Gardener

Ask L.A.!

Have a nagging garden problem?
Can't find a plant?
Bugs bugging your greenery?
Send your garden questions to:

lajackson@southeastgardeningwithla.com

I'll post my responses on this site, so check back soon!

L.A.
I have a question about Poncirus trifoliata. What I have looks very similar to the picture on your website. Are the fruits edible? There
are so many seeds that there isn't much to eat, but I have several of these plants on my place, and some get rather large 2-inch
fruits. The cows eat them after they fall and get frozen a few times. They smell like oranges but are severely bitter.
Fred

The recipe I give to gardeners interested in making a refreshing drink out of this hardy orange is take one orange, squeeze the juice
out and then add a 50-gallon barrel of water and a 50-gallon barrel of sugar--that's a joke, son, because it is just that bitter. I am also
not surprised that you mentioned you have a bunch of them popping up around your place because Poncirus trifoliata is a free-seeder
and is labeled as an invasive plant by many native plant organizations.

L.A.,
This fall, I found what looked like small spider webs on my Bermuda grass lawn. It was early in the morning and the dew was still on
the ground when I found them. I don't know what they were and I wonder if it was something I should be concerned about.
Tom

The spider webs you found on your grass were made by grass spiders. That's their name-it isn't very original, but that's their name.
Their wispy homes usually aren't well seen until a dewy Carolina morning illuminates them. Look closely at them, you will find an
inward sloping area where the small spiders await their prey. Don't lie awake worrying about them-they are harmless to you, but they
have probably snatched their fair share of lawn insect pests.

L.A.,
I have an 'Ann' magnolia, and all of the leaves fell off late this summer. I live in Montgomery, Alabama in clay soil. I would like to
know if this is something common, or if my tree is dead. We haven't had much rain in these parts. What can you tell me about this
problem and how I can fix it?
Amdre'

'Ann' is a magnolia from the "Little Gird Hybrids" introduced by the U.S. National Arboretum. It is a small, deciduous tree, but your
'Ann' is acting odd. I would like you to do two things to the tree:

1. Bend the outer branches to see if they are pliable.
2. On a branch that is about as big around as a pencil, scratch a small portion of the outer bark off.

If the outer branches bend and underneath the bark is colored green, you have not lost your tree. I think the dry conditions are,
indeed, the cause of the problem, which can be countered in two ways. First, even in the winter, water the tree when it doesn't rain for
two to three weeks-I suspect this might be a newly planted tree that just hasn't become fully established yet. Second, to help retain
ground moisture, add 3 inches of mulch at the base and extend the coverage to the dripline-the furthest reach of the branches. This
should prepare your tree for next year's growing season.
If all of the outer branches easily break and underneath the bark is not colored green, you are now the proud possessor of expensive
tender to start the fireplace up with this winter.

L.A.,
I was wondering if rosemary can be propagated from an existing plant and if so, how is the best way and time to do it? Thanks!
Thomas

Rosemary can be propagated from tip cuttings. Just be sure to take each cutting at a node on the stem (where the small branches
meet) because this is where the most roots will form. Place the cuttings in a well-draining growing medium and place in a warm,
shaded location inside or out. Rosemary cuttings can easily dry out before they form roots, so either keep it in mind to mist them at
least once a day or cover them in plastic to conserve moisture.

L.A.,
I am curious about my Issai kiwi vine. As you no doubt know, it has kiwis the size of grapes and is self-fertile. It has been planted for
about six years, maybe more. When it bloomed for the first time, two or three kiwis developed and matured; the next year, frost got
the blooms, then the last two springs, it has set fruit, but the fruit disappeared when it was about the size of chokecherries. I don't
know whether it fell off or whether something ate it - there is thick grass underneath, and I didn't think to look for them on the ground.
Could the soil pH be a problem? I put a few wood ashes around it at one time (can't remember when!) I will appreciate hearing your
advice. Thank you.
Dorothy

Your remark about the "thick grass underneath" makes me wonder if there is not some keen competition for water and nutrients going
on in the area, and the kiwi vine is coming up short. Early next March, after applying mulch around the vine, scratch in some
time-release fertilizer high in phosphorus and supplement this with monthly feedings of a dose of half-strength liquid fertilizer, and see
if it doesn't put the kick back into your kiwi.

