In the garden

— Q I live in Lonoke County and it is bone dry. I have expensively watered lawn, shrubbery and flowers all summer just to keep them alive. Now we are almost through October and I can’t tell if things are turning brown because of the time of year or the drought. How long should I keep watering?

A Although some parts of the state have gotten some showers, they were not widespread, and even where they did fall, it wasn’t enough to make up for the deficits we are experiencing. Just because the weather has turned cooler does not mean we can stop watering. I have had so many gardeners tell me they are giving up,and now is not the time to do so.Many plants have set flower buds. Some are shutting down early, but the plants still need ample moisture to survive the winter and to protect the flower buds. We may not have to water daily now, but you still want to apply at least an inch of water per week unless we have rain. Once a killing frost occurs,weekly watering may not be necessary. If the drought continues into the winter, you will need to water occasionally, even when it is cold. Pay particular attention to plants in containers and when temperatures are expected to plummet.

Moisture in the ground and the plants can help protect them. When plants are too dry, they will experience more winter burn.

Q I am having landscaping done on my property in Bentonville. We have picked out a Winter’s Star Camellia. It has already formed fruit seedpods and I am wondering if it is a true Winter’s Star. Is this something other than Winter’s Star?

A I would be very surprised if it already has bloomed. Seedpods are still on many camellias from last year’s flowers and the flower buds are set for this year. Winter Star is not a japonica type, which typically bloom in February and/or March and would not be as winter hardy. Parents of Winter Star are Camellia oleifera (the tea oil camellia) and Camellia hiemalis Showa-no-sakae. There are quite a few of these cold tolerant camellias now that should do well in Northwest Arkansas. Even if they possibly had already bloomed (which I doubt), it would not have had time to set a seedpod.

Q I was given a Mexican petunia plant that is bare root and I plan to plant it soon. What can you tell me about it? I have never heard of it, but am told it is very hardy and blooms well.

It has two purple blooms on it now.

A Mexican petunia is Ruellia. It is an extremely heat and drought tolerant perennial.

There is a standard variety that grows about 3 feet tall, has purple flowers and is very hardy. It can also get a little too happy in the garden and spread, so pay attention to it. There is also a dwarf Ruellia that gets no taller than 6 inches and is marginally hardy in Northwest Arkansas. Plant yours in full sun and water and mulch it and it should survive the winter.

Q Our yard was sodded with Zoysia this year.

The yard was somewhatshaded, so we had the trees trimmed up 10 to 12 feet so sun could shine through. We have had no rain but we do have a sprinkler system and do water every other day;

however, the sod is dying. I guess we will have to re-sod next spring. What do you suggest for a yard that has three large oak trees in it - Zoysia, St. Augustine or what? Before the drought, the yard was green.

A It has been a tough season for gardening and continues to be dry. How much are you watering every other day? For newly laid sod we normally water a little bit every day to establish roots, then start increasing the amount of water but applying it less frequently. I suppose it is possible the grass is going dormant early, but you will have to gauge how well it comes back next spring before deciding to re-sod. St. Augustine is probably the most shade tolerant of the warm-season grasses, followed by centipede and Zoysia.

Janet Carson is an extension horticulturist with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. Write to her at P.O. Box 391, Little Rock, Ark. 72203, or e-mail her at

[email protected]

HomeStyle, Pages 39 on 10/23/2010

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