THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 28, 1996 TAG: 9601260097
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G2 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: GARDENING
SOURCE: ROBERT STIFFLER
LENGTH: Long : 103 lines
We are enclosing photographs of a Japanese red maple and shrubs in two locations in front of our house. We want to trim the lowest three small branches from the Japanese maple, if it will not hurt the tree. Our goal is to force the tree to grow and fill out higher than its parent tree, which is in our yard. We raised this tree from a seedling. If trimming would enhance it, when and with what tool should the surgery be performed?
The hedge on the southeast side of our house did not ever respond as well as one on the northeast. They were planted at the same time and treated essentially the same. But the plants on the southeast side did not grow well, and we lost two of the original plantings. The southeast side receives more morning sun than on the north, which is shaded by a tree. We also believe there are voles on the south side. I propose to try to root three new seedlings as directed in your column. Any suggestions?
Ron and Mary Smith, Chesapeake
After looking at your photos, Dan Milbocker at the Hampton Roads Research Center and I agreed your tree looks pretty good just the way it is. If you want to trim it, trim up the lowest level of limbs, but no more. You can do that any time you want, using loppers.
As for your hedge, you have two different exposures, which is part of the problem. Any southern exposure is usually hard on plants, as is proven in your case. Voles also can wreck the roots of shrubs. My suggestion is to go to a nursery and buy replacement size plants for your hedge. Put some Ramik in the planting hole (to control the voles) before you plant the new shrubs.
If you root your own, it's going to take years for them to catch up with the others, and you'd be looking at gaps in your hedge for a long time.
We have oriental maples, including a red one. From time to time, they are visited by spider mites, scale and other pests. The spray products I've encountered, including Orthene, caution against use on oriental maples, in particular the red variety. What should I use?
William P. Alexander, Virginia Beach
There are several organic sprays that should solve your problem. First is Neem, which is expensive but good. Also Pyrethrin and Rotenone sprays will control spider mites and many other insects. Be sure to check the label on any of those products before buying to make sure they are recommended for Japanese red maples.
Most healthy trees are rarely attacked by spider mites. It would be smart to fertilize your trees in the fall and keep them watered during the summer. That should ward off insect attacks.
Over the years, our asphalt shingles have become discolored by pine straw, fungus or whatever. I have heard that a mixture of one cup of Clorox to one gallon of water flushed onto the shingles will neutralize the discoloration. Will this mixture harm the shrubs at the drip-line of the roof, where they'd get the runoff?
Walter Bram, Washington, N.C.
Virginia Tech Research Station specialists say you should not use such a mixture to excess or you will harm the plants. They add that Clorox in water lasts only a couple of hours, so apply your mixture at once after you mix it up and check your roof to note what kind of improvement you get. If it helps, you may want to give the roof such a treatment two times a year. Give your plants plenty of recovery time between applications. You might want to hose them off after each treatment.
We have a flower bed in the corner of our yard and have spent a lot of money putting in holly bushes, candytuft and a cherry tree. The problem is that everything has died. We thought it was getting too much water, so we re-routed the sprinkling system. When that did not work and things kept dying, we pulled up the dead plants. Each planting hole was full of water. The corner is all clay and water stands there as well as other areas of our yard. We have put down lime to no avail. Only one thing lived and that was hibiscus. Can you tell us what will grow in such an area and what to do about it? We have sent a soil sample to Blacksburg, but that report did not tell us anything.
Rena Creef, Chesapeake
Your yard has poor drainage, and your plants are dying from root rot, caused by their sitting in water. Your choices are to plant only plants that will grow in wet soil, such as hibiscus. Wax myrtle or sweet gum trees also like wet feet. An alternate is raised beds. You could build raised beds and fill them with new soil and compost, which should properly support new plants and provide good drainage. You are being sent a list of plants that will grow in wet soil.
I have a problem with my roses in the fall. As the bud is opening, the edges turn a dark, burnt color. Can anything be done to combat this?
Sadie J. Womble, Courtland
Charles Turnbull, a consulting rosarian with the Tidewater Rose Society, said your problem is usually caused by one of two things. First, he asks if you had a frost in Courtland at the time of your letter. That will cause such discoloration. The second possibility is thrips, a sucking insect. It discolors the petals, and often the bud won't open. But thrips are a spring problem and usually do not bother roses in the fall. Hampton Roads Research Center horticulturists say your kind of problem is usually caused by cool nights. You can't control the weather, but you can spray with an insecticide to prevent thrips damage. MEMO: No gardening questions will be taken over the phone. Write to Robert
Stiffler, The Virginian-Pilot, 150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, Va.
23510. Answers will be published on a space-available basis. For an
earlier reply, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Japanese red maples have a nice natural shape and generally don't
need trimming.
by CNB