Q: We have several large stands of purple coneflowers that I usually just allow to go to seed for the goldfinches to enjoy. The heat has shortened their season this year, and I am wondering if I should try to cut some back to get a second bloom. Love your column, and good luck with keeping everything watered!
A: In my opinion, this is way too early to allow seed heads to form. Echinacea or coneflowers can bloom up until frost. I deadhead monthly through September and enjoy more blooms. Then I let seed heads form to feed the birds.
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Q: Last winter you wrote about ginger lilies. I wanted to try them, so I ordered online from a nursery. They arrived in March, and I planted in early April. Please see the attached picture. So far, I can't say I'm very impressed. What am I doing wrong? It looks like I'm growing corn.
A: Have faith! Keep them watered, give them a bit of fertilizer and wait another few weeks. By late August or early September, they will start to bloom, and you will be impressed, not only by the pretty flowers, but the fragrance. They also have the ability to multiply, perhaps not as much in limited space, but they will spread and grow taller.
Q: Our 48 days without rain and the number of days above 100 degrees here in eastern Oklahoma may have gotten a 22-year-old dogwood ... It was watered from a hose toward the end of the dry cycle but apparently not soon enough. Part of the leaves (about half) are brown while others remain green. Do you think the entire tree will bounce back?
A: Only time will tell. Dogwoods are not the most forgiving trees, and they are fairly shallow-rooted. Leaves that turned brown and are hanging on are not as good a sign as if they browned and dropped early. At this point, I would water when dry and wait until next spring to assess as it leafs out.
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Q: I have a question about zinnias. This is the first time ever I have been successful with zinnias ... and they are gorgeous. I did not start them from seed ... rather, small plants. Do I need to gather the seeds from spent blooms for replanting next year or will they come back on their own?
A: If you have patience, you could be rewarded with reseeded plants. Typically, I am not patient and plant all my beds and pots. This year, I broke my wrist in May and didn't get every pot replanted. I have been amazed and quite appreciative of what has reseeded, from zinnias to petunias, basil, vinca and calibrachoa. Don't expect them to get growing next year until the soil warms.
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Q: We were out of town and when we returned, we found our Leland cypress trees were inundated with bag worms and despite my efforts I think I am losing these trees. My question, can I replant in that same spot this fall?
A: You can definitely replant in the same spot, but I would look at other options. Leland cypress not only suffer from bagworms but also a twig canker; and they are not the longest-lived plant in our gardens. Visit your local nursery and explore options. Replanting this fall would be ideal.
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Q: I have a quince bush that is at least 30 years old. Every spring, it puts out delicate, fuchsia-colored flowers that soften my heart toward this problem plant. Then by mid-summer, it is a prickly umbrella for a variety of vines that coat the top of it in an impenetrable layer. I've identified American buckwheat vine, passion flower, Carolina coral bead, Alabama supplejack and more. I have thinned the canes, which helps for about two or so years at the cost of lots of pricks and sweat. I constantly have to battle the suckers that want to expand the girth every year. I've just about had it with this non-native bush, but should I keep it because of the variety of vines that grow up through it?
A: I love flowering quince and enjoy the early blooms. If you want to experiment and are not overly concerned about losing it, let it flower next spring, and then do a severe haircut, removing all the invasive vines. It could rejuvenate the quince and, hopefully, eradicate the vines. Sometimes extreme measures lead to failure, but it is worth a try.
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