Garden Q&A: Don't worry about bark loss on crape myrtles
Q: The bark is coming off my crape myrtles. What is causing it, and what do I spray it with?
A: There is no need to panic. It is likely a natural process that happens every year. The old bark is sloughed off as the new grows under it. Now if it is a physical injury from a weed trimmer or lawn mower, you need to carefully clean the area of dirt or debris and leave it alone, it should heal on its own. Crape myrtles are tough plants, but keep a cleared area around the base and weed it by hand.
Q: My rose blossoms are smaller now than they were in the early spring. I have been feeding them regularly. Is there a special type of food they need?
A: A good all-purpose rose and flowering plant food is fine. The only special one would be if you were wanting to feed and control insects at the same time. The cause is likely the time of year and the hot temperature. Light grooming will help trim and shape the plant to keep it tidy. If you have a variety that develops the “hips” or fruit and you want to keep it on the plant, trim out the fruit. Energy diverted to the fruit can slow flowering, but as the weather gets hot, most varieties tend to have smaller flowers in the summer, particularly those with large double blossoms. Keep the plants healthy and water as needed through the summer and as the temperatures cool in the fall, the large blooms will return.
Q: My St. Augustine is starting to turn brown near the curb and along my driveway. It does not appear to by turning yellow first. Is this a fungus?
A: I have had other questions about this same problem and it appears to be cinch bugs. They like hot, dry weather and usually start in the area of the lawn that receives the most sun and heat. These are tiny bugs that feed on the sap of the grass and will run up and down the leaves as ants do. Generally, the lawn area starts to look as if it is not receiving enough water and the brown areas continue to get larger. The leaves will not pull off the grass and the plants will not pull up easily from the soil. Treat with a recommended insect control product suitable for your lawn and follow the label instructions.
Send questions about your lawns and gardens to ask.mastergardeners @gmail.com. McLennan County Master Gardeners provide answers in this column.
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Ask a Master Gardener Help Line
Spring gardening brings many questions, such as when should I fertilize my lawn, or which are the best vegetables for Waco? Get answers to these and other questions by calling the Ask a Master Gardener Help Line at 254-757-5180, 1-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
