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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 was in the crawlspace of my home the other day and noticed tar-like specs all over the floor joists. What is this?
Answer:
You have a very healthy population of camel back crickets living under your house. These insects are very common in crawlspaces under homes, in basements, and garages. With the cold weather they are very sluggish and tend to group together. If it had been warmer, they would have been jumping all around and on you. The tar-like specs are their excrements. Camel back crickets feed on the fungi or molds that grow on the soil and wood surfaces. They will not eat any wood or cause any structural damage to your home. The presence of high numbers of camel back crickets indicates high moisture under your home. High moisture conditions is what fuels the mold growth. Check around for standing water, wet sites, and leaks from pipes or toilet seals. Addressing the moisture problems is the first step toward controlling camelback crickets. Pest control operators can treat under the home to reduce their populations.
Question:
My mother has offered me all the daylilles I want. When is a good time to transplant them?
Answer:
Daylillies are almost indestructible and can be moved throughout the year. However, this time of the year is preferred before new growth begins. Pull off the dried up flower stalks and dig up the clumps. You can divide them if needed. Plant daylillies at least 2 feet apart in full sun areas.
Question:
I have some large English hollies that are almost touching the house. When would be a good time to prune them and how far back can I cut?
Answer:
Larger hollies that are this high leave you little choice other than pruning them to within 1 foot from the ground. Late February is the month to do this. This radical pruning is needed to regenerate the plant from the ground up. Large hollies that are out in the landscape, and not under eaves, can be limbed up from the bottom to resemble a tree. Tree forming is popular for older hollies and offers a more desirable alternative. Tree forming is done now and throughout the summer.
Question:
Our roses have started to leaf out. Should I go ahead and prune them now?
Answer:
I would not start pruning now. Pruning has an invigorating effect on plants. You need to wait at least 1 month if not longer before you start pruning roses. Colder winter weather could possibly return and damage your plants that have been pruned. North Carolina weather is like a roller coaster. It can change very quickly and suddenly. It is easy to get seduced by warm days especially if you are new to our area. These dramatic drops in temperature damage plants and newly pruned plants are more susceptible to this damage.
STARTING UP A LANDSCAPE BUSINESS
If you are either in the landscape business or contemplating starting one, then you are invited to attend a program on how to run a landscape business. The first session will be Friday February 10th from 9 until noon followed by the second session on February 17th at the same time.
Everything from advertising, billing, estimating jobs, permits, and more will be discussed. Practicing professionals and specialists from N.C. State University will share their experiences and expertise. Call the Cooperative Extension Service at 570-6740 to register. All classes will be in the Agricultural Building, 209 N. Graham Hopedale Rd. in Burlington and are free.
SOUTHERN ANNEX SCHEDULE
Rett Davis will be at the Southern Annex office on the corner of South Bethel Church Road and Snow Camp Road this Thursday morning from 8 until noon. You are welcome to drop by with questions, plant problems, soil samples, or homemade pies!
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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.