Q: I want to plant sunflowers in a pasture. Will normal black oil seeds that you buy for bird feed sprout?

DOUG DAVIS, Cumming

Walter Reeves / Special (ENLARGE)

Sunflowers are easy to grow.

Hybrid Bermuda grass doesn't produce seed  For more salvia blooms, trim faded spikes  Mowing won't thicken St. Augustine  Fig vine has drawbacks  Little bugs can be a big nuisance for strawberries

A:They sprout like crazy under my bird feeder so I don't see why they wouldn't do well for your pasture. Sunflower seeds are divided into "oil" and "confectionery" types. The oil-producing seeds are usually black while the ones you see ball players eating and spitting are typically striped. If you plan to plant the entire pasture, clear it of grass and harrow it thoroughly. When soil temperatures are over 60 degrees, scatter 3 pounds to 4 pounds of seed per acre evenly across the area and use a drag harrow to cover the seed. The field will be a beautiful sight in late summer ... and every bird in Forsyth County will know where you live!

Q:I have new crape myrtles that have sprouted up a few feet from the main tree. How do I transplant them to other areas of my yard?

GREG FLEGLE, e-mail

A: I think you'll find that the new sprouts are attached to your main tree by a finger-sized root. If you dig it up, you'll discover that the sprout has few roots of its own. Why should it grow roots? It's getting all it needs from the bigger crape myrtle growing beside it. You need to force it to grow a bigger root system. Use a trowel to dig beside a sprout and find the connecting root. Clip it with hand pruners. Leave the sprout in place until next fall and transplant it, with its new roots, then.

Q: Is it safe to prune my nandina now? I don't want to affect the berries later this year.

FRANKIE PAGE, e-mail

A: March is the very best time to prune common nandina. Cut a third of the canes at 12 inches high, a third at 24 inches and the remaining third at 36 inches. The stems will sprout new foliage in spring. The nandina will flower in late summer, giving you red berries in late fall.

Q: Can you suggest a cool weather grass for horses? I know Kentucky 31 is available but I'm wondering if there is something better that will tolerate the heat and drought.

DAVID WILLIAMSON, Henry County

A: Fescue is usually the best choice for cool weather pasturage, but be aware of a problem called fescue toxicosis. This disease is caused by a naturally occurring fungus that grows in Kentucky 31 fescue grass. Pastures are infected with the fungus to varying degrees. One way to mitigate the problem is to plant legumes, like clover, each year. More details at xrl.us/PASTURE.

Listen to Walter Reeves Saturday mornings on NewsTalk 750 WSB-AM from 6 to 10. Call 404-872-0750 to ask questions. His Web site, www.walterreeves.com, contains thousands of answers to lawn and landscape questions. You can buy his autographed gardening books at www.walterreeves.com/books.