IN THE GARDEN

Bush morning glory (Ipomoea carnea) shoots up to 6 feet tall or more during the summer but can be killed off by a tough winter.
Bush morning glory (Ipomoea carnea) shoots up to 6 feet tall or more during the summer but can be killed off by a tough winter.

Q I planted a jalapeno pepper plant next to a tomato plant this year. The resulting fruit looks like an upside-down tomato. Did the two plants cross? I was not aware this was an issue, but I am new to gardening.

A I think your pepper plant was mislabeled. There is a hot cherry pepper variety that produces a round, red tomato-like fruit and it does grow upright. Tomatoes and peppers grown side by side should not affect the resulting fruit.

Q I was given a banana tree by a friend about three years ago, and the puny little thing has thrived. I keep it in a large pot and house it in my garage over the winter. It has done so well, in fact, I have transplanted some of the "babies" into the ground. I have seen other people with them in their yards but don't know how they winterize them. I am keeping the mother plant in the pot and will continue to house it in my garage in the winter. I really don't want to dig up those I have in the ground. Will a deep layer of mulch help them survive?

A Before last winter, many folks were leaving banana trees outdoors year-round. After a killing frost, they would cut them off and mulch heavily. Usually the plants returned once the temperatures went up. Many of these bananas did not make it last winter, but then many other plants were damaged as well. To be on the safe side, keep growing your banana mother in the pot, moving it in and out. Those that are planted in the ground can be left and heavily mulched, or you could dig them up, wrapping them up in an old bed sheet and storing them under your house in the crawl space, if you have one, or in the garage -- anywhere they won't freeze. Then the following year when all chances of frost have passed, replant. They will begin to grow from the plant you overwintered. If they start as a larger plant -- not regenerating from the ground each year -- they do have the potential to bear bananas. Once the mother plant bears fruit it will die, but as you already know, many daughter plants will be produced to take that mother's place.

Q I haven't been able to find any tomato plants. Can you tell me where I can find them? I would like to replant for a fall crop but they are nowhere to be found.

A I can't find any either. I have asked when the vegetable transplants will be in, but no one seems to know. If you have healthy tomato plants in your garden, try rooting some of the suckers to give you a jump start on fall tomato plants. Now is the time to begin replanting summer crops and begin to plant cool season vegetables as well. I did plant seeds for green beans, and a Hail Mary late planting of okra a couple of weeks ago, but hopefully the fall transplants will be arriving soon.

Q I have a hickory tree beside my deck that has some worms eating the leaves. They are about 11/2 to 2 inches long -- black with white fuzz. They strip the leaves, leaving only the stems. Their droppings are making a big mess on my deck. Will this kill the tree, and is there anything I can do to eliminate them?

A It seems every year we have some insect feeding on our shade trees. The variable oak leaf caterpillar was awful during the past two years, but thankfully has not been a huge problem this summer. There are many caterpillars that feed on hickories, but they are more a nuisance than a health threat, especially this late in the season. Spraying a large tree is not feasible, so hopefully the mess will be fairly short-lived.

Q A friend gave me three sticks that she harvested last fall from a bush her friend had given her. We don't know what the plant is called. Mine bloomed for the first time this morning, picture attached. Do you recognize this plant?

A The plant in question is commonly called a bush morning glory (Ipomoea carnea). The plant can grow up to 6 feet tall or more in a growing season, but it is not reliably hardy. Take cuttings from your plant before a killing frost to make sure you have some for next season. In addition to this lovely purple variety, there are also pink and white ones.

Janet B. Carson is a horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Write to her at 2301 S. University Ave., Little Rock, Ark. 72204 or email her at

jcarson@arkansasonline.com

HomeStyle on 08/16/2014

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