By Pauline Keegan

I see purple crocus-like flowers in a few yards near my home. Doesn’t crocus bloom in the spring?

There is a crocus that blooms in the fall. It is related to the one that blooms in the spring. Fall blooming crocus is crocus sativus. It is the crocus that produces saffron, the most expensive spice in the grocery store. The orange-red stigma is the part used as a spice but, it takes several thousand stigmas to make a pound of saffron. If you don’t care for saffron, you can plant the bulbs for their lovely color since there isn’t much color at this time of the year.

I am having trouble choosing a grass for a lawn. Can you give me the options?

The major divisions of grass for Northwest Arkansas are Bermuda grass and fescue. Bermuda is a warm season grass. It turns green around April or May and dies out in October. It’s best in full sun. It is invasive, this matters if you have flower beds.

Fescue is a cool season grass. It greens up in March and unless it is watered, it goes dormant in mid-summer and returns to green in September and lasts until a hard frost.

Northwest Arkansas is what is called a traditional zone. This means that summer in Arkansas is too hot for cool season grasses to perform well and winters are often cold enough to injure or kill warm season grasses. The Extension Office of Washington County has much more information on choosing and maintaining a lawn. It is free for the asking.

How can I get rid of moss in my lawn?

Moss is a sign of several things: compacted soil, low pH, shade. You can try to eliminate the moss, but it will return unless you can make a drastic change in the mossy area. Your final options are to plant a ground cover or cultivate a moss lawn.

Is it too late to plant lilies?

Lilies should be planted when the ground has cooled off. Now and until a hard freeze is about right. Lilies should be planted 4 to 6 inches below the soil surface. If you are planting the Asiatic type, they should be planted 8 inches below the soil surface. As an extra protection  they will fare better under a protective layer of winter mulch.

Send your gardening and landscaping questions and tips to Washington County Master Gardeners, 2536 N. McConnell Ave., Fayetteville, AR 72704 or call 444-1755.

House plants should be brought indoors when night temperatures begin to get colder. In other words, now. Be sure when you take the plants in there are no hitchhikers. Hose off the lower and upper surfaces of the leaves. Be sure there are no critters hiding in the soil by placing the pot in a large container and pouring a solution of one tablespoon Lysol to one gallon of water. Pour this over the soil until the solution is level with the rim of the pot. Let it stand for about 10 minutes and then drain the plant. Then it will be safe to take the plant indoors without any uninvited guests.

I have heard that rose hips are edible. Is that true and can they be used?

Rose hips, the pods of the rose, are very high in vitamin C. They can be cooked and made into a jam or dried and brewed for a tea. The taste is very sour, sweetening is necessary for most people.

I planted some dogwood trees about two years ago. How long do I wait for them to bloom?

Sometimes dogwoods are temperamental about blooming. However, some conditions can make the difference. Insufficient light will keep them from blooming. They can take some shade, but not heavy shade. Dogwoods set their buds in late summer, which is usually a dry time in Northwest  Arkansas, extra watering at this time is helpful.

Can I grow Muscadine grapes in Northwest Arkansas?

Muscadine grapes are not grown in Northwest Arkansas, not as a commercial crop. Some gardeners have been successful in growing them by carefully putting them in a warm protected place such as the wall of a south facing building. It is worth a try.

Tip: If you are planning to plant a tree or any other woody perennial, now is the time to look around at the color and performance of established landscapes.

Send your gardening and landscaping questions and tips to Washington County Master Gardeners, 2536 N. McConnell Ave., Fayetteville, 72704 or call 444-1755.

By Pauline Keegan

When should I pick ornamental gourds?

Ornamental gourds should be picked after the vines die but before a freeze. Wipe the gourds with a cloth dipped in a solution of 1 percent bleach to water. The stems should be left on. After the gourds are completely dry, they can be waxed with ordinary paste wax and polished lightly. They can also be shellacked or painted.

I have a cherry tree that has sunken lesions that ooze sap. An amber colored, sour smelling gum oozes from these lesions. What shall I do?

There is a plant disease called bacterial gummosis or bacterial blast. It attacks fruit and nut trees, especially cherry trees. It is most serious on young trees but especially cherry trees. Bacterial canker gummosis is difficult to control. Prune out diseased branches. After each cut, sterilize pruning shears with alcohol. In the fall, spray with a fungicide containing basic copper sulfate.

Our oak tree has round balls on some of the leaves. Should we have them removed?

