Q: I have seeds for four o'clock flowers that I helped my grandmother harvest 40 years ago. They are still in the little change purse she put them in. Is there any hope of them sprouting now?
-- Sheila Phillips, Jackson County
A: The skin of a four o'clock seed is famously hard, protecting it from inclement conditions, so yours might still be viable. Moisten a paper towel, wrap the seeds in it, put it in a resealable plastic bag and place the bag in a warm spot. I use the top of my refrigerator because it's always warm there. If the seeds sprout, each one can be gently transferred to a 4-inch pot full of potting soil.
Q: I have a spot where Bermuda doesn’t grow so I want to put Emerald zoysia there. How it will look having two different grasses growing next to each other?
-- Gary Battles, Alpharetta
A: Both of these grasses are fine-bladed and look very similar in summer. The only visible difference will be in spring and fall: Bermuda grass will green up before zoysia grass and zoysia grass will go dormant before the Bermuda grass does.
Q: My new house has landscape areas covered with black plastic that is beginning to show through. Should I have the plastic removed and just use pine straw?
-- Judy Glassman
A: By all means remove the plastic. Solid plastic sheet prevents water and oxygen from penetrating to tree and shrub roots. Even if you have the permeable landscape fabric, I'd recommend its removal too. The weed control fabrics demand yearly removal of the mulch that covers them, to avoid getting weed seeds that germinate and root through the fabric. Most people find that covering the area under shrubs and trees with straw or chips is much less trouble than using landscape fabric.
Q: For several years I developed terraced vegetable beds on a slope and they produced prolifically with no significant problems. Last winter, I added another bed and filled it with “garden soil” from a local landscaping supply company. This summer that bed is doing terribly. Could the topsoil have come from a pasture contaminated with herbicide?
-- Jerry Shep, Lawrenceville
A: I've had great results with soil from professional landscape supply companies. I'd ask your source about their suppliers. But if you suspect herbicide damage, the simplest answer is to do a bio-assay. Mix the soil 1:1 with potting soil and plant a small tomato in it. Tomatoes are very sensitive to herbicides and will let you know within a week if the soil is contaminated. More details at xrl.us/bioassay.
Q: I have a bed of English ivy and daylilies. We have pulled up the ivy and want to replace it with a less invasive plant that will still accommodate the daylilies. It’s in full sun on a slight slope.
-- Glynnis Coleman, College Park
A: My friend Erica Glasener (www.ericaglasener.com) suggests bronze sedum, Sedum tectractinum, or Veronica "Georgia Blue." Both are perennial and evergreen. While they become established you will have to do a minimum of weeding. "Helen Von Stein" lambs ear might also do well. The most attractive way to display daylilies among these plants is with large groups of daylilies having similar color growing among the groundcovers.
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.
