Q: We have a peach tree that was covered in beautiful blooms. However, when the peaches ripen Japanese beetles cover each peach. I don’t like using insecticides but what can I do? LaJuan Lee, Ellijay
A: This is why peaches are so hard to grow in Georgia: the fruit is loved by fungi, bacteria, insects and animals just as much as we love it. I don't have a good organic solution for you. Synthetic insecticides like carbaryl (Sevin) or bifenthrin (Ortho Bug-B-Gon MAX) kill beetles readily. You could try spraying the fruit with neem oil (Neem) as an anti-feedant or kaolin clay (Surround) as a chewing deterrent. Since Japanese beetle females lay their eggs in grassy spots, eliminating lawn grass nearby may help.
Q: We have several ‘Natchez’ crapemyrtles and want to plant a red one between the white ones. What crapemyrtle blooms red at same time or close to ‘Natchez’? Jeff Nalley, Carroll County
A: ‘Dynamite’ has a terrific red flower color and is a tree-form crapemyrtle, like ‘Natchez’. As you know, crapemyrtle varieties assume several shapes, from the dwarf ‘Chica Red’ to the large shrub ‘Tonto’.
I’ve collected references for the various varieties and shapes at xrl.us/CRAPECULTIVARS
Q: Is it possible to graft a peach branch to an apple tree? Mitchell Brown, email
A: Grafting a peach to an apple won't work. An apple is in the genus Malus, while a peach belongs to genus Prunus. The two are both in the rose family but they are not close enough kin to be tissue-compatible. Apples have to be grafted to other members of the Malus genus (crabapple, etc.) and peaches graft best to members of the Prunus genus, (plum, apricot, etc.). If you want to explore fruit grafting you'll enjoy reading xrl.us/PROPAGATEFRUIT.
Q: What is your opinion about using salt for weed control under my birdfeeder? Frank E. Lentz, Lilburn
A: As a rule, I don’t recommend using salt for weed control. The sodium part of the salt molecule makes clay soil harder plus it dissolves in rain and burns nearby plant roots. However, if you don’t have plants nearby I guess your idea would work. The only other drawback could be if deer discover your ready-made salt lick.
Q: I have a 15-year-old dogwood tree that has always had white blooms. This year it has produced pink ones. Why is this? Sheila Fowler, email
A: It's not terribly unusual for a white-flowering dogwood to pop out a limb that has pink flowers. Growers select just such limbs in a nursery, graft them to the trunks of small white-flowered dogwoods and thereby make pink-flowered dogwoods to sell to gardeners.
Listen to Walter Reeves Saturday mornings on NewsTalk 750 WSB-AM from 6 to 10. Go to www.yoursoutherngarden.com for details on his TV show or visit his website, www.walterreeves.com.
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