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Gardening News & Articles |
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washingtonpost.com - Scott Aker: Digging In
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At the Roots, Finding Room to Grow
Q I have a mature red maple tree, and I want to landscape beneath it with azaleas and spring bulbs. The soil has not been improved for years, and the tree has a shallow root system. How can I improve the soil without damaging the tree? Is it all right to rototill the ground?
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Prevent Blight at the Beginning
Q: My tomato plants have been afflicted this summer with a fungus or wilt. Does the soil retain these diseases year to year or were the problems caused by this season's rain and humidity?
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Finding a Dogged Dogwood
Q We live on a three-acre wooded lot that used to have a beautiful lower canopy of dogwood trees that have died off over the years. Are there any new varieties that are resistant to the disease that has been killing them? Many of our red oaks are in decline as well. Is there anything we can do to reverse that?
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Stopping Mint in Its Tracks
Q I have an herb bed that is being overrun by mint. What was one small plant now occupies a third of the bed. My husband has threatened to kill it with an herbicide; I want to beat it back without harming the butterfly bush, azaleas and herbs it has surrounded. Can this be done?
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When Transplants Are Tricky
Q I have two indoor plants, a schefflera and a ficus, which are about 17 feet tall. They both started out 20 years ago as typical supermarket plants. I have transplanted them a couple of times into large pots, the last time about 10 years ago. They are now so large and heavy that there is no way I can move them into larger pots. The schefflera seems to be doing okay, but the ficus is kind of sparse. My guess is that it is totally rootbound. Is there some course of care I could follow short of transplantation that would maintain their health and extend their lives?
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Got Leaf Gall? No Need to Fear.
Q We have a 74-year-old ash tree that is beautiful, but in recent years I have noticed blemishes on the leaves. A county extension agent diagnosed leaf gall, which was confirmed by an arborist. He said that last year's drought may have increased stress on the tree but that it is not dying. I am still concerned and wonder if you could recommend some corrective tips.
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If You Don't Dig Pokeweed . . .
Q How do I eradicate my unintentional pokeweed plantation? Please do not tell me to dig it up, as the roots are the size of a shoebox buried on end. Will glyphosate do the job, or do I have to ask a nuclear plant if they have any slag waste that they don't need?
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When Too Much Is a Bad Thing
Q Every year my tomato plants grow and produce nice-size tomatoes. However, before they completely ripen, they turn black on the bottom. What could cause this? Am I watering them too much? Too little?
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Stop Creeper From Creeping
Q: I have a garden of roses, lilies, peonies, etc. that is overrun by Virginia creeper. Due to the thorns on the roses, it has been impossible to dig out the creeper. Is there a spray that would kill just the creeper, or should I plow up the whole garden?
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Lilac Trees Shine in the Sun
Q My lilac tree, planted two years ago, has yet to blossom. It is about four feet high and very healthy, and though it seems to get full sun for a fair bit of the day, it is planted under large tulip poplars. Should I be patient and wait for the lilac to mature further, or do you suggest moving it to a sunnier position -- and if so, when is the best time to do that?
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Gardening News & Articles