Question:
What can you tell me about Summer Snowflakes? Out of nowhere these flowers started blooming next to our front door. They are exquisite. Is it normal for these flowers to suddenly bloom and at this time of year? There seems to be something magical about them.
Answer:
The Summer Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum) is normally a spring flowering bulb. However, it is not uncommon for them to bloom in the late winter. What would be uncommon would be for you not observing them in prior seasons. Since it is a bulb and seldom, if ever, propagated by seed, the bulbs were almost certainly planted by someone.

Question:
A friend gave me some Heavenly Blue Morning Glory vine seeds. I planted them last year, and they were GORGEOUS! I’m not very good at gardening, so it was wonderful to have something flourish like those did. I’m curious if I have to plant them every year or will they come back? They are now brown vines since we had the hard freeze. Should I cut them back to the ground?
Answer:
The Heavenly Blue Morning Glory is an annual plant and the recent freeze has killed your plants. You can pull them up and eliminate them at this time as they will not return from their roots. However, they should have dropped lots of seed which will germinate and make new plants next spring. Or for insurance, you can plant new seed next spring.

Question:
I was cutting down my dead bougainvillea plants and got pricked by a thorn. It hurts pretty badly and I am wondering if they are poisonous? Not trying to sound dumb or paranoid, but thought I should ask since its hurting pretty bad and seems a bit swollen?
Answer:
Bougainvillea thorns are coated with a substance that can cause a dermatitis reaction such as you have. The juice, sap, or thorns of these plants, may cause a skin rash or irritation.

Question:
I have had this problem with my tomato plants for the last several years. When the plant leaves start turning brown and drying up, is there anything you can do to prevent this? Last year, even the green beans had the same problem.
Answer:
The most common cause of this is a fungal disease called Alternaria (Blight disease). This can normally be controlled with a fungicide containing chlorothalonil such as Ortho’s Garden Disease Control.

Question:
I know Red Oak and White Oak wood can be used for cooking like on a smoker, but since Live Oak is more of an ‘evergreen’ tree, can the wood be used?
Answer:
Surely it can be used. Normally, firewood that has been cut and dried with splits for about 6 months is appropriate. If you are using chips for smoking you should soak them in water before use.

Question:
Do tangerine bushes have thorns? We have two plants and the top new shoots have thorns.
Answer:
Most citrus, including the very popular Satsuma, will have thorns during their juvenile stage and some will have them throughout their existence.

Question:
Can you recommend a fast growing, tall palm tree, with skinny trunk? How does the Mexican Fan palm do in South Texas? I’d appreciate any information you can provide.
Answer:
The unique cold weather we have just experienced make me leery of recommending palm trees for this area. However, the one I feel most comfortable with is the California Fan palm, Washingtonia filifera. It has more cold hardness than the Mexican Fan palm, Washingtonia robusta.

Question:
I have many plumerias which have grown too large for their containers. I would like to cut them back and have them re-grow after this last cold spell. Any suggestions in rejuvenating my plumerias would be appreciated.
Answer:
If the plumeria plants are still alive following the recent cold weather, you can either cut them off eight inches or so above the soil level. This should make them sprout two (or more) branches which will grow upright. Secondly (which would be my recommendation) would be to take tip cuttings about 12 inches long from these plants and root them to produce new ones. If you take cuttings, allow them to air dry in a cool area protected from freezing temperatures until the weather warms next spring.

Question:
I didn’t cover my ginger plants, will they re-sprout this spring? What about my Wandering Jew ground cover plant?
Answer:
If it is the variegated ginger variety, Alpinia zerumbet, it should be root hardy and come back in the spring. If it is any of the other varieties, it is unlikely to survive. You will just have to wait and see. The Wandering Jew plant should come back, but again, you will not know for sure until spring.

Question:
I want to propagate fig cuttings. Can I use perlite by itself as a rooting medium? If not, what do I use as a rooting medium for them?
Answer:
I recommend that you use any good potting mix such as Miracle-Gro to root your cuttings. I also recommend that you wait until next spring to do so.

Question:
This is the second year that my two Mexican lime trees have suffered freeze damage. Each plant is 4 feet tall growing in 10 gallon nursery container. They are in an unheated greenhouse (I missed the Christmas lights suggestion). I anticipated planting them in the ground this spring. The plants upper foliage turned yellow, dropped many leaves, and the lower green leaves curled after that day of 22º temperatures. Both plants were watered on a regular basis and I hate to completely loose these trees, any suggestions?
Answer:
I recommend that you withhold water at this time and keep the plants in a protected location until next spring. The unheated greenhouse is fine unless the temperature is predicted to go below 25°. Then you should move them into the garage or other area where the temperature will not fall below freezing. This spring you will know whether or not they have survived if they sprout new growth anywhere above the graft union. I do not recommend that you place them in the ground, now or later. They need to be in the container where you can protect them.

Question:
I am a winter bird who visits Texas from Minnesota in winter. I bring with me numerous plants that I repot and maintain. These include: geraniums, gerbera daisies, and for the last 2 years, a lavender plants. I repotted the lavenders and within a month, it turned grey. It looked like there was mildew on it and then it died. I had them in a pot, but now have switched one of the plants to the ground. Is this an impossible feat? Does my lavender plant have any hope?
Answer:
Lavender must have a growing medium that is very, very well drained. I suspect that yours has succumbed as a result of saturated roots. My recommendation would be to concentrate on those plants that do well for you and forego the lavender.

Question:
My sago palms are brown and look dead. Will they come back and when should I cut them back?
Answer:
You will not know if they will come back next spring until new fronds emerge from the center. All of the brown fronds can be cut off at any time as they will never be green again.

Question:
I want to replace my damaged Bermuda grass lawn with St Augustine grass. I’m concerned that the St Augustine grass might not work because I have no shade in my yard. I’m having a sprinkler system installed and watering will not be an issue, but I am worried about the sun. Should I just work on my current Bermuda grass lawn which was once very nice before the drought or plant St. Augustine grass as an option?
Answer:
There is no problem with sunshine harming St. Augustine grass. In fact, it does best in full sun conditions when it gets sufficient moisture, especially the Flora-tam selection. It’s the moisture requirement that prohibits us from recommending that it be used in the full sun. My recommendation would be that you rehabilitate your Bermuda grass as its moisture requirement for survival is much less than the St. Augustine grass.

Question:
I have a Buffalo grass lawn. What is the best fertilizer for Buffalo grass and how often should I fertilize?
Answer:
Buffalo grass does not need fertilization, but it will respond to a light application of nitrogen. Nitrogen fertilization should not exceed two lbs. of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. per year. If there is any Bermuda grass in your vicinity, avoid any nitrogen fertilization, as it will only encourage the Bermuda grass to take over. There is no way to eradicate Bermuda grass in a Buffalo grass lawn.

 

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