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May - 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.

Now is the ideal time to directly seed okra. Consider planting one of these great proven varieties for this area which may include Emerald, Clemson Spineless, Cajun Delight, Dwarf Green, and Lee. Below is a list of some common okra growing questions.

Question:
I transplanted some okra I purchased at a local nursery. It is stunted and not growing. What should I do?
Answer:
Please, don't waste your garden dollars! Always plant crops such as beans, beets, cantaloupe, carrots, chard, collards, corn, cucumbers, kale, mustard, okra, peas, radishes, squash, turnips and watermelons from seed. These plants are difficult to transplant and transplanting offers no advantage over seeding directly in the garden.

Question:
David, are there any foliage diseases that attack okra in the garden?
Answer:
Several foliage problems occur on okra. One commonly observed is Ascochyta, a disease normally found on cotton, a close relative to okra. Losses from this disease are minimal and do not warrant a control program.

Question:
My okra did not grow properly last year. When I removed it at the end of the season, the roots were damaged by galls and swellings.
Answer:
The damage was a result of root knot nematodes. Root knot is a species of nematode which causes galls or swellings on plant roots. It restricts the uptake of nutrients from the root system to the foliage, resulting in a yellow and stunted plant. Root knot lives in the soil and can survive on a number of weed and vegetable crops. It is best controlled by planting a solid stand (close enough for root systems to overlap) of marigolds three months before the first killing frost of fall and/or planting cereal rye (Elbon) for a winter cover crop. Cereal rye should be shred and tilled into the soil 30 days before planting a spring crop.

Question:
What causes okra pods to be crooked and bent rather than straight?
Answer:
This could be caused by insects feeding on the pods. Certain sucking insects, such as stinkbugs and leaf-footed bugs, inject chemicals into the pods causing the pods to stop or slow down growth in that area. The other side, which is growing normally, results in a curved or bent pod. The pods can still be eaten. No control is necessary unless the bugs are still feeding on the plants.

Question:
I have long funny-looking insects running around my okra stalks. Do they hurt the plant?
Answer:
These insects are sharpshooters. They suck juice from the plants causing buds to shed. Control with Sevin. Use as directed on the label.

Question:
I have ants all over my okra. Do they hurt the plants?
Answer:
It was once thought that ants did not hurt okra production and were mainly visiting okra plants to get honey-dew produced by sharpshooters, aphids or other sucking insects. However, that was before the imported fireant. Fireants feed on the base of developing blooms before the bloom buds open causing them to abort. This will cause okra to stop producing. Locate fireant mounds and kill the mounds or use baits around the outside of the garden area to kill the inconspicuous mounds.

Question:
Hello David, can you recommend some plants that will attract hummingbirds that are also deer & drought resistant?
Answer:
See our list of deer resistant plants at http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/publications/deerbest.html. Among those listed that are good hummingbird attractors are Firebush (Hamelia patens), Hummingbird Bush (Anisacanthus wrightii), Indigo Spires Salvia (Salvia 'Indigo Spires'), Mealy Cup Sage (Salvia farinacea), and Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha).

Question:
I need an "evergreen" climbing vine to put on a trellis/pergola. I would like one that blooms, however more important than blooming it needs to stay pretty all winter and not have ugly leaves or be bare. Our area has a lot of salt in the water and the soil is horrible. It would be located in full sun.
Answer:
You can consider Confederate/Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) or Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata).

Question:
How do I revive an asparagus fern? It has overgrown and some of the fern leaves have turned yellow-green? Do they need to be cut off or just hope they will turn green and get thick again?
Answer:
Cut the plant (all stems) back to the ground; fertilize it with one of the water soluble fertilizers such as Hasta Gro, Peters, or other and it will soon be back thick and green.

Question:
Mr. Rodriguez, I bought a house with several oleander shrubs about 4' high. I have dogs and didn't realize the plant was poisonous. I am planning to chop all of them down and kill the roots. Someone told me to use salt & bleach. Is this the correct way to do it?
Answer:
While I think that you are going to the extreme, salt & bleach is not the way to go. Cut them back to near ground level and immediately paint the cut surface of the trunk with Ortho® MAX Poison Ivy and Tough Brush Killer concentrate or Green Light Cut Vine & Stump Killer. This will kill the roots.

Question:
David, what herbicide can be used to control grassy weeds in groundcovers?
Answer:
There are many grass specific herbicides which can be used to control grassy weeds in broad leaf ornamentals. They are sold by all nurseries/garden centers by such names as Ornamec, GrassBGon, Vantage, Poast, Over-the-Top and others. Consult your local Certified Nursery Professional.

Question:
Mr. Rodriguez, when is the best time to plant Plumeria and would they do better directly in the garden or in pots? I would also like to know a good soil mix and fertilizer to maximize blooms.
Answer:
Plumerias are close to being tropical plants and do not even like 45° F. They are severely damaged and often killed with a light freeze. So keep it in a container (5 gallon size is okay, 10 gallon is better). Any good premium potting mix is fine just amend it with a slow release fertilizer such as Medina Granules in accordance with the label instructions. This fertilizer will last for 30-60 days so you don't need to reapply it any more often than once a month. You can put it outside in a container now. It likes lots of sun.

Question:
David, what kind of shrub would grow well in my area for privacy? Would the Red Tip shrub work for this area? I am looking for something that will grow fast and tall - 12' plus in height.
Answer:
Extension does not often recommend the Red Tip Photinia because (1) it tends to get stressed from the highly alkaline soils and (2) then succumbs to Entomosporium leaf spot for which there is no cure. You can use Japanese Ligustrum (Ligustrum japonicum) for your privacy hedge.

