Q: I'm growing strawberries for the first time. What should I do to the plants for winter? Betty Williams, Fannin County
A: Strawberries are very tolerant of cold weather. Most strawberries will keep a few green leaves in winter, and these leaves need sunlight to remain healthy. In addition, if the center of a plant stays wet, rot can occur. For that reason, some gardeners use wheat straw or grass clippings scattered around, but not on top of, their strawberries in winter. The mulch inhibits weeds from germinating and deters erosion but keeps winter wind from drying the plant leaves. More details about strawberry care and maintenance at bit.ly/georgiastrawberry.
Q: I was wondering if you had an opinion on mycorrhizae? I'm thinking of buying some to use when planting trees and other things. Shawn S., email
A: Mycorrhizae are beneficial soil fungi. They associate with plant roots and bring them moisture and nutrients in exchange for sugars from the roots. I think the jury is still out on whether adding mycorrhizae is beneficial when planting trees. Soils with typical amounts of organic matter contain mycorrhizae naturally. Adding more, in my view, doesn't make sense. On poor soils (solid clay, very sandy, etc) mycorrhizae might be beneficial. For now, I simply recommend adding organic matter when planting shrubs and vines. When planting trees, the most important stimulus seems to be loosening the soil in a wide area around the planting spot.
Q: How much worm castings should I use? My garden soil always ends up returning to Georgia red clay. I want it to eventually become good planting soil. Melissa Puppa, Milton
A: Worm castings are a great addition to soil but they don't do much to help the soil drain quickly or stay soft. The tiny particles of worm excrement are comparable in size to clay and humus particles. Consider adding an inorganic component such as gritty sand (granite dust) or expanded shale (Soil Perfector, PermaTill, etc). Spread an inch of either material over your garden and mix it eight inches deep. I sometimes mix pine mini-nuggets into soil to help keep it loose.
Q: We have an awkward property-lot-line issue. Our subdivision in thirty years old. Most of the driveways have cracks and broken sections My neighbor believes that roots from a tree on my side of our lot line have ruined his driveway. How do we determine potential liability for damage to a concrete driveway? Name withheld by request, Marietta
A: I asked an esteemed barrister friend for advice. He consulted some of his colleagues and the general feeling was that a property owner could dig up the root under his own driveway even if it killed the neighbor's tree, but trying to assess liability for the damage done by the roots of a tree in the yard next door was a stretch. One lawyer theorized that it might be an "act of God" and compensable through the driveway owner's homeowner's insurance policy. In court, it could mostly depend on the judge and the specific circumstances of the situation.
Q: There is a massive oak in my neighbor's yard. Typically it drops huge numbers of acorns in our yard, but this year: nothing. Is that a sign of its health (or lack thereof)? David Danzig, Atlanta
A: If the oak had lots of green leaves during the growing season, it is healthy. It's typical for nut-bearing trees like oak, hickory and pecan to bear in an "on year - off year" pattern. We had a huge acorn crop last year, so the neighboring oak is simply recovering from the effort.
