Q: I'm creating a landscape/flower bed that will be under two water oak trees with little sun. What is a shade-tolerant plant I can put in this shady bed? The more colorful, hardy and perennial the better. Eric Bruce, Covington
A: For shade tolerance you can't beat aspidistra, plum yew or autumn fern; however, they don't sport much color other than green. Consider variegated plants, like hosta, Solomon's seal or painted fern. Scatter impatiens seed in the bed in late April to see if this shade-loving flower will thrive.
Q: What fertilizer would you recommend to ensure the health of mature Leyland cypresses? My trees are 60 feet tall and look great. I want to keep them that way! Juanita Driggs, e-mail
A: Not much research has been done about fertilizing Leyland cypress in home landscapes. I'm sure any general-purpose landscape fertilizer (there are many brand names) would be fine. My rule of thumb is to fertilize when a plant is actively growing. For a young Leyland cypress that could mean feeding in April, June and September. However, your trees are at their mature size and don't need huge amounts of nutrients. I think they could get by with one feeding in April each year, particularly if you have mulch around them. Follow the label directions on the product you choose.
Q: My soil analysis says I need to add dolomite lime. In looking at garden centers I can not find anything labeled dolomite lime. J.C. Irby, Cornelia
A: Dolomitic lime is simply a liming material that contains magnesium carbonate and magnesium oxide alongside the normal calcium carbonate. Look on the lime bag label to see if magnesium is mentioned. Most lime sold in Georgia comes from the marble-producing area around Jasper. Powdered or pelletized marble from that source has plenty of magnesium in it.
Q: I just started composting last year and have been amazed at how much stuff I've kept out of the landfill. I have no idea when I should start adding the compost to my garden bed. Does the material need to be completely composted before adding? Jay Brantley, e-mail
A: My rule of thumb is to start taking compost from a pile when you can barely tell what the original components were. In other words, when you can no longer distinguish plant stems, banana peels and individual tree leaves in the mix. Remember that you need a lot of compost to make a difference in your soil: typically one to three inches of organic material spread on a bed and mixed 10 inches deep.
Q: I use grass clippings as mulch in the vegetable garden. Is it OK to use a pre-emergent on my lawn and then put the clippings in the garden? L.C. Carver, e-mail
A: Chemicals used to prevent weeds are designed to dissolve off the grass leaves and then to be absorbed by soil particles. If the pre-emergent has been watered in by irrigation or rainfall you can use the clippings in your garden.
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.
