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December - 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.

Give the gift of gardening to a child next spring. The San Antonio Botanical Garden in partnership with Texas AgriLife Extension Service and the Bexar County Master Gardener volunteers are now accepting applications for the spring Children's Vegetable Garden program. Children are required to be 8-13 in age. This is a hands on educational Junior Master Gardener program looking for committed participants and parent support. Space is limited and the acceptance into this program is based on completeness of the application and willingness to attend each Saturday from February 21 through June 6. Application deadline is February 12, 2009 and for more information call 207-3250. Application may be found on http://www.sabot.org/?nd=parents.

Question:
My sunpride tomato plants are loaded with marble size to almost tennis ball size tomatoes. Will they continue to grow in the cold weather? I planted them in late August but the remaining 6-pack from the nursery was spindly looking. These tomato plants took a little time to catch up to my other fall planted tomatoes. Boy, did they ever!
Answer:
As long as it does not freeze, they should continue to grow and mature. However, without heat it will take them even longer to turn red. If you take the largest green tomato and with a sharp knife, slice through the middle of it and the knife does not cut any seed but merely pushes them out of the way, the tomato will be mature. Then if you take those of that size and bring them into a heated area of the house they will turn red and be as delicious as if they were vine ripened.

Question:
My small front lawn is old and worn out, consisting of scraggly Bermuda grass with some St Augustine grass mixed with nutsedge. The lawn gets full sun almost all day. I want to completely renovate it, replacing some of the grass with a good year round grass. I understand floratam is good for the north San Antonio area. What time of year should I plant?
Answer:
In full sun St. Augustine grass is not the grass of choice. A better choice would be Bermuda grass. You can either lay sod or plant Bermuda seed. The only way you will get rid of the nutsedge is to kill it when it is actively growing with an herbicide called Sedgehammer. It's best that you wait until next spring to do this. Bermuda grass seed needs heat to germinate and to get established. You can lay the sod earlier than May 1st. St. Augustine grass is the only grass that can stay green year round in San Antonio if no freeze or frost kills the leaves. However, in full sun, St. Augustine grass takes too much water to survive.

Question:
I have a yellow bell plant with bean shaped pods hanging from it. What are they and can I grow new plants from them?
Answer:
These are seed pods and you do not want to grow new plants from them. The resulting plants will most likely not be as nice and full of blossoms as the one which you have growing. Rather, they could be tall and lanky with sparse blossoms. If you want similar and superior growing plants, purchase those that are identified as Tecoma stans, gold star, from your favorite independent nursery.

Question:
I am putting my home up for sale to move into a seniors' complex. The complex has a pergola with nothing on it. What is a fast, flowering vine that I could plant in a couple of pots beside the pergola that would bring color into a small, garden-home back yard?
Answer:
Consider Coral vine, Antigonon leptopus, for planting. Their vine is a quick growing, deciduous perennial that is very colorful. You could also consider the annual Morning Glory or the annual cypress vine.

Question:
Are poinsettia, bird of paradise, and crown of thorn perennials? Do they need to be covered during freezes?
Answer:
All three are perennials and need to be protected from frost and/or freezing temperatures.

Question:
I have an angels trumpet that I would like to take cuttings from and start new plants. What is the best way to accomplish this?
Answer:
Select cuttings from the bottom of the stem about six to eight inches long. Remove all of the leaves from the stem and plant into a container filled with a good quality potting mix. Water thoroughly and place in a warm shaded area. Water sparingly just enough to keep the soil barely damp. The cutting should root within two to four weeks. Leave the cutting in the container until next spring. After any danger of frost or freeze has passed, you can plant them outside.

Question:
I have several Texas mountain laurels in my yard. The older leaves have a black mold on them. The mold is somewhat sticky and nothing I use has had any effect on it. Do you have any ideas as to what this black mold is or what I can use to get rid of it?
Answer:
Either the mountain laurels or plants growing over the mountain laurels are infested with a sucking type insect. Insects like aphids, mealy bugs, or scale suck the sap from the plants. The insects then excrete a sugary liquid called honeydew. The honeydew drops from the insects unto the leaves. The black is a sooty mold which grows on the honeydew. By using an insecticide containing Spinosad, you can get rid of the aphids and mealy bugs. But for the scale, you need to use one of the horticultural oils or a product containing Neem oil. The black sooty mold will be on the leaf until it wears off or the leaf falls off or regrows.

