Right blooms for a place in the sun

Q: My arbor gets lots of sun with a little afternoon shade. What is the best vine to plant that is not too invasive?

NATALIE-ANN FLORES, Sugar Hill

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Walter Reeves/Special

Crossvine (pictured), Confederate jasmine and American wisteria are excellent choices for a large sunny arbor.

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A: I’m very pleased with the Confederate jasmine, Trachelospermum jasminoides, growing on a similar arbor in my landscape. The tubular white flowers are powerfully fragrant in May. The vine reaches out to wrap around a nearby viburnum but it is easy to keep in bounds by pruning once or twice per year. Also consider ‘Tangerine Beauty’ crossvine or ‘Amethyst Falls’ American wisteria.

Q: My son would like to try to grow globe artichokes in our garden this year. Do you have any advice regarding this plant?

BESS DURHAM, Watkinsville

A: Globe artichoke, Cynara scolymus, is a member of the thistle family. It might grow perennially in South Georgia but I don’t believe it would overwinter north of Macon. However, you can buy seed online and plant them indoors in February. Keep the seedlings in strong light and feed regularly. Plant them in full sun outdoors after April 15 but shade them a bit for two weeks. Be prepared to protect from temperatures lower than 45 degrees as well. Harvest unopened buds when the lowest bud bracts (“leaves”) separate from the main bud. The first hard freeze will kill the artichoke plants in fall.

Q: I am starting my vegetables from seeds, planting them in peat pots. When I plant them in my garden should I remove the pot?

STEVE LITLAND, e-mail

A: Theoretically, the walls of the peat pot will decompose in the soil and the roots of your plants will grow through them. However, in my experience it’s better to remove as much of the pot as possible. The worst thing to do is to leave the rim of the pot exposed aboveground. There, it will wick moisture from the seedling and retard root growth.

Q: I have several large hibiscus plants that I keep in my sunroom during the winter. They lose most of their leaves during this time. Can I cut them back before I put them outside this spring?

JOYCE JAMISON, e-mail

A: You can cut them back now if there are few leaves. Put the plants outdoors when night temperatures are reliably above 50 degrees. In August, reduce their size again so that the plants have lots of new leaves when you take them inside in October. Consider giving them supplemental light in winter so they don’t lose so many leaves next time.