Q I have some weeping willow trees. What is the proper way to trim back these trees so that my flower beds underneath can get proper sunshine?
A I would allow the branches to weep and cover the ground and not worry about flower beds underneath them. Willows need a lot of water to survive and would be fierce competition for a flower bed. Weeping willows are not typically long-lived trees, often falling apart with age. Enjoy their graceful, arching stems as long as they live, and then plant a more upright tree that will be easier to maintain with flower beds.
Q My question is about the big variety of azaleas. Mine are about 6 feet tall and have become very "leggy." Shouldn't they be pruned? Is it too late now to do so?
A It is way too late to be pruning azaleas. Normally, June 15 is the latest date for pruning any spring-blooming plants. They will be preparing flower buds soon for next year's blooms. If you have some tall, rangy sprouts, you can remove a few while leaving the bulk of the plants intact. The time to prune is as soon after flowering as possible next spring. You can cut them back severely, but the sooner you do that in the spring, the better the chance they will have of bouncing back.
Q For years I have tried to grow impatiens on our shaded deck. The plants thrive and put on buds but the buds fall off before opening. On close examination I see ants at the base of the buds. Are they the cause of the buds failing to open? What can I do? We have a shaded, wooded lot. I have tried an ant bug spray -- doesn't work. I see yards with great rows of impatiens covered in blooms. Do I have to have the whole yard professionally treated for ants, which seems so inorganic?
A I would assume you probably have aphids feeding on your impatiens. Aphids give off a sweet substance called honeydew, which is quite attractive to ants. I don't think ants are that fond of impatiens. Impatiens like a lot of water and even fertilization to keep blooming at their best. There is a disease called downy mildew that can affect common impatiens, but if this has been a problem for years, I would not suspect that. You can take a sample in to your county extension office for a proper diagnosis.
Q Because it is splitting down the center, we feel we need to remove a 30- to 40-foot hackberry that shades our deck. Can you recommend an attractive, fast-growing tree we might get to replace it? It gets morning and afternoon sun. We live just outside of Benton.
A There are several good choices, including tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), bald cypress, little leaf linden, yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea) and, of course, there are several species of oaks that would work well.
Q I love lantana. You get lots for your money; at least I always have with the yellow ones I've planted. This year I decided to try the purple ones to see how they did and, so far, I am so disappointed. I planted four and have kept them watered well. They get plenty of sun, and they are growing like crazy. But there are no blooms at all. They had a few blooms when I bought them, but now there are none. What is wrong? I wish I had gotten the yellow ones.
A There are two species of lantana. The common, more upright one with yellow, orange, red or white blooms is Lantana camara, and the purple one is a trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis). I have to admit that I have not done as well with the trailing form either. Too much fertilization and too much water can limit blooms, so try to cut back on both and see if you get a change in flowering.
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
HomeStyle on 07/25/2015