Thank you for joining my Q&A! Please understand that without the opportunity to visit your yard or garden, I won’t be able to provide a complete answer but I will certainly do my best!
Hi Roger, we live in Northern California and have a smaller yard. Five years ago we planted two Scarlet Sentinels, one has done great, the other about half size. The smaller one gets less full sun and backs up to our neighbors Bay Laurel tree (30’ blocking the pm sun). Last year I further exposed the root flare (ATOH recommendation), but still no growth spurt. I read that a Laurel emits an oil that stunts the growth of adjacent plants, and most things struggle to grow there. Any thoughts or recommendations to help growth in that area?
You’re correct- Laurels fall into a group of “allelopathic” plants- those that have toxins that can harm other plants nearby (survival of the fittest!). Some other common examples include sycamore, walnut and lotus trees. These toxins can be released when leaves drop and decompose or from the root system. It is certainly possible the neighbor’s plants are having an impact and the only solid solution might be transplant and move your Sentinel. One other thing you could try is to make sure you regularly mix some compost into the bed. By maintaining “living” soil the toxic residue from the Laurels should decompose much faster. Also, by top dressing the bed with a modest amount of compost, you may create a barrier between the Sentinel root system and falling Laurel leaves. Hope this helps!
I live in Southern California. When is a good time to prune my grapefruit tree?
Unlike other varieties of fruit, citrus trees don’t require a lot of pruning to maintain health- but you can prune for appearance or to make it easier to harvest fruit. I wouldn’t recommend extensive pruning unless you absolutely have to— the trunk of a citrus tree can actually be burned by the sun if the tree is too thinned out. However, you do want to trim any branches that are drooping to the ground because they can act as an on-ramp for pests.
As far as timing for pruning goes—ideally shoot to do your pruning in the spring before the tree puts out flowers. You will want to make sure the threat of frost has passed before you do any pruning (though, you probably won’t have to worry about that in SoCal!), but catch the tree before buds start to form.
One last tip- make sure your pruning tools are clean (some folks even use a bleach solution) to avoid the risk of transferring disease to your grapefruit tree.
Hi Roger. I live in Southeast Texas (Houston) to be exact. I have a crepe myrtle that has gotten to be a massive bush. What would you recommend for cutting it back and maintenance for it throughout the year?
What a beautiful southern plant! I would focus your pruning during the early springtime. By pruning them while still dormant, you’ll encourage new growth which should improve flowering. It also makes it much easier to see what you’re pruning when leaves and flowers aren’t obstructing your view. There seems to be a tendency to over-prune Myrtles so best to prune incrementally. One rule of thumb I have heard is you should thin the branches such that birds could easily fly through the center of the plant. Also make sure you cut all the way back to a main branch—don’t leave stubs.
The biggest issue for Myrtles is to make sure they get full sun- they aren’t particularly needy from a maintenance perspective. There can be issues with mold or mildew on these plants but this should be easily cured with (preferably organic) spray.
What is best way and time to get old blooms and stalks cut out of my hydrangea plants? Fall or Spring?
Hydrangeas are somewhat complicated when it comes to pruning- different species respond to pruning at different times. I would definitely recommend checking in with a local nursery or garden center to make sure you optimize for your species and region. One species I enjoy, ‘Endless Summer’ is quite hearty and requires very little pruning.
I have an increasing problem with moss in my yard. I’ve tried various moss killers over the last 3 or 4 years but it just seems to come back stronger. I even get it in the more sunny parts of my lawn. I’ve put down lime in the fall too. I’ve also cut off branches to get more sunlight. Am I using wrong seed? I live in Central Connecticut and it’s February and the moss is now even bright green! No snow covering at moment . Soon spring will be here and I’m ready to give up trying to get rid of it. Thanks Roger, enjoyed all your years on TOH , and all the guys. I learned a lot! Now retired and my yard work is what I enjoy.
Credit to you for continuing to battle against this stubborn moss! You’re doing a lot of the right things- when I think of lawn moss I think (a) not enough sunlight or (b) or low soil pH. It sounds like you’ve tried to address both those issues. There’s a few more things you can try—don’t quit yet! You might consider getting a soil test done to confirm the soil isn’t the issue. Many universities have testing programs, I’ve used UMass here in New England. Also, even if you’re able to improve the sunlight on your lawn, if the soil isn’t draining well- it still may be damp enough to encourage the moss. Lastly, you may want to consider using a slightly higher grass height when you cut the lawn- some lawn experts have told me that cutting lawns excessively short can promote moss activity.
If you want to see what our crew is up to off camera or if you are looking for a landscape contractor in the greater Boston area- make sure you visit https://www.kandrlandscape.com
Hi, Roger! I had a question on how to control the spread of Spiderwort on my lawn. I also live in Southeast Texas (Houston) and found them sprouting all over recently. I've read either hot water, organic herbicide, or a mixture of vinegar on these weeds can be applied. In the interim, I've planned to uproot them (as carefully as possible) but from reading, can expect for them to come back. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!