October Questions & Answers

Q. We have five crape myrtle trees in our back yard. They were planted about four years ago and bloomed normally the first year. However, since then, they've been almost devoid of blooms. Can you shed any light as to how the health of these trees could be restored?

Crape myrtles are among the most popular summer-blooming trees in our area as one can attest. Just driving around town in July and August, and one is inundated by the mostly red and lavender flowers on crape myrtles. I only hope that this area never gets a disease specific to crape myrtles!

Anyway, your non-blooming crape myrtles can be traced to lack of pruning. Crape myrtles bloom on new wood each year. This means that you have to prune them back every winter or else you're not going to get many flowers. I prune mine back each December or January anywhere from 1 to 4 feet. This varies depending on how big your crape myrtles are. Also, get rid of any criss-crossing branches to open up the center of your trees to air and sunlight.

Please note that crape myrtles also thrive on neglect. Too much water or fertilizer during the summer blooming season may result in a tree's energy going into green leaves and growth instead of flowers.

Q. I have some hollyhocks that have evolved into a lavender color. Is this color common in this flower? Also, I was wondering what to do this winter to amend the soil. This is besides digging it up and replacing it. Any suggestions?

Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) are an old-fashioned favorite that are great for back of the borders where a little height is needed. Lavender is a common color of hollyhocks. As for your's evolving to lavender, I suspect you have hybrid plants that are reverting back to one of its parents original colors.

As for soil rejuvenation, there is no shortcut. I personally get a load of mushroom compost, organic compost or redwood soil conditioner delivered every few years. That's as often as I can take wheelbarrowing around 100 loads throughout the garden! It's best to rototill the soil amendments into the ground. On a small scale specific to certain areas of the garden, you can try adding gypsum or milorganite to help break up hardpan soil. Good luck.

Q. I live in Indianapolis. We just bought a new home and the developer is spraying some sort of liquid grass seed on the soil. However, I want to rototill and plant my own grass seed.

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