Question:
My bougainvilleas are old but still bloom well. Since it is spring, is it possible to change the soil, to freshen them up without killing the plant?
Answer:
I would not recommend that. Bougainvilleas do not like to have their roots disturbed. You can re-pot it into a larger container taking care to keep the root ball intact. Also you should cut the long branches back to about 18 inches to stimulate new growth and more bracts and blossoms.

Question:
I am looking for an edible fruit or nut tree for my back yard. I live outside Loop 1604 in the northeast. I have tried a Satsuma but it has never taken off.
Answer:
You might consider a fig tree such as Texas Everbearing, Brown Turkey, Alma or Celeste. They seem to do well in challenging situations without much maintenance.

Question:
What do you recommend as the best pink border plants for full sun in our area? I want something that will bloom from early spring till fall. In the back of the bed are Echinacea; then blue sage in front of that; then mixed zinnias; then bachelor buttons; then poppies. What do you recommend in front that is pink?
Answer:
I recommend the pink flowered, bronze leaf wax begonia from the Cocktail Series. While these have been typically used in shady locations, when started early enough to get established before the intense heat of summer, they can do equally well in full sun.

Question:
I live in a two story house and have a big problem with wasp. They are all over. I have tried sprays (which I don’t like to use) and they are back the next day in a new location. They build under the eves and fly towards us when we get close to the house.
Answer:
The best solution to the wasp situation is to accept peaceful co-existence. If the nests are under the eaves of a two story house, you are not going to have any problem of disturbing the nest and the wasps will just ignore you. You should know (remember) that each of the cells in that paper-mâché nest is filled with spiders and other insects as food for the larvae when they hatch.

Question:
I planted two wisteria plants 5 or 6 years ago and neither has ever bloomed. As I drive around town, I see neighbor’s wisteria in full bloom; while mine is just pushing out a few leaves. I’ve tried to be patient figuring it would take a few years, but I’m beginning to think I got a “dud.” Any suggestions?
Answer:
There are several reasons for a wisteria not to bloom: it hasn’t reached blooming maturity yet; it’s getting too much shade; it has been pruned improperly (if pruned in winter – early spring, the bloom buds will be cut off; or it has too much of a high nitrogen fertilizer causing vegetative growth at expense of blossoms. I don’t know if any of these apply to your plant.

Question:
I recently was given some seeds from a Mt. Laurel tree. I want to plant them but I’m not quite sure what to do. Please help. I really love the tree & would be so proud to have one that I grew on my own.
Answer:
Mt. Laurel seeds are difficult to germinate because of the very hard seed coat. Their seeds are similar to bluebonnets in that it may take them 5 years or more to germinate naturally. You can help this along by scarifying the seed coat with a file or sand paper enough to barely break through it so that moisture can get into the seed and cause it to germinate.

Question:
When is the correct time to plant caladium bulbs? Is it too soon to do it now?
Answer:
I recommend that you wait until about the 15th of April. That way the ground will be sufficiently warm for them.

Question:
Can I use the leaves of the Mexican Bush Sage as a spice?
Answer:
I find nothing to indicate that the Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha) has any culinary uses. However, neither do I find anything to indicate that it is toxic. So I guess the choice is yours. As for me, I wouldn’t use it, but try garden sage.

Question:
I am getting ready to completely till my whole yard, spread some dirt and plant pallets of grass (basically redo my whole yard). While pulling weeds this weekend, I noticed I have grubs. Should I treat them before or after I till and what is the best product to use to kill the grubs?
Answer:
You should treat for the grubs two weeks after the last of the June bugs (beetles) disappear between June and early July. However this year, the June bugs seem to be much earlier then normal. Any one of the products sold in nursery/garden centers for grubs will work fine. Just ask your favorite Texas Certified Nursery Professional for one. This year the application of pesticides might be a month early due to their appearance.

Question:
How much potting soil will it take to fill a 10″ hanging basket? They will have nine plants per basket. I plan on starting the flowers by seed then transferring them to the basket.
Answer:
Certainly all 10″ hanging baskets are not the same volume, but I think that a good estimate would be one gallon or four quarts. I would think that nine are a bit much for a 10″ pot. I would recommend five plants at most.

Question:
I have a small area in full sun with very sandy soil. Which grass (Bermuda, Zoysia, etc.) with low water requirements is best suited for these conditions? How do I prepare the soil for planting and when is the best time to plant?
Answer:
I recommend one of the Bermuda grasses. First, I would incorporate into the sandy soil a generous amount of compost. Four inches tilled into the top eight inches of soil would be good. Then you can either establish the turf with sod or seed. Certainly the seed would be less expensive. However, you would need to wait until about mid April to sow the seed as it needs very warm soil to germinate. You will have to water it daily to get it up and growing but once established, it will be as low water as any of the turf grasses, needing about an inch of moisture per week to keep it at its best but will get by on much less.

Question:
Recently, I was digging a planting hole and down about four inches, I found what looked like a grub worm. This thing was huge in size, about two-to-three inches long. I have been gardening about 20 years and I have never seen such a large grub worm. Are these grub worms hurting my plants and if so, do I need to treat them with something?
Answer:
This grub worm most likely was the larva of the Rhinoceros Beetle. It is commonly located in compost piles or areas where there is an abundance of organic material. It is not harmful in any way. However, it makes good fishing bait especially for large catfish.

Question:
I’m looking for suggestions on three-to-four feet high flowering shrubs that I could plant against the back of my house which receives mostly full sun. Any suggestions?
Answer:
You might consider Rosemary, Blue Plumbago, Mexican Oregano or Dwarf Abelia. Japanese Boxwood or Dwarf Burford Holly are also good but would need to be pruned to keep them below four feet.

Question:
I just read on a web site that Plumbago plants are toxic. I can find only that one reference to them being toxic, and would like to know if there is any truth in it. I bought one to plant in a pot on my patio, and my cats love to sit in the sun on the patio. The cats also tend to run taste tests on the plants I have out there. I am now concerned about adding the Plumbago plant.
Answer:
Many plants have some toxic qualities but few seem to be of concern to pets or humans. I feel sure that you have some of them in your garden or on your patio. The Blue Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata) is toxic but mainly as a skin irritant. I, and most of my neighbors, have plumbagos in our yards and it surely hasn’t adversely affected the cats that come into my yard. Certainly the decision is yours as to whether or not you expose your cats to this plant.