Q: My parents have old evergreen bushes in front of their home that have gotten out of hand, and I'm wondering if we can save them. They are over 7 feet tall and need to be significantly trimmed down. The problem is that the branches are bare underneath the shallow surface of greenery. Can we trim them down and expect the greenery to come back? What is the best time of the year to do the trimming?
A: It all depends on what kind of evergreens they have. I assume you are in the part of country with needleleaf evergreens. A yew (genus taxus) could come back from such heavy pruning. Junipers and arborvitae might come back but probably won't. Spruce, pine, fir and other evergreens will not come back. Holly and boxwood are broadleaf evergreens for more southern growers, and they have a better chance of coming back. The southern yew (genus podocarpus) can be pruned heavily but may not make it back either.
You could do the pruning and wait a few weeks to see if they come back. You would not be out anything if you try. You could try pruning now, just to see if they respond by sending out new growth. If you wait until the fall, the new growth could be damaged by frost or killed over the winter. In the spring, just before normal new growth would come out, is the best time to try a drastic pruning. It will also leave the shortest time of a bare plant.
All of these evergreens are good in the proper setting. Many dwarf varieties are available these days, so find a good nursery and see what is available.
Q: We have a new water garden, and the fish are having problems. We tested the water and found out that the nitrites are too high. We have been doing water changes with city water but to no avail. What are we doing wrong?
A: You may have nitrites in your water supply. It may be from an auto-fill valve adding water periodically to the pond. My local city water supply company uses at least 10 wells to get the water for the town. Some of the wells have high levels of nitrite. They are well below the state Environmental Protection Agency recommended level for people but way higher than what the fish will tolerate. Depending on which wells are being used and to what extent, my water could have no nitrites, just a little or a whole lot on the day I add water to the pond.
Doing a water test today but adding water to the pond tomorrow will not tell you if the water is toxic. You will need to test your water when you add it. Everyone who adds water to a pond or aquarium should know what the local water supply company says should be in the water and what the possible ranges of nitrites could be so they can be prepared. Test the water before you do a water change or addition.
Q: We bought some roses early in the spring that were supposed to be fragrant, but they do not smell at all. Are we doing something wrong, or are these just bad roses?
A: Roses that have plenty of water and are well-taken care of might smell slightly better, but mainly this is a question of genetics. Some roses smell nice, and others don't. Roses have a variety of scents as well. While many roses are sold in the spring, it is best to buy a plant while it exhibits the characteristic you desire. Buy roses in bloom rather than in the dormant stage so you can test them.
There are some very fragrant hybrid tea roses: Double Delight is a red-white bicolor; Fragrant Cloud is reddish-orange; Mr. Lincoln is dark red; Crimson Glory is red; Chrysler Imperial is red; Papa Meilland is dark red; and Perfume Delight is pink.
Many other roses are fragrant. Most of the varieties known as Old Roses or Old Garden Roses and most shrub roses are fragrant.
Email questions to Jeff Rugg at [email protected]. To find out more about Jeff Rugg and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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