Question:
Mr. Rodriguez, I have a hibiscus tree with a braided-trunk from last year. It does not seem to be getting new leaves on the branches. It does have new growth towards the bottom. Will new growth appear on the branches eventually or are these one season plants?
Answer:
Sam, if the tree was planted outside or in a container that was left outside, and was subjected to frost or freezing temperatures, the upper portion is probably dead. This is a tropical plant that cannot survive a normal winter outside. Since our winter was so mild, the roots and bottom portion of your hibiscus tree has survived. If you continue to give it the necessary water and fertilizer, it will continue to grow from the bottom, but the top is most likely dead. Scratch the bark on those upper branches and see if there is green underneath. If not they can be pruned out.

Question:
I hear about people using cedar to cook fish, etc. and wonder if you can use the cedar we have around the San Antonio area. Wouldn't it have a funny flavor and is this kind of cedar safe for cooking?
Answer:
When they talk about cooking fish with cedar they usually are referring to placing the fish on a cedar plank and either grilling it or baking it on this plank. This can be done with most woods and will give the fish the flavor of the smoke of whatever wood is being used. The one most commonly used is the Western Red Cedar which isn't a cedar but rather an Arborvitae (Thuja plicata). Likewise our common cedar is really a Juniper (Juniperus ashei) and I have no idea what flavor it would impart to a fish but it should be safe.

Question:
David, I planted a magnolia tree about 3 years ago. It has been a beautiful tree up until about 3 weeks ago. Most of the leaves have turned brown and hard. There are only just a few green leaves left on the tree. Every year it was blooming until this year. What is happening?
Answer:
I suspect that the tree is dying (or dead). First, Magnolias are not good trees for our area, preferring the deep, moist soil of the eastern part of the state. For example, during the 2007 (Jan-Aug) season we received around 50 inches of rainfall. But then from Sept 2007 thru March 2008 (7 months) we had about 6 inches. If you didn't water during this dry period this is probably what has affected your tree. Only time will tell if it is a goner.

Question:
Mr. Rodriguez, should Live Oak trees be fertilized periodically during the year? If so, what time of year and if not, why not?
Answer:
If the trees are in the turfgrass area, the fertilization of the turf will be sufficient. If they are not where they would benefit from the lawn fertilizer, then an early spring application of any of the high nitrogen lawn fertilizers (i.e. 19-5-9) spread at a rate of 1 pound per inch of trunk diameter (at chest height) spread over the root zone will be all they need for the year.

Question:
I was given some esperanza seeds. When, where and how should I plant them?
Answer:
There are two problems: first, since you have seeds now, it means that they would have to be last year's seeds or even older. Seed of the Esperanza (Tecoma stans) do not store well and have a very poor germination rate unless they are freshly picked, and second, the resulting plant of seeded Esperanza are apt to have the characteristics of the species (tall, lanky with sparse blooms) than to the commonly available Tecoma stans 'Gold Star' which has more blossoms and more controlled growth. Extension recommends that you not waste your time with the seed.

Question:
David, I have built a home and need to cover an acre with grass. I want to know which grass you would recommend for this area. I want a nice green, low maintenance and drought tolerant turf.
Answer:
There is no such thing as a nice green, low maintenance, drought tolerant turfgrass. Sorry! Assuming that your acre has a lot of sunny areas, my recommendation would be bermudagrass. If there is a lot of shade, then consider one of the Zoysia selections for light shade and St. Augustine for heavier shade. We DO NOT recommend buffalo grass. The only one of these that can be established from seed is Bermuda (possibly Black Jack). We recommend that you look around your neighborhood at established lawns and make your selection that way.

Question:
Mr. Rodriguez, we have two trees that were planted by our subdivision and we have no idea what they are. Just lately we have noticed a light green moss or fungus on all the branches and are wondering how to get it off without damaging the plants and lawn around it. We have St Augustinegrass and Mexican heather.
Answer:
I feel sure that this is not a problem and I recommend that you take no action. The green moss is probably just lichens and is not hurting your trees. It's probably the result of a continued high humidity that encourages its growth.

Question:
David is there anything you can put in flower pots outside to discourage squirrels, and even some birds, from constantly digging around them.
Answer:
There are many products which claim to repel squirrels. I cannot vouch for the efficacy of any of them. You can also put something like chicken wire, cut to fit your containers, on the top of the soil and this will deter them digging there.

Question:
Mr. Rodriguez, I have a burning desire to try to plant peonies in my backyard. Is it possible for peonies to do well here with TLC? I know it does get pretty cold for short periods. I read that it takes cold exposure for them to do well. It gets about 30° during the winter and sometimes colder. It gets pretty windy, so I realize I will have to support them.
Answer:
Don't set yourself up for disappointment. Peonies are not suited for any part of Texas except the extreme north and certainly not south of Dallas-Fort Worth.

Question:
Can you tell me your opinion on a Golden Rain tree. I would like to plant one in my front yard but have heard both negative and positive on it. Would a crape myrtle be better choice?
Answer:
There are some beautiful Golden Rain trees growing in the San Antonio area. However, my choice would be one of the large crape myrtles since it will give you a mass of blossoms for a long period of the summer whereas the Rain tree will only have fall blooms followed by the seed pods. If you want a shade tree, the Rain tree will be better than the crape myrtle.

Question:
Dave, I just planted a duranta and am not sure I put it in a good location. I planted it next to a curve in the poolside patio. After reading up on it, I'm wondering how much root spread I can expect and, if I gave it enough room for expected growth. Do the roots cause a problem for patios and walkways and can I train it to grow more upward than outward? Also, when do you do any pruning?
Answer:
The root system is not going to cause any problems so it should be fine where you have put it. This plant may not survive a hard freeze, may freeze to the ground or may not be affected, if there isn't a freeze. I would recommend letting it grow as it desires, then in the early spring (if it doesn't freeze back) cut it back to the ground.

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