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Aphids are covering this cotoneaster plant, which could end up with black sooty mold unless the aphids are washed off.
DEAR NEIL: I have a gray cotoneaster planting that I noticed is just covered with insects. They’re tiny, and I don’t see any particular damage. Do I need to spray for them at this point?
Dear Reader: Those are aphids, and as many as you have you could probably justify treating for them. They do carry diseases with them, and they also leave a sticky honeydew residue on the leaves.
Black sooty mold can grow in that residue. Most general-purpose insecticides will eliminate them. You could probably wash them off with a hard stream of water. They prefer cool weather, which is why you’re seeing them now.
DEAR NEIL: Is it possible to grow freesias in Texas? I love the fragrance. When should they be planted?
Dear Reader: In my experience, freesias do not grow easily outdoors in Texas gardens. If you want to try them, it would be best to do so in pots.
Plant them in early spring in loose, highly organic soil so they can grow and bloom while it is still cool. It probably will be much less frustrating if you simply buy them as cut flowers.
DEAR NEIL: What are my odds of growing almonds successfully here in Texas?
Dear Reader: Your odds are not good. Texas A&M fruit specialists say that no almond variety is recommended for production in Texas because they have low chilling requirements and will come into bloom very early, only to be caught by late freezes. They’re also very susceptible to brown rot and bacterial leaf spot.
DEAR NEIL: I have a full wisteria bush, but it has only had a few blooms these past few years. It has grown abundantly, but almost no flowers. Why might that be?
Dear Reader: There are several possible reasons. First, if you are pruning it in the fall or winter, you’re cutting off the flowering wood. Wisterias bloom on growth they made in the prior year, so hold off on pruning until after the blooming season.
If it’s in shade that will seriously impact its blooming. If you’re giving it a great deal of nitrogen in late summer and fall, that can come at the expense of production of flowers. Nitrogen promotes vegetative growth.
It might be a little late to try this (usually better in early September), but root-pruning often helps. Use a sharpshooter spade to cut a slit 18 to 24 inches out from the trunk all the way around the plant.
The shock of having roots cut often will trigger the plant to produce flower buds.
DEAR NEIL: Is there a life expectancy to a border of dwarf yaupon hollies? I have some that are about 30 years old and they are looking very ragged.
I’m trying to keep them at 24 inches in height, but some of them are leggy and others are quite sparse.
Dear Reader: When we prune a shrub repeatedly at a height that is less than its normal mature height it eventually wears out. Dwarf yaupon hollies, if left unpruned, would grow to be 36 to 42 inches tall.
Each time that your plants have tried to produce new growth, you have essentially been punishing them by removing it. As time has passed by they have run out of steam.
That usually happens after 15 or 20 years, so you’re getting extra time already. You’ll be very pleased with the look of new plants in your landscape.
DEAR NEIL: I just sowed a large pack of larkspur seeds for spring blooms. Then I thought about mulching the area, but I don’t want the mulch to interfere with the germination of the seeds. What should I do?
Dear Reader: If you prepared the soil by tilling it lightly you may be able to go forward without mulching.
However, a light mulch with something like shredded tree leaves would probably be beneficial. I’d put a ½-inch layer of the leaves over the area, but only after running them through the lawnmower.
DEAR NEIL: I have a new greenhouse to feed my gardening habit! I have ferns, cacti and succulents and some orchids. What would the best temperature be for the winter?
Dear Reader: I would suggest 60 to 64 degrees. More importantly, don’t let the daytime temperatures skyrocket on clear, cold days.
Sunny weather can be a real problem if the greenhouse is not very large. The volume of air in smaller greenhouses is small and temperatures rise in a hurry. Make sure you have made good provision for ventilation.
Also, be sure you have a reliable backup heat source that does not require electricity should there be a power outage. Camp stoves that use kerosene as fuel are not good because they will produce smoke and fumes that will harm your plants and discolor the greenhouse surfaces.
Serious enthusiasts will have a generator nearby.
DEAR NEIL: Would it help my St. Augustine survive the winter any better if I left it mowed taller from this point on?
Dear Reader: Allowing St. Augustine to grow taller does nothing to improve its winter hardiness. If anything, it allows weeds to get started because it also allows them to grow taller.
If it gets cold enough that the St. Augustine might be damaged, its blades are going to turn brown and shrivel up anyway, so it really doesn’t matter how high you mow it.
The optimum mowing height for it year-round is 2½ to 3 inches. I would recommend leaving it at that height 12 months a year.
Have a question you’d like Neil to consider? Email him at mailbag@sperrygardens.com. Neil regrets that he cannot reply to questions individually.
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Aphids are covering this cotoneaster plant, which could end up with black sooty mold unless the aphids are washed off.
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