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November - 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 have a rare night blooming cactus. Sometimes at night it will bloom flowers and on different nights it blooms some kind of fruit. I would like to know what kind of fruit it is and if it's ok to eat.
Answer:
Without knowing what plant this is, I cannot tell you whether or not the fruit is ok to eat. Even if I did know the answer, I would be very reluctant to tell you to eat it. People react in many different ways to things that are edible such as peanuts or crustaceans which can be fatal to those who are allergic to them. The fruit is probably the seed pod of a pollinated flower.

Question:
My crabgrass is spreading rapidly and I understand I should use a pre herbicide to prevent it from returning next year. Can you make any recommendations as to the best time to put this on the lawn and what I should use?
Answer:
You should apply a pre-emergent herbicide such as Green Light's Amaze or XL in accordance with the label instructions in February and again in July.

Question:
What is the acceptable height, if any, to spray pruned oak trees in Texas? I was told anything above ten feet was not needed. Is this correct?
Answer:
All wounds to a live oak should be painted. As per Texas Oak Wilt Organization, "Regardless of season, all pruning cuts or other wounds to oak trees, including freshly-cut stumps and damaged surface roots, should be treated immediately with a wound or latex paint to prevent exposure to contaminated insect vectors." See http://www.texasoakwilt.org/About/disease.html.

Question:
How do I go about making a raised bed? I would like to put one in front of my house which faces east.
Answer:
A raised bed can be in any growing area that is elevated above the normal level of the ground. You can place something like timbers, railroad cross ties, cinder blocks, rocks or other material around the perimeter of this bed to hold the soil or you can just make a mound of soil without this barrier. You fill the bed with good quality top soil or soil, sand and compost mix, both of which are sold by most purveyors of soil.

Question:
This fall I want to plant Elbon cereal rye. I am interested in controlling soil nematodes and adding organic material to my garden. Is it recommended to shred the cereal rye and roto till it into the soil at least 30 days before planting occurs? Many times it is too wet to work. What should I do? Also, it has been hard to find Elbon rye. Where can I find it?
Answer:
You have two choices: You can wait until it is dry enough to shred and roto till the rye into the garden soil. The second choice is to mud in some of the early planted vegetables. These include broccoli and onions; be sure to use one-half cup of super phosphate per 10 linear feet of row beneath plants. If you want to be strictly organic, simply shred the rye to the ground with a flexible string trimmer and plant through the stubble after making a trench with a shovel. The rye will begin to re-grow but should be manageable until the heat of summer kills it. Several days before planting, consider applying a glyphosate herbicide like Roundup or Complete to the strips of rye in which you want to plant. This will avoid a later sprouting problem and it does not damage transplants. It also ends nutrient competition from growing rye. In commercial plantings, tall rye is sprayed with glyphosate and left standing to provide a wind break. Either of these solutions to managing cereal rye will work but will not make for the prettiest garden you have ever had. This is not the ideal way but it is the only way, given a wet weather condition. Consider contacting Douglas W. King Seed Company at: http://www.dkseeds.com/shop/hitpage.asp?recid=7 or call them at (210) 661-4191. They have always been a reliable supplier of this "Natural Green Manure" crop.

Question:
I'm confused about the fall fertilization of St. Augustinegrass. A couple of weeks ago, I bought 19-5-9 and, if I recall correctly, it was advertised as a "Winterizer." The ad this week advertises an 18-6-12 as a "Winterizer." Today, I used the 19-5-9 and I hope this wasn't a big mistake!
Answer:
19-5-9 is not a Winterizer fertilizer. It is a slow release fertilizer which is recommended for spring application to lawns. The 18-6-12 is a Winterizer, not slow release, which allows the grass to benefit from all of its nitrogen before it goes dormant. If the weather stays warm the grass will be able to use all of the 19-5-9 that you applied. No real problem if it doesn't.

Question:
Is November a good time to lay St. Augustine sod? We lost almost all of our grass this summer.
Answer:
St. Augustine grass sod is sold year around in San Antonio. Is November a good time to plant? I guess that depends on how much faith you put in global warming and whether or not there will be a hard freeze before the sod has a good root system established. To me, the price of sod is sufficient to make me a little uncomfortable - certainly after October 15.

Question:
Can, and should, ginger be cut back in the fall and be expected to grow back in the spring?
Answer:
It will be frozen to the ground with the first killing frost or freeze. After that, you can cut it to the ground and hope that it comes back. If it doesn't freeze, it is not necessary to cut it back but it will probably be nicer looking if you do so in the early spring.

Question:
I have a Silverado sage that is growing in part sun, part shade in a raised bed in front of my house. I would like to transfer it to the ground or to a large 47 quart planter. Where it is now it has good drainage but it is growing too big for the raised bed it is in. I would like to know, what is the best thing to do in order for this plant to thrive? Would it be better to transplant it into the ground or into the planter and when the best time of year to do this is?
Answer:
I recommend that you move it to a well drained location in the full sun and put it in the ground there. A 47 quart container is not very large when you are putting a shrub in it. Early next year (February) will be the best time to move it.

Question:
With the recent rains, we have had a lot of new growth in our pastures. Where the grass has died from the drought is an abundance of plants resembling leaf lettuce or young mustard greens. Does Texas have edible wild greens and are they safe to eat?
Answer:
There are many native plants that are considered to be edible or otherwise useful but I do not recommend any specific plant to anyone. This is because allergens affect people in different ways and I do not want to be responsible for swollen tongues, inability to breathe, eyes swollen shut or similar maladies. There is a good book that I can refer you to Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest by Delena Tull. This book is available in most book stores and on line. Remember, your local grocery store and your backyard garden is a great source of fresh garden vegetables.

Question:
My large closet plant is about 8 months in my home, It stays in the living room in indirect light, I have a water meter and try to keep it watered without drying out or being "mushy," I give it liquid fertilizer once a month and water from the purified water tap, I've seen no bugs. Although it receive lots of new growth, yellow (dying) leaves happen so fast that the plant looks more dead than alive. Is there any saving this plant?
Answer:
I suspect that you are over watering it for the light conditions. You should let it dry out to the point of almost wilting between waterings. Also, you might try giving it more direct lighting.

Question:
Do you know anything about the care of confederate rose trees? I need to prune it soon. It is still loaded with blooms. I just planted a small shoot last Oct. and it has gone crazy this summer with the heat and rain we are now having, any suggestions?
Answer:
The Confederate Rose is not a rose but a Hibiscus (H. mutabilis). This plant, like the Angel Trumpet, will freeze to the ground with the first killing frost or freeze and come back from its roots next spring. So, unless you just have to, I recommend that you not prune it until it does freeze.

Question:
I recently purchased a home in this area. Instead of applying mulch around the three oak trees in the back yard, the previous owners put what looks like ornamental lava rock that's used for landscaping. Should I remove the rocks and apply mulch?
Answer:
Any material that covers the surface of the soil to prevent moisture evaporation, weed seed germination and moderate the soil temperature can be considered a mulch. The decorative lava rock is fine for this, unless you do not like its looks.

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