The round balls that you see are galls, several hundred different species of wasps, aphids, adelgids, midges and the list goes on of insects like to lay their eggs forming a ball. Oak trees are the favorite place for them to lay their eggs which form around the soft tissue of a leaf. To reduce the number of galls gather and destroy the fallen leaves, which we will see abundant soon.

Can rice hulls be used as a mulch around tomatoes?

Rice hulls make a good mulch around almost any plants. Make sure the plant itself is not buried under the mulch.

The roots of my iris are coming up from the ground, should I mulch them?

Your iris plants are telling you that they are too crowded and it’s time to dig them up and divide and replant, or give some away.

How can I keep squirrels from eating my tomatoes?

Try spraying hot pepper around the bottom of your tomato plants. You can also spray hot pepper right on your tomatoes. Just be sure to wash the spray off before you eat the tomatoes.

What can be done to improve the heavy clay soil that is on my property?

Heavy clay soil can be improved by adding compost. Other amendments that can help are gypsum and fine gravel. Heavy clay soil retains water for a long time. This may seem desirable in an area that has some drought each year. However, most plants are unhappy with wet feet all the time. Amending the soil promotes good drainage.

I have a rhododendron that doesn’t bloom. It is three years old. Have you any suggestions?

Rhododendrons prefer shade and lots of water. If it already has these conditions, try a bloom booster fertilizer that is high in phosphorus.

My flowering crab apple has orange spots on the leaves and the leaves are falling prematurely. What is the cause?

Ornamental crab apple trees are subject to the same diseases as apple trees that are grown for their fruit. Your tree has cedar-apple rust. This disease alternates between cedars and apples, even if they are three miles apart. There is nothing you can do now. In late winter, spray your crab apple tree with lime and sulphur or any fungicide specified for fruit trees.

What is the shelf life of Sevin and Malathion?

The shelf life of Sevin is three to five years. The shelf life of Malathion is indefinite. Be sure these and any other pesticides are shelved in a well marked place away from the reach of children.

Send your gardening and landscaping questions and tips to Washington County Master Gardeners, 2536 N. McConnell Ave., Fayetteville, 72704 or call 444-1755.

Crab apples are edible, that is, they are nonpoisonous. However, they are hard and not very tasty. They do make a very good jelly because they have a high amount of natural pectin.

How can I get rid of scale on my fern before I take it into the house?

Be sure it is scale. Scales are sometimes mistaken for reproductive spores produced by the fern. Remove the scale by spraying with horticultural oil. Repeat if necessary.

When is the best time to move a hydrangea and how should I do it?

Hydrangea should be moved as soon as possible after bloom. Carefully prepare the new site and gently dig up the bush. Save as much root and soil as possible. Water thoroughly and continue watering about once a week until frost sets in.

I would like to build a tree house for my children by using a tree trunk that is about 20 inches in diameter. Will it hurt the tree?

A few nails will not hurt a healthy mature tree. Use as few nails as possible. Do not girdle the tree with wire or meal sheeting. It can kill the tree.

Is using a chemical lawn service for growing grass too harsh for the environment?

There are many varieties of lawn fertilizer and other lawn additives. Your best bet is to talk with some of the lawn companies and make a decision on their product and service.

Send your gardening and landscaping questions and tips to Washington County Master Gardeners, 2536 N. McConnell Ave., Fayetteville, 72704 or call 444-1755.

By Pauline Keegan

Can I do anything this fall to prevent Japanese beetles from eating my plants?

There is no guessing where the Japanese beetles will attack next spring. Your best bet is to keep an eye out early in spring and spray with Sevin as soon as you see a beetle.

When is the right time to prune holly?

Holly and all of the Ilex family can be pruned any time. If you plan to do a major reshaping, late winter is probably the best time. Consider a light pruning in December and use the cuttings for Christmas decorating.

Is fall the best time to transplant peonies?

Fall is the best time to transplant peonies. Dig up the plant and divide carefully if you want to plant separate plants. The “crown” from which the red buds are visible in the fall, should not be more than 1 inch below the ground. This is important, as planting too deep results in failure to flower. Peonies prefer full sun, but will bloom with a small amount of shade. Once settled they do not like to be moved, so select the location carefully.

If I buy some bulbs and can’t plant them immediately, how long will they keep?

Bulbs are best planted in late October to early November when the soil temperature cools a bit. If the warm weather persists, store the bulbs in the crisper of your refrigerator. Be sure to keep the bulbs away from fruits, which emit a gas that is harmful to bulbs.

