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Questions and Answers:Q. My passion vine started out strong but is now eaten to the ground by caterpillars. Will it survive? A. The passion vine is a host plant for the Gulf Fritallary and Zebra butterfly and you should expect the first flush of growth to be eaten by the larvae. If you would like to plant a passion vine for the first time, keep in a pot until mid-May or watch closely and pick off any caterpillars that you see. The caterpillars can kill the vine the first year, but the second year it will easily recover. Passion vine spread easily so give them plenty of room. Q. Every spring I plant poppy seeds and nothing happens. Is our soil too dry? A. Poppy seeds should be planted after the first killing frost when the fire ants, which carry them off, are less active. They need cool well-drained soil to germinate. Simply mix the seeds with a little dirt and sprinkle over the ground. Q. Why are blooms on my tomato plants falling off before any fruit can form? A. When "blossom drop" occurs in the spring, the reason is usually night temperatures below 55 degrees. Tomatoes set fruit best in temperatures above 55 (night) and below 85 (day.) Other reasons are too much high nitrogen fertilizer or not enough water. Keep tomato plants evenly moist, but not wet, mulched, and apply a fertilizer that is specific to tomatoes such as Espoma "Tomato-Tone." A product called "Tomato Bloom Set" sometimes helps if applied at the right time. Q. What do I need to do to get all these beautiful wildflowers started on my place? A. Most wildflower seeds should be spread on disturbed ground in the fall between late August and mid-November. Two great sources for wildflower seed that is suitable for our area are www.wildseedfarms.com (800-848-0078) or Native American Seeds www.seedsource.com (800-728-4043.) Q. I've always wanted to grow blueberries. Any advice? A. We don't have the highly acidic soils (Ph between 4.5 and 5.0) that blueberries require, but a few plants can be successfully container grown in a mixture of one-half peat moss and one-half potting soil. Plants mature in about 10 years and can be 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide so use a large container. Mulch plants with pine bark or oak leaves and keep evenly moist but not wet. Fertilize with a fertilizer suitable for azaleas and use several small applications rather than one heavy application. Don't use fertilizers high in nitrogen or barnyard manure. At least three varieties are needed for cross-pollination. Varieties to look for are Woodard, Tifblue, and Sharpblue. Pick fruit when fully ripe or it will be bitter. Q. When can I move Amaryllis? A. Divide or move Amaryllis bulbs after the foliage fades in late summer. After pulling the bulbs let them dry in a shady, warm and dry place for a few days before re-planting. Q. Little shiny green and black beetles are eating everything. What are they? A. They are probably fast-moving flea beetles. They can be controlled with Carbaryl (Seven Dust) or use Spinosad for an organic solution. Spray at dawn for best results. If you see a weed they are devouring, leave it in the garden to use as a trap crop. Click Here to Ask Me a Gardening Question
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