Gardening Q&A

Q:I have two fruit-bearing trees -- a fig and a plum. However, I never get any fruit because of the squirrels. I've tried a fake snake, but that only drove the birds crazy. Can you recommend anything to keep the squirrels out of my fruit trees?

Answer: Squirrels can be quite a nuisance for gardeners. They can get under the nets that are sold to protect fruit from birds, and they don't scare easily. Some people have resorted to tying aluminum pie pans from strings on several limbs as the fruit gets near harvest stage. The reflections can keep the squirrels away for a few days.

We will be featuring figs on our Tuesday edition of Virginia Home Grown on WCVE. Peggy Cornett of the Monticello staff will be our guest. Perhaps she'll share how figs are protected at Monticello.

Q:My crepe myrtle has developed what I think is powdery mildew. It's in full morning sun but close to a large maple. Could there be a connection? Is there anything I can spray to eliminate the mildew?

Answer: Powdery mildew is quite common on crepe myrtle. It's so common that there are now a number of mildew-resistant varieties available at garden centers.

Your maple could be blocking the airflow allowing the fungus to develop. Just to be sure, powdery mildew is white or gray. It is not only on the surface of the leaf but also impregnates the leaf, distorting its surface.

There is another mold that gets on crepe myrtle that is black. Sooty mold is a floating fungus that attaches itself to sticky leaves, often the result of aphids that secrete honeydew, which coats the leaves. Aphids are common on crepes and maples. Sooty mold sits only on the surface of the leaf and can easily be wiped off, exposing a healthy leaf.

If you have powdery mildew, you can treat the leaves with a fungicide. The Pest Management Guide from Cooperative Extension suggests Immunox, triforine, Neem Oil and Daconil as possible controls. However, the fungicide will not cure the leaves that are already infected. It is designed to help prevent the spread to healthy leaves.

If it is sooty mold, you can use soapy water at a rate of 1 tablespoon of liquid soap in a gallon of water. The soap will control aphids and helps to clean the black residue from the leaves. However, be careful using soap during the heat of the day. Soap applied too heavily or under extreme heat conditions can cause leaf damage.

Q:I'm certain I will wake up in the next few days and find our entire house obliterated by ground ivy. This year, it has suffocated many perennials, all of my wildflowers and is driving me crazy with its creepiness. It is easy to pull up, but it is everywhere. In general, we don't do chemicals, other than some lime and occasional Roundup to kill wire grass between pavers. Is glyphosate and a paint brush the answer?

Answer: I'm afraid it is. When it gets into plant beds, the paintbrush is about the only good application technique. I wish I could be more encouraging, but direct application of glyphosate is about the safest and the most effective method. You'll get the best control if you start by cutting all of the existing ivy to the ground. When it starts to grow back and the new leaves are about the size of a quarter, apply the glyphosate. The good news: By late August, ivy starts to store food in its roots for winter, so it will carry the herbicide further into its root system and give you a deeper kill.

Next spring, if you have any ivy returning, treat the young tender leaves before they start to mature. By the end of next summer, you should have it under full control.

Richard Nunnally is a freelance writer and host of WCVE's monthly gardening show, "Virginia Home Grown." He can be contacted at .