Q: I am confused about the numbers on rose plant food packages. What is the ideal number combination to achieve rose blossoms? I have two products, one with 10-60-10 and the other with 12-6-10. Which is best for my needs?

Renee Davis, email

Walter Reeves/Special (ENLARGE)

The numbers on a fertilizer bag indicate the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium it contains.

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A: In general, fertilizers having the first number (nitrogen) higher than the middle number (phosphorus) are designed to encourage the plant to grow bigger. Fertilizers with the middle number higher than the first number are designed to make sure the soil has plenty of phosphorus, which can limit blooming if levels are low. My recommendation is to use the 12-6-10 in spring when the rose first starts growing. Four weeks later, apply the 10-60-10 to give the plant phosphorus. After the first big flush of blooms, go back to the 12-6-10 to maintain the rose for the summer.

Q: Can you grow asparagus in west Georgia?

Martha Maron-Weber, Smyrna

A: Asparagus is easy to grow here. Better yet, it is perennial, so you don't have to plant seed each year. Asparagus plants are either male or female. Female plants produce more but smaller spears than the male plants. Old-time varieties such as "Mary Washington" or "Martha Washington" are not nearly as productive as newer varieties. Look for "Jersey Giant," "Jersey Knight," or "Jersey Prince." They produce three times as much as older varieties.

Q: Is there a chemical method for controlling bermuda grass in St. Augustine grass? Everything I have found says not to use it on St. Augustine.

Russell Gross, Mount Pleasant, S.C.

A: This is a tough problem. There are no selective weed killers available to homeowners that will control bermuda grass without hurting St. Augustine grass. Perhaps the best route is to mow your St. Augustine grass lawn as high as you possibly can. Bermuda grass hates shade, so this will gradually wear it down. Bermuda grass also loves being fed, so fertilize your St. Augustine lawn sparingly each year.

Q: Not long ago I was at a house and there was a sweet aroma in the landscape. The owners said they had a bay leaf tree. And then the other day Paula Deen said she picked bay leaves fresh off her tree in Savannah. Can I grow one here?

Barb O'Connor, Tucker

A: Bay tree, Laurus nobilis, is also known as sweet bay or bay laurel. It is a small, bushy tree that is hardy in south Georgia but is killed at temperatures lower than 15 degrees. I imagine there are a few growing in Atlanta in protected sites, but it is too tender to recommend for most landscapes. Laurel loves fast-draining soil and a bit of afternoon shade. If you have a promising planting site, check with online vendors and let me know how it does for you.

Q: I'm thinking of planting a weeping willow. The site is near a stream and is the wettest part of the yard when it rains. Are there any problems with this tree?

Bruce Daniel, Avondale Estates

A: It sounds like you have a good site for weeping willow. In my experience, willow is not a long-lived tree in the South. I've seen some grow to a ripe old age, but many succumb to insect pests, drought and winter damage within the first 10 years. It also sheds limbs profusely, so it is not a good candidate for planting near your house.