Q: I am a volunteer for a community garden. We currently have a summer garden but would like to plant a fall garden. What would you suggest? — Paula Skinner, Austell
A: You'll be surprised what can be planted in fall. Not only cole crops like broccoli and cabbage but also summer squash and cucumber can be successful. I have a comprehensive chart of vegetable planting dates at bit.ly/UGAplantingchart.
Q: I arrived home a couple months ago to find my two big crape myrtles had been butchered by my husband. He thought it might help them bloom better this summer. Now, lots of crape myrtle shoots have come up near the trunks. What should I do? — Leslie Ratliff, email
A: I generally try to answer questions from married gardeners in such a way that both folks seem correct. You have to admit that your husband's heart was in the right place: He wanted to send a message to the crape myrtles to bloom better. However, his severe pruning sent the plant a different message. After the pruning, the plant said to itself, "Something has removed our source of energy! Activate all the dormant buds on the roots! Send up new sprouts and leaves wherever you can!" That's why the sprouts appeared.
If you want to restore the original form, you can select a couple of the most vertical sprouts and remove the others. You’ll have nice trunks in a couple of years. In the meantime, mow or clip the numerous root sprouts whenever spotted. Eventually your crape myrtle will go back to making leaves on the main trunk(s) and the root sprouts will disappear. Hopefully, in the future your husband will ask your advice before he grabs the pruners!
Q: My sunny zoysia lawn has rust disease. I've treated it with fungicide and fertilized twice, but I'm not sure it is getting much better. — M. Tolbert, email
A: Rust seems to be associated with zoysia more than the other lawn grasses. The disease favors high humidity and temperatures between 65 degrees Fahrenheit and 85 degrees F. Rust becomes a problem when grass plants are growing slowly. When turf plants are growing fairly rapidly, leaf tissues are removed by mowing at relatively frequent intervals and the disease does not become apparent. Fertilize your lawn again and mow frequently to bring the disease under control.
Q: I have always used air conditioner condenser water for my flowering plants and bushes, but never for vegetables. Can I use this water on my tomatoes and squash? — Anne Page, email
A: Yes, the water that drips out of your air conditioner is perfectly safe for your garden. It is only condensed water from the air around the unit. The process by which it is formed is the same as the one used to make bottled distilled water.
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