In the garden

Q I have had really good tomatoes this year, but now many of the larger fruits are cracking. Some of my newer plants are blooming, but not setting fruit. Is there something about the different varieties that causes this?

A Fruit cracking is always worse on larger fruited varieties, but it is about water issues. Too much too fast can cause the skin to crack open.

As to fruit not setting, flowers don’t set if daytime temperatures exceed 95 degrees or nighttime temperatures don’t drop below 75 degrees. We have been lucky this summer that we have had such mild weather, but don’t be surprised to see a lull for a few weeks.

Q I see some people plant trees or shrubs with a mound of dirt close to the stems or trunks. It seems to be a pretty big mound. Why do they do it, and is there an advantage or disadvantage to it?

A Planting individual plants in a mound or small berm is a way of raising the planting level, which allows for better soil drainage and helps roots get established. If you have great soil, it isn’t necessary to do this, but building up the soil is a way to deal with poor rocky soils or those with poor drainage. You still plant the crown of the plant at the soil level - you aren’t (or shouldn’t be) burying the plant any deeper, but it is an alternative to a raised bed. One thing to avoid, that you may also be seeing, is volcano mulching. This is when plants are planted at the soil level and then they bring in a huge mound of mulch that they pile up at the trunk. This is not a good practice and can cause damage to the plant. A 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch is all that is needed, and it should not be piled up next to the stem or trunk of the plant.

Q I have a gorgeous totally white althea that I would like to have bloom longer than it does. Some of my other colors bloom all summer but this one seems to prefer the spring. Would it help to deadhead it?

A If your althea sets seeds, then it is putting more energy into seed production versus setting new flowers. New varieties are now seedless, so they bloom longer. For varieties that do set seeds,deadhead them after bloom and you should see more repeat blooming.

Q I read with interest your explanation of slime mold. I had it recently in a new bed on new mulch and I thought some large animal had been sick in my garden.

I got rid of it all. Now I know what it really was. Will it come back, and can I prevent it?

A Slime molds probably will reoccur in your garden, since they tend to be where decaying organic matter is. When conditions are right - humidity and moisture along with decaying material - they can be present. Since they do help in breaking down decaying organic matter, they aren’t really that bad, although they do look gross. If you have them in your mulch, just aerate, turning it over with a shovel or rake, or wash it off and it should go away.

Q We have some Stokes’ asters and are wondering if we should cut off the spent blooms to get more. They’ve been very healthy but the beautiful blue flowers are gone.

A Most Stokesia or Stokes’ asters set seeds, so deadheading will prevent seed set and keep them blooming longer. If you want to grow new plants from seeds, allow some of the flowers to set seeds and dry on the plant as we get later into the growing season. Then you can scatter the seeds in October to encourage new plants to sprout.

Q I have Mondo grass alternating with Liriope growing along a sidewalk. I cut the Liriope back each year, but have never cut back the Mondo. It is getting a little large with a lot of brown leaves. Will it regrow if I cut it back? When I say cut it back, I mean with a weed whacker. Selective pruning of the brown leaves is not an option.

A If you have brown leaves, then by all means prune it back to freshen it up - but not now. The time to prune with a lawnmower or weed whacker is right before new growth begins in late winter or early spring. If you cut it back now, you will have a cut look to the plant the remainder of the season.

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 email her at

[email protected]

HomeStyle, Pages 33 on 08/10/2013

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