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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:
There seems to be an overabundance of spiders this fall. I am afraid for my children because they are attached to eaves of the house and front porch. What can I spray around the house to get rid of them?
Answer:
I do not recommend spraying for the spiders that appear in the fall such as the ones you mention. This is the time of the year the Orb-Weavers and the Argiopes make their presence known. These spiders have poor vision and must locate their prey by feeling the vibration of their webs. These adult spiders will die off in the fall after laying their eggs. Some of their eggs will hatch this fall but a majority will hatch next spring. The Orb-Weavers and Argiopes are very reclusive spiders most of the year. That is why you do not see them until fall. But at this time of the year they have grown quite large and become more visible. We rarely run into these spider webs, but when you do, you soon discover how tough their silk is. When walking in the woods you have to take a stick with you just to keep from getting a mouthful of webbing. These are not aggressive spiders and the best control is to leave them alone since the end of their life cycle is near. Even if you destroy their webbing, they will rebuild it the next night. I would actually rather see you teach your children about these special animals. Pick up one of the Golden Guide books on spiders and learn more about them.
Question:br> Our butterfly bushs must be 10 feet tall. They are falling over onto the patio. Can I prune them now?
Answer:
You certainly can do some pruning now to protect these plants from damaging ice and snow that may come this winter. Large overgrown butterfly bushes can safely be trimmed as much as 25% at this time. This will remove some weight and make a sturdier plant. Postpone the drastic pruning until late March. At that time, prune your butterfly bushes to about 2 feet from the ground. This needs to be done about every other year. A butterfly bush can become a very wild and weedy looking plant in the landscape if it is not properly managed by pruning. This will not interfere with flowering the following summer.
Question:
My peonies did not do as well this year despite the wet summer. They had few blooms and the leaves are full of disease. What should I do?
Answer:
Every 3 to 5 years peonies need to be divided. They will produce fewer flowers when they become over crowded and if shade has slowly overtaken them from nearby trees. Peonies need almost a full day of sun to perform at their best. This month is an ideal time to dig them up and divide the roots. Leave at least 3 eyes per division. Plant your divisions no deeper than 1 inch in the soil. Regardless of whether you divide them or not, cut the foliage of these plants down to the ground now.
Question:
I over seeded my lawn after plugging several days ago. The existing grass is now getting tall and needs mowing. How long must I wait until I can mow my yard?
Answer:
You can go ahead and mow now. However I will advise you not to use a bagger and mow at the highest setting on your mower. The seed in the hole will not be disturbed. Water your lawn in the evening to hasten germination. If you have used straw, there is no need to remove that straw after the grass comes up. It will decompose over the winter.
BURLINGTON COUNCIL OF GARDEN CLUB HOSTS LOCAL EVENT
Local gardeners are invited to hear Tate Horton present a program entitled 'Scenes from Orene's Garden'. His wife, Orene Horton was a Master Gardener in South Carolina and published many gardening articles for Southern Living and Fine Gardening before her death. Her book 'Clippings from Orene's Garden' will be available for $24.95. $10 from each sale will be contributed to the American Cancer Society. The presentation will be Sunday, October 26th, 2:00 pm at Front Street Methodist Church, 136 S. Fisher St. in Burlington.
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If you have any horticultural questions, please direct them to Rett Davis