Q: My Elaeagnus plants are dying branch by branch. First branch turns a mottled yellow then brown, and the entire branch is dead. It is now affecting many of the Elaeagnus plants I have lining my back fence. I noticed that a neighbor had the same problem with their plants, and they cut them to the ground. I have had the soil tested for pythium and other diseases or insects. Test came back negative. Plants are approximately 4 or 5 years old. I have cleaned up leaves from around plants. Any advice?
A: It could be a number of diseases, but it does sound like the root system is affected, or at least the crown of the plant, since it is moving from stem to stem. (The crown is the area where stems join the root.) Soil is not usually tested for diseases but for nutrient levels. You need to test the plant. Take a sample from one of the dying Elaeagnus in to your local county extension office. You need some roots, a bit of the crown and a branch — preferably one that has various stages of life. If you have a plant that is small and recently died, you could take its roots and stem in. The office will send them to the disease lab in Fayetteville. Once you get a diagnosis, that can help determine a course of action.
■ ■ ■
Q: I now have a lovely moss yard but assorted weeds seem to love it as well. Is there some pre-emergent weed killer that the moss can survive?
A: I don't know of any herbicides labeled for moss yards. The best defense against weeds is to have a thick stand of moss. Hand weed the moss bed and, hopefully, it will get thick enough to deter any more weeds.
Q: I was looking into a new tree for my front yard and told a friend I was going to plant a Bradford pear. I think they are so pretty right now with all the white flowers. She told me "Janet Carson says never plant one." When I asked her why, she said you don't like them. Not much of an answer. Do you just not like the tree or is there a reason?
A: Your friend was correct. Let me count the ways I don't like Bradford pears! They are invasive, and seedling Callery pears (of which Bradford is a selection) are blanketing our roadsides and killing out native vegetation. They grow larger than most people realize and with the dense network of branches, the trees are brittle and top-heavy, easily damaged during high winds. Second only to "crape murder" is "Bradford Butchering" when people cut them back to knobs. The result is an even weaker tree that is doomed to failure. There are many better options for trees that would do well in Arkansas. Give me the mature size and attributes you are looking for, and I can make some suggestions.
■ ■ ■
Q: I planted a 2-foot-tall dogwood about four years ago. It is now 7 feet tall but has never bloomed. I've looked on other dogwoods and seen the balls on the end of the branches that bloom and checked ours and it looks like all leaves again this year. I am fertilizing the tree specifically, and the lawn regularly (it is growing in the zoysia lawn), so I assume it gets extra feeding as well. It does grow well, and it gets morning sun, which I thought it liked. Help! Is there such a thing as a non-flowering dogwood?
A: This is a common complaint — young dogwood trees not blooming. The fact is, dogwood trees can take five to 10 years before they slow down their juvenile top growth and begin producing flowers. They do need some sunlight to bloom, and morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal. Dogwood trees are best planted as understory trees in Arkansas. They benefit from protection from the hot afternoon sun. As long as they have ample light, make sure they have supplemental water in the summer and then be patient. Once they begin to bloom, you should get more and more flowers every spring. They do set their rounded flower buds early — usually by mid to late August. Don't overfertilize the tree. If you fertilize the lawn, that should suffice.
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