Q: On your radio show, you spoke to a guy who listed plants he used to attract hummingbirds. Can you list them again? — Brad Rollins, email
A: I believe the caller mentioned 'Black and Blue' salvia, butterfly bush and cypress vine. The first two are perennial, but the last is a vigorous annual with feathery foliage and fiery red flowers. Hummingbirds from far and wide will visit it. It comes back from seed every year and needs something to support it, like a mailbox or stop sign. Errant seedlings are easy to pull in spring. I have a full list of plants for hummingbirds at bit.ly/GAhummingbird.
Q: I cannot find much information about which plants would be appropriate for a rain garden or dry creek. What should I plant? — Jennifer Hetzel, Atlanta
A: Building a rain garden is an excellent way to create a beautiful landscape that can tolerate downpours. All it takes is choosing plants that don't mind wet feet and giving the rainwater a chance to slowly disappear. I have many resources, including an app for your smartphone, at bit.ly/GAraingarden.
Q: We have a long row of Mexican petunias along our back fence that have spread far more than I like. I need a strategy to contain them. — Stephanie DeLeo, Jacksonville
A: It may have pretty flowers, but Mexican petunia, Ruellia brittoniana, can be invasive! Personally, I dig a 6-inch-wide trench a few inches deep around my clump every spring. That removes any plants that have moved into the border during the previous year. If I get lazy, I spray escapees with glyphosate (KillZall, Roundup, etc.) while shielding adjacent plants with a piece of cardboard.
Q: I am excited about growing fruits and vegetables for the first time. I am only interested in non-GMO, organic edibles. But I have a septic tank in my backyard. Can I plant tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet potatoes in containers? — Rachel Tipton, email
A: This will be a great venture! The first good news is that there are no GMO vegetable seeds available to homeowners, so no worries there. As you realize, most experts do not recommend gardening in a septic field. Pots cost a lot for the size you need: 30 inches diameter, at least. Why not build raised beds 12 inches high with weed cloth on the bottom to separate vegetable roots from the underlying soil?
Q: I was transplanting some dwarf juniper trees out of small pots into bigger ones, and the dirt was loaded with black ants. What can I do? — Sue Robinson, email
A: Mix a bit of insecticide in a bucket and lower the ant-infested pot into it. The ants will be dead in a few minutes.
