Q: I planted a pomegranate a couple of years ago. It is now six feet tall. I would like to get it to grow up and be more of a tree rather than a bush. Kevin Miller, email
A: Unpruned, a pomegranate will assume a bush form but there's no reason you can't make it a tree. Simply select one vigorous vertical sprout and prune away side shoots up to approximately two feet from the ground. Pomegranate has been promoted for its health-giving properties, so many gardeners are trying to grow it. Dan MacLean, University of Georgia horticulturist, says 'Wonderful' has not fruited well in Georgia. You could try 'Granada,' 'Angel Red' and 'Eight Ball' in comparison. I have more pomegranate-growing information at bit.ly/GApomegranate
Q: I want to kill my hedges without killing anything else. Would that be possible now? Ken Cantre, email
A: It would be more effective to do it in spring when the sap is moving more. The easiest technique is to cut them at ground level and then paint the stump with glyphosate (KleenUp, Roundup, etc) or triclopyr (Brush Killer, etc). If you're itching to get it done now, follow my tips but be ready to do more minor pruning and painting in April
Q: We just moved here from Ohio to a new development. They used bermuda grass, but I hate the brown in winter. I have seen yards that are still green. What would be a good grass that can take afternoon sun, and stay green most of the winter? Larry Moore, East Cobb
A: The green grass you see could be fescue or it could be a bermudagrass lawn that was overseeded with ryegrass last fall. Fescue can be problematic in full sun in summer so I recommend considering the overseeding route for your bermuda lawn. Unfortunately, it's too late to plant ryegrass. Endure the brown bermudagrass this winter and follow these tips next fall: bit.ly/overseedrye.
Q: I have found lattice stinkhorn fungus growing around my viburnum bush. How do we remove this smelly intruder without hurting the snowball bush? Phyllis Masterson, Macon
A: The best idea is the simplest: Rake and disturb the mulch to dry it out and break up the fungal "roots" that produce the stinkhorn.
Q: Please tell me your knowledge of microclover alone or with fescue as a turf-type ground cover in Atlanta. We have a sunny yard with a moderate slope facing north. It gets little foot traffic but neither bermuda nor fescue has thrived there. Richard Remigailo, email
A: I don't have any experience with microclover in Atlanta. Microclover is a small-leaved variant of white clover, which is sometimes used in Georgia pastures to enrich the soil and provide winter grazing. It is typically short-lived, particularly in hot, dry summers. In a lawn situation, you could give it better growing conditions with summer irrigation. Keep in mind that it's hard to keep a thriving and attractive mixture of grass and clover. If you fertilize too much, the clover will be crowded out by the grass. If you fertilize too little, the clover will dominate the grass and the lawn will look patchy. Consider zoysiagrass for your lawn. It has good sun and shade tolerance.
You’ll be on the bleeding edge of lawn care if you try the microclover scheme. Let me know your results!
