IN THE GARDEN

Special to the Democrat-Gazette/JANET B. CARSON
Pink flamingo flower (Justicia carnea) is not reliably winter hardy in Arkansas.
Special to the Democrat-Gazette/JANET B. CARSON Pink flamingo flower (Justicia carnea) is not reliably winter hardy in Arkansas.

Q I sal-vaged several asparagus crowns while tearing down raised beds at my 90-year-old aunt's yard. They have thick, healthy roots, and I am keeping them moist. But where and when should I plant them? Where can I store them until we have a spot to plant them?

A Plant them now. Work up the soil to incorporate as much organic matter as you can -- compost, well-rotted manure, etc. They need a spot where they can grow for years -- because they are perennial. Rich, well-drained soil in full sun is best. Water them well all summer and lightly fertilize. Next year, if you harvest at all, do so for a short period. Make sure you don't harvest anything smaller than a pencil in diameter. You don't want to wear them out; let them become well established again in your garden. With proper care, asparagus can continue to give you weeks of wonderful, edible spears in the spring for many years to come. If you don't have a spot, then at least pot them up so they continue to grow and produce foliage. The foliage feeds the roots and helps them grow stronger each year.

Q A few days ago my double Knock Out roses started getting brownish leaves that die. I have sprayed with Fertilome Triple Action Plus, which contains an insecticide, fungicide and miticide, and gave them a light dose of Bayer All in One fertilizer. My question is can I prune them back rather severely this time of year? The bare stems are rather unattractive. I pruned them back according to your advice in March, and they bloomed and looked healthy until the latest problem.

A You can cut them back now if they are leggy. Keep up with watering when dry and apply a light application of fertilizer once a month to help them rebound. Pruning them should encourage them to fill in nicely and begin to bloom again. If you get more leaf damage, take a sample in to your county extension service office to find out what is going on.

Q This purple leaf plant has a strong scent, kind of like basil [the reader submitted a photo]. It puts out a flower stalk in the fall and spreads seeds. Hundreds of plants will grow the next summer. They grow to a height up to 2 feet with a very strong root system. They eventually produce masses of plants. Originally, it was in a massed planting of mixed plants bought from a nursery. It's all over the backyard and now showing up in the front flower beds. Would this be a reasonable plant to naturalize around in a woodland setting or is it an invasive plant that needs to be eradicated? It particularly likes full sun, but seems to grow just about anywhere it can get water and light.

A The plant does look very much like purple basil, but it is actually perilla. Perilla frutescens is commonly called purple mint or beefsteak plant. It can be highly invasive, spreading more and more each year. It is in the mint family, so I would use caution about letting it naturalize.

Q I got this plant from my sister in Ruston, La. [the reader submitted a photo]. She didn't know the name, and I can't find anything about it. The blooms open a little and show a touch of light purple. I have seen it in a book or magazine some time ago, but can't find where I saw it. I also have looked everywhere I can on the Internet and nothing! Can you help identify this beautiful plant and tell me where I can find info about it? I have two of them.

A The plant in question is commonly called a pink flamingo flower or pink plume flower. Justicia carnea is the Latin name. It would not be reliably winter hardy in Arkansas, but it will bloom outdoors all summer with either filtered sunlight or light morning sun and afternoon shade.

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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