Q: I have a nice flat backyard that will not grow grass, but does grow moss, which I love. Moss is green, it’s good for croquet, and I don’t have to cut it. How do you get new areas to grow moss and how do I control weeds? Lamar Spence, Buckhead
A: Moss can certainly be an attractive alternative to grass in a lawn. If you have shade and lots of clay in your soil, you only need occasional watering to keep moss happy. I'll bet you have friends who also have moss patches but who are not so enamored with it as you are. Use a spatula to lift patches of their moss and put them in your landscape where you want moss to grow. When it's dry in summertime you may need to water your moss briefly each day to keep it green. In my experience a quick mist of glyphosate (Roundup, etc) will kill weeds growing in moss without hurting the moss itself. I have more tips on growing moss at bit.ly/mosslawn.
Q: I ordered two 'Amber Gold' arborvitae online. They've been in the ground a couple of weeks now and seem to be doing well. Is any special care needed?Chris Souther, email
A: The main thing to keep in mind is that arborvitae can dry quickly on cold, breezy days. It's not top of mind to think of watering landscape plants in winter but evergreens like this one are the exception. The root ball dries quickly in winter weather and you won't know they're in trouble until they turn brown. To prevent the needles from drying out, keep the root ball moist at all times. I would give each shrub two gallons of water every four days. Be sure to put the water directly underneath your new shrubs when you irrigate. Apply water slowly so it has a chance to saturate the roots.
Q: When is the best time to cut back wax myrtles? Some branches were broken in the snowstorm we recently had. Is it OK to limb them up or shorten their height as needed? Susan Brogdon, email
A: Wax myrtles are commonly broken apart by snowstorms and ice storms in winter. If yours is an important part of your landscape, it's better to keep it trimmed regularly and not allow limbs to grow so long that they could be easily broken in storms. That said, now is a fine time to prune and shape them for the future.
Q: I aerated, overseeded, and scattered starter fertilizer and lime on my fescue lawn in early October. It's up and growing well but the nice dark green color is now looking a bit yellowish. Gene Crump, email
A: Your fescue is famished! Normal practice is to fertilize fescue three or four times between September and early April. Apply lawn fertilizer now and in April according to label directions. Use an iron-containing fertilizer (Ironite, etc) in summer. Start your fescue fertilizing again in September.
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