Q: What is the difference between a blackberry and a dewberry? Jerry Hopkins, Decatur
A: They are both members of the Rubus genus, along with hundreds of other species. Dewberry is a trailing vine, not a high arching shrub like blackberry. Gardeners have interbred cane-borne fruit for hundreds of years, yielding dewberry, tayberry, boysenberry, loganberry and dozens of other brambles. All have varying tolerances for heat and cold, making some better suited for the South and some more successful in the North.
Q: You recently wrote about using ground cotton seed as an organic fertilizer. But isn't cotton one of the most heavily pesticide-ridden crops in the USA? Darryl Weaver, Atlanta
A: It's true that conventional cotton was once grown using high amounts of pesticides. But the last decade has seen a remarkable decrease in the amount of pesticides used, mostly due to use of genetically modified (GMO) seeds. GMO cotton seeds prevent boll weevil damage and make the cotton plants tolerate glyphosate (Roundup, etc), to lessen herbicide use. In my view, there is little likelihood that cotton seed meal would contain anything harmful to humans or animals. On the other hand, you may not wish to "support" GMO cotton by your purchase of the meal, and that is your right. However, alternatives have their own potential drawbacks. Feather meal might come from chickens fed GMO corn. Alfalfa meal might come from alfalfa treated with pesticides to control weeds and insects. The same is true for flaxseed meal. Your best bet for organic fertilizer might be to collect manure from organically raised chickens or cows.
Q: We have an arbor that is eight feet tall and sixteen feet long. We want a perennial vine with bright flowers that will attract hummingbirds and that will bloom a long time. Would a Madame Rosy trumpet creeper be a good choice? Walt Gansser, email
A: I don't have any experience with 'Madame Rosy' in particular. It's said to be a hybrid between the American and Asian species of trumpetcreeper and is described as being floriferous and seedless. That said, ANY trumpetvine has the potential to become a nuisance, seeds or not. It grows as fast as kudzu and if you remove the plant the roots will sprout all over your landscape for years. You're welcome to try the vine but keep my cautions in mind.
Q: Over the past couple of years, foxes have multiplied and are now residing all over our neighborhood: under porches, under sheds, etc.. We find carcasses of their prey in our yard continually. What to do? The Orrs, Duluth
A: Like coyotes, foxes are very adaptable to human surroundings. If your neighborhood makes a concerted effort to keep pet food and garbage away from the animals, their numbers will decline. On a side note, coyotes typically out-compete red foxes in a shared habitat. Coyote numbers are increasing in metro Atlanta, so your fox problem may be supplanted by another predator whose presence you may not like either. The only decisive option I see is for you to hire a professional wildlife control company.
Q: I am contemplating exchanging my current pine straw mulch for a shredded cypress mulch. A professional landscaper recommended spreading the cypress on top of the already present pine straw. Is this a good idea? Matt Webb, Dallas
A: I don't foresee a problem if the existing straw mulch is thin enough that the cypress mulch would pack it down easily. I'd aim for a mulch layer no higher than two to three inches.
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