Question:
Can you recommend a fast growing, tall palm tree with skinny trunk? How does the Mexican Fan palm do in South Texas?
Answer:
The one I feel most comfortable with is the California Fan palm (Washingtonia filifera). It is colder hardy than the Mexican Fan palm, the Washingtonia robusta.

Question:
In real sandy soil is there ever a problem with root rot? I do not think so. You can wash the nutrients out of the soil but that’s about it, right?
Answer:
While we associate some plant root rot with excessive moisture in soils that do not drain well, it doesn’t mean that there cannot be root rots in sandy soil. Root rot have a fungal disease associated with them and where that fungus exists there is the possibility of root rot. For instance, cotton root rot is more associated with the high pH of the soil and the heat. So you cannot make that blanket statement.

Question:
I know that pruning is an important part of maintaining plant health, but I’m trying to understand why it causes the plant to bloom more. Is there a simple explanation?
Answer:
Some perennial plants bloom on new wood. Pruning of these plants stimulates the growth of new wood resulting in more blossoms. On some annual plants, by keeping the spent blossoms trimmed off before they set seed, more blossoms can be stimulated.

Question:
Is it true that phosphate is bound up and not available for plant use in black clay soils? If so, is it beneficial to add powdered rock phosphate to the soil?
Answer:
Phosphate availability is dependent upon the soil pH. Probably the only time you would need to apply phosphorus would be when setting out transplants into cool or cold soil. You could use rock phosphate powder on the bottom of the hole in direct contact of the plants root system.

Question:
Last spring, I moved into my new house and the turfgrass of choice was Bermuda. I have some type of weed grass popping up all over, especially in areas most damaged by the summer. These are thin-bladed, very green weeds that grow in very small clumps. What should I do to get rid of these and when?
Answer:
I’m pretty sure that this is annual bluegrass (Poa annua) which is a cool season annual and will die out with the heat of the summer. I recommend that you just mow it and let it die with the heat. Then to prevent it next year, you should apply a pre-emergent such as Amaze or XL in early September through mid-October.

Question:
We have irises, elephant ears and canna lilies in the ground. Do I need to take the bulbs/corms out the ground and store them in peat moss here in Texas?
Answer:
These are all winter hardy plants in our area of Texas. You can leave them in the ground.

Question:
When and how should I prune my Red Tip photinias? They are about 7-8 feet tall and I would like to bring them down to about 6 feet with an hour glass shape?
Answer:
You can prune them now before they start putting on new growth. However, Red Tip photinias are highly susceptible to a fungal disease called Entomosporium leaf spot which, once it is in the plant, will kill them. The pruning will promote a lot of new growth and heighten the probability that the plant will get infected. If you do prune them, you should cut the tallest branches all the way back to the branch or trunk from which it emerges.

Question:
The limbs on my Live oak trees have knots. These knots have small worm holes or that’s what they look like. Is the tree dying or is there something that can be done?
Answer:
While I cannot be sure from your description, I think that what your tree has are galls. These abnormal growths are formed when a small wasp-like insect lays an egg in the bark of the tree at the same time leaving material that causes the gall (knot) to begin to grow to form protection around the egg. When the egg hatches, it eats its way out of the gall leaving the hole in it. Galls are not considered to be life threatening to the plant, it causes mainly aesthetic damage.

Question:
I have a 9 year old fruit bearing pear tree. The center limb is 20+ feet high. Can this limb be cut back to the main trunk without harming the tree?
Answer:
Yes, you can do that. However, when you do this, the tree will put on strong compensatory shoots at the cut back point this spring. So be sure to rub those off when they form.

Question:
What is the difference between Confederate, Star, and Madison jasmines?
Answer:
Confederate and Star are just different names for the same plant (Trachelospermum jasminoides) and Madison is a variety or selection of the same plant that is, according to Monrovia wholesaler, “A slightly colder hardy form of the popular vining or spreading vine.” The plant is not a true jasmine.

Question:
Last winter we had a freeze and our oleander which had been tall and bushy, lost a lot of branches. We trimmed them off, but with the drought, we thought we should provide more water to it. My husband put several drip lines at the roots and it seemed okay. Now, more of the branches are getting brown leaves. Would we be better off removing the drip lines? I have read conflicting articles, some say it doesn’t need much water and others say it does.
Answer:
Oleanders, if not in well-drained soil, can be overwatered causing root rot and partial or total death. I am not saying that this is the case with yours because I do not have sufficient information to do that. I recommend that you wait for spring growth to ascertain what wood is dead and remove, by pruning, that wood. In the meantime, I would discontinue watering.

Question:
I want to plant plumbago along a 6 foot high chain link fence to provide privacy. Will it grow that high? Also, since I want it for privacy, I don’t want to have to cut it back in the winter. Can I leave it as a hedge and just trim it along the fence to keep it out of the driveway? Will it last year after year this way?
Answer:
Plumbago will not reach 6 feet and if you do not periodically cut it back to the ground, it will get sparse and leggy. I recommend you consider something like Sandankwa Viburnum (Viburnum suspensum). It will get about 6 feet high and 4 feet around. Since it is an evergreen, it will not need pruning unless it encroaches on the driveway. It also can be sheared into a hedge should you so desire.

Question:
I have read your information on Primrose jasmine and know that I need to prune it after the spring bloom, but my bushes are really large due to over planting and I don’t know whether to cut the lowest limbs severely, the top limbs, or if all should be heavily cut. I would appreciate your help.
Answer:
First, I assume that you have planted a hedge of them. Due to their rampant growth and proclivity to root when a limb touches the ground, I recommend that you remove every other one of them entirely and let them grow to their natural mature size. If not, you will be forever fighting them and they will win. If you insist on pruning them, you should hedge them back over their entire surface.

Question:
What is the safest way to transplant a very old pomegranate tree? It stands about 10 feet tall and needs pruning. Its base has several stems about two or three inches in diameter and the tree needs to be moved over about 18 inches where it’s currently in the way of a new driveway and I don’t want to lose it.
Answer:
I don’t know if it is possible for you to do it or not. I would recommend that you do one of two things; either replaces it with another container grown plant (as it is quite rapid in its growth) or contact a tree service company that can move it using a ‘spade,’ a mechanical device that is designed to move large trees/plants.

Question:
Is there something else we can use besides compost for our yard? My husband is in ill health and can’t spread it this year. Is there something that I can spray?
Answer:
The addition of a compost lawn dressing is not required annually. Your lawn should be just fine if you fertilize it about mid-April with a good granular lawn fertilizer.

Question:
What kind of shrubs should I get for the San Antonio area? I prefer plants which have a lot of color, plants that come back every year, which grow no more than three feet high. Also, they would receive partial shade but would receive afternoon sun. I would prefer inexpensive shrubs with plant colors of yellow, red or purple.
Answer:
See the list of recommended dwarf shrubs for the San Antonio area at http://www.plantanswers.com/publications/southcnt.html. Also you might consider some of these perennials, Blue Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata), Copper Canyon Daisy (Tagetes lemonii), Hummingbird Bush (Anisacanthus wrightii), Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis fruticosa), Lantana (Lantana spp), Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii), Rock Rose (Pavonia lasiopetala), and the newest Pink Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus drummondii).

Question:
I have two Oak trees that overlap in two distinct places, approximately half way to the top and they rub severely against each other when the wind blows. Is there a way to separate them without removing one tree?
Answer:
How old are the trees and how close are they together? I surmise that they are quite young and still limber. Even if you pruned out the offending limbs that are now rubbing together, these two trees will continue to expand their canopies into each other. There are many oak trees that do so and the trees co-habit quite nicely.