L.A.,
Can I harvest pine nuts from local pine trees to eat?
Delores

The pine nut often referred to as a "pine nut" comes from the stone pine (Pinus pinea), a Mediterranean region native. There is a North
American pine that has edible nuts, and it is the pinyon pine, which resides in the Southwest. When I am in New Mexico during the
height of the pine nut harvest, I see vendors selling these delicious treats out of the back of pickup trucks in same way many shrimp
salesmen do in our region. In short, not all pines are perfect for producing nuts.

L.A.,
Are green potatoes bad to eat?
Wes

Well, let's try to put sort of a positive spin on it and just say that green potatoes aren't good to eat. For chemical reasons which would
take a while to explain, I would avoid them. To prevent green potatoes next year, which is simply a result of too much sun shining on
the developing spuds, I would plant the sets deeper and use plenty of chopped leaves or compost on the potato bed for a thick mulch.

L.A.,
I'm trying to upgrade my vegetable garden-which is on a slope and perched on terrible soil. I'm adding soil and planned to hold it in
using railroad ties. However, should I be concerned about the health effects of using railroad ties? The alternatives may also contain
toxic materials.
Brian

You do have good reason to be concerned, as railroad ties can indeed leech all sorts of unwanted chemicals into the garden. While this
is not a problem in a flower garden, it could be if edible plants are absorbing the chemicals. I used to have a raised vegetable garden
made of old (not new) railroad ties that had less preservatives in them, but even then, I switched that garden over to ornamentals
after about two years. Right now, I, too, have my vegetable garden on a slope, but I am using narrow terraces to take care of
business. I alternate 2-foot rows with two-paths all the way down the slope and use vine crops such as cucumbers and squash along
with weed block fabric to help control erosion.

L.A.,
I have read about a special spray that helps produce tomato fruits. Do you have a trade name for that spray?
Neil Carson

Neil,
Since it is a common item, chances are good you will find what you are looking for in any quality garden center if you just ask for
"blossom set spray." I use it all the time because another advantage of this artificial pollinator is that fewer seeds form, which make
for meatier tomatoes.

L.A.,
I'm stunned that I have now have two red rose bushes in my yard, instead of the five yellow bushes I've had for four years. Becky
Beach tells me that there is an explanation. I didn't quite follow it, but I thought it might be a subject that one of the News and
Observer gardening writers could address. Of course, I'm a total amateur, so maybe this is something that everybody already knows.
More importantly, it has RUINED my color scheme. My goal was to have a yellow garden in the front with touches of blue and violet
blooms. RED was not in the plan.
Linda Williams

Linda,

I think graft is going on here. By "graft," I mean corruption-but not the kind politicians do so well. The best clue you gave me is that
you had five roses and now only have two--it seems there's been some dying going on. I suspect your two remaining roses either died
back or were pruned back low to the ground. If this is the case, on a grafted rose--where one type of rose is grafted onto the
rootstock of another--the root rose can take over, and if it produces flowers of another color, the magical, weird transformation takes
place.

L.A.,
I purchased an older home, and the rear portion of the property was covered in English ivy and poison ivy. I spray with an herbicide,
and the poison ivy died but the English ivy is going strong. Any suggestions that are low-labor?
Arthur T Baugh III

Arthur,
There are many herbicides that will take out English ivy, including Roundup (which contains glyphosate), Spectracide Grass & Weed
Killer (diquat), Brush-B-Gon (triclopyr) and Finale (glufosinate). You just have to stick to it, and I mean this in two ways: (1) Be
persistent; one spraying isn't going to take out years of English ivy growth. Multiple sprayings (with particular attention paid to new
growth) will probably be necessary in the span of, say, a year. (2) Stick to it literally. English ivy has glossy, slick leaves, which helps
to make liquid herbicides run off of it like a duck's back. For better adhesion to the foliage surface, add a drop or two (no more) of
liquid soap to each gallon of herbicide mix.

