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Dear Neil: I have several kalanchoe plants that never bloom, while other, older plants flower every year. Why the difference?
A: To use a stout botanical term, kalanchoes are photoperiodic. That means that they measure the length of the dark period (night) to determine when it's time to form flower buds. These plants produce a flowering hormone that is destroyed by even a few minutes of daylight. Several other notable flowering plants operate that same way. Poinsettias and Christmas cacti don't begin the flowering process until nights are at their longest. Chrysanthemums also flower in short days/long nights. You can keep any of these plants from flowering by growing them near artificial lights such as security lights. Give them total and uninterrupted darkness for at least 14 hours each night, then direct sunlight during the day. Of course, all of this is predicated on having healthy, vigorous plants. If the plants are elongated and spindly, odds are they're not getting enough light.
Dear Neil: I have a Kwanzan cherry that was given to me in recognition of saving a life. It was planted this summer, but its leaves are all browned around their edges. What could have caused this? I really don't want to lose it.
A: It's just too warm, summer and winter alike, for cherries to thrive in most of Texas. They do reasonably well in the cooler areas, but marginal and tip leaf scorch are almost always due to moisture stress, in this case, brought on by extreme temperatures for prolonged periods of time. Keep it moist and mulch it to protect its root system. Good luck. It may be a bumpy road.
Dear Neil: I have a horrible weed that grows on vigorous runners and now covers my yard. I've used "weed and feed" products, but to no avail. What will work on it?
A: I'm going to assume that it is not a grassy weed such as crabgrass. Weeds that are not grasses are classified as "broadleafed" weeds, and broadleafed weedkillers containing 2,4-d will eliminate them. Read and follow label directions carefully to avoid damage to desirable plants nearby.
Dear Neil: I have blueberry plants that have grown way too tall on some East Texas property I have. When and how do I prune them?
A: Pruning isn't a routine thing with blueberries, as it is with the unrelated blackberries. Blueberries are produced on shrubs, so prune them gently -- as little as you can get by with. Prune immediately after harvest.
Dear Neil: I have six large Chinaberry trees in my back yard. I love the trees, but box elder bugs have overrun them. I don't want to cut the trees down, but Malathion hasn't helped. I've never seen them this bad. What can I do?
A: You may have western soapberries (Sapindus). They produce medium-green leaves, where true Chinaberries' leaves (Melia) are very dark green. Soapberries are commonly visited by box elder bugs, but the insects are little more than an annoyance. Whichever type of tree you have, they will survive quite well, and the insects may not come back for many years. Insecticides are of limited value on these true "bugs" (shield-shaped backs), just as they're marginally effective with squash bugs and stink bugs, too. Stick it out. Things will almost assuredly get better.
Dear Neil: My hydrangeas are quite tall. How far can I cut them back without harming their blooms next year? When do I do it?
A: Prune hydrangeas immediately after they finish flowering in the summer. That will give them the balance of the season to establish new growth. Cut them back as little as possible, hopefully so that you don't remove more than 25 percent to 30 percent of the cane growth. Strong vegetative growth will lead to poor flowering next time around.
Dear Neil: We have red soil at a new home we are building. The house will be Austin chalk stone, and I want to protect the stone from staining splashes. We're trying to do a totally xeriscape landscape. What shrub would grow to 1 foot tall and 2 feet wide beneath our windows?
A: That's really small. There are very few. Consider tam junipers. They could be kept at 1 foot fairly easily, although the 2 feet of width would be a challenge for them. You can grow rosemary so long as you stick with a winter-hardy type for your area. Autumn sage (Salvia greggii) is a wonderful small perennial flower that takes on many of the same looks of shrubs. Prune it by half at the end of each winter to keep it full and compact. It's commonly used in large commercial water-efficient landscapes.
• If you'd like Neil Sperry's help with a plant question, drop him a note in care of The Eagle, P.O. Box 3000, Bryan, Texas 77805. Or e-mail him at mailbag@sperrygardens.com.