Question:
I have three duranta plants that are becoming somewhat overgrown. I don't want to kill them by over-trimming them. What is the best time of year for trimming and how far back can I trim the plants.
Answer:
Pruning should be done in the early spring before new growth commences. Late February would be good time. You can cut it back as severely as you wish without harming the plants.

Question:
I have a bed of Snapdragons that were planted about a month ago. The plants are about 10 inches tall. Some show signs of wilting. The soil moisture seems to be alright, what is the most likely cause of this problem?
Answer:
Check to be sure that the soil in the root ball of the plant (the small bit of soil that you brought it home from the nursery with) is getting sufficient moisture. If they are being watered with a sprinkler system they are probably not getting watered sufficiently.

Question:
I have a Fairy Rose that is in a large pot. Can I leave it outside this winter or should I plant it in the ground.
Answer:
You can leave it in the pot and outside.

Question:
We are new to the area and have planted a Monterey Oak, Esperanza, oleanders, and crepe myrtle. When and how much do we fertilize? Oleanders were planted a year ago. The others were planted a month ago.
Answer:
Wait until early next spring (late February) and then fertilize all of these plants with the commonly available 19-5-9 lawn fertilizer. Spread about a cup over the root area of each plant and water it in well.

Question:
What lawn grass is the most drought tolerant, disease resistant, and requires the least maintenance.
Answer:
There is no simple answer to your question! If your lawn has full, or nearly full, sunlight then my answer would be Bermuda. It is drought tolerant in that it will go dormant and turn brown in the absence of sufficient moisture to keep it green but then return when it does get water. While not immune to all turf diseases it comes close. There is no turfgrass that will look good unless it is maintained properly. This entails fertilization and mowing. Bermuda looks best when mowed frequently at a low height. If your lawn has shade from house, fence, trees or shrubs then one of the Zoysias would probably be best. St. Augustine is the most shade tolerant but not as cold tolerant as Bermuda or zoysia. It is also less drought tolerant than either.

Question:
Besides confederate jasmine, are there any low growing ground covers that bloom?
Answer:
You can consider Wedelia trilobata (yellow blossoms). It will freeze down should we have freezing temperature but comes back from its roots in the spring.

Question:
How do I prepare my hibiscuses for winter? They are in large containers and are difficult to move from my patio. Should I cut them to the ground and cover them with mulch?
Answer:
If these are the tropical Chinese Hibiscus (large shiny green leaves and typical hibiscus bloom) they will need to be brought into a protected area where it does not freeze. If they are perennial Mallow Hibiscus they should be fine without protection, freezing to the ground with the first freeze and returning from their roots in the spring. Do not prune regardless of the kind until next spring. When new growth commences you will be able to recognize any freeze damage and clean them up accordingly.

Question:
What do I need to do to take the best care of my Amaryllis plants over the winter?
Answer:
If your Amaryllis is the Hardy Amaryllis (Hippeastrum X johnsonii) they should be fine without any special care. However, if it is one of the very large flowered Amaryllis that is usually sold as holiday bulbs for forcing inside, it will not be hardy outside in the event that we have freezing temperatures. It should be brought into a protected location to over winter. Or you can just dig the bulb and store it in a dry location that will not be subjected to freezing temperatures.

Question:
Why must composting be done a certain way? Why can't I just pile up stuff and then till it into the garden?
Answer:
If improperly maintained or mixed, organic material will "rot" rather than "decompose." You will know it's rotting because of the definite unpleasant odor. Most people don't want to work around that odor. For decomposition of organic materials to occur aeration and microbiological activity are essential. There is no bad smell when there is adequate oxygen present. In addition, composting correctly provides usable compost quicker than if a pile of organic matter that is left to rot.

Question:
When planting blackberries, do they need full sun? My backyard is fairly large with lots of trees. Will lack of full sunlight affect fruit production and growth if they are planted in morning shade?
Answer:
Blackberry production will be greatly diminished without full sun. In fact, without sufficient sunlight, they may not produce at all.

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