How to move shrubs to a better place in your landscape.

Q. I want to move some shrubs to a better place in my landscape. Can you give me some helpful hints?

A. You didn’t say how large the shrubs are, or the kind. I’ll assume they’re small enough for a couple of people to manage with hand tools. I’ll give some general instructions regarding kind.

If you’re in no hurry to move them, I suggest you root-prune them to develop a more concentrated mass of roots near the base of the shrubs. To do that, you only need to take a nursery spade and slice downward into the soil in a circle around each shrub. By slicing through roots, you will encourage roots to branch within the circle. A three-foot diameter should be sufficient. After slicing, leave the plants in place for a few months. Be sure to fertilize and irrigate your shrubs within the circles.

It’s best to move them from late fall to early spring when they are dormant, or at least when not in an active growth stage.

For specific instructions on digging and transplanting, it is best to refer you to instructional videos. Since I haven’t created any on the topic myself, take a look at this one on How To Ball and Burlap Dig A Tree. Following that, view How To Plant A Ball and Burlap Dug Tree.

I hope this helps.

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FAQ: How many Liriope spicata plants do I need?

Q. I have about 1,200 sqf area in the backyard to cover with Liriope spicata. It will replace the existing bermuda fescue turf. The goal is to produce a tidy, formal look and dense cover. I'd prefer potted plants of a sufficiently large size. I am looking at at least six vendors and you are one of them I have contacted. Please advise me on:

•     How many plants do I need?
•     When would be the best time to plant them, considering my location and zone (Norman, OK zone 6B)?
•     Considering the large size of the area to be covered, what would be your best, competitive price?

A. The planting distance depends on your budget and how quickly you want the plants to grow together and cover the area. They will cover more quickly if spaced closer. You must balance one against the other.

• You may plant those from 2-1/2 inch pots as closely as 8 inches apart, or as distant as 12 inches apart. 
• You may plant those from 3-1/2 inch pots as closely as 12 inches apart, or as distant as 18 inches apart.

Plant spacing is measured from the center of one pot to the center of the next pot.

• If you plant at 8 inch spacing, you will need 2.25 plants per square foot.
• If you plant at 10 inch spacing, you will need 1.45 plants per square foot.
• If you plant at 12 inch spacing, you will need 1 plant per square foot.
• If you plant at 15 inch spacing, you will need .64 plant per square foot.
• If you plant at 18 inch spacing, you will need .44 plant per square foot.

If you have irrigation available, plant in spring when danger of frost is past. If you do not have irrigation available, I suggest you wait until fall when natural rainfall is usually more abundant.

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Got a small yard with lots of shade?

Dwarf Mondo Grass Lawn

Q. I have a small yard that doesn't get much sunlight, and there is a lot of moss. What to do you suggest to get grass growing? I live in Columbia, MD.

A. Forget about grass. You should grow dwarf mondo grass instead. Mondo (Ophiopogon japonicus) is not true grass, but it looks like grass. Mondo performs well in full shade and in slightly moist soil. Maintenance is minimal. Mondo has few pest and disease problems, and tolerates poor soil. Dwarf mondo (O. japonicus 'Nana') leaves grow to 1-1/2 inches to 2 inches long, so mowing is unnecessary.

To learn more about growing mondo, read my article - Mondo Possibilities For Your Landscape.




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That ugly cottony scale.

Icerya purchasi

Q. Since the subject came up and there is a likelihood of that ugly cottony scale this time of year, could you address it too?

A. I'm assuming you are referring to cottony cushiony scale on indoor plants. If you're referring to another, please let me know, though I might suggest the same remedies.

Cottony cushiony scale can afflict many plants including edibles and ornamentals, especially citrus and pittosporum. By sucking sap from plants, they may weaken them to the point of death. At the very least, they suck vitality from plants. Ants feed on honeydew produced by cottony cushiony scale, so they try to protect the scale insects from predators.

