In the garden

LITTLE ROCK — Janet Carson is an extension horticulturist with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. Write to her at P.O. Box 391, Little Rock, Ark. 72203, or e-mail her at

jcarson@arkansason line.com

QWe live in Bella Vista. Last year and this year I have planted zucchini plants that have lots of blooms, but no zucchini. I have heard about several other people who have had the same problem both years. Three years agothey did fine. I also have yellow squash in the same garden and they produce lots of squash. Any idea what the problem might be?

AZucchini, like all members of the cucurbit family, should have separate male blooms and female blooms on the same plant. The difference in the flower is behind the bloom. On the male, there is simply a stalk, and on the female there is a tiny zucchini or whatever youare growing. The male blossoms alwaysappear first, and, provided you have enough sunlight, female blossoms should quickly follow. If you have male and female blooms but no fruit, it means you have no bees or other pollinators.

Pollen can't make it from the males to the females without help. You can play the part of the pollinator and use a paintbrush to transfer pollen from one to the other.

QA neighbor took a weed trimmer to my iris, daylilies and pink surprise lilies and cut them all back to the ground without my knowledge. Is there any way I can save these bloomers? Should I mulch them for the winter? I have never cut back iris because I like the green leaves better than brown tipped ones that have been cut off. What are the chances of reblooming next year? The surprise lilies have just finished blooming.

AI think you need a new neighbor! Although not an action that should have been taken, your plants should all survive, and I believe all will bloom fine next year. The pink surprise lilies die down after bloom anyway.

Their foliage doesn't appear until next spring, when they set their flowers. The bearded iris are usually not cut all the way back, since their foliage is evergreen, but many iris growers cut the fans back hard now anyway. And daylilies are tough as nails. The one thing I would do is make sure that the cuts are smooth and clean. If they are ragged - which would be commonwith a weed trimmer - get in there and clean up the cut edges. Then wait until next spring.

QOur house is 3 years old and has a shrub bed on each side of the front door.

There are several loropetalum, hollies, nandinas, and I am not sure what some of the others are. They are getting too large for the space and I wonder about pruning them back. My main problem is a crape myrtle tree in the center that is much too tall for the space. Can it successfully be pruned back? If so, when should it be done?

ACrape myrtles should be pruned in late February, but don't butcher it. Let it be a tree, but limit its height and thin it out some. Loropetalum actually have a few blooms on them now, but they are setting their flowers for next spring, so no pruning on them until after they bloom next spring. Hollies and nandinas are grown primarily for their foliage and can take a little light shaping. Nandinas are typically pruned at thebottom - removing up to one third of the older canes.

I would do that in the spring, after they have looked their prettiest all winter. Severe pruning on hollies shouldalso be done in late winter to early spring to allow for quick recovery.

QI hope you will answer a couple of questions for me. First, I have a couple of hibiscus bushes that are supposed to be perennial. I started them from seeds and the blossoms are huge but only last about two days. Am I supposed to cut them back this fall?

AHardy hibiscus flowers only last one day. Usually they set enough buds that you get blooms for a month or longer. Once we have a killing frost this fall, the tops are dead and can be cut back. They will resprout next spring once the soil warms up.

QI wonder if you would tell me what the pH factor of the soil should be in order for cantaloupes to be sweeter.

Mine were not very good this year.

AI don't know if you can blame the sweetness on the pH or not. Normal pH for melons is 6-6.5. When we have a lot of rainfall prior to harvesting it can dilute the sugars and make the fruits taste bland. Many people had this problem this year.