Q I live in Northwest Arkansas, and we got really cold last weekend. I had a few perennials that had emerged, and I did not cover them, and some of the leaves look a little sad. Do you think I need to replant?
A I would not throw in the towel just yet. If the leaves are definitely dead, cut them off but then leave the plant alone. See if you don't begin to see new growth in the next few weeks. We were fortunate the cold did not linger; but we still have almost a month to go before we are considered frost-free, so keep some extra mulch handy in case of another cold snap.
Q I have an established bed of spring flowers, and for the first time only a few daffodils are blooming. There is sun at this time of year as trees are not yet out. My neighbors' flowers are blooming, as they are all over the city. My flowers normally bloom. For the first time last spring, the irises did not bloom either. Any ideas/suggestions?
A Did you allow the foliage to grow for six to eight weeks after bloom last year? That is the time they set their energy for next year's flowers. They bloomed early last year, just as they are doing this year. If they are too crowded, that could also affect flowering. How long have they been in the ground? If you think they are too crowded or in too much shade, you could thin and/or move them now to a sunny locale and let the foliage die down naturally. They should then bloom for you next spring. Irises will not bloom if they are crowded or in too much shade as well, and they need sunlight during the growing season.
Q I have two fairly large tulip trees in my yard and they were pretty early this year, but the blooms did not last long at all. I don't think the cold got them. What do you think happened and how can I extend their flowering next year?
A You are not alone. Many tulip magnolia trees bloomed two or three weeks ahead of schedule this year and that, coupled with temperatures nearing 80 for several days in a row, set their bloom schedule on warp speed. It seemed they were here today and gone tomorrow. I also think the heavy rains and wind after the warm spell hastened their bloom shed. There are some later-blooming varieties with a deeper purple color that bloom two weeks later than the original tulip magnolia, and they still have blooms on them. Unfortunately, there isn't much we can do about the weather to keep them blooming longer.
Q I just bought a 3-gallon Fuyu persimmon tree and know nothing about pruning fruit trees. I've read about three different pruning shapes: open vase, central leader and modified central leader. Can you recommend one over the others? Also, some sources suggest cutting the top of the tree off when planting at 36 inches to encourage branching. Would you recommend that? If I just left the tree alone to grow the way it wants to, would it be a taller tree?
A When a fruit tree is young is the best time to build branch structure. Persimmons typically have a round growth habit, with a full body of branches and with a modified central leader type of growth. The main thing I would do for the first few years is to make sure you have ample space between the branches you leave in place and let the tree put on some size. Fuyu is a self-fruitful variety, so you don't need another for cross-pollination.
Q Can you please tell me the name of the little pansy-like flowers, light-blue ... there's a patch of them planted at the McDonald's drive-through.
A Without having seen them, I suspect they are violas, which have a similar bloom to a pansy, but smaller. I think we do better with violas than pansies since they don't get as leggy with warm weather as pansies do. Both have done fairly well in this mild winter.
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 03/04/2017