I have a large clump of Pampas grass I want to divide. Is fall the right time to do this?

Pampas grass (Cortaderia) is a hardy grass. It is best divided when it is still growing vigorously so that it can establish its roots before cold weather sets in. If you divide it now, there should be enough time for it to settle. The larger the clump after division, the better the chance for survival. The culms (stems) are usually left on the plant to give it winter interest. In late winter, ornamental grasses should be cut to the ground. If cutting is delayed too late in the spring, new growth can be damaged by cutting down the culms.

Send your gardening and landscaping questions and tips to Washington County Master Gardeners, 2536 N. McConnell Ave., Fayetteville, 72704 or call 444-1755.

By Pauline Keegan

Do lightning bugs damage plants?

No, the lightning bugs, also called fireflies, that you see on summer evenings are all males looking for lady friends. The females do not have wings, they wait in the grass flashing their light to attract males. These are beneficial insects. The larvae eat the eggs of slugs and grasshoppers, as well as small maggots and caterpillars.

Should I pinch the suckers off my pepper plants as is suggested for tomato plants?

To pinch or not to pinch is a constant topic among gardeners. Pinching tomatoes results in fewer tomatoes, but larger ones. With peppers it is best to not pinch and let the plant form a good leaf canopy to protect the fruit from sun scald.

Can I use hardwood sawdust from a box company as a mulch. Must it be composted first?

Sawdust can be used as a mulch on top of the ground where it will decay slowly. If it is dug into the soil, it will use up nitrogen in the decaying process.

How can I get  rid of poison ivy that is growing in my crownvetch, without killing the vetch?

Unless you want to pull or dig each poison ivy plant with a gloved hand, you will have to sacrifice some of the crownvetch. Spot spray the menace with an herbicide containing 2,4D. The crown vetch will quickly fill in the spaces.

Send your gardening and landscaping questions and tips to Washington County Master Gardeners, 2536 N. McConnell Ave., Fayetteville, 72704 or  call 444-1755.

The condition that you describe is called catface. It is usually caused by low temperatures during bloom and pollination. Fruits that set when temperatures are 55 degrees or below, often grow into abnormal, odd shapes. The use of 2,4-D herbicide can cause injury to tomato plants that will subsequently develop catface fruit.

I have moved into a house with a large cedar tree in the backyard. This tree is dropping what seems to be needles. I do want it for the shade. Is there anything I should be doing for it?

Needle shedding is a natural process similar to leaf shedding of deciduous trees. Sometimes this shedding takes place every year; in other cases, it may occur every second or third year. If during the growing season, the tree has been exposed to unfavorable conditions such as drought or insect infestation, the needle drop is more noticeable. No chemical control is necessary. Water the tree during dry weather, including the fall if the fall rains are scarce.

The leaves of my newly planted dogwood are turning brown on the edges. What should I do for it?

When any plant is moved from one location to another it suffers some stress, the same as people do. The  tree will survive and thrive in the  spring if you make sure it has  enough water now and through the fall.

I know that lime makes soil less acid. Is there a way to make it more acid?

To make soil more acid, chelated iron sulfate is recommended. The amount will vary according to a soil test.

The foliage on my tomatoes is covered by small circular-shaped spots that turn yellow and cause the leaves to drop off. It is on the top and bottom leaves. How can I stop it?

Several types of leaf spots attack tomatoes. Septoria leaf spot quite often starts at the bottom of the plant and rapidly spreads. It can be controlled with a fungicide spray. Begin the spray program early in the life of the plant.

Send your gardening and landscaping questions and tips to Washington County Master Gardeners, 2536 N. McConnell Ave., Fayetteville AR 72704 or call 444-1755.

Bermuda grass knows no boundaries. The following  should  be at least some help. Dig a trench about six inches deep and four inches wide around your garden. Remove all soil and  grass plants from the ditch. Check the ditch at least once a week and remove any grass that might have crept in.

Bagworms are attacking my cedar tree. How can I stop them from killing my trees?

Little brown bags are what is known as bagworms. They start their damage in late summer chewing and getting bigger all the time. Pick off and destroy any you can reach. Spray the small bugs with Sevin. Respray after 10 days if leaf damage is still occurring. Hand pick and destroy bags in winter  to reduce the number of eggs.

How much should I water a tree after it is planted?

A newly planted tree should be watered every day after it is planted. This is especially necessary if the tree is planted during hot weather. Two buckets of water is about right for a tree that is six feet tall. At the end of summer, one bucket of water is enough each for about a week.

