Question:
I’m looking for different kinds of flowering vines that grow here in the San Antonio area.
Answer:
There are quite of few of them in this area. Confederate Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), Butterfly Vine (Mascagnia macroptera), Coral Vine (Antigonon leptopus), Cross Vine (Bignonia capreolata), Pandora Vine (Pandorea jasminoides), Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans), and Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis paniculata).

Question:
When is the best time to trim back Red Tip Photinia?
Answer:
Because of their susceptibility to a leaf spot disease called Entomosporium, Red Tip Photinia should be pruned as little as possible. If you must trim them, do it in the early spring before they begin their new growth.

Question:
Is it good time to plant olive trees and how often do you water them?
Answer:
You can plant them now but it may be damaged by any severe freezing temperatures (if we have any). It must be planted in a well drained area. Water it thoroughly when planted and then do not water again until the soil in the original root ball feels dry to the touch about two inches deep. When the soil feels dry to the touch, repeat the watering process.

Question:
Is it okay to transplant a 10 year old sago palm that is in a large container into the ground during the fall in San Antonio
Answer:
You can go ahead and do that now. It will not get cold enough to damage the roots.

Question:
I had Hens-n-Chicks when I lived in Michigan. I am now a Texas resident and I am having trouble getting my Hens-n-Chicks to survive. Out of four plants, I have three left. They do not seem to be progressing. Do you have information on how to have a successful Hens-n-Chicks garden?
Answer:
Hens-n-Chicks (Sempervivum tectorum) must have well drained soil to prosper. If your soil does not drain very quickly (holds moisture) they will suffer root rot and die. You can grow them in containers or in raised beds.

Question:
I have seen some plumbago plants with real dark blue color. Is this from a fertilizer mixture or specific soil?
Answer:
Blue plumbago (Plumbago auriculata) will continue to bloom the color that it has when you purchase it. The dark blue one is a cultivar that has been developed and should be sold as Plumbago auriculata ‘Royal Cape’ or ‘Imperial.’

Question:
Is it necessary to plant two Satsuma trees together to pollinate and bear fruit? Also, will just one tree planted bear fruit?
Answer:
The Satsuma, as well as most citrus, has bi-sexual flowers. This means that both sexes are present in each flower making them self-fruitful. So, one tree is all that is needed for fruit production.

Question:
Is there an evergreen vine for full/filtered sun, in large planters, that does not attract bees that you can recommend? My wife has a bad fear of bees.
Answer:
Although, I think that your wife’s fear of bees is unfounded, I know that there is no convincing her. So basically, no bee means none or very few flowers. You might consider Asiatic Jasmine (Trachaelospermum asiaticum), English Ivy (Hedera helix), or Fig Ivy (Ficus pumila). Cross Vine (Bignonia capreolata) has a very short bloom period in the early spring, so this may be a possibility.

Question:
We had a lot of those doodle bugs this past summer. How can I get rid of them if they show up again?
Answer:
I think that you are referring to the antlion – the insect most commonly called ‘doodle bug.’ They are completely harmless and there is no need to get rid of them. They have the name antlion because of the trap that the larva builds to catch small crawling insects such as ants.

Question:
Can leaves be used as mulch?
Answer:
Yes, excellent source of organic matter. More gardeners prefer to use shredded leaves.

Question:
Can you use vegetable scrap for mulching?
Answer:
No, not as mulch. Could be added to compost bin; however, cover with about 12 inches depth of leaves or grass clippings.

Question:
Do you need to add extra nitrogen to compost for grass clippings?
Answer:
No, however, consider adding some dry material such as leaves straw or hay in a layering manner with fresh (green) grass clippings. Green grass clippings are high in nitrogen content.

Question:
Can you use pecan leaves for compost that have been infested with webworms?
Answer:
Yes. Compost temperatures in most instances are high enough to kill the worms. Put any identifiable worms or webs in middle of pile.

Question:
Can pine bark mulch from last year’s garden be worked into soil?
Answer:
Yes, excellent source of organic matter. However, a high nitrogen fertilizer, such as cottonseed meal, ammonium sulfate or a 19-5-9, 50% slow-release nitrogen analysis, should be added at the same time to prevent nitrogen deficiency in the soil.

Question:
Can you use newspapers for mulch and how do newspapers compare with other type of mulches?
Answer:
Yes. Three or more layers are needed. Paper must be kept moist to keep from blowing away. A shredded native hardwood mulch or cedar mulch is the most preferred type for Central and South Texas.

Question:
Can rabbit manure be used for fertilizer or should it be composted first?
Answer:
Yes, but should be composted first or at least one year old.

Question:
Last night temperatures went below 32º and this morning where I live it was 26º. As I looked in the back yard, I wanted to cry, my poor Hibiscus bushes, which I have quite a few, did not get covered up to shield them from the frost. Now as a result, they look withered. My question is will this kill my plants. What do I need to do, do I need to prune them back and if so how do I do it? Will they survive for the next season or will the roots be killed?.
Answer:
Only time will tell whether or not your tropical hibiscus were killed by the freezing temperatures. At this time, I recommend that you do nothing. Certainly the foliage was killed but you cannot tell how much of the wood has been killed. After a couple of weeks, scratch the bark until you find green wood and cut it back to that point. If you do not find any green wood, you can cut the plant(s) to the ground and hope that they come back next year. If you haven’t seen any new growth by May, you will need to replace them.

Question:
I have a Vitex plant that I have let grow as a tree rather than a bush. It is about four inches in diameter two feet off the ground and gives a great show every spring. I have pruned it pretty hard once per year and seem to be constantly cutting wild branches during the remainder of the growing season. I just read where we should be pruning after every flowing cycle and to the ground at winter time. I presume that I can leave the vitex like a tree and just prune back to say four or five or six major limbs. Is that ok? And assuming it is, should I prune back to those same limbs every blooming cycle to continue to get a good show or what? I can’t reach the tops to dead head. The tree is 15′ tall or so.
Answer:
What you describe is ‘topping’ and this is not a good pruning practice. The recommendation to prune back to the ground each year is specifically to allow the plant to grow as a multi-trunk shrub that remains short enough for the spent blossoms to be kept clipped off to promote more blossoms. My recommendation is that you let the plant grow naturally and only prune as necessary to eliminate dead wood, crossing branches or limbs that upset any symmetry, especially know with its mature size.

Question:
When is the best time to prune Esperanza tree and how much, if it is really big?
Answer:
You should wait until about mid-February and then cut it back to the ground. It may, or may not, have frozen by then but cutting it back to the ground will help keep it from getting so tall and leggy.

Question:
I have a question about my Red Oak tree. This summer, when we were in the worst drought I can remember since the drought of the mid 50s, my Red Oak tree (about 6 years old, 4 inch diameter) suffered because we were restricted from watering grass, plants, shrubs and trees by our water supplier. The leaves turned brown starting on the edges and worked toward the trunk. About 1/2 of the leaf is brown, the remainder of the leaf is still green in the very center of the leaf. What would be your thoughts as to the condition of the tree?
Answer:
The tree was obviously stressed and damaged by the drought. However, since it has held its leaves and they are partially green, there is hope for its recovery. Now that the rains have come it should spend the winter re-growing roots that were damaged and hopefully will leaf out next spring as normal.