Q: I just planted two pineapple guava trees. Do you think they will make it through our winter? — John Metcalf, Elberton
A: During our current heat wave, it's hard to remember the freezing nights that will surely test your plant in North Georgia. I recommend you prepare a guava freeze kit to use when the weather turns frigid. For each guava, collect several bamboo stakes tall enough to make a teepee over the shrub. Buy inexpensive bedsheets and some clear plastic large enough to drape over the guava. The sheets will go over the teepee first, followed by the plastic, which should be long enough to be anchored to the ground with logs or stones. Lastly, buy two 60-watt incandescent shop lights and an extension cord long enough to reach the plants. Store everything together. When cold weather is forecast you'll quickly be able to put protection in place.
Q: Can you suggest some tall evergreen shrubs for dry shade? I keep finding shrubs that require a moist soil. — Sherry Wileman, email
A: Winter hazel, Distylium Emerald Heights ™, and columnar Japanese plum yew, Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Fastigiata,' both do well in dry shade. Also consider Florida hobblebush, Agarista populifolia, and aucuba, Aucuba japonica, plus common nandina, Nandina domestica, and Japanese cleyera, Ternstroemia gymnanthera 'Big Foot.'
Q: I read recently about walnut toxicity. There is a black walnut tree 20 feet from my garden, and some of the leaves are in my compost, maybe 5 percent to 10 percent. Will I be able to use it in my vegetable garden next year? — Larry Walker, email
A: With only a 5 percent to 10 percent concentration, I don't think you have much to worry about. The majority of the walnut's plant-harming chemicals are in the roots. The process of composting does a good job breaking down the compounds that might be present.
Q: Can I connect two 100-foot-long soaker hoses without losing adequate flow over the whole 200-foot distance? — C. Boelkins, email
A: Water pressure inevitably decreases with distance away from the water source. I bought a water pressure gauge today and measured my faucet pressure. It was 65 pounds per square inch. I then measured the pressure at the end of a 60-foot-long soaker hose. It was 25 PSI. My bet is that water flow from your hose would be negligible at 100 feet, much less 200 feet.
Q: Our garden club manages Parkwood Park in Decatur. We want to restrict the park to native plants so it will remain more of a woodland urban forest and not a "park." Is there a list of Georgia native plants? — Sheri Kennedy, email
A: I don't think you'll find a better list than those in the three University of Georgia publications on native plants. I have links to them plus a pictorial guide at xrl.us/georgianatives. Don't forget the resources available from the Georgia Native Plant Society (www.gnps.org).
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.