Cottony cushiony scale is difficult to control in the adult phase because the cottony cushiony covering protects the little critters from insecticides. If they have infested deciduous plants, spray the plants during dormancy with horticultural oil. Another strategy you should use early in the season is to reduce the ant population. Ant baits or sticky materials applied to plant trunks and branches may help.

A few other insect predators are effective in controlling scale. If ants are controlled, the predators might have a chance to help you out.

Some insecticides such as Malathion can be effective in controlling this scale if applied in spring or fall when young scales are active. Some systemic insecticides might be effective, but check the label to see if the chemical is listed for cottony cushiony scale. Always follow label instructions. Never use systemic insecticides on edible and fruit-bearing plants.

The downside of using chemical pesticides is that they also kill beneficial insects, such as the predators mentioned before. Cottony cushiony scale is indeed a tough insect to control.

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How to control mealybugs on Japanese hollies.

Mealybugs by Alexlutor CC BY-SA 3.0

Q. How can I control mealybugs on my Japanese hollies?

A. First, make sure those are mealybugs on your Japanese hollies (Ilex crenata). Some species of scale insects resemble mealybugs, but they require different methods of control. If you've established that your pests are mealybugs, there is a relatively safe solution you can make at home that should work. Make a 50:50 solution of isopropyl alcohol and water in a 1.5 liter spray bottle. Add about 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap. Mix well. Spray to cover the mealybugs. The treatment may need to be repeated several times over the course of a few weeks to destroy eggs and emerging insects.

Take care, though, that the liquid dish soap not be too strong. A stronger concentration than that recommended can damage to foliage. If in doubt, try the spray on a few leaves not readily visible to see if the solution causes damage before covering the entire plant.

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Foam is bubbling out of my Chinese elm. Any ideas?

Q. Foam is bubbling out of my Chinese elm. Any ideas?

A. The foam is called "slime flux." It occurs sometimes when a tree is wounded and sap is exuded. Bacteria growing in the sap causes it to ferment and foam. Insects might be attracted to it to feed. Before long you have a stinky mess. If left untreated, the slime mold can weaken the tree to the point of death.

To treat it, remove any bark that may be covering the wound, then wipe away as much of the slime mold as possible. Brush the area with rubbing alcohol or a dilution of plain household bleach and water - 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. You will probably have to repeat the treatment several times to keep the slime flux in check.

Tree wounds may result from pathogens such as those that cause cankers. More often, mechanical damage from string trimmers, lawn mowers, garden tools and poor pruning cause wounds.

Prevention is the best medicine. Try to keep your plants in good health, and avoid mechanical damage.

Winter gardening tips?

Q. Do you have any winter gardening tips?

A. Yes. Think spring. When you do, you'll be ready for it. Here are some specifics, which should come as no surprise:

• Put your summer garden to bed;
• Reflect on the past year's gardening experience, taking note of your successes and failures to learn from them;
• Dream about something new you'd like to do in the garden, research and plan for it, or forget about it if it won't work;
• Peruse seed catalogs when they arrive in the mail, make a wish-list before you fill out the order forms, then face the fact you don't have room in your garden for all that, and shorten the list;
• Clean and sharpen your tools so you won't be kicking yourself come spring because you didn't do it before;
• Winterize your gas-powered tools, so you won't be kicking yourself come spring when you're taking them to the shop for carburetor repairs;
• Continue adding to your compost pile;
• Read blog articles at GoGardenNow.blogspot.com.

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Small-scale Composting for a Raised Bed Patio Garden

Q. I want to make compost for my raised bed patio garden. I live alone, so I don't produce many kitchen scraps. I live in a townhouse with almost no yard. How can I get enough stuff to compost?