L.A.,
Our yard slopes down to a flood plain and a creek. We have a grass/weed taking over the lower part of our yard and creek beds. The
grass looks like miniature bamboo. What can we do to get rid of it?
Linda Kellum-Smith

Linda,
It sounds like you have the latest nasty weed that is trying to eat the South: bamboograss (Microstegium vimineum). It is an
aggressive invasive that has really gotten a grip on landscapes in the region. You can: (1) Cut these annual plants down before they
go to seed to slow the spread; (2) pull up entire plants (which is easy) and discard-do not compost; or (3) if you have a large area
that is covered with this green mess, get really mean with it by using a nonselective herbicide that contains glyphosate. Also, treating
the area with a pre-emergent herbicide in the late winter will help. Ask the folks down at your friendly local garden center which
product they would recommend.

L.A.,
I have some young crepe myrtles that have developed a black fungus or disease on their leaves. Is there a fungicide I can use to
treat it?
Jack Browning

Jack,
It sounds like you need an insecticide rather than a fungicide. If you see tiny bugs congregating on the undersides of new growth, you
have found your problem: aphids. They often dine on the succulent new leaves of crepe myrtles and after digesting their meal,
excrete what is diplomatically called "honeydew." These sticky drops on leaves become a perfect medium for the dark spots of sooty
mold to develop. So, if you kill the aphids, the sooty mold loses its growing medium, and the problem is solved. Use a garden-friendly
solution such as insecticidal soap to dispatch the aphids, paying particular attention to spray the undersides of leaves where aphids are
usually found.

LA:
I live in Moore County, NC, and just purchased some caladiums to plant in borders on the front of the house. On a couple of the pots,
the plants were identified as perennials and the others annuals. Can I leave these in the ground through the winter or would it be
practical to dig them. If dug, what is the best procedure for doing this? Thanks.
Joyce Badgett

Joyce,
During typical winters in this region, cold, wet ground will cause caladium tubers to rot, thus turning your plants into annuals. However,
you can save the tubers in the fall for another growing season. Early in autumn, when the caladium leaves begin to droop and lose
their color, dig the tubers up and let them dry for a week in an area that is away from the worst of the sun's rays. After a week, cut
the dried leaves off and hang the tubers in a mesh bag inside for the winter in an area where the temps won't fall below 60 degrees,
such as a basement or garage.

L.A.,
Last summer I had plenty of tomatoes, but they would NEVER turn red. Any insight?

Cheryl Young

Cheryl,
Three things come to mind: (1) If planted in poor soil, the lack of nutrients could have been the problem. This is especially true of
potassium, which if it is lacking, will cause uneven, delayed ripening, so bulk up your planting area with a commercial garden soil
conditioner that is also laced with (preferably) a time-release fertilizer or even better, mix in plenty of compost. (2) Planting in spots
that receive four hours of sun or less won't help the ripening process a whole lot either. (3) If you planted late in the summer, your
tomatoes simply didn't have enough time to mature. Keep these three things in mind this year--if they work, good; if they don't, from
the "When Life Hands You Lemons, Make Lemonade" file is my simple recipe for fried green tomatoes:
3 or 4 green tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 cup cornmeal or bread crumbs
1 egg, battered
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil
Dip the sliced tomatoes in the battered egg and then dredge them in cornmeal or bread crumbs. Heat 1/4-inch-deep oil in a large
frying pan over medium heat; add tomato slices and fry about 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Drain on paper
towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.