Posts Tagged ‘disease’
Climbing and Shrub Roses – Pruning
Q: I have climbing and shrub roses. Do I need to cut them back to short canes and mound mulch for the winter? A: Unlike in the northern US, roses here don’t need much more than “neatening up” for winter....
Soil Solarization
Q: Can I use black plastic rather than clear for soil solarization? I want to remove weeds from part of a pasture for a garden next spring. A: Unfortunately, black plastic will not work. The process of solarization is supposed...
‘Drake’ Elm – Peeling Bark
Q: I have two eight-year-old ‘Drake’ elms. Their bark is splitting and peeling on the main trunk. Is it normal for these trees to shed bark like sycamore and crapemyrtle? A: It’s normal. ‘Drake’ elm is a nice Chinese elm,...
Soil- Purifying
Q: What is the best way to purify soil to remove any diseases from it. Would adding bleach work? A: Sterilizing soil is impossible in a practical sense. Even if you removed disease organisms from the soil it would quickly...
Lawn Fungus – How to Prevent
Q: What is an appropriate product and application schedule for preventing fungus in my lawn for the coming year? Last year brown patch was a particular problem. A: Lawn fungus problems are best addressed by correcting your lawn management practices,...
Leylands – Spacing for a Privacy Screen
Q: We want to plant quite a few Leyland’s at the back of our property to create a 100 foot long and tall privacy screen between us and the neighbors. If we start with twelve-foot high trees, what spacing should...
Pussy Willow – Pruning
Q: I have a pussy willow tree that is so tall I never see the blooms in the spring. Are you supposed to cut these trees back? A: You’re lucky to have a pussy willow (^Salix discolor^) grow so tall....
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...
Cannas – Dividing Bulbs
Q: I divided a canna clump into six pieces a year ago. Now they are about three times the size that I need or want. When is the right time of year to dig and divide the bulbs to share...
Container Gardening – Reusing Soil
Q: I did container gardening this year and used a lot of potting soil for tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, spinach and romaine. Should I discard all of the potting soil or can I use some of it next year? A: Two...
Sweet Potatoes – Scurf
Q: I have been raising sweet potatoes for several years. Now, about five percent of my potatoes have black skin. The potato underneath the skin is good but the black skin is unsightly. What is wrong? A: I have sour...
Beautyberry plant – General Information
Q: While visiting my daughter in Texas I noticed beautyberry plants growing wild in the area. My daughter has two beautiful ones in her back yard and she thought they were trash plants. Could you give me some information so...
Pecan Tree – Replacing
Q: We had to cut down a fifty-year old pecan tree due to the fact that it started to lean toward the house after the hurricanes. It was the best producer of pecans we had and we wish to replace...
Centipedegrass – Overseeding With Ryegrass
Q: Can you tell me the pros and cons of overseeding my centipedegrass lawn with winter ryegrass? A: Some folks enjoy green turf so much they overseed their bermudagrass lawn with ryegrass each fall to have a green front yard...
Leaf Spot – On Maple
Q: I need help identifying what is wrong with a maple tree in my back yard. In the past few weeks that the leaves had numerous spots. Is there anything I can do to fix the problem? A: Your maple...
Centipedegrass Fungus – Effective Control
Q: What is the best thing I can do to control centipedegrass fungus effectively? This past summer was a nightmare. My lawn company tried to treat it with liquid fungicide and the fungus came right back. I got some granular...
Lawn Care – Do It Yourself vs. Service
Q: I’ve been paying more than two hundred dollars a year for a lawn service to fertilize and maintain the weeds in my bermudagrass. In order to save money I’ve chosen to do it on my own. Everyone tells me...
Peach Trees – Peach Scab
Q: Please tell me what to do with peach trees this time of year. Last year our trees were loaded with peaches but as they ripened they became covered with black blotches and were wormy. How can we prevent this?...
