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Q - James of Tichigan Lake
I'm sure hoping you can help us out!!!! Last fall, we planted a staggered row of arborvitae along the road as a natural fence line. (approx. 4 to 6 feet from the road). The trees are around 10 to 12 feet tall and seem to be doing well.............except for the side facing the road. Sometime ago, if I'm not mistaken, you mentioned the salt on the roads during the winter posing a problem when the plows come through. The brown and yellow 'leaves' have been slowly dropping and the lower three to four feet are becoming somewhat bare (only on the roadside). I now know that they'll have to be protected against this in the future, but until then, is there anything I can do to bring back the greenery? A neighbor mentioned he used some kind of acid to bring his back.........miracid? We love your show and knew that if anyone could save our investment in these trees............it would be you. A – Melinda Myers
The best way to help your arborvitae is water thoroughly as needed and then wait. If you haven’t mulched the soil, consider adding a 2 to 3 inch layer of woodchips or shredded bark over the soil surface around the plants. This helps conserve moisture and discourage weeds. Don’t pile it over the plant’s stems. If the branches are pliable they may send out new growth. If the branch tissue is brittle it is dead and you might as well prune off the dead stems back to living tissue. The heavy shade produced by upper growth often slows or prevents new growth on the lower portions of the plant. You may want to wait and see if the plant starts sending out new growth. Be patient it can take a year or more. If space allows, consider planting salt tolerant low growing shrubs or perennials in front of the arborvitae to mask the bare stems and provide screening. Miss Kim lilac, rugosa rose, elderberry, Siberian pea shrub, barberry, forsythia and cotoneaster are a few of the salt tolerant shrubs. For more details on salt damage and tolerant trees and shrubs visit Morton Arboretum’s website and the section on Selecting Salt tolerant plants. www.mortonarb.org/plantinfo/ plantclinic/Selection_SaltTolerantPlants.pdf. Some medium to tall salt tolerant perennials include Sea Lavender, daylilies, Russian sage, little blue stem, Feather Reed Grass and switchgrass.
Q - Lynn Nettesheim
I have a question regarding rose bushes and pests. We have bush type roses that grow on the south side of our home. Over the past few years we have noticed they are becoming infested with some type of pest that creates pods on the stem. It seems to suck the life out of that stem and moves on to another. Inside these pods are small worms. We have done some dusting in the past, with little luck. We trim out the infested stems, but it seems as this is becoming a losing battle, as more appear. What are these little pests and how can we be rid of them? We fertilize the roses and keep them trimmed and well mulched and watered. They still bloom wonderfully, but are becoming sparse. They are approximately 12 year old plants. We would appreciated any advise you can give us. Thank you A – Melinda Myers
Sounds like mossy rose gall is the problem. Wasplike insects bore into the rose stems and leg their eggs. The eggs hatch into worm-like larvae. Their presence in the stem causes the plant to form the swelling known as a gall. During the growing season it is often covered with green mossy-like growth. There are no chemicals that control this pest. Continue to prune out and destroy the galls as they are found. Fortunately weather and natural predators usually keep this pest in line. I have noticed more problems with this pest in the last few years so we may be on an upward climb in their population cycle. Typically an insect population increases over several years. As the pest population reaches peak numbers its natural predators or a disease moves in and reduces the population. So continue pruning and be patient, nature may soon step in to lend a hand.
Q – Cherie Coogan of Waukesha
Have you ever tried Liquid Fence? Does it work well or just okay. I was at Steins over the weekend and picked some up because once I finally get my Oriental lilies in the ground they start coming up and a bunny gets at them I'm not going to be happy. How often do I need to spray them? My neighbor says once a week at least. For the whole summer? Thanx A – Melinda Myers
I have had good reports on Liquid Fence including the gardeners at Boerner Botanical Gardens in Milwaukee County. The key to success with any repellent is timing. Start spraying before the animals start dining. It is usually easier to keep them away than break a habit. Follow label directions for frequency. Continue throughout the season for best results. Some gardeners have had luck using just early season applications. If the animals find other places to dine they may not come back. Just keep in mind lilies are a favorite of deer and rabbits so you may want to continue treating them until they finish blooming. Whether you use a repellent, fencing or scare tactics watch for signs of feeding. If the populations are high and food is scarce animals will eat treated plants and even those less tasty plants listed as deer and rabbit resistant. You may need to try a different repellent, tighten and raise the fence or increase your scare tactics to save your plantings from large populations of hungry animals.
