Q: Everywhere I look there are crape myrtles that are regularly trimmed back in various manners. What would happen if one is just allowed to grow? How tall would it get? — Ken Armbruster, email
A: It's fine to leave crape myrtles unpruned. As long as their mature height is not too big for the spot in which they are planted, crape myrtles do not need yearly pruning at all. Their mature height depends on the variety. My 'Natchez' crape myrtle is 30 feet tall, but my 'Pokomoke' grows only a couple of feet high. I have links to two big lists of crape myrtle sizes and flower color at bit.ly/crapevarieties.
Q: Our new home will be finished by Dec. 1. This means the builder will be laying Bermuda sod in November! Is this a problem? — Wayne DeBow, Winder
A: If the lawn area is thoroughly tilled and is limed and fertilized beforehand in accordance with a soil test, laying the sod in November shouldn't be a problem. You'll just have to water the sod appropriately to keep it moist, but not soggy, through winter. Bermuda grass will slowly send out roots while the soil is warm but will stop when it gets cold. I have soil testing details at georgiasoiltest.com.
Q: My wife and I are having a discussion about our Meyer zoysia. I have always mowed it 1 inch high. My wife believes that I should mow it at 2 to 3 inches high. — Howard Chernoff, Rockville, Md.
A: Mowing at 1 inch high is a bit low unless you are using a reel mower. I think you can mow your zoysia at 2 inches high in spring and fall but raise the cut to 2½ inches in the heat of the summer. Zoysia must be cut with a sharp mower blade. Otherwise, grass tips are shredded, causing a yellow appearance. Also, make sure you are not waiting too long between mowings. Removing more than a third of the blades at one time also will cause a yellow appearance.
Q: Back in late spring, I noticed my first hummer of the year. It seemed to be concerned about a spider web near my feeder. I removed that web but saw it closely examining another spider web nearby. Why? — Christine McKee, email
A: A female hummingbird will use spider web to knit together parts of her nest. The process of gathering the web is hazardous, though. There are documented cases of hummingbirds being caught in spider webs and becoming a spider meal. Your first hummer was being duly cautious. My advice is to remove spider webs that are near your feeder. The spider can always make a new web nearby. Perhaps you can capture some webbing on a twig and leave it hanging near your feeder for a homeless hummingbird to discover.
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