Q: I forced some paperwhites this year and left the flowers on the stems until they produced seeds. How should I plant them to get new bulbs? — Steve Preston, Decatur
A: I'm guessing you are referring to the green seed pods that formed behind the flower. Seeds are contained within. When the pods are yellow/brown you can remove the dark seeds. You can try planting the seeds but don't bet all of your lunch money on success. Some varieties are sterile; they might have seed pods but the seeds won't germinate. Hold the seeds until late April. Plant them an inch deep and 12 inches away from a brick wall or large landscape stone (the mass will provide warmth in winter). Mark the spot with a couple of white rocks. Check on the spot in June. If no thin leaves are seen by then, there won't be any in the future. Even if you do get seed germination and leaf growth, it takes a couple of years before the plants will be big enough to bloom.
Q: I have a bit of acreage and I don't want to clear all of it, just some weeds and underbrush around my cabin. I want something to make the briars go away, but not destroy the earth. — Lynn Warhurst, Carroll County
A: In my view, glyphosate (Roundup, Killzall, Kleen-Up, etc.) is very safe for exposure to humans, pets and wild animals. I'd mix some up in a gallon sprayer and do a weed-killing landscape walk-about every couple of weeks. Eventually, you'll have most of your weeds under control. If you'd prefer an organic weedkiller, you could use herbicidal soap, citrus oil or chelated iron. I do not recommend herbicidal acetic acid (extremely concentrated vinegar); it seems too dangerous to use safely. I've collected sources for organic weed control at bit.ly/organicweed.
Q: Is dame's rocket an illegal plant for Georgia? I read it is banned from some states due to its invasiveness. — Donna Reid, email
A: I don't know of any plants that are "illegal" in Georgia except marijuana and possibly Oriental poppy. Planting dame's rocket, Hesperis matronalis, is prohibited in a few states, but that doesn't mean it is invasive in Georgia. If you want to know which plants are considered bad actors here, the Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council (gaeppc.org) has an excellent list of invasive plants, divided by their "invasive potential." Dame's rocket is not on their list.
Q: There are numerous cedar trees growing in the forests around me that are accessible for transplanting. Are cedar trees or Leyland cypress better for birds? — Roger Edmonds, email
A: I think red cedar is better for birds by far. The combination of privacy and seeds to eat can't be beat! That said, I hope you are not going to try transplanting anything larger than 3 feet tall. Red cedar is notoriously fickle about disturbance to its root system. The ones you move can be 12 to 36 inches high and will establish readily if you pay attention to watering in summer.
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