Q: My patch of bee balm has been especially beautiful this summer. However, it has taken over a large portion of my perennial bed. When and how I should transplant? David Williams, Decatur
A: Now that your bee balm blooms have faded, cut the stems down until only 4-6 leaves are left. Dig large clumps of the root mass and transplant to a new spot. Water immediately and thereafter when leaves start to wilt. You can further divide these clumps in spring when the first leaves appear.
Q: Can you grow capers in Georgia? Radio caller
A: I enjoy capers in my pasta but I've had no experience growing them. I consulted a friend who has lived and traveled in Italy. She says capers are the pickled buds of a small bush, Capparis spinosa, which is native to the Mediterranean region. Italian gardeners put caper seeds into a ripe fig and smash it onto the top of a stacked stone retaining wall. Nourished by fig pulp, the seed germinates and grows into the soil behind the wall. My guess is that capers would not do well here due to our high humidity in summer and soggy soil in winter.
Q: A huge branch broke off my neighbor’s jade plant. The base is three inches in diameter and I have it in water. Will it root? Diane Dennis, email
A: I doubt it will produce roots. There are too many leaves needing moisture for the unrooted limb base to supply. You can root individual leaves by pushing the bottom of each one half-way into a clay saucer filled with damp sand.
Q: We planted spaghetti squash in the spring. We have eaten one and have five left on the vine. Can we just leave them on the vine until we want to eat them? Darla Runningwolf, Walton County
A: Spaghetti squash is edible no matter when you pick it. It is fully ripe when the rind is dull tan and the pigtail tendril across from the fruit attachment stem is brown. When you decide to harvest, clip each fruit so two inches of stem is attached to it and store it in a cool place.
Q: I have a hydrangea plant that has been in one location for ten years. It has really outgrown the area and needs to be moved. Is now the time to do that? If not when? Rena Clark, email
A: The best time to move a hydrangea is after the leaves have fallen off in November. If you decide to move it now, prune it back by half and get as many roots as possible when you heave it out of the ground. Install it in a semi-shady garden spot. The remaining leaves will wilt but if you are careful to water enough to keep the soil barely soggy the plant will likely survive the move.
Listen to Walter Reeves from 6 to 10 Saturday mornings on AM 750 and NOW 95.5FM News/Talk WSB. Go to http://www.yoursoutherngarden.com/ for details on his TV show or visit his website, http://www.walterreeves.com/.
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