IN THE GARDEN

Arkansas Democrat Gazette illustration.
Arkansas Democrat Gazette illustration.

Q My dragon wing begonia has done the best I think it has ever done. The plant is huge and covered in blooms. I do not have access to a greenhouse, but I would love to keep this plant for next year. I just can't bear the thought of it dying in a frost. Is there anything I can do? It is in a large pot, and I could get my husband to move it inside if you think it will live.

A I have one that is pretty, too. I don't think you would have great results all winter, but if you want to try, go for it. Move it into a cool room with bright sunlight. Move it in early October if you are going to attempt to grow it as a houseplant. You want the inside and outside temperatures to be about the same when you move it, to make the transition easier.

One other option that I think would probably work better is to take some cuttings. Begonias root extremely easily, and you could take 10 or more cuttings. This will let you start new plants, giving you a jump on next summer. Cool rooms and bright light would work here as well. I opt for cooler rooms because the lack of humidity indoors is hard on plants. Warm, dry rooms are tougher on plants than cooler locations. Good luck! If all else fails, you can buy a new plant next spring.

Q My sunset maple tree is dropping leaves. The tree has been watered. The back side of leaves have a lot of black on them, but no insects seem to be present. The tree gets plenty of sunshine. This is the first time this has happened since the tree was planted about five years ago when it had a 2-inch trunk diameter. I noticed that where the leaves are attached to the branch, it appears that new buds may be getting ready to grow and open as new leaves. Any idea what this is and what to do?

A As long as the leaves are dropping I would not worry. I worry when leaves die, curl up and remain attached. We have had early leaf shed this year statewide. It started as early as August. Rake up the leaves, dispose of them and then next spring, monitor the tree when it begins to grow. The tree should have its replacement buds present, which is also a good sign. They shouldn't be growing yet, but waiting for spring.

Q Is it too late to trim loropetalum? I have two that are way too tall (next to our deck), and I'd love to trim them back 3 or 4 feet right now. However, if it is too late we'll just wait until spring.

A Loropetalum have set flower buds now for a spring display. If you prune them, they will not bloom well in the spring. Also, in the past two springs, we did not have great blooming -- due to winter damage. That is another reason I would hesitate to prune this late. Pruning too much now will expose more of the plant to winter damage, should we have a cold one. If possible, wait to prune until after bloom in the spring.

Q I have had success with the soil drench in the spring for controlling the crape myrtle bark scale. What about that type of treatment later in the year (summer and fall)? Is it still effective? I am seeing scale on some of my other crape myrtle trees now, and I don't want to wait until spring to take action. Is the dormant oil as effective as the drench? Also, you mentioned in your recent article (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Style, Sept. 19) that people should not treat the trees preventively. Is that an environmental issue? What if there are several trees and only one has damage?

A The way the drenches work is through movement of the insecticide up into the tree via its sap. In the fall and winter there is not much movement upward. Trees tend to be preparing for winter and storing their reserves in the root system and therefore the product is not as effective as it is in the spring when we get strong upward flow. Preventive doing is, in my opinion, overkill, since we don't know whether all plants will be affected. There is still a lot of debate about the effects of the neonicotinoids on bees and other beneficial insects, so using these insecticides only as needed versus blanketing the landscape is my preference. We have seen a rash of scale attacks in the past two months, and we aren't sure if it was due to drier conditions or what. Spraying with dormant oil is not as effective, but it gives you the beginning of control, and should keep the insects in check until you treat them in the spring.

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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