Q: I transplanted several runners from a white-berried nandina to a different part of my yard. Now that they are maturing, they're displaying red berries, not white. Can you think of any possible explanation? — Jon McKenna, email
A: The white- (or yellow)-berried form of nandina is a genetic sport of the common red-berried one. If you truly got root sprouts from the white-berried plant, they would produce white berries. But my bet is that the sprouts you dug came from white seeds dropped from the mother plant. As such, they have a great propensity to switch back to their red-berried ancestor. If you collect and plant lots of white berries, some will yield white-fruited plants, but most will sport red berries.
Q: I have Bermuda grass in full sun in my backyard, where two big Labs play and tear it up. I really care about my dogs, so I do not treat the grass with any fertilizer or weed killer. Would it be a waste of money to rip it all out and put in sod ? — Amy Chown, Douglas County
A: Bermuda grass is a heavy feeder, especially in full sun. Without nutrients, it can't easily recover from dog damage. I am not a veterinarian, but I don't think you have much to worry about regarding applying fertilizer. I suggest you apply a water-soluble fertilizer (Miracle-Gro, etc.) according to label directions three times each year, beginning in late April, and water it in afterward with a sprinkler. Once the fertilizer is washed off grass blades and into the soil I don't think the dogs would have much contact with it.
Q: One of my favorite potatoes is Royal Majesty, a purple potato I buy online. I still have a dozen that I haven't eaten. They are starting to sprout and get soft. Can I save them for seed potatoes? — Mike Childers, email
A: University of Georgia vegetable specialist Bob Westerfield said that, if they are soft and sprouting, they will not make good seed potatoes. We are still two months from planting time, so the spuds probably will be completely rotten by then. Go to your online source and buy some fresh ones for your garden. I have more tips on growing white potatoes at bit.ly/GApotato.
Q: I found a spider egg sack outside my bedroom window. Should I remove it? — Evalyn Veado, email
A: If the window is within reach outdoors, I'd remove the pouch and place it in a landscape shrub. The spider itself is very likely harmless because venomous spiders don't construct an egg sac in exposed places. However, when tiny spiders of any kind hatch, they can crawl through cracks in your window frame and come indoors, which I don't think you'll like. Better to give the young spiders a new home where they can do some good for the environment after they hatch.
Q: For Christmas, I received a new portable greenhouse. How critical is the placement? — Harold Smith, Coweta County
A: Generally speaking, more sun is better. You can control how much sunshine and heat gets inside the greenhouse by using shade cloth on top. But if light is limited to start with, supplemental lighting is very expensive. I have lots of greenhouse tips at bit.ly/UGAgreenhouse.
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