Q: I know that the first blooms on a zucchini plant are the male flowers. If I cut those off will the female flowers that come later still produce zucchini fruit? I love fried squash blossoms! Gene Brannon, e-mail
A: You can fry the male blossoms with abandon. Squash and zucchini naturally produce male blooms for a couple of weeks before female flowers form. Soon both male and female blooms will appear at the same time and zucchini squash will develop at the base of the female flowers.
Q: Last year my okra pods were covered in fire ants. How do I keep them off without using strong chemicals? Debbie Clark, e-mail
A: Fire ants feed on developing pods and make a nuisance of themselves while sipping nectar from the flowers. Most fire ant baits aren't labeled for use in a vegetable garden, but look for organic baits containing spinosad, which can be used around vegetables. Alternatively, the non-garden baits can be spread on the perimeter of your garden where foraging fire ants will find them. It's a good idea to treat your lawn with the same bait products.
Q: I grew up in New Orleans and we had mimosa trees. I have several random sprouts in my yard but I don’t think they will grow into a real tree anytime soon. Ann Marie Gallaty, e-mail
A: Mimosas easily grow here, but despite their cute pink flowers many gardeners consider them a short-lived weed tree. They are very susceptible to disease and their limbs break readily. Culturing the sprouts is your best bet. Move them to appropriate spots this fall and fertilize in April and June to accelerate growth. As far as I know, no nurseries sell mimosa trees.
Q: I sodded my yard with centipede grass on June 15th. When should I apply fertilizer? David Key, e-mail
A: Your centipedegrass can be fertilized when it is firmly rooted to the underlying soil. In practical terms this is usually when you've had to mow it twice.
Q: I harvest hot peppers and air dry them throughout the growing season. In the fall I grind them and store them in jars. Recently I noticed small worms in one jar and moth-like insects in an other. What can I do to prevent this? Dominic Giovinazzo, Dunwoody
A: There are several pests of stored spices and dry food. Eggs were likely laid on the peppers while they were drying. The best idea is to store peppers in the freezer once they are dry.
Q: A kudzu bug flew in my eye and you could not believe the pain it caused! What do they contain that would cause that reaction? Victor Johnson, Conyers
A: Yow, I can imagine the burning pain! Since it is a member of the stinkbug family, kudzu bug "juice" can be very irritating. It is a mix of compounds that smell badly and repel predators. As you learned, the best you can do is to stand over a sink and use the spray wand to deliver a gentle wash to your eye until the pain subsides. See your doctor if irritation continues.
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.
