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by Rett Davis | |
Gardening Q&A by Rett Davis appears in
Alamance County's daily newspaper, The Times-News,
every Sunday in the Accent section. Each week's installment is
posted to this
website, beginning with January of this year. Scroll to the bottom of
this page to navigate to other Gardening Q&As. Please contact
Rett via e-mail with questions
or
comments in regard to this column.
Question:
I have moved into a home with several larger clumps or pampas
grass. They are quite tall and unruly. I have been told you can prune
this plant or burn it. When and how is this done?
Answer:
Pampas grass and other ornamental grasses should be pruned
annually. January and February are the preferred months. They need to
be pruned back as close to the ground as feasible before new growth
emerges in early March. Older pampas grass often requires the use of a
chains to complete this task. They are just too difficult to prune with
hedge trimmers or string trimmers. Pruning as low as 1 to 2 feet from
the ground is your goal for pampas grass. Despite what seems to be such
a drastic act, the pampas grass will grow with vigor in the spring and
will still develop the showy seed heads. If you have never pruned
pampas grass before, then you may be unaware of how shape the edges are
on the leaf blades. Wear a pair of work gloves.
Question:
I have been told that if you are growing timber on your
property then you are exempt from paying property taxes. Is that true?
Answer:
If that is true, then I am going to convert my entire lawn and
landscape to a forest. Although I would find that highly desirable, it
would not get me out of paying either city or county property taxes.
What you are referring to is a program called 'deferred taxes'.
Landowners that have 20 acres or more of forest land can apply for
deferred tax use during the month of January. Application is made at
the Alamance County Tax office which is located in the Alamance County
Annex building on West Elm Street in Graham. To qualify for deferred
taxes you will be required to have a forest management plan in addition
to the acreage requirement. This plan spells out forest management
recommendations that may include; harvesting, thinning, stream
protection, and reforestation. Some forest stands may just need to be
left alone to allow for more growth before they reach a marketable
size. These plans are usually written by the N.C Forest Service
(376-3596) or a consultant forester. I have the names and phone numbers
of several that work our county. Without this plan you will not qualify
for deferred taxes. If you do not have a plan at time of application,
the county will give you a short grace period to obtain one. Landowners
are monitored to see if they are following the plan. You can be
disqualified for failure to follow the plan or if you convert the forest
to other uses. With disqualification comes a penalty and a bill for the
last 3 years of taxes figured on the normal evaluation. Deferred taxes
are a privilege and benefit bonafied forest landowners and farmers that
are trying to produce income and make a living from their property. It
protects these landowners from changes in land values around them as
land is converted to other uses.
Question:
I was listening to the Carolina Gardener radio show while in
Raleigh last Saturday. Several of the callers were talking about a
shrub called 'wintersweet'. What is this plant and does it grow here?
Answer:
I am not too familiar with this shrub and will publicly admit
it. I can't recall ever seeing it. However it is listed in my
'Landscape Plants of the Southeast text'. The author, Dr. Gordon
Halfacre, was one of my horticulture professors years ago. Wintersweet
according to Dr. Halfacre is valued for its fragrant flowers and
attractive fall color. It will grow 10-15 feet in height. Wintersweet
is deciduous and grows best in full sun to part shade in a well drained
soil. The flowers of wintersweet are yellow and very fragrant. This
plant blooms in January and February in our area. This might be worth
pursuing if you have an area large enough to grow it.
Workshop for Landscapers
A workshop on 'The Cost of Doing Business' will be held on Tuesday, February 11th in the Agriculture Building, 209 North Graham Hopedale Rd. in Burlington. An economist from N.C.State University will present a program on how to estimate your costs associated with various popular pieces of equipment used in lawn care and grounds maintenance. To register for this free workshop, call the Cooperative Extension Service at 570-6740. The workshop will be taught from 9 am until 11 am.
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If you have any horticultural questions, please direct them to Rett Davis