A sunken, water soaked spot has developed on the blossom end of my tomatoes. What is wrong and what should I do about it?

Your tomatoes have blossom end rot. This occurs on pepper, squash, and watermelon due to a lack of calcium in the developing fruits. This results from slow growth and damaged roots caused by many factors including fluctuations in soil moisture, excessive dry weather, excess soil salts, cultivating too close to the plant. The rotted area is unsightly , but the rest of the fruit is edible.

Is it OK to trim some leaves from my maple tree now?

It is okay to do some pruning now and until the end of August. The trees have stopped  active growth and have not started to go into dormancy. If you wait later than August, pruning will stimulate growth and the tree will not be prepared for the cold winter.

Send your gardening and landscaping questions and tips to Washington County Master Gardeners, 2536 N McConnell Ave., Fayetteville, 72704 or call 444-1755.

By Pauline Keegan

What causes my cucumbers to taste bitter?

Bitterness is associated with the formation of the alkaloid curbing. High temperature, low moisture, low fertility or foliage disease can contribute to bitterness. Once a plant produces bitter fruit, remove it from the garden, because all subsequent fruit will be affected similarly.

Do melons cross pollinate?

Melons can cross pollinate, but the results will not be evident until the next generation. You can save your seeds for next year. If you plant them there will be some surprises. You may choose to be surprised.

I finished harvesting asparagus in late spring. What should I do about the spears that are left? Can they be cut off?

Allow the leftover spears to develop into ferns. Occasional fertilizing and adequate moisture will help the plants develop sufficient top growth while they store nutrients for next year’s crop.

What is that irridescent bug on my roses?

If you have not met this bug by now, it is the infamous Japanese beetle. It devours roses and many other flowering plants. You can spray with Sevin. You can shake them in a bucket of soapy water early in the morning (they sleep late). You can hang up a trap. Just be sure it is at least five feet from the plant that is being attacked.

My tomatoes are turning yellow on the top, can I save them?

Your tomatoes are suffering from sun scald. They likely have spotted wilt virus. Try spraying with Seconal if at least parts are not rotted.

Can I use sugar from corn in the hummingbird feeder?

It is safe to use almost any sugar in the hummingbird feeder. It is important to keep the feeder clean and the water fresh.

There is powdery mildew on my dogwood, how can I save my tree?

Spray your dogwood with Daconil being sure to get the affected parts. Be sure the tree gets sufficient water, especially during the hot days of summer.

Send your gardening and landscaping questions and tips to Washington County Master Gardeners, 2536 B, McConnell Ave., Fayetteville, 72704 or call 444-1755. Comment at www.freeweekly.com.

By Pauline Keegan

What can I spray on my tomatoes to be rid of whitefly?

Insecticidal soap is a safe spray to use on tomatoes. Spray thoroughly and repeat every seven to 10 days. Yellow sticky traps work well also. Whiteflies are attracted to the color. Place the traps a short distance from your plants.

The leaves of my potato plants are turning brown. What shall I do?

Harvest potatoes after most of the vines have died. Handle as gently as possible. Leave the tubers exposed to the sun long enough for the soil to dry and fall off. Too much direct sunlight will blister the tubers and cause them to turn green and rot in storage. A spade fork is useful for digging and not hurting the potatoes. Potatoes for use in early summer (new potatoes) may be dug before the vines die.

I planted beans in a large washtub with holes poked in the bottom. I used potting soil and a fertilizer. The sprouts are coming up yellow. What did I do wrong?

It sounds like a case of over fertilizing. Likely the potting soil had a fertilizer in it, which added to the other fertilizer. In addition, most bean seeds germinate poorly when the moisture content of the soil is too high. Your crop may be saved if you thin out the shoots and water sparingly. Also, there is time to replant.

I planted a river birch about a year ago. It seems to be dropping its leaves. What could be the matter?

Consider the name. In the wild, it grows along river banks. It likes water and was happy during the rainy spring, but now it must be watered regularly.

I planted long-neck squash but the fruit turns soft and falls off before it is ripe. What’s wrong?

Summer squash is subject to blossom-end-rot, the same as tomatoes. The problem should resolve itself. Don’t over water.

Tip: To control your weight, eat small portions of meat and large portions of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Send your questions and tips to Washington County Master Gardeners, 2536 N.McConnell Ave., Fayetteville AR, 72704 or call 444-1755. Comment at www.freeweekly.com.