A. It seems to me you only need to compost on a small scale. A compost heap or bin will probably be impractical, taking too long to fill, taking up too much space, and possibly offending neighbors. I suggest you chop your fruit and vegetable scraps, pulverize egg shells, then store them in a lidded plastic container - the 45 oz. size like buttery spreads come in - until it's filled. Then bury the contents directly in one end of your patio garden. Cover immediately with a few inches of soil. The next time you have a full container, bury the contents beside the first batch. Eventually you will have a row of compost in the making. As you collect more material, begin your second row, and so forth. Within a few months, you should be able to plant vegetables or annuals directly in your first row of finished compost, then later into the second row, etc. As time goes on, you should have a very fertile patio garden.

I'm in zone 8a. Should I wait till spring to plant Asiatic Jasmine?

Asiatic jasmine in 2-1/2 inch and 3-1/2 inch pots

Q. I'm in zone 8a. Should I wait till spring to plant Asiatic Jasmine?

A. Good question. Here in zone 8b, I prefer to plant in fall because roots continue to develop in winter even when above-ground parts are often dormant.

Asiatic jasmine is plenty cold-hardy in your climate zone. You needn't wait until spring to plant. The temps don't drop enough long enough to be a problem. Furthermore, once planted and irrigated deeply, newly planted plants don't require as much irrigation during our cool seasons.

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Can I compost egg shells?

Compost Still-Life with Egg Shells

Can I compost egg shells? I'm including a picture.

Yes, you can compost egg shells, but you should be breaking them up first. Egg shells are mostly calcium carbonate, like the powdered lime you buy at your local garden center for adding to your garden soil. Since calcium carbonate is a mineral, it doesn't decompose like vegetable matter. Egg shells need to be broken down into itty-bitty pieces for full incorporation into your compost. From here on out, let the shells dry after you've cracked the eggs, then pulverize them before dumping into the compost bin.

Don't worry that the shells already in the compost bin haven't been pulverized. They'll be broken down eventually as you turn your compost pile or begin working the finished compost into your soil.

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FAQ: What is this? It's a dahlia.

A new homeowner in Maine asks questions about plants he finds growing in his landscape. "What is this?"

That's a dahlia. Dahlias are tuberous-rooted plants that are grown from seed, cuttings or tubers.  Most gardeners start with tubers because they are easily obtained and predictable. I don't know which one judging from the picture, but it could be 'Babylon Red'.

Dahlias require exposure to full sun for at least 6 hours per day, and well-drained sandy loam with pH between 6.0 and 7.5.  Their cold-hardiness varies. In USDA climate zones 6 or 7 they can be left in the ground over winter, but you live in zone 5.

After the first hard frost, cut off the plant stalks close to the ground.  After a couple of weeks, the tuberous clumps can be dug and stored over winter.  Store them in a very cool and dark place.  Care must be taken to prevent them from freezing and drying.  Baskets make excellent storage containers because they allow ventilation along the sides.  Without adequate ventilation the tubers will rot.  Sprinkle with water every week or so to replace lost moisture.

Try inter-planting your bulbs with summer blooming perennials.

Daffodils in the landscape. Photo by Irina Iriser from Pexels

Q. I would like to plant a large area with bulbs for spring bloom. The problem is the bulb foliage looks terrible after they finish blooming. I know I'm not supposed to mow the leaves until they dry up on their own, or else I won't have any blooms the following spring. Do you have any suggestions?

A. Try inter-planting your bulbs with summer blooming perennials. Dormant perennials will produce foliage to hide the spent bulb leaves. The perennial flowers will hide them even more. Not only will your mixed bulb and perennial garden provide a longer bloom season, the bulb leaves won't need mowing. They'll just dry up and become mulch. You didn't mention whether you want to plant in sun or shade. Suitable perennials might include Astilbe, Hostas, Bearded Iris, Daylilies (Hemerocallis), Yarrow (Achillea spp.), Coneflower (Echinacea), Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) and tall ferns.

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What should I use to treat mites on my citrus?

Orange tree with fruit

Q. I've discovered spider mites on my satsuma orange tree. What do you recommend I treat it with? The tree is growing in a pot on my porch so I can take it indoors in winter. I don't want to use a pesticide that will ruin the fruit.

