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August - 2008 Questions &Answers Compiled by David Rodriguez County Extension Agent-Horticulture Bexar County

Special thanks to Forrest W. Appleton and volunteers of the "Master Gardener Hotline" in support of the weekly gardening questions and answers.

Question:
I planted a jalapeño plant in May and it hasn't really done anything. In fact, the leaves are a yellowish color and the bottom leaves have fallen off. I moved it to my square foot garden plot and it still has the yellow leaves and one small pepper. I never seem to have much luck with jalapeños. What should I do?
Answer:
It sounds like the plant is suffering from lack of necessary nutrients. Jalapeños plants usually respond to our growing conditions much better than bell and other varieties of peppers. However, it will do best when planted early (March 15) so that it can grow and set fruit before the weather gets intolerably hot. I recommend fertilizing with high nitrogen, slow release fertilizer like 19-5-9. Just try to keep it alive and healthy until the weather cools enough to allow it to set fruit for the fall.

Question:
We are moving into a new home in the area and will be starting a new landscape with bermudagrass. The soil is rocky and there are not many trees on our lot. I want to plant a few trees for shade. I'm considering Cedar elm, Bur oak, and Lacey oak as choices to plant. I've never had bermudagrass and I want to make sure that grass will grow under the trees as they mature and provide more shade. I have areas in my current yard where St. Augustinegrass will not grow under some of our trees. I'm not sure what type of trees they are and I don't want this to happen in my new yard. Are the trees I mentioned good choices or do you have other suggestions?
Answer:
Bermudagrass is a fine turf selection for home lawns. However, it is much less tolerant of shade than St. Augustinegrass. If the trees provide enough shade, the shade will normally degrade and/or prohibit growth of the turfgrass. Your bermudagrass will be fine for a few years, but regardless of the tree you plant, the grass will suffer as the tree grows.

Question:
As the heat and sun starts to take a toll on the garden, should I put a shade cloth over it? If so how much? I have a 15 foot square garden with tomatoes, peppers, beans, beets, and carrots planted. It gets sun most of the day.
Answer:
No, I do not recommend the use of shade cloth in the vegetable garden. Next to moisture and food, sunlight is the most important ingredient for a vegetable garden. If you make sure that the garden gets the moisture it requires, those plants can and will handle the sunshine.

Question:
We planted a crape myrtle last fall and it produced beautiful flowers. Most of the crape myrtles in our town have already blossomed. Ours has not blossomed but it's full of tiny red berries. Someone told us to pick off the berries. Can you give us your advice on what to do to get it to blossom?
Answer:
Crape myrtles have varying blossom periods. Yours is just a little behind the others. The tiny red berries are flower buds which should erupt into blossoms soon. After they bloom, they will leave seed pods. The seed pods can be clipped off to stimulate more blossoms.

Question:
If I plant my 10 foot Norfolk pine trio in the ground, in a shaded area and keep it well irrigated, do you think it would survive?
Answer:
In this area there are some large Norfolk Island pines growing in the ground. The chance of survival would depend on the severity of its first winter in the ground. The pine will have a chance to gradually acclimate to cold in subsequent winters before the first hard freeze. Would I bet on its success? No.

Question:
Do I need to prune my Cross Vine for blooming next year or just let it grow?
Answer:
The only reason to prune the crossvine is to train it and/or keep it within the bounds that you desire. Otherwise, just let it grow.

Question:
I have a bare space (approx.15'x8') bordering my patio. The St. Augustinegrass receded due to compacted soil and semi-shade from oak trees. I sowed Bermudagrass seed and its beginning to sprout. Is the Bermudagrass going to be harmful to my existing St. Augustinegrass in the rest of my lawn?
Answer:
No, it will not be harmful. There are many lawns with St. Augustinegrass and Bermudagrass co-existing nicely. However, if the main reason for the St. Augustinegrass was the shade, the Bermudagrass will not do well in shaded areas.

Question:
How do I care for Duranta 'Sapphire Showers?' I am wondering if this is a new plant, as I can not find information on how to care for it. Do you have any information regarding its care?
Answer:
This is not a new plant. This is just one of the many names for Duranta erecta. It likes full sun but can tolerate some moderate shade. It will not bloom as profusely nor produce as many berries in the shade. It prefers moist, well drained soil. As a word of caution, deer also like it.

Question:
What is the difference in pH between Sphagnum peat moss and Canadian peat moss? If peat moss lowers the pH of the soil and helps with Take-all root rot, wouldn't coffee grounds also help?
Answer:
Canadian peat moss is Sphagnum peat moss which may, or may not, come from Canada. The other peat moss that is commonly sold is Michigan peat moss, which may come from Michigan, New York or Wisconsin. Sphagnum is usually sold in compacted bales while the other is sold in bags. They are both very acidic. I cannot comment on the coffee grounds and Take-all root rot since the testing was done with sphagnum peat and not with coffee grounds.

Question:
How do you deadhead and is it necessary?
Answer:
Deadheading means to keep the spent flowers clipped off. It is particularly useful on some of the annual bedding plants. When the plants have flowered and set seed, they begin their demise. Clipping the dead flowers off (before they make seed) fools Mother Nature into thinking that she still has a job to do to make seed, thus the plants will continue to bloom. Deadheading also keeps the plants looking tidier.

Question:
I'm a first-time watermelon grower. How long after seeding will a fruit appear? I have two plants in my backyard garden and the vines are four-to-six feet long. Perhaps I'm a bit impatient, but it seems as if I should be seeing some results by now.
Answer:
It takes about 8 to 10 weeks after planting for the plants to begin blooming. They will have both male and female blossoms. The female flower will have a miniature watermelon directly behind the flower. To be properly pollinated it must have both male and female flowers that open on the same day and there must be bees to transfer the pollen.

Question:
I can't find any information about whether or not I should pinch off the old blooms on my pentas or whether I should just leave them alone. I see that I can trim them to keep them from getting too large, but I don't need to do that yet. I just need to know what to do about the old, unsightly blooms.
Answer:
When the blossom cluster gets unsightly, cut it off down next to the branch. This will cause them to put out new growth and new bloom buds.

Question:
Is there a chemical that will kill Bermuda grass in buffalo grass, without harming the buffalo?
Answer:
No, there isn't. I know of no way that it can be done. The Bermuda is going to win.

Question:
I have a Mandevilla that I recently bought. It has bloomed well for three weeks but now 1/5 of the leaves have turned yellow. I was watering it daily but stopped after last weeks rain for several days. Have resumed watering. It has full sun for the better part of the day. Why are the leaves yellowing and what can I do about it?
Answer:
Have you fertilized it? I recommend that you get some Osmocote slow release fertilizer and apply it in accordance with the directions on the container. It may just need the fertilizer. What size container is it in? It may not need daily watering. Soak it thoroughly and then do not water again until the soil feels dry when you stick you finger in it about one inch deep

Question:
I have an Esperanza plant that returns each year but does not want to bloom. It appears very hardy and is about 5ft. tall, with no blooms in site as of yet (August). It has full sun. What can I do to get it to bloom?
Answer:
You probably have one of the original Esperanza plants (Tecoma stans) which do not bloom as much as the one most commonly sold now - Gold Star Esperanza (Tecoma stans 'Gold Star'). This one was selected for its more compact size and early bloom. I recommend that you consider replacing the one you now have with this selection.

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