Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 18, 1994 TAG: 9411020012
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: E1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN ARBOGAST
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
A: Late this fall, push a spade into the soil a few feet from the wisteria trunk to cut some of the roots. This is to induce flowering. If your wisteria is in or adjacent to the lawn and if you have plans to fertilize your lawn this fall, be sure to keep the spreader away from the wisteria. Excessive nitrogen can stimulate leaf and stem growth at the expense of flower production. Also, to induce flowering, fertilize the plant with superphosphate in early spring and prune the new growth severely in late spring or early summer.
Q: We want to move a Japonica, a lilac and an old-fashioned rose bush that are growing against the foundation of our house. How do you transplant an established shrub and when is the best time of year? Also, can a mock orange and a forsythia that have become tangled be untangled? J.C., Roanoke
A: Most existing plants can be transplanted as soon as they become dormant, which in our area would be around late October or early November. When the deciduous plants are dormant, it will not be necessary to take a ball of soil with the plants; move the complete root system, but it is OK if some of the soil falls away from the roots in the digging operation. Start several inches out from the drip line of the branches and dig a trench several inches to begin separating roots from their surroundings. Exact digging details should be based on the roots that are encountered. After reaching a considerable depth, dig under the plant to move the roots that grow down. If large roots are found in any of this digging, dig further out or deeper to loosen all roots rather than cutting them.
Roses can be transplanted according to the same general instructions, but they seem to prefer transplanting in early spring before mulch growth.
Untangling your mock orange and forsythia does not sound possible to me.
Q: I want to move some large, native rhododendrons, azaleas and laurel. Please advise me how to do so. E.L.E., Floyd
A: See the above answer for information on transplanting with the exception that evergreens should have their roots in a ball of soil when moved.
Q: I have several large oak trees in my yard. Two of them are very close to the house. What is the best time of the year to have the trees trimmed, what is the correct trimming method and how does one find a reputable tree service to perform this work? R.M., Vinton
A: Have in mind what you want to accomplish by tree pruning. Your use of the word trimming tells me that you understand that major cutting back, which is referred to as topping, is not good for the trees.
Late winter or early spring, before growth comes out, is generally a good time to prune oaks because healing tissue should form rapidly then. Generally, pruning deciduous trees while they are dormant is good, since it should be easier for the tree worker to observe branch conditions without leaves in the way.
Books have been written on correct trimming or pruning, and I don't have enough space here to go into all the details. However, before you talk to tree workers, understand what basic pruning cuts will do so you will know what kind of work to ask for and expect.
Heading cuts are made to reduce the height of a tree and will stimulate regrowth (possibly in terms of suckers or crowded branching), can leave large diameter wounds and should likely be only a small part of your oak trimming. The other type of cut would be thinning cuts. This means pruning a branch back to another bigger branch or to just outside the trunk. Thinning results in a more open tree and will likely be the biggest part of trimming that your oaks should have.
To know you are hiring a well-trained tree worker, look for someone who has earned the credential of certified arborist. This designation is given in those individuals' advertisements as well as on business cards.
Q: When is the best time to reset iris borders? O.S.D., Rocky Mount
A: See the Dear John column of Sept. 11, '94.
Q: My azaleas have grown so well this year that I have new growth that is sticking up 2 feet above the main bush. (letter dated June 6) Should I leave them alone or clip them back? I want the bushes to be large and bushy but not misshaped. When should the clipping be done? V.M., Moneta
A: Azaleas should not be trimmed now, since pruning this late in the season would mean removal of some of the flower buds that started to form on this year's growth in August for spring '95. You can cut your azaleas back to a nice shape just as soon as the flowers fade in the spring if needed. However, if the plants are becoming leggy, keep in mind when placing your cuts that the majority of regrowth following pruning will occur from branch portions just below the cuts; pruning does not stimulate new growth to emerge all the way down a stem.
Q: Voles have been increasing in our area and have moved from frills and trails into the flower garden. They leave large unsightly ridges and upset stepping stones. We have a dog digs them up, leaving more mess, so we can't use poison. Please give suggestions. L.N., Natural Bridge
A: Voles, which are mouse-like creatures, will either make paths through tall grass, which would be the meadow vole, or will make underground trails and burrows with little evidence on the surface other than holes, which would be the pine vole. Moles, on the other hand, do cause surface ridges and upheaval. If they are the culprit, eliminate them with harpoon-style mole traps placed over active mole tunnel paths. This does not involve any poisons.
Send short questions about your lawn, garden, plants, or insects to Dear John, c/o the Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491. We need your mail, but this column can't reply to all letters. Those of wide appeal will be answered each week. Personal replies cannot be given. Please don't send stamps, stamped envelopes, samples, or pictures.
by CNB