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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 is a rumor going around at my work that copperhead snakes are mating with blacksnakes and now blacksnakes are poisonous too. Is that true?
Answer:
It never ceases to amaze me what people dream up when it comes to snakes. Our native copperhead and black snake are unrelated species and therefore cannot cross breed and produce young. The black snake is an egg layer while copperheads are live bearers. Eggs from black snakes hatch in August and September. The young from copperheads are born live from their mother in August. The misconception that they are interbreeding comes from the fact that young black snakes have a black and gray pattern that reminds some people of a copperhead. This black and gray pattern will change to solid black as this snake changes from a juvenile to an adult. At this time of the year, young black snakes will go into garages, enter houses by accident, and lay on pavement to stay warm. Now you can straighten everyone out on Monday morning. But don't expect a majority to believe you, they never do.
Question:
We have purchased some land with baldcypress trees around the pond. After doing a lot of clearing and cleaning of the pond, these trees are turning yellow. Have we killed these cypresses?
Answer:
Your baldcypress are supposed to change color this time of the year. They are deciduous trees meaning that they lose their leaves each fall like all other deciduous trees in the forest. Baldcypress is one of several deciduous conifers or cone bearing trees that grow here. The beauty of this tree is that it will lose it's leaves in a matter of a few days. Not like the oaks and maples in my yard that take up to 6 weeks to shed.
Question:
What can I do with all these mums after their blooms fade?
Answer:
I trash mine as soon as they lose their color. Simply because I do not have any more room in my landscape. If you expect them to bloom out again next fall you will have to keep them headed back during the spring and summer. I just don't have the time to do this.
However, despite my recommendation, you can plant them in the landscape after they flower and most will make it over the winter. In February or March, cut the dead top back to the ground. New growth will emerge in a month and you can begin fertilizing. Pinch the tops back every month until mid-July to force a delayed flower bud set. They will bloom in August and September.
Question:
We just moved into a new home with grape vines and fruit trees. They appear to be overgrown and not touched in years. How soon can I start pruning them?
Answer:
As bad as they look now, leave them alone. It is way too early to prune them. No one knows what cold weather awaits us and low temperatures will certainly damage plants. It is best to wait until late February and early March to start this project. Our lowest temperatures should be behind us by that time of the year. Neglected plants will require specialized pruning to restore their productivity. Your job will be to restore and reinvigorate the plants to produce fruit again. Removing dead and diseased limbs, excess growth, and restoring the framework will be a challenge. I know of no texts or instructions that are available to teach you this. I would recommend studying our Fruit Tree Pruning publication that can show you the desired shape, but then it is up to you and your trusty loppers to get there.
LANDSCAPE CLASS
Elon residents are invited to attend a two part program on home landscaping to be taught at the Beth Schmidt Park Center on November 13th and 14th beginning at 7 pm. Learn how to landscape your property using practices that incorporate proper plant selection, placement, reduced pesticide usage, and lower maintenance. Cost is $15 per person of family. Contact the Cooperative Extension Service at 570-6740 to register.
LANDSCAPE TIP OF THE WEEK
Do not use your storm drain as a depository for fallen leaves. In addition, do not pile your leaves around the storm drains awaiting pickup. We need functioning storm drains to remove water runoff. Clogged storm drains cause flooding and are a hazard to traffic during storms. Instead put your leaves in bags, use them for mulch, or make turn into compost.
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.