01-30-2013-Midweek - Wise County Messenger

16 ALL AROUND WISE • A PART OF THE WISE COUNTY MESSENGER Decatur, Texas, Wednesday, January 30, 2013Oakland hollies better choice than redtip photiniasBY NEIL SPERRYDear Neil: After fightingthe issues redtip photiniashave for several years, we finallyreplaced them with 50sweet viburnums two yearsago. We need privacy acrossthe back of our landscape,but half of the viburnumshave died. I don’t want to goback to redtips, but I needsomething that is dependableand that grows to 10or 12 feet tall and 6 to 8 feetwide. What would you suggest?That’s a rather uprighthabit, and my choice wouldbe (and is at my home)Oakland hollies. They’re aselection from Mary Nellholly lineage, and theygrow to the sizes you want.They have medium-largeglossy evergreen leaves, andthey’re available in all sizesof containers through localretail nurserymen. Theycan order plants in if necessary.Space your plants 6feet apart if you’re expectingthem to grow to 10 to 12 feettall. Your main challengethe first couple of years willbe in not allowing them toget too dry. They don’t wilt,so you’ll have to keep aclose eye on their soil. You’llneed to hand-water them,since lawn and landscapeirrigation alone won’t supplyenough. Their roots, atleast initially, will all be inthe lightweight potting soilin which they were grown.Other choices might includemale yauponhollies. Yourlocal retailermay be ableto find thosefor you, althoughmostpeople optGardener’sinstead forMailbag the fruitingfemale selections.Spartan junipers arehandsome, although theysometimes develop a branchdie-back as they mature.You might be able to erectan elongated trellis or fenceand plant a handsome vinesuch as Lady Banksia roses(semi-evergreen). Stay awayfrom the redtips. They arefraught with disease issues.Dear Neil: I am determinedto do better with mytomatoes this year. Lastyear’s plants had very fewfruit, and their leaves starteddrying from the bottomsof the plants upward. I assumethat was a disease.What tips can you give menow, before the season getsunder way?FISH DAYNOW IS THE TIME FOR STOCKING3-5” & 6-8” Channel Catfish • Bluegill (Coppernose & Hybrid)Redear • Largemouth Bass • Black Crappie (If Available)Fathead Minnows • KoiWe will service you at:AGvantage Farm & Ranch • Decatur, TXWed., Feb. 6 • 8 - 9 a.m.To pre-order call: Arkansas Pondstockers 1-800-843-4748Walk-ups WelcomeThat could either havebeen early blight (large yellowblotches on the lowerleaves, beginning usually inmid- to late May) or spidermites (very tiny tan mottledspots, usually showingup later than early blight— typically in late May orJune). Both will cause theleaves eventually to turnbrown and crisp from thebottoms of the plants upward.Use a labeled fungicidefor the early blight ora recommended insecticidefor the spider mites. Yourlocal retail nurserymanwill be able to guide youthrough their product selection.As for your havingno fruit, be sure you growsmall to mid-sized varieties.Large-fruiting tomatoes arealmost guaranteed to fail toset fruit once temperaturesclimb above 90.Dear Neil: I’ve encloseda small gourd-like fruit thatwas green when it was harvestedseveral weeks ago buthas since turned purple. Willthis vine, growing on thetrunk of a tree at my son’shouse, do damage to thetree? It appears to be growinginto the tree’s trunk.The sample was in prettyrough shape by the timeit arrived, but in generalterms, vines only damagetrees if they (a) wrap aroundFreeWI-FIGRAND OPENINGJorge’sand girdle the trunks, (b)grow up and over a tree’scanopy, cutting off the accessto sunlight, or (c) haveevergreen foliage that couldaccumulate ice in winterand cause limbs to break.I’ve never seen a vine growinto the internal wood of atree, so that need not concernyou. If the vine is attractive,that should be amajor determining factor. Ifit isn’t attractive, your sonmight want to remove it. It’shis call.Dear Neil: We are havinglive oak sprouts comeup between our patio pavers.We are used to seedlingsfrom acorns, but there isn’tenough room for acorns toreach the soil. These haveto be sprouts from the roots.What can we do? I don’twant to spray them, do I?They are tethered to themother tree, so, no, youwouldn’t want to spraythem. You could keep themtrimmed off, but a morepermanent solution wouldbe to lift the pavers (hopefullyyou can) and lay a rootbarrierbeneath them. Yourlocal nursery, water gardenMexican RestaurantAll Day Monday - Two Taco Dinner & Drink $ 10 .99Wednesday - Two Enchilada DinnerEnchilada of your choice & drink $ 10 .99Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-8pm • Sun 11am-3pmTo Go OrdersWelcomedesigner or landscape supplierwill have options. Thisis an unfortunate habit ofabout 10 percent of the liveoaks we plant, and we don’tfind out for 10 or 15 yearsafter planting.Dear Neil: How can Iget rid of a Queen’s Crownvine that grows wildly inmy yard? I cut it back, andit comes back again andagain.I’m not sure of what specificvine goes by that name(queen’s wreath, or crownALL MAKES • ALL MODELSWRECK? HAILJAMES WOOD OFFERS YOU•On-Site Paintless Dent Repair•Conventional Body Repair•Glass ReplacementALLMAJORINSURANCEACCEPTEDvetch, or something else),but you can get rid of anyvine by digging its root systemout with a sharpshooterspade. It’s not as difficult asit sounds — in fact, it’s probablya lot easier than tryingto spray it with a herbicide.Have a question you’dlike Neil to consider? Mailit to him in care of the WiseCounty Messenger, P.O. Box149, Decatur, TX 76234 oremail him at mailbag@sperrygardens.com.Neil regretsthat he cannot reply to questionsindividually.the GOLD STANDARDin ClassifiedsEvery Weekend and Midweek.HAIL?940-627-7690690FREE ESTIMATES • ESPAÑOLThe Rock, finally a churchwhere we feel at home. Webelieve life is supposed tobe about more than justsurviving; it’s about thriving.A life of faith is an adventurewhere we are always learningwhat it means to Love God,Love Others, Walk with Jesus.Dynamic Worship • Relevant TeachingYour Kids Will Have A Blast • Consider Yourself InvitedMeeting Sunday 11 am at the Bridgeport Stage (located at 1009 Halsell St., Bridgeport, Texas)Church Offi ce Located at 1305 11th St. BridgeportPastor Tim & Pam Jenkins940-683-2345therockbridgeport@yahoo.com • www.therockbridgeport.com