Q: My Knock Out® roses have gotten rose rosette disease, and I've had to remove them. What are some alternatives that I might replace them with in my garden? Mike Childers, email
A: Despite their ubiquity, there are lots of reasons to admire Knock Out® roses. They bloom from spring until frost. They suffer few insect and fungal issues; they're drought tolerant, versatile and easily pruned. But rose rosette disease lays them low. In your case, I can think of three good options. First, consider Dwarf crape myrtles — like Pocomoke, Chickasaw, Petite Red and various Dazzle cultivars — and they range in size from three to five feet. Second, Dwarf butterfly bushes, such as the Lo & Behold series, is an option that comes in a multitude of colors. And finally, Abelia — such as Kaleidoscope, Canyon Creek and Sunrise — has an incredibly long bloom time and comes in a variety of sizes.
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Q: Last year I had problems with my dogwood trees. The leaves became deformed, and the flowers had purple marks. When do I spray this season? Ben Giacchino, email
A: It sounds like your dogwood had spot anthracnose on the leaves and flowers. Fungicides, such as Daconil®, can be used to manage the disease. To prevent flower spots in the future, start spraying when the flower buds show color. However, since we've missed that date now, I recommend you spray your tree from now until early June at 14 day intervals. This will help protect new leaves. Make a calendar note to start spraying earlier next year.
Q: Is DeKalb County still on drought restrictions? Nancy Jordan, email
A: Yes. Not only DeKalb County but most of metro Atlanta is still under Level 2 Drought rules. Outdoor mature lawn and landscape watering is restricted to twice a week. Home addresses with an even number can water on Wednesday or Saturday, and home addresses with an odd number can water on Thursday or Sunday. Watering is only permitted before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. However, vegetable gardens and newly installed plants and sod can be watered freely for 30 days. In addition, landscape waterfalls and fountains should be turned off. Washing your car at home and charity car washes are also forbidden. I have more details on the rules at bit.ly/GAdrought2.
Q: I read your article about timing pre-emergent application when the soil temperature is 50 degrees and rising. My soil temperature is 62 degrees. Have I missed my window to put down pre-emergent? Jim Bell, email
A: Even though the soil is warm enough now to trigger crabgrass germination, not all of the seeds sprout at once. They emerge over several weeks in spring and early summer. The pre-emergent herbicide, dithiopyr, prevents crabgrass from germinating and also kills young sprouts. Look on product labels to find this ingredient and apply now.
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