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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:
have several beautyberry plants that have been loaded with fruit all winter. However they have grown quite large and need pruning. When is the best time to prune them back?
Answer:
Both American and purple beautyberry can be cut back severely in late February or early March. Beautyberries produce fruit on new growth therefore you will not miss a year of enjoyment. These plants are most effective in the landscape as a small hedge or in a group planting. Their purple fruit provides striking color in the landscape when their leaves have fallen off for winter. Purple beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma) is more landscape friendly. This species will grow to about 5 feet in height.
Question:
Several of our pecan trees produced nuts this year that had a fuzzy material on the kernels. It ruins the taste of the pecan. What causes this and can it be prevented?
Answer:
I agree that eating pecans with fuzz on it is not very appetizing. Leave them for the squirrels and crows. This condition is generally associated with old trees and is made worse by dry weather. We certainly had that last fall. Since you cannot do anything about the age of the tree, your only other option is to water the tree during periods of drought in August and September when the nuts are filling out. No amount of fertilizer or zinc will correct this problem.
Question:
I would like to try my hand at raising some blueberries for home use. What varieties do best here?
Answer:
Blueberries will grow here provided you meet their requirements for growing. They will do well in both full sun and partial shade. They require an acid soil which we have naturally. Therefore no lime is needed. Blueberry roots are happiest in soils that are high in organic matter. Therefore, cover the soil with organic matter (old manure, rotted sawdust, compost, or fine pine bark) at depth of 3-4 inches and till into the soil as deep as possible. Stay away from soils that do not drain well or where water stands. Plant blueberries 5 feet apart in the row. Rabbiteye varieties such as Tifblue, Powderblue, Centurion, Montgomery, Yadkin, and Onslow will do well here. Plant more than one for pollination purposes. If you can't find plants locally, call me for mail order sources.
Question:
I have heard the mention of plant zones and that it is important when selecting plants to grow here. What does this mean?
Answer:
All plants have basic requirements for survival. Optimum temperature ranges for growth is one of them. Years ago the US Department of Agriculture established the Plant Hardiness Zone Map. It is based on the "average annual minimum temperatures"../jan/. There are 10 zones covering Canada, the USA, and Mexico. Most of Alamance County is in zone 7B. This means our average lowest winter temperature is in the 5-10 degree range. The far southeastern corner of Alamance is in zone 7A. Temperatures there will go as low as 0 degrees in those parts. Keep this in mind when you go to purchase plants you have never seen before. Many attractive flowering plants are sold every year that will not make it. They have entered the trade from Florida and other areas of the deep south where they can survive the winter. So far this winter I believe most tropical plants would have survived here!
LANDSCAPING AS A BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
Anyone interested in starting a landscaping business and others that are already in the profession are invited to attend two programs on enhancing your business. The first program will be next Friday, February 10th at 9 am until noon. A panel of professional landscapers and Extension personnel will discuss how to make your business more successful. The second program on the 17th of February will feature a specialist from NC State University on how to estimate the cost of doing business. Register for these free classes by calling the Cooperative Extension Service at 570-6740.
North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commitment themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation, North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&;T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.