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March - 2009 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'm thinking of building a raised-bed to grow vegetables. I was wandering instead of digging up the lawn (bermudagrass), if I could just install a good quality weed cloth barrier between the lawn and bottom of the raised bed before filling it with soil. What is your recommendation?
Answer:
I recommend that you kill the bermudagrass before constructing your raised bed. You will need to wait until the Bermudagrass greens up and then spray it with one of the glyphosate herbicides such as RoundUp. Otherwise it will just grow through the weed barrier cloth.

Question:
I have a question about the yellow pansies with a deep brown/red face. I planted them about a week ago, and they seem to just kind of sit there and not do much. The soil they are planted in is rich and grows beautiful vinca flowers all summer, fall, and part of a mild winter till they freeze. Are pansies always a little slow to take root and start growing?
Answer:
It's to hot! For maximum performance, pansies should have been planted during late November-early December. These are cool weather plants and cannot take the heat of summer.

Question:
Please tell me how I can get rid of my Mexican bird of paradise plants. They are invading my yard. The roots won't pull up,
Answer:
Go to your favorite nursery/garden center and purchase an herbicide containing Triclopyr. Cut the plants off about 6 inches above the ground and immediately paint the freshly cut surface of the trunk with this concentrate (do not dilute). This will kill the root system of the plant. You must take care not to get this product on any vegetative material that you do not wish to kill.

Question:
I was not able to find any Merced tomato plants last year. Can you tell me if any nurseries will have Merced plants in my area? I only have room for a few plants. If not, is there any way to have some shipped to me?
Answer:
I do not think that there will be any Merced tomato plants available this year. Efforts are underway to grow and produce sufficient seed of Merced and some of the other varieties that are no longer being produced by the commercial seed companies. We hope to have these seed available next year. Consider planting BHN 444 as an alternative.

Question:
My husband had a Lawn Service Company spray weed killer on my back yard. I want an organic garden. Is it possible? I have built a 12 feet by 4 feet raised bed. My plan was to get black trash bags and lay it out on the ground and put new organic soil on top of the plastic. Will this work? The new soil won't have too much contact with the residue of the chemicals they used on the weeds. Do you have any suggestions, comments and advice?
Answer:
In my mind you are taking this to the extreme without cause. If you have constructed a raised bed and can add 6 to 10 inches of a light garden mix heavy in compost, there is no reason to put black plastic between the new soil and the existing soil. The vast majority of the vegetable's roots will remain in the new soil and there will be no danger of them taking up any previously applied chemicals.

Question:
I have a Vitex tree which is about 3 years old. It is currently pruned back to about 2 feet high. Can I transplant that at this time? Do you have any special planting instructions?
Answer:
Yes you can transplant this tree at this time. The Vitex transplants quite well. Just get a root ball about 8 to 10 inches deep and wide. Have your planting hole prepared before you dig the plant and move the root ball into it, intact if possible. Water it in thoroughly and do not water it again until the soil in the root ball feels dry to the touch at least 2 inches deep. You may want to cut it back further than it now is to make it easier to move.

Question:
Can a rose flower under a tube light?
Answer:
Yes a rose can grow and flower under artificial light. However, you would need to have sufficient intensity and the light(s) would need to be in the very close proximity to the plant. Florescent bulbs would be the best.

Question:
We would like to plant a yaupon holly outside our bedroom window, but the limbs of our large red oak extend over the area. Therefore it will be in shade most of the time. Would it be wise to plant this tree there?
Answer:
The yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) will be fine there. It will grow in conditions of full sun to shade.

Question:
My chili piquin plant is about 3 years old and I would like to know if it's ok to trim it some at this time. The deer ate some of the plant last year, but it came back real nice last summer. Right now it's woody and straggly. Is it too soon to trim and if so when should I do it?
Answer:
You can prune your chili plant as much as you wish now. Even if you cut it to the ground it will come back strong with warmer weather. Did you know that this plant has been designated the Native Pepper Plant of Texas?

Question:
Is desert rose a rose or a plumeria? Should we bring them in the house in winter like plumeria? What is the lowest temperature it can stand?
Answer:
Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) is neither a rose nor a plumeria. It is a caudiciform with a succulent habit. It prefers temperatures above 54 degrees but can withstand down to about 35 degrees. Yes, you should bring it inside.

Question:
I would like to plant lady banks roses. However, I can't find any information on them or where I might purchase them. I have seen them here at the lake and love them. Can you point me in some direction for the information I need?
Answer:
The Lady Banks Rose (Rosa banksias) is one of the easiest roses to grow, needing little if any special care. It seems to thrive in our alkaline soils. It does best in full sun, but if planted in a semi-shade location will climb to the light. One word of caution - if you live in an area with deer it will be one of their favorite nibbles. Almost all nurseries and garden centers carry this rose in the spring.

Question:
I have a northwest facing front bed that gets all hot sun in summer & no sun in winter. What do I use as shrubs for foundation plantings?
Answer:
You can choose from any of the Hollies, depending on the size you need or you could use Japanese Boxwood.

Question:
I have some beautiful roses and the better I care for them [Water and Fertilizer] the better the grass grows. What can I do to discourage this grass?
Answer:
There are grass specific herbicides which will kill the grass and not harm the roses. All garden centers/nurseries have them. They have such names as Ornamec, Vantage, Fusilade, Poast, Grass-B-Gon and others. Just ask your favorite nursery person.

Question:
Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable.
Answer:
The tomato is legally-declared a vegetable by the Supreme Court of the United States. A vegetable is a herbaceous (non-woody) plant or plant part which can be eaten without processing and is usually consumed with the main meal.

Question:
When caging tomatoes, how large should the cage be?
Answer:
The diameter of the cage should be at least 18 to 20 inches. Smaller cages often restrict plant growth and reduce yields. Height of the cage will vary but generally 3-5 feet is sufficient for the recommended varieties. However, if vining indeterminate types are used a cage 5 feet in height is preferred.

Question:
I saw a beautiful flowering peach tree in my friend's back yard with pink and white flowers. When I asked her the name of the tree, she told me that it was flowering peach - not fruiting peach. Is there a difference between a flowering peach and a fruiting peach tree? And can I plant the flowering peach in the land next to the driveway and the house with a width of about 5 feet, because I worry about my house foundation cracking?
Answer:
Both the fruiting peach and the ornamental flowering peach are of the same genus and species, Prunus persica. However, the ornamental flowering peach does not produce good quality eating fruit. The one your friend has is probably Prunus persica 'Peppermint Stick'. The peach tree will not cause trouble to your foundation. However, it does need to be planted where it will receive a lot of sunshine and will need pruning to keep it within the bounds of its space.

Question:
My grandmother used to have a shrub she called fireman's cap. The plant had green foliage and red flowers that actually looked like fireman's caps. I have only seen this one other time and it was in California. Do you have any idea were I can locate this plant?
Answer:
I am sure that it was one of the Coral Beans (Erythrina spp) and most likely Erythrina X bidwillii or Erythrina crista-galli. They are available in most good independent nurseries in late spring or early summer.

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