Q When I was young we had a four o’clock plant in our yard. (This was in North Carolina.) I was wondering whether this would be suitable for growing in Arkansas. Are they reasonably hardy plants, how difficult are they to grow, and are they readily available in the local nurseries?
A The four o’clock or Mirabilis are easy, old-fashioned plants to grow in the garden. Some may even say too easy, since they can reseed and spread a bit. You can usually find the seeds, or if a friend has some, they will readily share. The fragrant flowers open in late afternoon and close the next morning. They come in a mix of colors - yellows, reds, purples.
Q I live in Bella Vista and have a whole hedge of big holly bushes going down the east side of my house - 18 years old- facing the street, and these are important to me.
They look kind of sparse and not very good right now. I’ve never watered or fed them. Do you have any suggestions for me? I live alone on a fixed income, and I am worried about them.
A Northwest Arkansas has been one of the driest parts of the state this winter, and a little bit of water may go a long way in helping your hollies. While hollies are fairly tough plants when they are well established, two horrid years in a row can take their toll on any plant. If the hollies are getting a bit thin, you might try giving them a light shearing soon. Sometimes just a little haircut can help them fill in a bit. Remember that hedges need to be slightly narrower at the top to help sunlight touch the full profile of the plant. A light application of fertilizer with occasional water should help them recover and fill back in. Q What are the white flowering trees along the roadway? They look similar to Bradford pear but are a different shape.
A Generically we refer to all ornamental pear trees as “Bradford,” but there are actually numerous varieties and they all started with the callery pear - Pyrus calleryana. The fruits of the ornamental pears are eaten by birds; the seeds are dropped, and the seedlings are emerging all over the state. These ornamental pear seedlings have a variety of forms in shape and fruit size, but they almost all also have some thorns. They are quite invasive.
Q We have three hibiscus plants that are 3 to 5 years old. They are in large pots, about 18 inches, and are quite decorative, so I don’t want to get rid of them. We have been told different things to use for fertilizing them. Have been told to use phosphorus and nitrogen and potassium initially and then use mostly potassium throughout the remainder of the growing season, with sparse use of phosphorus and nitrogen. What do you recommend and when? Also, the plants are all root-bound in the big pots, but since we don’t want to quit using the pots (and really don’t want to buy new plants), can we cut back the root system so that they have room to continue growing? These plants are almost part of the family for my wife.
A Remove the plants from the pots and shave off roots from all sides and the bottom.
Shake off the old potting soil and put them back into the decorative pots with fresh potting soil. Cut the tops of the plants back by one half.
Fertilization is important for flowering and new growth.
I typically use a complete fertilizer - one that is balanced with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (labels will say N-P-K). While it is true that flowering plants need phosphorus, nitrogen is needed for growth and it is the nutrient that is leached out of the soil the fastest. Phosphorus lingers the longest. I normally start the season out with a slow-release product such as Osmocote or Dynamite, then use a water-soluble fertilizer such as Miracle Gro, Rapid Grow, Peters, etc., every couple of weeks.
But there are many products that work and do a great job - the key is to keep up with water and fertilization to keep them growing and blooming.
Janet 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 e-mail her at
HomeStyle, Pages 33 on 04/06/2013