Question:
I have about 60 spider lilies that went from 3 feet tall to wilted salad after last weeks freeze. This also happened to my Yellow Bells, Datura and Firebush plants. What to do? Should I prune them or just leave the wilted specimens? Will they come back in spring and if so, do I do my usual pruning?
Answer:
Since there are several plants that are commonly called spider lilies, I cannot be sure of their survival. However, I think that the prospect is good that they will. If the foliage is black and mushy, you can cut it back to the ground at this time. I feel sure that the other plants have frozen to the ground so you can do the same with them or you can wait until up to mid February to cut them back.

Question:
The freeze that just occurred apparently killed many of the young branches of my lemon tree. Should I clip off those branches that seem to be affected or should I just leave them alone?
Answer:
Leave the lemon pruning until it starts to put out new growth next spring and then cut out all of the dead material. Also, be sure to continue protecting it when more freezing weather is forecast.

Question:
My Sam Houston peach tree just died. I would like to plant another one but a late freeze frequently damages the blooms. What suggestion do you have for a replacement tree or perhaps I need two trees. I have the room.
Answer:
Consider planting June Gold peach for early ripening (late May) or a La Feliciana, which ripens in late June.

Question:
How long does a plumbago live?
Answer:
I cannot give you a definitive answer. Blue Plumbago, Plumbago auriculata, typically freezes to the ground in this area and returns in the spring. The plant should live for many years. However, it tends to get sparse and leggy in areas where it does not freeze back to the ground each winter. The plumbago will look much better if it is cut back to the ground in late February before it commences putting on new growth.

Question:
Is mulching leaves with a mower and leaving the remains on my St. Augustine lawn harmful? Bagging leaves and shredding for compost is no longer an option.
Answer:
No it is not harmful, as long as you go over the fallen leaves frequently with the mower and do not let them build up. The finer you chop up the leaves, the quicker they will decompose and return their nutrients to the soil.

Question:
My daughter gave me a small poinsettia plant and I had asked a plant center here in town how to take care of it. They said, “To plant it in medium soil”. What I need to know is just exactly what medium soil is? I’m hoping to save it but didn’t know what type of soil that was.
Answer:
When planting poinsettias in a container, you can use any premium potting mix such as MiracleGro. If you are considering planting it outside, this can be done in any well drained soil but you need to remember that it will have to be protected from any frost or freezing temperatures.

Question:
We have had some extensive landscaping (hardscape mostly) done with the addition of a pool and circular driveway. We have areas around where we have had to fill with soil to bring up to the level of the surface. We want to put down Bermuda sod on top, but this has taken much longer than expected and we are now in winter. Can we still plant sod on the soil with a reasonable chance for it to “take”?
Answer:
My recommendation would be not to sod Bermudagrass at this time. While there is a chance that we will not have any more sub freezing temperatures, there is an equal or better chance that we will. Since the entire root system of the sod is in that small layer of soil that comes with it, any severe freeze is likely to kill those roots. I would sow annual rye grass to hold the soil through the winter. This rye grass will die with the heat of next summer or you can kill it earlier with a herbicide such as RoundUp and then lay your sod at that time. Or you can just wait until the danger of freezing temperatures is past to do your soil addition and sod planting.

Question:
I have two Ixora plants located in a front window of my house that were doing beautifully. Then we had temperatures below 31 degrees for a few hours. Several days later, all of the leaves started to come off and now the plants are totally denuded. Did the cold get to them and will they recover? Also, how long will this take and when will the leaves start to return? Should I just take them out and put something else in?
Answer:
Ixora’s are tender tropical plants which can not tolerate any freezing temperatures. I am sure that yours have frozen to the ground and simply may or may not come back from their roots next spring. Only time will tell. I recommend that you cut them to the ground in mid February. If they are going to come back, you should see new growth appearing around mid April.

Question:
Is Confederate jasmine, Trachelospermum jasminoides, a risk to backyard pets, and if so, what comparable alternative is there to covering 100 feet of surrounding fence with a pretty fragrant vine?
Answer:
Confederate jasmine has a low toxicity and may cause problems if eaten in quantity. However, I doubt that it would appeal to pets as it produces white latex like sap when clipped or broken. I would not be concerned.

Question:
When is the best time to prune or transplant tangerine crossvine? Our new home has crossvine on the fence and they did not bloom much last spring. I think the Crossvine needs to be cutback or even placed in a more sunny location.
Answer:
The cutback should be done in late January or early February. It will bloom best in full sun.

Question:
What is the best book you know of about Xeriscaping in South Texas?
Answer:
The best book that I know of is published and sold by the Bexar County Master Gardeners. It’s a how-to guide to converting a traditional landscape using a xeriscape approach is the best. While it does not have color photos, you can always find photos using the Advanced Google Image Search at http://images.google.com/advanced_image_search?hl=en. You can obtain a booklet for less than $5.00. Contact the Master Gardeners Hotline at 210 467-6575.

Question:
Does the old mulch in flower beds have to be removed each spring before adding new mulch?
Answer:
No, the old mulch does not need to be removed unless you want to plant flower seed. Over time the mulch will decompose and you just replenish it by adding more.