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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 not pruned my grape vines yet. I have been told it is
too late and if I prune them now they will bleed to death. What should
I do?
Answer:
You need to go ahead and prune. It is not going to hurt a
grape vine to 'bleed'. The sap that flows from the pruning cut is
primarily water and actually cleanses the wound. It will stop in a few
days as the wound seals. You may get wet while pruning, especially if
the vines are in an overhead arbor. But rest assured the vine will do
just fine.
Question:
This past weekend I bought grass seed, fertilizer with
crabgrass preventer, and lime. I am determined to have a better looking
lawn this year. Can I put everything down at the same time or is there
an order to follow?
Answer:
You are in for trouble. The fertilizer with crabgrass
preventer will stop your new grass seed from germinating in addition to
stopping the crabgrass seed. Take the fertilizer back to the store and
get one without the preventer in it. The only crabgrass preventer that
can be used at seeding is Tupersan and it is rarely mixed with
fertilizer. Other than that you can fertilize, lime, and seed all in
the same day. Contrary to popular belief, lime and fertilizer do not
neutralize each other. Personally I would not fertilize until my new
grass germinated. That allows the new grass and older grass to receive
fertilizer at the same time and grow together.
Question:
I did not prune my roses in February because it was so cold.
Now I have noticed they have already budded out. What should I do?
Answer:
Go ahead and prune. It will not hurt the plants. Prune your
hybrid tea roses to within 2 feet of the ground. Remove any dead or
damaged canes to ground level. Hopefully you can find 2-3 good strong
and healthy canes to leave. Make your pruning cuts just above a bud
that is positioned on the outside of the cane. That will direct growth
away from the center of the plant. Remove last year's mulch and replace
with pine needles or pine bark. Add a cup of lime to each plant before
applying the new mulch.
Question:
My back yard is a mess. I have had 3 trees removed and I have
gone from a shady yard with moss to full sun. There are roots
everywhere, tire ruts, and sink holes where water stands. I really
don't know what to do. I have several people give me contradictory
information. I need help!
Answer:
I will shoot straight with you since this is going to be an
expensive project beyond the do-it-yourself range. You have 50/50%
chance of spring planted fescue surving the heat and dryness of summer.
Without irrigation, it is an expensive form of gambling. You have the
next 4 months to locate a landscape contractor that can straighten this
mess out. Topsoil will have to be brought in to fill the holes and
level the soil. The drainage can be improved by proper grading. If
not, French drains may have to be installed to carry excess water away.
Roots may also have to be removed. All this must be done before the
first seed is sown. Your goal is to have this all done by early
September. Finally you can put down the necessary fertilizer, lime,
seed, and straw sometime between September and mid October. Don't
forget to get a soil test this summer to take some of the guess work out
of this project. Get someone lined up in the next month or so. You are
not the only one dealing with this kind of problem.
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
Lawn Care for homeowners will be taught this coming Monday night, April 7th, at 7 pm in the Agricultural Building, 209 North Graham Hopedale Road in Burlington. Learn about fertilizers, seed varieties, and weed control. For more information about this free workshop contact the Cooperative Extension Service at 570-6740.
Timber Buyers knocking at your door or sending you letters in the mail. If you want to learn more about how to sell timber in order to maximize your income and reduce your tax liability, then your are invited to attend our free workshop on April 7th at both 2 pm or at 7 pm. You can choose either one by calling and registering at the Cooperative Extension Service, 570-6740. Both workshops are in the Agricultural Building, 209 North Graham Hopedale Rd. in Burlington.
Gardening Q&A Navigation Options
If you have any horticultural questions, please direct them to Rett Davis