IN THE GARDEN

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Tomato illustration
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Tomato illustration

Q I got a beautiful bougain-villea for my birthday in April, and I think I have been steadily killing it. It was in a small pot, and we hung it in the sun on a planter rod. It stayed that way until I moved it to where it does get some shade, then I fertilized it about two weeks later with Miracle-Gro, as I do with my other flowers. It then lost all its flowers. I looked it up online and saw it was recommended that lime be used, but the site did not say how much. Also, we have had so much rain and the online site also said the plant did not like "wet feet." I have repotted it into a larger pot, and it now looks like it might begin to produce a few flowers. If it needs lime, where do I get it? How much? It is my favorite flower.

photo

Special to the Democrat-Gazette

Peppervine (Ampelopsis arborea) is a sometimes invasive perennial that grows equally well in sun or shade.

A Bougainvillea likes to be slightly pot-bound to bloom best, but the vines also like things hot and dry. We had a fairly cool April and May, and with all that rainfall I am not surprised yours lost flowers. Just water it when it's dry and fertilize every week or two, and it should be bouncing back in no time with the current heat we are having.

Q My amaryllis bloomed beautifully this year but now, where the blooms are, they have formed these round things. What is it doing now? It has never had these round parts appear.

A Those round objects that followed the bloom would be seed pods. Amaryllis can be grown from seed, it just takes a little patience. If you don't plan to grow them from seed, cut the stalk off. I normally cut the bloom stalk immediately following flowering and just grow the foliage.

Q My tomato plants at my garden plot near Two Rivers Park were fantastic until late May, then they started turning yellow from the bottom up. They are now yellow halfway up the plant. Any ideas what this is? The plants are hybrid Celebrity. Everyone's plants at Two Rivers are doing this.

A Quite possibly they have septoria leaf spot or one of the tomato blights. These diseases are soil borne, so crop rotation is important. I would suggest you take a sample to the Pulaski County Cooperative Extension Service office for exact diagnosis and advice on possible controls. We are seeing quite a few diseases this year on tomatoes, including some diseases that can't be controlled.

Q I was in Enid, Okla., over the weekend, where the temperature was a dry 97 degrees. I saw an ornamental tree (or maybe a bush) called a chaste Vitex. It was without question one of the most beautiful trees I have ever seen. A nursery in Enid told me one of these plants would surely thrive in Arkansas, but because I haven't seen any growing in the Little Rock area, I was hesitant to invest in one. Any advice on whether or not this plant would grow here and, if so, any particular conditions?

A They are blooming all over town. The chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) is a great multiple-trunked small tree or large shrub. It blooms with spikes of purple flowers from June through early August and so people mistake it for a large buddleia or butterfly bush. The largest Vitex I have ever seen in Arkansas is on the state Capitol grounds, but they are growing in many locations in the state and should be readily available at nurseries. A cold winter can sometimes affect them in the northern tier in Arkansas, but in the middle and southern counties they should be fine. They are best in full sun and are loved by bees and butterflies.

Q Could you identify this tree or vine? [The reader sent a photo.] I'm not sure which it is. I dug it up from under a Japanese maple. It grows rapidly and prefers shade. No one seems to know what it is. I have looked in all my tree books and have attempted to look online.

A The plant is a perennial vine commonly called peppervine (Ampelopsis arborea). It will grow in sun or shade, and if it gets enough light will set small, dark purple fruits late in the season. It can be quite invasive.

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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