Q: My granddaughter found a persimmon while walking the dogs. Can I plant it and have a tree in my yard? -- Gene Brannon, e-mail
A: You can certainly plant it and eventually get a tree but there is a caveat. The seed might produce either a male or female persimmon tree. Only the female will have fruit and you won't know which gender you have for several years. If you like the taste of the fruit, consider Oriental persimmon, which does not need a pollinator. The varieties 'Fuyu', 'Jiro' and 'Hana Fuyu' are almost completely non-astringent, even when unripe.
Q: We must remove a huge, beautiful oak tree. It's healthy, but has outgrown its available space. Is there a way to sell or donate this tree? -- Donna Usry, Conyers
A: Selling or donating a tree is problematic. Firewood vendors could use the wood, but they usually have a firm relationship with a tree service that will deliver oak logs directly to their splitting yard. Oak makes good flooring but no flooring mill would risk buying a tree from a homeowner, due to the risk of metal in the trunk ruining saw blades. Small-scale woodworkers might want specific trees if there is a burl (swelling) or interesting pattern to the limbs but finding such an individual is tough. Try calling Highland Hardware in Atlanta to see if you can advertise the tree, with pictures, on its bulletin board.
Q: I have a mature Meyer lemon tree but every winter when I bring it inside, it gets those awful mites. I spray it with an organic soap, but it is almost impossible to get rid of those suckers. -- Andria Dinzole, e-mail
A: Spider mites are a common pest of indoor citrus plants. On a warm day, take your plant outside and blast the leaves and stems with a strong stream of water. This washes off many of the creatures. Begin spraying monthly with horticultural oil, like neem oil, to suffocate them. This should give better results than using insecticidal soap.
Q: I have a raised bed tomato garden that has been taken over by tree roots. What do you recommend I do to prevent this from happening year after year? -- Gary Shoffeitt, Grayson
A: I have the same problem in my flower beds. For the annual flower beds, I just tear out the roots since I'm replanting the bed every year. For the perennial beds, I water a little more often in drought and hope the tree roots don't affect the plants too much. One option is to install a root barrier outside your bed. A sheet of aluminum flashing or fiberglass will work but it has to be buried edgewise 18″ deep to thwart nearby tree roots.
Q: I am trying to find out when the Southeastern Flower Show will be in 2012. Do you have any information on this event? -- R. Zachry, e-mail
A: The Southeastern Horticulture Society, sponsors of the flower show, have decided to put its efforts into planning and presenting its 25th anniversary show in late February or early March of 2013, skipping 2012. You can get exact dates at www.flowershow.org.
Listen to Walter Reeves Saturday mornings on AM 750 and 95.5 FM News-Talk WSB. Visit his website, www.walterreeves.com, or join his Facebook Fan Page at xrl.us/wrfacebook for more garden tips.
