Question
Last fall I transplanted an azalea into a new garden bed. Unfortunately, I believe that the deer in the area have eaten all the leaves off of this azalea as well as another. If I transplant the azaleas back closer to my house again will the leaves grow back and will it flower again next spring or do you think it is dead now?
Thank you for any advice. Lorraine

Answer
After being grazed azaleas will often shoot back from leaf joints so all may not be lost. You cannot move the plants until next fall; replanting now would almost certainly result in the loss of the plants. The newly disturbed roots would be unable too cope with the high water requirements in summer.

Question
Hi, I hope that you can help me. I am looking for recommendations for a formal, evergreen, narrow leaf hedge that will be planted alongside and intertwined in about 104 feet of discoloured chain link fencing. This fence surrounds our swimming pool area so I wish to minimize any flowers that would attract bees or other stinging insects. I wish to retain the fence for safety reasons and do not wish to replace the fence with nicer fencing due to the costs.

Additionally, I like the idea of the hedge creating a room within our backyard. The height of the fence is 4 feet. I have been told that boxwood would be great but is too slow growing. And, hollies and barberries have thorns that might be unpleasant for anyone brushing up against the hedge. Of course, because the fence area is so large, I am also concerned about the costs of the plants. The location is an eastern exposure, full sun with dappled shade along the outer ends of the fence, and in Zone 6, central PA. If my idea is flawed or if there are other ideas, please let me know. Thanks, DS

Answer
I would recommend Cherry laurel, Prunus laurocerasus. This makes a dense evergreen hedge and is easily trimmed to any height. There is a white flower in April but this has a low food value so is of little interest to insects.

There is also a dwarf variety called Otto Luykin. This stays small, about four feet, but has a very sweet flower in April. There is also a variegated variety called Aucuba japonica. This is evergreen with golden variegations and will grow in very difficult situations. Laurel does not have thorns.

Question
My mom's tomato plants turn yellow. Lack of Nitrogen is probably the cause, from watering wrong. Can't get her to change the way she waters. Can you recommend a fertilizer that will help? Bob

Answer
Tomato plants turn yellow.
This is more likely to be tobacco mosaic virus; TMV. This stays in the soil from year to year and you must always plant your tomatoes in fresh soil. If it were to be nitrogen shortage, this could be caused by trace element deficiency. A handful of Epsom salts will correct trace element deficiencies and enable the plant to absorb the nitrogen.

Question
I have always added pelletized gypsum to the bottom of the holes dug for roses to break up the clay. Can I dig this gypsum in around established bushes and expect it to sink down to the clay?

Answer
The gypsum coagulates the clay by chemical action; digging in the pelletised gypsum around the plants will just take a little longer.

Question
My mother recently gave me two clematis starters, but the roots look dead to me I was wondering if this is normal or did she get some bad plants?

Answer
Most late flowering clematis shoot anew from apparently dead wood, so time should show if they are alive.

Question
Can moss growing up a tree hurt the trees growth? I like moss anywhere and everywhere.... quite frankly... but will the growth hurt the tree?
Thank you very much! Kate

Answer
Due to the fall in atmospheric pollution over the last few years mosses and lichens are enjoying a revival. It is usual for moss to grow on trees on the opposite side to the sunlight, and it is only on diseased or dying trees that the moss takes full hold. So not really a lot to worry about

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Question
Ivy has invaded my mixed golden and common conifer hedge. How can I eradicate it without affecting the hedge please?
Jim

Answer
There are herbicides on the market, which claim to kill ivy, but due to the waxy nature of the ivy leaf these sprays are only marginally effective and could damage your conifers. The only sure way is to cut off the ivy at ground level and then keep digging out the roots, which are very shallow.

Question
Prunus cerasifera Nigra. Could you please help me? I have two of the above trees planted approx 7ft from my property, they measure trunk about 3inches in diameter and about 8ft tall. I am worried Could they cause any damage to my foundations.
Thanks in anticipation, Wal.

Answer
Prunus cerasifera Nigra are often used as hedging and kept trimmed, are easily managed, however a mature specimen left to its own devises can reach 30 ft in height. A specimen of this size could have a root spread of 15 feet from the trunk in any direction. You could heavily trim your examples in order to keep to a manageable size. Best trimmed after flowering is over.

Question
Good Morning, the bottom leaves of my phlox are turning yellow and I don't know why. We've had an unusual hot spell for April, temperatures in the 80's with no rain, the phlox (not usually prone to any mildew) are approximately 18" high--I've never seen the leaves turn yellow so early. Do you have any advice?
Thank you, Kathleen

Answer
In times of high stress plants often sacrifice their lower leaves in order to survive. There will probably be re-growth from the leaf joints when conditions are more favourable.

