Request. I try to send you a picture of my angels blowing trumpets after I enter. All the leaves fell off and a white moldy substance began to form. One stump has put on new leaves and got "mildew" and now new leaves are falling. Can you give me some advice?
A. Wow, this is an impressive picture of what appears to be a massive invasion. An insect that clings to a plant and sucks its juice. Cut the plant where it is most covered and discard all cuttings. If you have one, move the plant to your garage. You want to keep the ice cream as cold as possible. Brugmansia (angel's trumpet) can survive light frosts, but the plant freezes to the ground and returns from the root system. Now that you put it in, it doesn't work well outside. But inside, in a warm house, insects quickly gather. On a mild day, take the plant outside and spray it with Dormand oil or neem oil, covering the plant tightly to suffocate any insects. You can also find houseplant cones that contain fertilizers and pesticides, which helps. Check the new growth to make sure it is clean. Also check any nearby houseplants, as scale can attack several plants.
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Request. My sweet olives look terrible [reader submitted a photo]. The leaves have turned an ugly grey/brown color and are now all falling off. I hope it will be time related.
Many plants are excellent, including sweet olives, oleander, rosemary, azaleas, herbs, and more. Temperatures hit record highs in December and even covering them up didn't help. Try ignoring it for now. The cut will now cause more damage to the plant. We are just entering winter and who knows what awaits us? Hopefully we won't have to repeat the last bitter cold, but all the plants will remain as they are until spring and we can determine what has died and burned.
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Request. I expected to do some damage to my planters as I know they can be damaged in cold weather, but you should see my pansies. I've never frozen them to death and they look awful. We also had 15 inches of snow that year. Can it come back or do I have to pull it now? I won't have any color this summer.
A: Again, you are not alone. My pansies also look pretty stocked, but some may be coming out. Cabbages and kale are long gone. We got colder than usual, the cold lasted for days. Snow is actually a good defense and protects the plants so they come back. Many gardeners may want a burst of color as spring approaches, but don't plant heat-loving annuals until late April.
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Request. We bought a new lake house this year and the previous owners have planted a Bradford pear tree in the yard. They are beautiful trees, but they limit our view of the lake. How high can I cut to look better in the water without killing my legs? And when should I do it?
Answer : I know many gardeners love Bradford pears for their spring flowers and red color, but they are not my favorite tree because birds eat the fruit and drop seeds everywhere. Now our area is covered with pear trees. I'll take them out and plant something else. To answer your question, removing them won't kill the tree, but it will make the structure unhealthy and unusable. Bradford pear trees are prized for their perfect teardrop shape. This shape alone makes them somewhat heavier and more susceptible to storm damage. Removing them hardens them and ruins their shape, making them an eyesore in the garden.
Janet Carson, who retired after 38 years with the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, is one of Arkansas' foremost gardeners. His blog is at aarkansasonline.com/planitjanet . Write to PO Box 2221, Little Rock, AR 72203 or email jcarson@arkansasonline.com.
