Q: How should I prune the pyracantha that's climbing the wall of my garage? -- Frances Orkand, email
A: Pyracantha blooms in April or May on twigs that grew the previous year. If you prune severely now, you won’t have flowers or the bright red berries next year. The best method is to prune right after peak flowering in May, leaving as many flower clusters as possible. Pyracantha’s common name is firethorn, so wear thick gloves when working. If you only need to remove a wayward branch, you can do it now.
Q: There is a stand of ‘Winter King’ hawthorn on Ronald Reagan Parkway near the Webb Gin House exit. They are beautiful now. Can I use the seeds/berries to make new trees? -- Chris Avers, email
A: It will be tough to get the seeds to germinate. Hawthorn seeds are “doubly dormant.” They require two years of successive warm and cold temperatures to sprout. If you want to try, collect the berries and soak them in water until soft enough to crush and remove the outer pulp. Plant 100 seeds an inch deep in a sunny two foot by two foot area and cover with chicken wire to prevent squirrel damage. Pull weeds as seen. You might get 20 percent germination after two years.
Q: We’re going to have major construction at our home. I need advice on relocating some bedding plants to keep them out of harm’s way until the work is completed next fall. The plants include bearded iris, daylily, cone flower, bellflower and jonquil. -- Barbara Wojhoski, email
A: I think the plants will be fine if you heel them in. Dig a trench two feet wide and six inches deep. Pile the removed soil beside the trench, which can be as long as you like. Dig up individual plants and put the root balls side by side in the trench. It is fine to crowd them a bit if you have to. Try to keep the roots buried at the same level at which they were growing originally. Once the plants are all lined up in the trench, cover the root balls with the soil you originally removed. Water them thoroughly to get good root to soil contact. All of your plants should be perfectly happy waiting there until planting time.
Q: I'm very confused about which varieties of blueberries I must plant together to achieve cross-pollination. I bought ‘O'Neal’ and ‘Chippewa’ from big-box stores. Will they cross-pollinate? -- Kelly Harris, email
A: My smartphone is my best resource when I see a plant I don’t know much about at a big-box store. Although I have gotten some real finds there, these stores often stock plants that are not appropriate for our area. ‘Chippewa’ was bred for the Northern U.S. and requires too many cold days to grow well here. ‘O’Neal is a Southern highbush blueberry and is usually self-pollinating. However, the berries will be larger if two varieties are planted together. Look for ‘Blue Ridge’ or ‘Star’. Don’t forget that rabbiteye blueberries like ‘Alapaha’, ‘Tifblue’ and ‘Delite’ are very well adapted to the metro area.
Listen to Walter Reeves Saturday mornings on AM 750 and 95.5 FM News-Talk WSB. Visit his website, www.walterreeves.com, or join his Facebook Fan Page at xrl.us/wrfacebook for more garden tips.
