IN THE GARDEN

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Holly Illustration
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Holly Illustration

Q I recently trans-planted a deciduous holly from my pasture to my yard. The plant is loaded with berries, but I have been told that a male must be nearby in order to expect berries again. Is this true, and if so, where do I find a male plant to ensure berry production?

A Deciduous hollies are like other hollies in that there are separate male and female plants. Since yours has berries, it is obviously a female. If it set the fruit after you transplanted it, there are male hollies nearby. If it set the fruit while still in the pasture, it will need a male holly near its new site to continue to set fruit. There are typically so many hollies in the landscape that a male is near enough to pollinate the females.

Q We bought a house in June that has a large number of lantanas. Now that the frost has killed the top foliage, what should I do? Should they be trimmed to the ground or left to come back?

A Lantana is one of those plants that can either be an annual or a perennial depending on the winter weather. In southern Arkansas, they usually come back each year from the root system while in Northwest Arkansas they would only survive a really mild winter. Some gardeners allow the spent foliage to remain as added winter protection, but it can be a bit unsightly. I would recommend cutting back the spent foliage and then adding a layer of mulch to protect them. Where they do survive, they are often a bit slow to re-sprout in the spring as they are heat-loving plants.

Q I am looking for some special types of trees and want to know where I can find them in Arkansas as I would rather buy locally. If I do find them, when is the best time to plant a tree?

A We have excellent nurseries in Arkansas, and they all carry some different things. I would check with nurseries in your area. Even if they don't have the variety you are looking for, I bet they could order it for you. I always encourage gardeners to develop a relationship with their local nursery. These people want to carry products that their customers want to buy. I think the best time of year to plant a tree is late October through November, but many trees are still dormant through early March, which can make your planting job easier. The dormant season is November through February, but in reality container-grown trees can be planted any time of the year -- as long as you are willing to water. For many plants, late winter/early spring is when the best selection is available at Arkansas nurseries.

Q As it is time to prune grapes and muscadines, I have a question. I have had pretty good success rooting grape cuttings after I prune, but I have had no success with muscadines. What is the secret to getting them to root?

A Muscadines usually won't root from dormant cuttings. Instead, they root from softwood cuttings taken while they are growing in June through July. I think a much easier method of propagation for muscadines is layering. Take one of the long vines and "weave" it in and out of the soil. Lightly wind the bottom side of the part that will be underground, to encourage rooting. Weigh down the part that is under the soil with a rock, to keep the vine in place. Once it is rooted, you can separate it from the parent, dig it up and replant.

Q What is the small, almost vining plant that will begin to bloom later this month that has small forsythia-like yellow flowers? My neighbor and I both have the plant in our yard and every year we argue about what it is. She thinks it is a type of forsythia and I don't, but I don't know what it is. Can you help?

A The plant is winter jasmine, Jasminum nudiflorum. This low, spreading shrub is a good option for covering banks or small slopes, or as a low edging plant. It blooms reliably every winter, with pretty yellow flowers. It will do well in sun or partial shade. It roots very easily from branches layered in the soil. It usually blooms several weeks before forsythia. When people see the yellow blooms, even though the bush is much lower growing, they assume it's forsythia.

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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HomeStyle on 01/14/2017

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