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Question
My sycamore tree always looses some leaves in the summer, but this year it
is almost naked; although I do see some new sprouts coming. Is my tree
dying? Is there any way to save it?
Answer
Your tree has Anthracnose. This disease is particularly bad this year
because of the cool, wet weather. Sycamores seem to co-exist with this
disease and no chemical treatment is necessary. Once the weather warms and
dries off, your tree will partially re-foliate. You can reduce the amount
of re-infestation by cutting out any totally dead limbs and raking any
fallen leaves and twigs.
Question
On my split-level house, the windows are only about 2 feet off the ground.
Because the house has an overhang and it faces south, the area is really
hot and dry. Is there any kind of ornamental shrub that will grow there
and won’t block my windows?
Answer
There are not a lot of flowering shrubs that grow only 2 feet tall.
Spiraea Magic Carpet grows about 30 inches tall. The foliage is
chartreuse, highlighted with tips of red and bronze. The flowers come in
June and are rich pink. The fall foliage is a beautiful russet tone.
Another possibility is the dwarf holly “Little Rascal”. It grows about 2
feet tall and 3 feet wide. Little Rascal is a male holly so it does not
set berries and of course it’s evergreen. In your dry situation, Little
Rascal is going to require supplemental watering in dry periods, until
well established. You may also want to consider the dwarf globose blue
spruce. I feel the blue color is as attractive as any flower and its
evergreen. Like the holly, careful attention to watering during dry
periods will be required.
Question
Many of my plants have little round holes in their leaves, just like Swiss
cheese. Could slugs possibly do this much damage?
Answer
Slugs thrive in a moist season. This year there are an incredible number
of baby slugs out there and they are eating everything. The most effective
slug bait I have found is the Bonide snail, slug and sowbug bait. It has
an apple bait that really attracts slugs and it has 2 insecticides rather
than the usual one. As slugs like to hide under things and as you
don’t want birds to find the slug bait, I suggest that you cover the
pellets with a piece of board that you can just lay on top of the soil and
slug bait. This will also make the pellets last longer as the board will
shed the rain.
Question
I love my Knockout and Carefree Beauty roses. I am so glad you sold them
to me. Is there some other bush rose that is as carefree, but in some
other color besides pink or red?
Answer
You have the two most carefree shrubs roses that I know of. Two
roses that are almost as disease resistant as Knockout and Carefree Beauty
are Carefree Sunshine and What a Peach (TM), both of which bloom in shades
of yellow. I am still testing the apricot-colored What a Peach, but
the initial results are quite good. I have worked with the lemon-colored
Carefree Sunshine for several years and it is very good.
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