Question
I want to grow bell peppers this year, in my area all growers planted their seed about 30-40 days ago but I want to plant my seed now, if I plant my seed in a greenhouse with heater and fluorescent light, how many days will I be different with other growers to harvest. If there is any difference, how many hours of light each day is best and what type of fluorescent will I need?
With best regards, Farhad.

Answer
It is probably too late to start seeds under lights. I would advise you to buy part grown plants from your local garden outlet. These will be of the right age. Go to the young plants section. Also sold as plug plants.

Question
I am looking for advice as to what would be the best type of ivy to grow around a baseball field. The fence is app 30ft high and I am looking for something that will be hardy and provide good coverage.
Thank you in advance

Answer
I would consider the Boston ivy, also known as Japanese creeper. The plant has glossy dark green leaves in summer, which turn to red and scarlet in fall. For climbing there are short tendrils with terminal adhesive disks. There are bluish black berries in the fall. Boston ivy will easily reach 30 ft in height. The plant is reckoned to be hardy down to zone 4, the leaves fall in winter.

Question
We live in Mechanicsville Virginia and would like to know what to fertilize Carolina jasmine with and when. Any information would be appreciated.

Answer
Carolina Jasmine should be fertilised in January to feed the flower buds. It is usually recommended that you only feed the once. Use a 10 10 10 fertiliser, e.g. equal proportions of nitrogen phosphates and potash.

Question
I was hoping you could help me. My husband and I just recently bought a house with a beautiful weeping willow in the backyard. He got up and pruned it last October. It seems to be quite an old trees it about 45 feet high. Now it's April and the tree seems not to be budding at all. We fear it may be dead. My husband spotted some breakage in the bark on the lower trunk. Is there anything we can do to save it?
Michelle

Answer
Weeping Willow.
Weeping willows do tend to have periods of setback when stressed for any reason, a dry period for example, it may well still be alive. Weeping willows need lots of water. Spread a bale of garden peat around the base of the tree. Then wet this peat with at least one bucket of water every day all summer. If the tree is still alive it should shoot anew all over, new shoots coming out of the bark.

Question
I have several holly bushes and the leaves on one have brown spots on them. Another one has also lost a lot of its leaves over the winter. Is there anything I should be doing for those brown spots? What caused the leaf drop? All of the bushes are several years old and were very healthy as of the fall. The females had loads of berries. Thanks for your help.

Answer
I would say that your holly have run out of food in the soil around them. Spray with a copper based fungicide or blight spray for the brown spot; spread some garden peat around the base of the bushes to improve the soil quality and feed with an acid fertiliser.

Question
Will a lemon, orange and tangerine tree crossbreed? I don't want to plant them too close together. I also have another question about an apple tree. Will an apple tree grow in Florida if you provide it with the proper soil? I hope to hear from you soon.
Thank you, Lori

Answer
Yes, lemon, orange and tangerine trees will cross fertilise, but on very rare occasions. Even then only the one fruit will be affected, it will make no difference to the actual trees.

Apples, you need a low chill apple for Florida apple growing. To form a viable flower bud a normal apple needs a period of frost in the dormant period. The low chill varieties will make do with a temp just close to freezing. Low chill apples were developed in Israel. Anna; and Dorset Golden; are the preferred varieties.

Question
Thank you for getting back to me over our weeping willow. We DO live in a pretty boggy wetland, and there always seems to be a surplus of water at the base of the tree. I don't think that lack of moisture is the problem. You said that they do suffer periods of setback when stressed for any reason. My husband did trim it last October would this maybe have caused it stress? The bark on the main trunk is cracked and pulled away from the base in multiple spots. It's now close to the end of April and does not seem to be budding except for a little bit at the very top of the tree. All of the other weeping willow trees in our area are budding and looking very yellow and well on their way. Another thing is, and I don't know if this would have much significance but when I was cutting the grass around the tree last summer, my lawn mower blade hit the roots pretty hard. Would this have any significance? HELP

Answer
Weeping willow can be affected by Watermark disease; and Honey fungus; both are pretty devastating diseases. Both are bacterial diseases and very difficult to control. Both are rare. Honey fungus rots the tree under the bark; it is carried by elder trees, which do not suffer from it. Watermark disease goes through the centre of the trunk, not as serious as honey fungus but spoils the wood for commercial use. Your local university agricultural/horticultural extension department would also be able to advise you. Your mower will have suffered more than the tree.

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