Q - Liz of Milwaukee
I need to choose an attractive but trouble-free shrub for the front of my tiny house, which faces east (so shrubs would be in house’s shadow much of the day). Planting area is only 10 feet across by about 3-4 feet deep (irregular shape). I want to hide ugly foundation that is 2.5 feet high, but don’t want to obscure windows which start about 4 feet from the ground. Will first remove the hideously ugly, too-large yew that’s there now. Is there any type of viburnum that would fit this space? Is Korean spice tootall? I read about “Burkwood/convoy” variety that sounds more compact and evergreen? Would anything deciduous be a mistake because bare branches in winter would let foundation show through? How about a holly or crimson pygmy barberry? Naturally, I want it all: color, fragrance, year-round interest and low maintenance! Also, currently there is pachysandra planted in front of the yew that I’ll be removing – can the pachysandra stay? Finally, can I plant new shrubs immediately after removing the yews? Thanks. A – Melinda Myers
Lots of good questions. Let’s start with preparing the site and then move to plant selection. Remove the yews and as much of the roots as possible. This makes replanting easier. The pachysandra can stay in the bed. It might be easiest to dig up the plants and grow them in containers until the bed is prepped and your new shrubs are in. Take advantage of the renovation to fix any problems. Add several inches of organic matter to the top 12 inches of soil to improve drainage. Make sure the soil slopes away from the foundation to reduce the risk of water in the basement. Wait a week or lightly sprinkle the area to allow the soil to settle. Use this time to do a bit of plant shopping. The Korean spice viburnum is a beauty with fragrant flowers and great fall color. The dwarf variety with some minimal pruning will fit. Check the plant outside the back door of the Garden House at Boerner Botanical Gardens. Burkwood viburnum is another nice viburnum unfortunately it is not reliably hardy in this area. Check out fothergilla. It has fragrant flowers and good fall color. A bit of pruning may be needed to keep the plant below the windows. Hydrangeas are a favorite shade plant. Endless summer will give you pink flowers in alkaline soil and blue flowers in acid soil. These repeat bloomers are hardy in Wisconsin but do need proper care to get established. The smaller cultivars of barberries, spireas, cotoneasters and weigela will grow in partial shade, cover the foundation and stay beneath the windows. Shrub roses may be an option if the area receives at least 6 hours of direct sun. Double knockout, flower carpet, The fairy and the carefree series bloom most of the summer, have colorful rose hips for winter, resist disease and are hardy to the area. Gro low fragrant sumac is a low growing mounded sumac with an informal style. It is late to leaf out but ends the season with a colorful show of yellow, orange or red fall color.
Q - Brownthumb of Milwaukee
Just a follow-up to my earlier viburnum question: I see you recommend snowmound spirea -- would that be a better choice? I'm hoping to avoid too much bareness in winter, so the ugly foundation won't show through. A – Melinda Myers
Snowmound would be nice. How about using a combination of evergreen and deciduous shrubs. Consider small yews, dwarf hemlocks or the very small Teddy arborvitae. The evergreen provides year round greenery and shelter for the birds while the other shrubs can be selected for flower, fruit and fall color.
Q – Brownthumb of Milwaukee
Oops, I said I'm replacing Yews but actually they're Junipers. Sorry! I am looking for any kind of book, periodical, etc. that contains information regarding pruning back flowers and shrubs. I have flower beds at home with Hibiscus, Blue Beard, Spirea, Miniature Roses, just to name of few. The instructions provided when I purchased the plants were incomplete. All I would like to know would be what, when and how. A – Melinda Myers
If the junipers were healthy, just too big for the site – you probably have enough sun for shrub roses and other shrubs. There are many new and improved junipers that you may want to add a dwarf juniper or two for year round interest. Check out Month-by-Month Gardening in Wisconsin for tips on how and when to prune shrubs, deadheading flowers, fertilizing and other maintenance concerns. I wrote this book (so I am a bit biased) based on all the questions I receive from gardeners like you. Most libraries have a copy and the book is available at Steins, other garden centers and bookstores.
