Q: I have just received two peonies. Everything I read says fall is the best time to plant them. Can I store the tubers until this fall? — Carolyn Mann, email
A: No, you should plant them now. Fall is designated the "best" time to plant them because they won't have much environmental stress in winter and can put their efforts into making a good root system. Even so, they can grow fine if planted in spring. You just have to be more attentive to watering in summer. If you store them until fall, the roots will undoubtedly deteriorate.
Q: I believe I have some morel mushrooms growing in my yard. I have looked morels up online and the pictures look exactly like what is growing. Can you help? — Patricia Anderson, Woodstock
A: I am not a mushroom expert, so I can't take a chance with identifying them. Did you know there is a local mushroom club? The Mushroom Club of Georgia (gamushroomclub.org) meets regularly and has several members who can tell you what you have.
Q: Does sand help a Bermuda lawn grow faster? If so, how deep should it be? — Beth Conner, email
A: Sand by itself does not help a Bermuda grass lawn grow faster. Sand is often used on golf courses to fill divots because the underlying soil is mostly sand, which allows course managers to water at will without making soggy conditions. If you use lots of sand on top of a "normal" metro area lawn, you'll make a discontinuous soil layer that will deter good grass growth. Sand or sand-topsoil mixtures are used by some companies to level lawns, but the layers are pretty thin.
Q: Can I put dehydrated lime around tomatoes? When? — Howard Fowler, email
A: I think you mean hydrated lime, calcium hydroxide. It is much different from garden lime, calcium carbonate. I do not recommend using hydrated lime in a garden; it is much too caustic to put around the roots of plants. Use garden lime to raise the soil pH if a soil test (georgiasoiltest.com) says this is needed.
Q: I have purple onions in my garden. Is there an issue if the onion sends up a flower before the bulbs fully develop? Should I cut off the flower head? — Ron Morton, email
A: Once an onion has begun the flowering process, there is nothing you can do to stop it. The bulbs won't get any bigger from this point on, even if you cut off the flowers. The flower stalk coming from the center of the bulb will make them hard to store as well. Harvest your crop now and make a big batch of onion rings!
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