Q:Please tell me why some landscapers and new-tree owners seem to leave the plastic and wire bands and ties around new trees for years. I realize that some trees need to stay secured for support during their first few years. But I’ve seen such bands on new trees eventually girdle the trees and kill them. Answer: Good landscapers know that they need to be removed, but frequently, the company that installs the plants isn’t responsible for maintenance.

Q:I plan to plant four tomato plants in half wine barrels, one plant per barrel. I’m going to use a pre-mixed vegetable soil containing fertil izer. Would you recommend one or two plants that would be good for fresh eating? I am thinking Better Boy. Answer: It’s hard to beat Better Boys. They are disease resistant and they produce terrific fruit on manageable size plants. If you’d also like to trypatio-type tomatoes, Sungold is a great variety, as are Sweetie and Sweet 100’s.

Q:I have a large magnolia tree in my front yard that has lost at least 90 percent of its leaves. It has been this way for at least three years. It doesn’t seem to be a result of insects or disease, but there are numerous plantings of large azaleas and other plants around and up to base. I have been resisting cutting it down because of continuation of its bearing leaves. I would like to rejuvenate. Do you have any ideas?

Q:Our pine trees appear to attract borers and every few years we have to cut some down at great expense. The last tree man recommended coating 5 feet of all our pine trunks from the ground up with insecticide. I am reluctant to use any insecticides because of possible harm that might come to the tree and other wildlife. Would you recommend this procedure for preventing borers, or do I have other options?

GARDENING Q&A
Q:Do you know anything about Canada green grass? It says “No preparation; just scatter thickly and water.“ My yard is nothing but weeds, and I wonder if using weed and feed in March would result in some sort of a green yard? Answer: According to its Web site, Canada green is a mixture of Kentucky bluegrass, annual rye, and red fescue. Bluegrass has a very difficult time in central Virginia because of our hot, humid summers. Annual rye is truly an annual and dies when we get the first hot June temperatures. The red fescue is a shade grass. My guess is that the rye would come up fast and act as a nurse grass for the other two. However, it will die in late May or June. That leaves the bluegrass to contend with our hot, humid weather in August. The red fescue does fine here, but only in shade with about 4 hours of sunlight per day.

GARDENING Q&A
Q:I cleared my lot nine years ago to situate my new home. The original lot was densely wooded and I have planted grass right to the border of the wooded area. Over the years I have attempted to plant wildflowers and Marigolds along this border between the grass and the trees. The border is under the tree canopy and I augmented the soil and fertilized the beds. The beds are on a slope and drain well. I do not water the beds regularly and the flowers do not grow. How can I grow flowers along the border? More water?

Q:Several weeks ago you responded to a question about dealing with voles. We have had a bad infestation in our neighborhood this past year, losing an untold number of hostas, dogwoods, iris, azaleas and other shrubs. As I watch a lot of hard work and plants go to waste, do you have any recommendations for plants that tend to be vole resistant?

Q:Last summer, we had a terrible problem with crabgrass. We reseeded in the fall and now have a nice, healthy lawn. I understand we can prevent the crabgrass from coming back by treating with something this spring. What should we use and when should we use it? Answer: Crabgrass can certainly detract from a healthy lawn, but the major reason to control it is because it is an annual plant that leaves the soil bare during the winter. As a result, when it dies back in the fall, it dies completely. There are no live roots to help hold the soil to prevent erosion. As soil erodes, the resulting sediment is a potential threat to our sensitive water areas.

Q:What is the difference between Bermuda grass and wiregrass? I think I have wiregrass, but I’m not sure. I have a good looking fescue lawn but when it gets hot the wiregrass shows up. Answer: There is no difference. Wiregrass is a colloquial term for common Bermuda grass. I usually tell people it’s called Bermuda grass if you’re growing it on purpose and wiregrass if you aren’t.

Q:I usually avoid spring seeding of my lawn, but I have some bare spots in my backyard that did not take with last fall’s over-seeding. My questions are: What is the earliest I can start reseeding? And what is the best variety of fescue to use? Answer: If you need to re seed bare places, my suggestion is to do it as close to March 1 as possible. It will probably be too cold for germination at that time, but your seeds will be starting to absorb moisture so they will be ready to sprout as soon as the temperature is right.

Q:My friends and I have noticed that the holly trees and even the nandinas seem to have many more berries than in past years. Did something unusual happen this year? Answer: Plants tend to produce more berries when they are under stress. Perhaps it’s the plants way of producing offspring in case it dies. I suspect the drought last summer had something to do with the heavy berry production. I live in Chester and we have experienced the same thing.

Q:I started a compost pile in September with leaves, grass clippings and kitchen scraps. Now I’m just adding leaves and a few kitchen scraps. What do I need to add to keep the pile working this winter? Answer: The grass clippings were your best natural source of nitrogen. However, there is a little nitrogen in your vegetable scraps. You can supplement with a handful of 10-10-10 or any other source of nitrogen, such as blood meal.

Q:I planted sweet corn for two years and both years not a single piece came up. I had the soil tested and the results said it was fine. I planted a few seeds in a pot and they came up fine. This place in my garden has always done well in the past. Do you know what might be wrong? Answer: If the soil is OK and the seeds are OK, something is going wrong where the two come together. If the soil was too wet or too dry, your seeds could have decayed before they germinated. Of course, you’d still expect a few to pop up somewhere along the row. If seeds are planted too shallow, birds have been known to walk along the row and feast on freshly planted seed. But you’d think they’d miss one every now and then.

Q:I have a terrible problem with voles. They seem to be under control right now, but I know they’ll be back in the spring. Do you have any advice?

Q:I have a large fig bush about 70 years old. It produces abundantly, but I think it needs trimming and perhaps fertilizing. When should I do it and how?