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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 heard a lot about 'woolly worms' since I moved to North Carolina. What kind of insect is this?
Answer:
The woolly worm is the caterpillar stage of the Isabella moth, Isia isabella. This is one of the many Tiger moths that live here. The adult or moth stage of this insect gets no attention at all. The Isabella moth is snow white in color. It appears in the spring. The woolly worm is a general feeder on the leaves of garden plants and field crops. It causes very little damage. The woolly worm is also known as the woolly bear.
Question:
I have about had it with growing roses. I just do not have the time to spray them every week for diseases and insects. Therefore by the end of summer the plants are bare except for a scattering of a few flowers. Are there any roses that will grow here without so much attention?
Answer:
I share the same problems too. Years ago I jerked out all the hybrid tea roses in my landscape. I am slowly replacing them with the roses that have more disease resistance. I am particularly fond of one called Knockout. This rose is resistant to the disease black spot which is the scourge of all rosarians. The blooms are fire-engine red, never needs deadheading, and blooms throughout the summer and fall. Bloom size is about 3 inches in width. The flower petals produce an open bloom. Japanese beetles ignored this plant. The plant should reach a height of about 3 to 4 feet. I could not be more pleased with its performance. I bought my plants locally.
Question:
When will tree seedlings be available for purchase? I would like to plant some along my property as a screen.
Answer:
Most landowners have taken advantage of seedling trees produced by the N. C. Forest Service for reforestation, windbreaks, and as source of Christmas trees for years. They offer five species of pines, various native hardwoods, Eastern red cedar, and several wild fruit bearing trees. There also have specialty packages for wildlife. The prices range from around 5 cents to 25 cents apiece. Minimum orders will range from 100 trees to 500. You can't beat this deal for one to two year old seedlings, especially if you have a lot of property and long distances to run a screen. My choice for screening is loblolly pine or Eastern red cedar. Plant them no closer than 8 feet apart. Contact our office at 570-6740 for a catalog.
Upcoming Workshops
Do you have mold and moisture problems in and under your home? If so, they you are invited to attend a seminar on how to deal with it, clean it up, and perhaps prevent it from reoccurring. Specialists from N.C State University will present this program on Thursday, November 13th at 2 pm in the Agricultural Building, 209 North Graham Hopedale Rd. in Burlington. Cost is $5 per person. Register by calling 570-6740.
Would you like to become a certified arborist? An arborist is someone that is trained in tree care. We are offering a 3 day training to prepare applicants for a comprehensive exam. The program will be held at the Greensboro office of the Cooperative Extension Service from December 10th through the 12. Contact us at 570-6740 for registration information.
Gardening Q&A Navigation Options
If you have any horticultural questions, please direct them to Rett Davis