Dallas Morning News – February 16, 2017
Q. What type of tree is this? D. B. Dallas, TX
A. Hard to say without seeing the foliage but the bark looks like soapberry.
Q. Despite covering with a sheet, succulents took a hit during freeze weeks ago. Huge aloe vera has a few viable looking leaves and some are swollen and black. Also sago palm brown is now. Do I cut them back? S. S. Dallas, TX
A. Cut the brown off, leave any green tissue and drench the roots with Garrett Juice or the Tree Tonic. It was way too cold for aloe vera and probably for the sego but give it a shot.
Q. We’re doing a job in Arlington and the front of the property faces north in the winter, getting almost 5 months of shade. What plant options do I have? It’ll get sun from April to October, then total shade – bright light, but absolutely zero sun. I’m afraid the abelia, loropetulam and yew may thin too much after several years. Looking for shrubs, deciduous or evergreen – doesn’t matter. Thanks for the help. B. N. Dallas, TX
A. I would consider the dwarf aucubas, oak leaf hydrangeas and various varieties of mahonia. I have nothing but shade at home and these all work well for me. Of course all the shade groundcovers will work as well – liriope, ophiopogon, etc.
Q. All my crepe myrtle trees are black. Is there some type of home remedy that I might use. I have been told that this is not the time of the year to trim off what appears to be dead or black as this is known as “Crepe Murder !” They look really bad and really dead. Would it help to scrub the branches with something? I’m afraid they are all going to die. J. C. Dallas, TX
A. The black condition is sooty mold. It is a fungus that grows on the waste (honeydew) left by the white scale insects that have become a pretty big problem for crepe myrtles. Both pests can be controlled by exposing the root flares of the trees and then applying the rest of the Sick Tree Treatment. You can kill the current infestation of scale and mold by spraying the trees with 2 oz. of orange oil added to a gallon of Garrett Juice. Spinosad spray can also help.
Q. My friend’s Chinese pistachio tree has two trunks that are grown together near the bottom. Should I try to remove the smaller trunk or just leave it as it is? T. M. Sachse, TX
A. I would definitely remove the smaller of the trunks and this is the perfect time to do the work. Leaving them both will definitely develop problem in the future.
Q. I have had much success following your organic vegetable gardening book and I have also referenced your book on trees quite a bit. I am a botanist and landscape designer and recently completed a good sized tree planting project in the small south Texas town of San Ygnacio. We acquired 20 beautiful desert willows as an outer border for the town’s central plaza as well as almost 20 shade trees (live oak, cedar elm and ash) for the interior. Leading up to this project I referenced some of your guidelines as well as those of James Urban. You both recommend NOT staking trees for reasons that make perfect sense to me. I took precaution of tamping soil every six inches of fill and further settling soil with plenty of water. While trees look great and feel firm I worry about the possibility of them tilting or falling over during intense wind events. The largest trees are 3.5 inch caliper oaks that were potted in a 65 gallon black plastic pot, a few cedar elms and other oaks are in 45 gallon pots. Any guidance will be greatly appreciated! B. R. Laredo, TX
A. You’re on the right track. I would probably just stake any of the trees that blow over. Most should be fine, especially since desert willow is such an open tree. For those that you have to stake, use a system that is slack enough or uses compression springs so that the tree can still have some movement. The other consideration would be one of the systems that is basically a big staple. There are products made of wood and some metal ones. These “staples” are driven down into the soil to hold the root ball in place. There are no wires and stakes above ground or connections to the tree trunks.
Q. I currently practice urban agriculture in Laredo Texas and have had great success with peppers in previous seasons in slightly differing soil conditions. Over the past year I have installed various raised beds filled in with a mix of soil and compost that I acquire by the cubic yard. Most vegetables and herbs do great in this soil, except peppers. In speaking with another local growers I’ve come to consider that the soil might just be too rich. I observe a curling of top leaves in an assortment of peppers from different sources. Any guidance you could offer will be greatly appreciated! B. R. Laredo, TX
A. Peppers can tolerate a wide range of soils but much prefer some shade, especially in the afternoon. We have had good luck using shade cloth. Try planting the peppers on the east side of larger plants or structures. I have had peppers produce in all day full shade. Have you seen the vegetable book that Malcolm Beck and I did? Some of the tips there might help. Also mixing lava sand into the soil along with the other organic amendments will help.
Q. Since you love trees, you probably have read the book The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate by Peter Wohlleben. If you haven’t read it, you will be glad when you do read it. It is an easy read filled with remarkable insights that are interesting, intriguing, and fascinating. The author describes trees’ traits that most people are not aware of, and shows that trees are social beings with familial similarities to humans, communicating with, feeding, and protecting their offspring. It should be a good source of information that you can use to educate people about the importance of trees and how to best ensure that they survive and thrive. K. M. Dallas, TX
A. Thanks for the tip. Will get it right away.