A. Spider mites like dry conditions. Since the satsuma is growing in a pot on your porch, it's probably not exposed to rainfall. When you water, you add water to the pot. Right? So, the leaves are seldom exposed to water. As a preventative measure in the future, spray the leaves above and beneath when you water your orange to discourage the mites.

Spraying the leaves with water, especially the undersides, may be enough to get rid of them. If not, there are two pesticides on the market that might do the trick. One is Monterey Bug Buster. The active ingredient is esfenvalerate - a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide. The other pesticide is Trounce by Safer, the makers of insecticidal soap. Trounce contains insecticidal soap and pyrethroids.

As with all pesticides, follow label instructions.

Is "pot liquor" good for plants?

Vegetables for cooking in water

Q. I read at an organic gardening web site that vegetable water is really good for plants. Is that true?

A. This strikes me funny because vegetable water is often known as "pot liquor" or "pot likker." But I'll comment on that later.

Well, it appears the advisor is talking about water left over from boiling or steaming vegetables. If the water has cooled, it should be good. Don't pour hot water on your desirable plants. But why don't you use the vegetable water for yourself?

• You can drink it when it has cooled enough;
• You can mix it in your Bloody Veggie;
• You can add it to smoothies;
• You can use it as vegetable broth.

Where I come from, people who actually drink the vegetable water are considered desperate, and derisively called "pot lickers" or "pot likkers." But most everyone does it nowadays. Not just here.

If you have anything left after the smoothies and broths, give the rest to your plants. They should respond well.

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A large oak tree has to go.

Large oak tree - Photo by FOX from Pexels

Q. "There is a large oak tree growing in our yard. ...We want to add a room to our house. IMO the tree has to go. But my wife loves the tree."

A. This reminds me of a few discussions I had with a customer a long time ago. For the sake of anonymity, I'll call him Pete. Pete, a lawyer, spent his professional career in a large city. He hired me to maintain his retirement property.

Pete had several undesirable trees around his estate, mostly misshapen black cherries (Prunus serotina) and water oaks (Quercus nigra) in various stages of decline. Those not decrepit were growing in the wrong places. But Pete insisted they were "magnificent." "Magnificent weeds," I replied. But he wouldn't allow me to remove them.

Perhaps Pete suffered from what I call the Kilmer Complex (after Joyce Kilmer). These folks think they "shall never see a poem lovely as a tree." Trees are bigger than themselves, and perhaps older, so are impressive even if diseased or growing in inconvenient places. They have no problem, however, destroying smaller undesirables. It's a matter of perspective, and an odd one at that.

What is a weed but an undesirable plant, or a plant growing in an undesirable place? It doesn't matter, really, how great or small. If it can't be transplanted elsewhere, get rid of it.

I wrote all that to say I understand your predicament. Try reasoning gently with her using my argument. If she remains rooted in her opinion, there's not much you can do about it. I guess it depends on whether she wants the additional room more than the tree, or whether you desire her more than the additional room.

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What is eating my koi?

Photo by FOX from Pexels

Q. We recently installed a small garden pond in the back yard and stocked it with a few small koi. Now a couple of the koi are missing. A friend suggested that raccoons have been eating them. How can I tell if he is correct, and if so how can I keep the raccoons out of the pond?

A. Since the koi are missing, you might not have a raccoon problem, but a heron problem. Raccoons won't eat the whole fish. They'll leave some scraps behind. Herons, however, will gulp down the entire koi.

To prevent herons from doing more damage, buy a heron decoy to set in or near the pond. You might find one at a garden center that carries pond supplies, or online. Real herons will avoid your pond if they think another one is already feeding there. In the mean time, temporarily cover your pond with bird netting like you would drape over berry plants. It's not very attractive, but will prevent herons from eating all the koi until you obtain the decoy. Cover your pond soon because it doesn't take long for a hungry heron to eat all the koi.

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Looks like you've got armadillos.

