In the garden
Q The weather is so nasty, should I hold off on pruning butterfly bush, roses and crape myrtle?
A Amen to that. Many of our roses and butterfly bushes were putting on new growth before the first round of this winter weather started, and now we are on round three or four. Don’t rush out and prune. Let’s make sure the wintry stuff is gone for good. Once you do prune, don’t be alarmed if you find that what was new growth on the tips is now dead; that is why you wait to prune until the end of winter — to cut off any damage. As long as you have them pruned before they fully leaf out, you are in good shape.
Q I have a camellia bush that had buds before Christmas, and they have just now begun to open up. It seems to be stressed or something as they are not budding out as they should. It seems rather late for them to be blooming as they bloomed in January last year. Could you please advise me how to prune or what I need to do to get it back to its normal pattern?
A I would love to get back to a “normal” weather pattern. I am so ready for spring. We have had two unusual winters,
and this one doesn’t seem to want to end. We had a mild January, and many of our plants were beginning to grow. I had open blooms on my Camellia japonica before the latest ice, and they are all mush. I still have a few closed buds, which I hope will bloom after this weather has passed. I have seen huge bushes that were in full bloom and now are covered in brown blooms. Only time will tell. I think Camellia sasanqua, which blooms in late fall through early winter, is a better choice for us; the C. japonica types are showier, but they suffer winter damage more easily. Sasanquas usually have smaller leaves and smaller flowers but bloom earlier, while japonicas have large leaves and very showy flowers. If you aren’t sure which camellia you have, take a photo and email it to me. Both camellias will set flower buds at the end of summer for winter bloom. This spring, if it needs pruning, do so when you would prune your azaleas. Then fertilize it with azalea fertilizer. Keep it watered this summer. Hopefully it will bloom well next year. Q I saw an advertisement: “The amazing new grass seed mixture guarantees you lush, green lawn in all four seasons, in every climate! Tolerates extreme from 120F to 40 below zero!” The ad says, “Just scatter! Sprouts and covers super-fast … just 10 days!” In just 10 days, a thick, green, beautiful lawn you’ll be proud of! Is this a bunch of hooey or what?
A If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. I went in search of it and, oh my, it sounds like Supergrass. They say it was developed in Canada. Nowhere could I see in their ads what type of lawn grass it even contains, so my guess would be annual or perennial ryegrass — a cool-season grass. I do not think it would be a viable option for a permanent lawn in our summers. They say parts of Canada reach 120 degrees in the summer, but I can’t imagine that.
Q I need to buy some grass seed for a project I’m doing with my grandchildren. Can you tell me which kind of grass seed would be the fastest sprouting and growing (hopefully it would show growth within four or five days after planting) and where I can buy a small amount of it? The grass will become “hair” that eventually the kids can cut with scissors. Any other planting material and care info would be appreciated.
A See the above answer. Ha! I love the project you are proposing. Go to your local agricultural co-op or feed store and get a bag of annual or perennial ryegrass. It comes up quickly. You can plant it in several ways. You can have the kids draw faces on a paper cup, fill that with potting soil and sprinkle on the seeds — not too heavily — lightly water and cover with a zip-close bag to keep moisture in until you see the seeds sprouting. In a warm, sunny spot, you should see seeds emerging in a few days. I have also done it in hollowed-out eggshells with painted faces. Since Easter is right around the corner, you could save some seeds to grow in a shallow baking dish to set under your eggs for a table display. That is cute and easy to do. Have fun. Kids love this project. I actually kept some growing for several months in my windowsill.