IN THE GARDEN

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Banana Illustration
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Banana Illustration

Q Two years ago, my wife ordered a "hardy" banana tree from a mail-order nursery. It came as a small slip about 5 inches tall, so she planted it in a midsize pot, and set it in a semi-sheltered spot in the garden. We kept it inside last winter, then planted it outside in a slightly protected bed this spring, when it was about 14 inches tall. It is about 5 feet tall, with two side slips approximately 2 inches tall. It seems to be growing well. My question, are these banana trees, labeled hardy, actually winter hardy in Northwest Arkansas? Is there any special mulching, or other protection, necessary to carry them over the winter? Or was she led down the primrose path by the catalog description?

A There are hardy banana plants that will survive in Northwest Arkansas, but they won't set bananas. They die to the ground after a frost and emerge in the spring after the soil warms up. My suggestion for a bit of added protection is to cut the foliage off after a frost and add an extra layer of mulch over the top. Do this after a frost, not before. We want the plants dormant before the extra mulch. I suppose in a very unusually cold winter there could be some losses, but I have seen banana trees in Fayetteville and Bentonville and they were several years old and planted in the ground. If you want a safety net, dig up one of the side slips to overwinter in your garage and replant next spring.

Q I have several corkscrew willow cuttings that I've planted in 10-inch pots to overwinter. Can I leave them outside in partial sun until next spring? I live in Bella Vista.

A Small containers will dry out quickly even in the winter, plus the potting soil temperature will get colder than that in the ground. I would move them to a protected spot for the winter. I often put less hardy plants between my house and my shrubs. Put the pots close together and add a layer of mulch around them. Water the plants before a really cold spell to make sure there is ample moisture in the soil and plants.

Q My daughter, who lives in Conway, moved into a new house about two weeks ago. On the east side of her old house, she enjoyed a huge decorative pot filled with thriving, lush, green rosemary herb. It remained in the same spot in her front yard for three years. Now, after moving to her new house, this gorgeous plant looks like a dead, withered Christmas tree (as she puts it) after about two weeks. She tells me that when moving the plant and planter, multiple roots were uprooted (roots growing from the holes in bottom of planter) and I feel this is the big problem. Can you advise me regarding this matter? Is this plant a "goner"? Are there any measures to resurrect this former beauty?

A I can't imagine a large, well-established rosemary plant dying simply because a few roots were cut, especially within a period of two weeks. A few questions for you: Was it watered during the move? Was it exposed to a full western exposure versus the eastern one it had? We have been extremely hot and dry in the past few weeks, and if the plant was uprooted and then ignored for two weeks with no water and full sun, it may have gotten too dry. I would suggest a haircut: Cut back the top, dead-looking leaves, water and then see what happens. Don't despair until next spring. If it doesn't leaf out by then, use it for shish-kebab skewers and buy a new rosemary plant.

Q Where can I find wildflower seed and milkweeds to plant in our shady garden? It faces northeast.

A There are 73 species of milkweeds native to the United States, and 30 that are used with regularity by monarchs. The most common one sold in garden centers across the state is Asclepias tuberosa or the butterfly weed. It will grow in light shade but blooms best in full sun. The swamp milkweed (A. incarnata), the whorled milkweed (A. verticillata) and the Sullivant's milkweed (A. sullivantii) will tolerate more shade. Check with your local nursery to see what varieties of milkweed they sell. Many nurseries do carry some wildflower seeds as well, and now is a good time to plant. Two nurseries in the state specialize in native plants and wildflowers. Pine Ridge Gardens near London is a mail-order nursery specializing in native plants, and Holland Wildflower Farms in Elkins is a mail-order nursery specializing in wildflower seeds, both by individual species and in wildflower mixes.

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

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HomeStyle on 10/21/2017

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