Q. Something is digging holes in my yard. Here are some pictures of the holes. What do you think is doing it? How can I stop it? BTW, I live in south Georgia.

Armadillo burrow

Armadillo damage

Looks to me like you have armadillos in your yard. The deep hole looks like a burrow. The shallow dig probably resulted from an armadillo scratching around for food.

Credit: Rebecca Wallace, University of Georgia

Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) inhabit all of the Gulf Coast states, parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, south and central Georgia. They migrated from north or south of the border down Mexico way. They eat insects, larvae, earthworms, spiders, small reptiles and eggs. Some folks report armadillos robbing eggs from chicken houses. They damage lawns and gardens rooting for food or digging their burrows.

Armadillos may also be infected with the bacterium - Mycobacterium leprae - that causes Hansen's disease, commonly known as leprosy. I believe humans and armadillos are the only warm-blooded carriers.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that armadillos can communicate leprosy to humans, primarily through physical interaction. But since bacterium can ride on water vapor, it stands to reason that the disease could be communicated without physical contact. Por ejemplo, don't let an armadillo sneeze on you.

I'm guessing you don't want armadillos around your house. There are various methods including repelling, excluding, trapping, shooting, site modifying and eliminating the food source.

Repellents might or might not work. I've heard of scattering mothballs where they root or dig. Even if it worked, it would take a lot of mothballs to keep them out of your yard, and the smell would repel you, too.

If you have a fenced yard, a good dog might keep them away. Several years ago my dog trapped an armadillo in a roll of fencing. It was driving him crazy that he couldn't get at it. His craziness was driving me crazy, so I called off the dog and let the armadillo run.

Some people have tried fencing them out, but armadillos dig. The bottom of the fence would have to be buried sufficiently, which could prove costly.

Various humane traps are available for all sorts of animal pests. I'm not promoting any particular brand, but "have a heart" comes to mind.

So far as I know, armadillos are unprotected in all states, which means it's always armadillo hunting season. You might dispatch them with a decent pellet gun or .22 caliber rifle. But you must check your state and local ordinances before shooting them.

Shooting armadillos is complicated by the fact that they are most active from sunset to sunrise. Even if it's legal to hunt them around your property, rifle fire during the night might raise suspicion and attract a visitor from law enforcement.

Armadillos like to dig burrows under shrubs, as seen in your  photo. You could remove your shrubs, but that doesn't seem attractive.

You could remove their food sources by applying a lawn insecticide, but I don't like the idea. Broad spectrum insecticides eliminate good and bad insects alike.

One might argue that armadillos inhabit a useful niche in our eco-system since they help to keep pests in check. But then we have to balance that reality with holes in the yard and, of course, the unknown potential for leprosy.

UPDATE: Following a comment below, I posted a reply with link to a capture and release ELSEWHERE program. Here's the link to Translocation of nine-banded armadillos.

UPDATE: Here's an important quote from the Translocation of nine-banded armadillos article. "In conclusion, we recommend against translocating nuisance armadillos in most cases. First, translocated animals are unlikely to remain at their release site and will likely transfer the problem elsewhere, increase the risk of the spreading disease, and increase mortality rates because of translocated animals. Second, resident armadillos are highly dispersive and will likely quickly fill vacated territories formerly occupied by translocated animals. In addition, negative ecological impacts of additional armadillos in an area should be considered. Armadillos pose a threat to a number of native fauna, including several rare or endangered reptiles (Layne 1997), soil invertebrates (Carr 1982), marine turtles, gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus; Drennen et al. 1989), and ground-nesting birds, such as northern bobwhite (Staller et al. 2005). If shooting is not a desired or practical management option for removing nuisance armadillos within certain localities, they should be trapped and humanely euthanized. It is important to remember, however, that until there is a more permanent solution to keeping armadillos away from areas where they are unwanted, whatever removal techniques landowners choose to use will likely need to be continuously applied." (Emphases are mine.)


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FAQ: Water run-off is causing an erosion issue. Should I plant Mondo?

