Recent Q&As
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Q&A – I would like to find a grass that stays green all year.Question:
I live in the south. I don't know what type of grass I have, but it turns yellow in the winter. I would like to find a grass that stays green all year. Answer: UT Extension Agent Booker T. Leigh recommends a fescue grass if you want to have green grass in the winter. The problem with fescue is that in the south it may not look good in the hot summer. Related Resources: Selecting a Lawn Grass Tall Fescue Tall Fescue Maintenance Calendar |
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Q&A – Can I use pine needle mulch on tomaoes?Question:
Is it okay to use pine needle mulch around tomato plants? Answer: Pine needle mulch is a great mulch option around tomatoes. There is a belief that the pine needles will change the pH of the soil but UT Extension Horticulture Specialist Carol Reese says it will not change it enough to matter. The mulch will reduce splashing on the lower leaves of the plant which will reduce blight. Related Resources: Mulches for the Vegetable Garden Mulches |
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Q&A – What kind of bermuda grass do I have?Question:
It appears I have different types of Bermuda grass in my lawn. Could you tell me what kind of Bermuda grasses these are? My favorite is this one. It is not string looking but appears smooth. How can I gain consistency of the lawn over time? Answer: There are several kinds of Bermuda in this lawn including common Bermuda and a few hybrids possibly including tifway. Unfortunately, there is not a way to kill all but one variety of Bermuda because they all green up and go dormant at the same time. Related Resources: Selecting a Lawn Grass Bermudagrass Varieties |
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Q&A – What is the best way to get rid of snails?
Question:
What is the best way to get rid of snails? They are devouring my bedding plants. Answer: There are several ways to get rid of snails and most of the best ways are organic. TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond lists some of the options. Sprinkling diatomaceous earth will cut up the snails as they pass over it and cause them to dehydrate and die. Putting out a small saucer of beer will attract them, and they will drown. Or, you can lay a board on the ground where you know they are. They like moist and dark places and will go under the board during the day. Just pick up the board and collect them. If you would like to use a bait you can use iron phosphate (which is organic). Don’t use salt. It will get in your soil and harm your plants. Related Resources: Snails and Slugs Management Guidelines Less toxic iron phosphate slug bait proves effective |
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Q&A – What are these plants in the forest? -Mayapple
Question:
Can you tell me the name of these? Answer: These are mayapple. They grow on the forest floor and are one of the first plants to start growing every year. They make a great ground cover in a shady area. In the spring they have fragrant blooms under the leaves, and they grow a small fruit which wildlife will eat. Related Resources: Podophyllum peltatum Mayapple Plant Profile |
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Q&A – How do I remove crape myrtle without using toxic chemicals?
Question:
I have three crepe myrtle that need to be taken out. Any idea how to remove them without using toxic stuff? I will be planting edibles in their places and don’t want to use toxic chemicals. Answer: First cut down the crape myrtle and try to dig up all the roots. TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond says that any roots left in the ground will try to sprout new plants. You will probably need to keep after them for several years before the carbohydrate reserves in the roots are used up and they die. Mary Schmidt from Lichterman Nature Center did just this and talks about her experience. It is a lot of work, but it can be done. |
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Q&A – What soil should I use to fill my raised beds?
Question:
We just built some raised bed boxes. We will be planting a vegetable garden with a few flowers for pollinators. What do you recommend we fill our beds with? And with this volume of soil, should we purchase bags or have something delivered? Answer: A good garden mix will do the trick. TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond suggests making sure it has local soil mixed in too. The garden mix will contain a large percentage of compost and similar organic matter, but native soil contains important nutrients the plants need. With beds this large it is best to either get it delivered or go pick it up yourself. You can do a trade: have a friend haul the soil in exchange for some vegetables from the garden. Related Resources: Raised Beds Raised-Bed Gardening |
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Q&A – Which is better for root growth: Epsom salt or 10-10-10 fertilizer?
Question:
I was told that Epson salt will help strong root growth. Should I use that or will a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 be better? Answer: The 10-10-10 balanced fertilizer will generally be better for overall plant growth. Epsom salt may be good, but it depends on what you soil needs, which can be found with a soil test. If a soil test shows low magnesium, Epsom salts can be added to bring the magnesium level up to a healthy amount. Even balanced fertilizers can be over applied, so in any case a soil test will tell you what and how much to use. Another problem with Epsom salt is that high levels of salt are harmful to plants. Salt is easy to add to soil but very hard to remove. Related Resources: Miracle, Myth...or Marketing: Epsom Salts Epsom Salts and Plants – Is It Worth Using Epsom Salts as a Plant Fertilizer? |
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Q&A – How do I get wisteria seeds to sprout?
Question:
How do I get wisteria seeds to sprout? Answer: Wisteria seeds require a certain temperature range to sprout. TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond says the seed, once planted, needs to be maintained at 65 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-60 days. Then, it will sprout. The plant will not begin to flower until it is 12-15 years old. Related Resources: Wisteria in the Garden Wisteria Care |
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Q&A – Which is the best way to till my garden: soil chunks or super-fine?
Question:
Which is the best way to till my garden: soil chunks or super-fine? Answer: Both Master Gardener Tom Mashour and TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond agree that fine tilling is better. It promotes better seed-soil contact. Before you till, make sure is not too dry or wet. Related Resources: Putting the Yard and Garden to Bed Smart Gardening: Converting to no Till for Home Gardens |
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Q&A – What is this pesky weed that is popping up in my yard?
Question:
What is this pesky weed that is popping up in my yard? Answer: This is poa annua, otherwise known as annual bluegrass or annual ryegrass. It is a cool season weed. It grows through the winter when Bermuda and zoysia is dormant. Master Gardener Tom Mashour says it grows best where the grass is thin. If the lawn is thick and well maintained, poa annua does not grow. Zoysia grass is better at keeping it from growing because the leaves of zoysia are larger and it grows thicker. The best way to control poa annua is to change the culture of the lawn. Grow a thick stand of grass that is mowed high toward the end of the growing season. Poa annua also grows well in compacted, poorly drained soils, so fixing this problem will reduce its growth. Chemically the best control is through pre-emergent herbicides that keep it from growing. Also, you can spray your lawn with glyphosate when the lawn is totally dormant in the winter. Controlling Poa Annua Poa Annua: Not the Apple (Green) of Everyone's Eye |
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Q&A – How do I prevent Japanese fruit flies in my cherry tree?
Question:
How do I prevent Japanese fruit flies in my cherry tree? Answer: The Family Plot guests are not from Washington state where the question originated, and they do not want to give bad advice. TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond, recommends that you contact your local Cooperative Extension Service office. They will have instructions on how and when to control this pest in your area. Often for Japanese fruit flies, it is encouraged that you set out traps, and when you can identify the fly in the trap, then start spraying. It will be a schedule of insecticide which the local Extension office will have. Related Resources: Spotted Wing Drosophila: A Serious Pest for the Home Gardner Problem: Spotted Wing Drosphila - Drosophila suzukii Managing Western Cherry Fruit Fly in the Home Garden |