Posts Tagged ‘Spring’
Spurweed – Control
Q: Three years ago a weed appeared in our yard. Around Easter it will have little spurs on it that stick in your feet. My grandchildren and I like to go barefooted but this year my yard is full of...
Mallow – Identification
Q: Do you have any idea what this plant in my garden is? A: It’s common mallow, Malva sylvestris. A look at the flowers and leaves reminds me that it is kin to the much-larger hollyhock. Mallow has striking flowers,...
Musk Thistle
Q: I have a beautiful weed growing in my yard. The base of the plant has been growing all winter. It has very sharp thorny leaves. In the last month it has grown at least four feet and has a...
Branch Drop – Crapemyrtle
Q: I am puzzled by twigs dropping from the three-year old crepe myrtles in our yard. Three weeks ago I noticed several small branches had fallen around the tree. We did have more wind than usual the night before. A:...
Confederate Rose – Rooting
Q: I have a six-foot high Confederate Rose. What is the best way to propagate this plant? Can it be rooted ? A: Propagating a Confederate rose is easy. You can do it by seeds or cuttings. After the flowers...
Hollyhock
Q: I bought a hollyhock plant last spring in Tennessee. It did nothing last year but profusely put out leaves. This spring it has grown enormously and has this weird looking thing on the end of the stalk. Is this...
Epsom Salts – Using on Hydrangea
Q: I’ve been thinking about the notion of applying Epsom salts to hydrangeas to enhance the blue color. Since I have an old box of Epsom salts, I would like to try this, but the word “salt” sent up a...
Balloon Flower
Q: I have a flower growing in my yard that I would love to buy more of. It was here when I bought the house and I haven’t been able to identify it yet. Can you tell me what it...
Azaleas – Pruning Overgrown
Q: Can I cut my overgrown azaleas back? And, if so, how much? A: The best time is in early spring, even though you’ll cut off most of the blooms. I cut my scraggly five-footers down to 18 inches in...
Hydrangeas – Keeping their true color
Q: I bought 5 Monrovia ‘Red and Pretty’ hydrangeas this spring. They are doing well in my garden, but the blooms are hot pink, not red! Is there anything I can add to the soil to change the color to...
Plums – Growing from Seed
Q: I have an ornamental plum that has red-purple leaves (spade shaped with small serrated edges). This first year it produced about a dozen plums about 1″ in length. I was wondering how does one grow more trees from the...
Holly – Pruning
Q: We have 4 holly bushes. They have gotten out of hand and look more like trees and cover the windows. Please tell me the proper way to prune A: Theresa Schrum replies: “There really is no wrong way to...
Dogwood – Club Gall Midge
Q: Many of our dogwood trees seem to be ‘afflicted’ and have no bloom buds on them this year. There are many swollen nodules toward the tips of the branches where the blooms should be. What is the problem and...
Dwarf Fescue – Care
Q: What can you tell me about dwarf fescue grass? Does it grow and thrive in Atlanta? I read something about it in a magazine and want to know about using it here. A: Extension turf expert Clint Waltz says...
Piedmont Azalea – Description
Q: I have a bush/shrub that I need to identify-I have been told it is a wild azalea. It has woody stalks, very similar to the 4 different varieties of azalea in my yard, but it sheds it’s leaves in...
Spittlebug – Adults
Q: I have some bugs throughout my perennials and roses. It is a half-inch long, chocolate brown, with a couple of slim orange lines across the top of its body. What is it? A: Undoubtedly it’s the adult form of...
Weigela – Blooming times
Q: We have Weigela and they blossom in the spring; but don’t continue into the fall as promised. They are supposed to attract humingbirds. A: Hmmmm…..who did the promising? In my experience, weigela blooms only once…in...
Chitalpa tree – Mildew
Q: I have a chitalpa tree (cross between a catalpa and chilopsis) that has been in the ground about 2 1/2 years. About mid-summer each year, after it has bloomed it has a bad leaf drop. They turn a rather...
