Hydrangea does better outdoors

Q: I purchased a “macrophyla hortensia hydrangea” from the grocery store. It is in a pot with a spongy medium. Can this be planted outside now?

MARY MALEK

E-mail

A: Although florist hydrangea makes a great gift and is attractive for several days, it is not suited to be a houseplant. If yours has been indoors for several weeks, you’ll need to slowly acclimatize it to the outdoors before planting there. Take it outdoors whenever temperatures are above 40 degrees and bring it into a cool, dark room (like a garage) every night. The leaves will wither and fall from the stems. When all leaves are gone, wash the soil from the roots and plant the hydrangea in a spot that is protected from wind. The north or east side of your house is great. If it survives winter, you may get flowers next summer. But remember that some florist hydrangeas are not as cold tolerant as others, so consider this whole procedure “experimental.”

Q: Rather than raking and bagging all of my leaves, is it legal to burn them instead?

LINDA GARRETT

Tucker

A: Outdoor burning of yard waste is regulated by the Georgia Forestry Commission and local law. The Forestry Commission typically institutes a “burn ban” from May through September. This prevents air pollution in summer and, to some extent, prevents forest fires. The burning rules can be changed by local municipalities; many cities have year-round burning bans. Get more details at 1-877-OK2-BURN or www.gfc.state.ga.us.

Q: I live in a loft in downtown Atlanta, and with the cold weather in recent weeks, I have had an infestation of ants. What do you recommend for ant control?

ANTHONY WITCHOUSKY

E-mail

A: Although you can certainly kill ants with a surface spray, that is not the best way to get long-term control. Baits give the best results because ants take the chemicals back to their nest and spread the poison to all of their friends. I like liquid baits as well as the syringe-applied gels. Both are available at any hardware store.

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. Call your local Extension office (1-800-ASKUGA-1) for personalized advice.

georgiagardener@yahoo.com