Q: Will peppers cross pollinate? If I plant hot peppers, like jalapeno and habanero, near bell peppers and banana peppers will it make all of them hot? Earline Caudell, DeKalb County
A: Pepper flowers have both male and female parts and they usually pollinate themselves inside the bloom. There is little chance of cross-pollination in most circumstances. However, if bees go from flower to flower among your varied peppers, pollen from the sweet and hot peppers may be mixed. This could result in seed that will yield “sweet’ hot peppers or “hot” sweet peppers next year. If you don’t save and replant seed, you’ll have no problem.
Q: I am considering using pine bark nuggets for mulch in a bed around the house. Is there a concern with termites in pine bark nuggets around the foundation? Lamar George, Gwinnett County
A: In general, no. Although mulch makes the soil beneath it favorable for termite foraging, termites don’t particularly care for pine bark. It contains little of the cellulose that they eat. Dr. Dan Suiter, University of Georgia entomologist, says it is best to keep any mulch at least twelve inches from the foundation. This prevents termites from “bridging” over treated soil to reach your house.
Q: I am looking for 15-0-15 fertilizer. We had a soil sample done and was told to add this but I am unable to find this anywhere. Cindy Cann, Alpharetta
A: Look for Centipede/St Augustine fertilizer products. They are sometimes formulated as 15-0-15 or 17-0-17 analyses. Alternatively, buy a lawn fertilizer product with a low middle number, such as 28-1-4 or 28-3-8. Both would be fine to use in your situation at the rate on their labels.
Q: We were outside after a rain in mid-December and found trillions of tiny insects that jump like a flea! They were about the size of a grain of finely ground black pepper. Do you know what they are? Tina Pickelsimer, e-mail
A: My bet is that they were springtails. These tiny insects hatch in huge numbers when it is warm and damp. Each one has a spring-loaded appendage beneath its abdomen that it releases to jump high above the rest of the crowd. When they are in a mass, the surface looks exactly like hopping black pepper.
Q: I want to plant a fig tree for the fruit. What variety do you recommend for this area? John Halm, Acworth
A: ‘Celeste’, ‘Brown Turkey’ and ‘LSU Purple’ grow very well here. Check with your local nursery for availability or visit the Georgia Organics fruit tree sale website, www.georgiaorganics.org. A big question is whether you have enough space. A fig needs a spot fifteen feet wide and twelve feet high. If you have to constantly prune it for size, you won’t have an enjoyable fig experience. You can plant any time the ground is not frozen.
Q: With all the warm weather we’ve had lately, my daffodils have started coming up! Will they come up again this February? Amy Riordan, Dunwoody
A: It’s completely normal for daffodils to put up foliage in winter. They won't bloom until their regular time in spring. Cold weather won’t hurt the leaves but you could dust them lightly with pine straw if it makes you feel better.
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.