Q –
We have a approx. 15 ft. in an oval diameter and approx. 20 inches deep koi fish pond, rubber lined. We have a problem with leaves from the fall and the pond gets so full of leaves and it's impossible to keep them out. A lot of the leaves sink to the bottom and decay over the winter and cause a muck and we keep the pump running 24/7 365 days...the pump feeds a biological filter (Home made) with layers of 3 different grades of gravel and plants--filter is bottom fed and we have a bad algae problem--we have a small water fall coming from the biological filter. What do you suggest to get rid of the algae? We have in the past emptied the pond and started all over but is not good for the fish which have become quite large. Any suggestions would be welcome. We purchased a UV filter. Have not installed it yet. It is 18 watt. 2000 gallon UV filter (clarifier) which I planned installing in the line to be the biological filter.
A – Melinda Myers
Algae is a problem when a water garden is out of balance. Leaf debris, excess nitrogen and too many fish and the “fertilizer” they secret can result in algae. Consider adding plants to cover about half the water surface. This reduces the light reaching the water helping to reduce algae growth. Make sure the pumps and filter are rated to handle the volume of water. If the fish are growing and multiplying consider adopting a few out to friend’s water gardens. Keeping the leaves out of the pond is actually one of the easier fixes. Many water gardeners will cover the pond with black plastic netting in the fall. The netting can be lifted, leaves dumped and netting replaced until leaves stop dropping. If these strategies don’t work you may want to hire a water garden specialist to come in and evaluate your water garden. They can evaluate your set up, help diagnose the problem and work with you to get your water garden back in balance.
Q – Terry of Brookfield
Last fall I purchased about 500 fall bulbs -- tulips, daffodils, crocus, etc., with, of course, the full intention of getting them planted. However, due to some unforeseen situations, I was unable to get them planted. I left them in the garage in original packaging all winter. Now I do not know what to do with them. They are all starting to sprout. I have asked many people what to do and everyone has a different solution. In my heart, it feels like I should plant them, knowing that they won't bloom this year. (But will they bloom next spring?) If I put them in a cool dark spot, it seems they will continue to grow since they have sprouted already. Please tell me what to do with them. I will be so appreciative. A – Melinda Myers
Follow your heart. Plant the bulbs as soon as possible. They will be a bit behind this spring but should still bloom since they received the necessary cold period while stored in the garage. Plant the bulbs two to three times their vertical diameter deep. Water after planting and as needed to help settle the soil and encourage root growth. Now wait for your late spring bulb display.
Q – Jim H.
My rather small backyard lawn is being taken over by clover. The lawn is bordered by perennial flower gardens. Can I safely use some kind of weed killer on the lawn without damaging the flowers, ie , weed and feed fertilizer,etc? The weeds seem impossible to control naturally. A – Melinda Myers
Clover was once included in grass seed mixes as a nurse crop. These plants are able to fix and use nitrogen from the air. Clover can indicate a fertilization problem. Consider a soil test to find out the type and amount of fertilizer needed. A Memorial Day, labor day and Halloween fertilization are plenty for a quality lawn. Fewer applications are needed for lower maintenance lawns. If the weeds persist use a weedkiller labeled for controlling clover and other difficult weeds. Minimize the use of chemicals and the risk to your perennials by spot treating only problem areas. Only apply weed killers and other chemicals on calm days to avoid inadvertently spraying non target plants and yourself.
Q – Elizabeth
I saw you on TV in Madison last week when you did a quick feature on growing grass for an indoor table centerpiece that also had broken eggshells with something growing in them. What did you plant in the eggshells and how long does it take to grow? A – Melinda Myers
Just a bit of background for those who did not see the newscast. I used discarded egg shells as decorative seed starting pots. I carefully removed the top and contents of the eggshells. Next I rinsed out the shells and filled them with seed starting mix. Then you can plant any flower or vegetable you desire. Select a plant that will have time to grow and flower or fruit in the time between planting and the first fall frost. I think I started cosmos or Johnny jump ups while in Madison. Place the seeded eggshells in a warm location and keep the soil moist. Once the seeds germinate move to a sunny window or under artificial light. Gradually introduce the seedlings to the outdoors. Then lightly crack the shell and set it in the soil when it is time to move your plants into your garden.
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