Q. I have a location that is a steep hill, that runs down towards a lake.  Water run-off is causing an erosion issue.  I am planning on purchasing 100 Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana' - Dwarf Mondo Grass - Bare Root,  to start. I'm curious as to your opinion on this application of this grass.  Second, I want to know how quickly these would need to be planted once they arrive.

Dwarf Mondo bare root divisions

A. Dwarf mondo grass is a slow-growing ground cover, so it won't stabilize the soil on the hill all by itself. You could install an erosion control blanket/mat and plant through it. Still, that doesn't change the fact that dwarf mondo grows slowly.

If you decide to install a blanket/mat, to help stabilize the soil until your ground cover plant matures, it should be made of organic material (like straw). I recently saw some for sale at our local farm supply store.

Faster growing ground covers include Campsis radicans (aka Trumpet Vine, a very aggressive native plant that will climb anything in its path), Euonymus fortunei (aka Wintercreeper), Gelsemium sempervirens (aka Carolina Jessamine, another native ground cover that will climb if given the opportunity), Hypericum calycinum (aka St. John's Wort), Juniperus conferta 'Blue Pacific' and Junipers horizontalis 'Wiltonii', Liriope spicata (aka Creeping Lily Turf), Pachysandra terminalis (aka Japanese Spurge), Trachelospermum asiaticum (aka Asiatic Jasmine), Vinca major (aka Big-Leaf Periwinkle) and Vinca minor (aka Periwinkle).

Bare root plants should be planted ASAP. If you can't get to them all at once, set the plants upright in the shipping box, keep them moist, avoid exposure to sun, wind and freezing temperatures.

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Question about planting ornamental grasses over a septic system

Q. I have a septic system that I would like to plant ornamental grasses over. This is located on a slope of about 30 degrees. The soil is mostly clay. The area receives 4-5 hours of sun per day. I'm located in north Georgia. I enjoyed your article in Nov./Dec. of Georgia Gardening. Any information or resource you might provide would be appreciated.

By SuSanA Secretariat - Septic tank Uploaded by Elitre, CC BY 2.0

A. Planting grasses over your septic system is a good idea. If septic repairs are needed, grasses will recover more quickly than shrubs.

If planting over the drain field, I suggest you plant shorter grasses because root systems tend to be commensurate with top growth. Tall grasses like Cortaderia, many Miscanthus and Panicum species have deeper roots, which you should avoid. If planting over the septic tank itself, you could theoretically plant taller Miscanthus, Panicum, Agrostis, etc., because the concrete septic lid would prevent root penetration. But septic tanks usually are not buried deeply, so tall species might not have enough soil to grow anyway.

You should also consider whether you want full coverage of the area such as a lawn substitute, or clumping grasses which tend not to grow together. If you want clumping grasses, some good ones include Festuca ovina var. glauca, Helictotrichon sempervirens, Muhlenbergia capillaris var. filipes, some dwarf cultivars of Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Honey', 'Burgundy Bunny', 'Little Bunny', Carex hachijoensis (syn. Carex morrowii). You could also use grass-like plants such as Liriope muscari 'Aztec', Liriope muscari 'Variegata', L. muscari 'Densiflora'

If you want creeping grasses, some good ones include Carex pensylvanica, Festuca rubra,  Hakonechloa macra, or grass-like plants such as Liriope muscari 'Royal Purple', Liriope spicata, Ophiopogon japonicus.

I've not provided an exhaustive list.

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How can I keep my potted tulip plant alive?

Q. I received a potted fragrant tulip plant for Valentines Day. I want to keep it alive and healthy for as long as possible. Any tips?

A. The flowers will open, fade and the petals fall off. Flowers will last about 1 to 1-1/2 weeks if the buds were tight when you received the tulips. Once the flowers fall, the leaves will continue green for awhile, but won't be particularly attractive. They will last longer if you water sparingly. If you want to plant them in the garden, put them in a dry place. Frankly, tulips are best treated as annuals.

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