Q: I heard your radio discussion about pruning hydrangeas. Do I cut just the green new growth stem or can I cut the old wood too? -- Judy Herak, Fulton County
A: You can cut into the old wood if you need to. Make your cuts a half-inch above the spot where two leaves emerge. The next few weeks give us the perfect window to reduce the size of hydrangea shrubs. Their blooms are fading fast and they will have plenty of time to grow the bloom buds that will produce flowers next year.
Q: How do I tell the difference between wild onions and wild garlic? -- Ed Diemmer, Monroe
A: Like edible onions and garlic, wild onion, Allium canadense, and wild garlic, Allium vineale, are members of the onion family. While both have thin, green, waxy leaves, those of wild garlic are round and hollow. Those of wild onion are flat and solid. Leaves of wild garlic branch off the main stem. Leaves of wild onion emerge from the base of the plant. Wild garlic flowers may be green or purple; wild onion flowers are generally white or pink.
Imazaquin (Image Nutsedge Killer) controls both plants. The best time to treat is November and again in early spring. Read label precautions before applying.
Q: I have very healthy squash plants. An older farmer said the best way to get healthy squash plants to continue to produce is to cut off some of the biggest leaves to allow the sun to get to the plant. Is this a good idea? -- Harold Smith, e-mail
A: I can think of no good reason to remove leaves. If they are green, the plant needs them.
Q: I have been invaded by fruit flies because I brought home some delicious peaches. Is there a way to safely control them? -- Gail H., e-mail
A: My college-student son had a big fruit fly problem last week. He tried the "rotten fruit in a jar with a funnel on top" method you can find online but didn't have much success. What worked for him was to fill a saucer with red wine and then spritz the wine with water-based insecticide (Spectracide Bug Stop). I cautioned him that more than a spritz might be repellent to the insects. Try this and let me know how it works for you.
Q: Poison ivy sure has a lot of friends that help it hide in my backyard. Does it have any enemies? -- Tom Baxter, Atlanta
A: I've never seen a poison ivy leaf that seemed to have been eaten by beetles or caterpillars. Goats eat the leaves without apparent harm but there aren't enough itinerant goats available to make a dent in the poison ivy population. One source says poison ivy berries are eaten by birds, raccoons and other animals. Some birds, such as the Northern Cardinal and American Goldfinch, also use the vine's thread-like hairs to build their nests.
As with mosquitoes, the usefulness of this vine seems less than its pestiferous nature.
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.
