Q I have this tree planted in the front landscaping of my house. Landscapers put it in when building the house. I'm hoping you can tell me what it is.
A The plant in question is a large evergreen shrub called wax leaf Ligustrum. I assume you took this picture in the spring when it was in bloom. It is related to the invasive privet plant, but this one is much better behaved. It has large, glossy leaves and white blooms that some gardeners love and some hate in the spring; black berries follow the flowers.
Q Do you have any idea what this is growing at the base of two of our trees? It's pretty solid, hard to get off. What can we do to save our trees? Would really appreciate your input.
A The structure you are seeing is sometimes called an oak shelf or oak bracket, caused by white root rot. The full name of the fungus is Inonotus dryadeus. There can be one or several of the fruiting bodies combined at the base of the tree. Although the root rot begins well out on the root system, the fungus eventually reaches the butt of the tree where it forms large, tough, irregularly shaped, light- to dark-brown shelves at or just above the soil line. At first, they look somewhat spongey and often exude a brownish liquid. With age, these become very rough and dark brown to black. If you cut into them, you'll see a reddish-brown center. Infected trees often have branch dieback and fewer than normal leaves. By the time the fruiting structure appears at the base, there is usually severe damage to the tree — with little hope. They are not curable. Some trees manage to live for years with them, while others succumb more quickly.
Q For the first time, I planted two Roma tomato plants for fall ... both plants are the healthiest, most beautiful plants I have ever had grown. Blooms galore and a respectable amount of nice size tomatoes ... problem is I don't think there is enough sun/hot weather to actually ripen them. What do you suggest?
A Many gardeners have some lingering summer vegetables. Tomatoes won't ripen well when temperatures are consistently too high or too low. Harvest them now or before a frost zaps them. Let some just sit on the kitchen counter, and they will gradually ripen. I you have a lot, wrap some individually in newspaper and store in a cool, dry place. They also will ripen over time. I know of gardeners who still have fresh tomatoes into January from a late-season harvest.
Q A deer girdled this red maple in October. It has been planted for one year and was doing really well. The deer left a thin strip of bark. Will it live? Is there anything I can do to help it? Do I need to get another tree?
A I have seen trees with horrible damage that overcome it and thrive, and others with seemingly minor damage that die quickly, so there are no guarantees. It appears that the damage is not 100% around the circumference of the tree, but it is pretty extensive. Clean up any jagged pieces of bark and then wait and see. How deep the wound is will also determine how well the tree recovers. If it is just the outer bark that was damaged, it will fare better than if the wound goes deep enough to hurt the cambium layer where food and water move up and down. Watch the tree closely next spring and for the next few years to see how well it leafs out and grows. If you see decay setting in on the trunk or dieback from the top, another tree will be in your future.
Retired after 38 years with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, Janet Carson ranks among Arkansas' best known horticulture experts. Her blog is at arkansasonline.com/planitjanet. Write to her at P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR 72203 or email jcarson@arkansasonline.com