damage
Q: I have a large planting of Formosa azaleas which normally produce beautiful flowers but this year is different. Many of the buds did not produce flowers. In addition, most of the buds that did produce flowers this year are...
Florida azalea – Identification
Q: I have this shrub in the front of my house. It’s absolutely beautiful. However, I don’t know what it is. I was up at Amiacola Falls this spring and saw some growing wild. They also had white and pink...
Angel Trumpet – Poison Worries
Q: I have been told that angel trumpet plants are poisonous. Since we have a lot of small children living near us I don’t want to grow a possibly hazardous plant. A: If you’re worried about poisonous landscape plants, you’ll...
Pinching, Deadheading – Defined
Q: On your radio show, you’ve mentioned “pinching” azaleas several times to make new buds. For those of us in the slow group, what time of year do you do this and where on the plant? A: Sometimes I use...
