Q: My Lenten roses are blooming, and I am curious to know if they self-pollinate or there is an insect that does so. Hugh Burns, email
A: They self-pollinate like crazy! Hellebore flowers have the male and female parts close together so self-pollination is inevitable. Seeds form in May and drop in June. You'll usually find a mass of seedlings underneath mature plants.
Q: I was curious what mulch you recommend when it comes to roach control? Benton Carper, Atlanta
A: Most homes have mulch near the foundation. Your best bet for immediate short-term control is to sprinkle outdoor insecticide granules onto any mulched areas in your landscape. Consider raking out and replacing mulch before you apply the poison; this will eliminate moist harborage areas underneath.
For the long term, roach bait stations work very well. Use at least a dozen, placed in sheltered locations around the exterior of your house. Look for products containing fipronil. They will give you extended protection from the crawling critters.
Q: I have been building bows for five years and have had a hard time getting osage orange logs. I recently purchased some small osage orange trees so that I could grow them and harvest them later. What is the best method for growing them straight? Don Frey, Cumming
A: Art Morris, tree expert with Bartlett Tree Services, says if you're strictly growing the trees for use as bow staves the best approach would be to stake them. Focus on keeping the trunk relatively straight while leaving the stakes loose enough for the trees to move in the wind. If the trees are staked too tightly they won't develop the trunk taper (thickness) that is critical if the wood is to be used for bow making. Also consider removing or shortening lower limbs periodically to help maintain a clean trunk free from knots and defects, never removing more than 25 percent of the tree's foliage in one year.
Q: When the label on a pre-emergent bag says it will prevent seeds from growing, does that also mean it will keep bermudagrass from spreading into bare areas? Beth Strickler, Atlanta
A: Yes: common weed preventers can cause "clubbed" rooting of bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, centipede, or St. Augustine. With clubbed roots, the warm-season stolons are not able to peg down and may prevent recovery of thin or damaged turf. Pre-emergents are best for healthy lawns, not those that are struggling.
Q: I have hyacinths blooming but they are always a little scraggly looking. Is it too late to apply fertilizer or do you think that is the problem? Sherri Gantt, Douglas County
A: You can add a little fertilizer now but it most of it will not be taken up by the bulbs. The best time to fertilize is just as the leaves emerge. That's when roots are expanding and forming buds for new leaves. So feed the bulbs now but make sure to note on your calendar to fertilize them each year in October and again in January. It may take a couple of years but your hyacinths will gradually bloom better.
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