Q: We usually plant a couple hundred tulips along our driveway in early November. This year, with the drought, I held off. Is it too late to plant them? Tom Burns, DeKalb County
A: It's not too late. One year I gave my mother tulip bulbs for Christmas and planted them after the family lunch. They bloomed perfectly on schedule. In my experience, spring bulbs produce flowers no matter when you plant them in fall or winter. Blooms from a winter planting will be later and stockier but there is no advantage in holding them until next year.
Q: Our centipede lawn is nearly gone. Would it be beneficial to let fallen leaves stay on the ground throughout the winter for potential nutrients and/or protection? Stacy Hutchinson, Putnam County
A: Allowing your leaves to remain will probably kill any grass that is present. A damp layer of decomposing leaves will allow fungi to attack the grass underneath. Fallen leaves contain very few nutrients. It would take a very thick layer to add any appreciable organic matter to your soil. I think your best course is to shred the leaves with a mower and then rake up any piles of "shreddings" so the grass isn't covered. You can assess matters in May and decide whether to reseed then.
Q: Any recommendations for buying a composter for the yard? Michelle Hodgin, Doraville
A: It all depends on your sense of aesthetics, your space, and your wallet. If you have a small space in which to put the composter, the upright plastic bins work fine. If you want compost quickly, the tumbler-type units rapidly mix and aerate your landscape debris but they are a bit unsightly. If you don't want to spend too much and you have a place to hide it, buy a ten-foot length of four-foot wide fencing and roll it into a wire compost barrel. Composting is simple: "Pile it up and let it rot", then feed your plants with the results. I have directions for how to make a simple wire composter at bit.ly/GAcompost.
Q: Where can I buy ground cedar? Stormie Ellwanger, email
A: Ground cedar is an attractive evergreen forest groundcover that spreads by underground runners. The correct scientific name is Diphasiastrum digitatum but I prefer its older Latin name: Lycopodium digitatum, which means "wolf's foot". It's a conversation piece when seen on a hike. Sad to say, it is very hard to transplant. The roots seem to require specific soil fungi, so you can't just dig up a clump and transplant it. To my knowledge, no nurseries sell it.
Q: Do I need to winterize my sprinkler system? I'm wondering if the drought would make the ground more apt to let freezing temps get to the system. Judy Matlock, Woodstock
A: I don't think the drought will have any effect on your system. It's usually adequate to simply shut off the water and run your system timer through all zones. This will relieve pressure and allow most of the water to drain out of the pipes. Otherwise, there are several local irrigation companies that will do a full inspection and shutdown for you.
