garden letters

SEPTEMBER 2005

Editor's Notebook

It's become my after-shower routine-stroll outside in a bathrobe, wave at my startled yet admiring neighbors, and then sprinkle talcum powder on the crepe myrtle. Don't believe me? Then what is that white powder on the leaves? It's probably a fungus called powdery mildew that attacks crepe myrtles in warm, humid weather. It isn't fatal, but it does make your plant look awful. You can prevent this by spraying according to label directions with a horticultural oil, a neem oil (such as Green Light Powdery Mildew Killer), Ortho Daconil Multipurpose Fungicide, or Spectracide Immunox Multi-Purpose Fungicide.

Or just plant a mildew-resistant selection such as 'Natchez' (white), 'Sioux' (bright pink), 'Red Rocket' (cherry red), 'Muskogee' (light lavender), 'Catawba' (dark purple), and 'Centennial Spirit' (dark red). So on your next after-shower stroll, forget about the talcum powder. Just remember your robe. -STEVE BENDER

Black knots have appeared at the bases of the leaves of my tiger lily. Are they seeds? If so, how do I harvest and plant them?

GERI DUCKWORTH * LAUREL, MISSISSIPPI

They are the seedlike bulbils of tiger lily (Lilium lancifolium), one of the South's most dependable lilies. Harvest the bulbils now before they fall to the ground. Place them in a zip-top plastic bag full of moist soil. Seal it, and then place the bag in your refrigerator (not the freezer). Next spring, transfer the bulbils to pots or flats full of potting soil, and place them in a warm spot. Seedlings should appear in several weeks. But don't expect to see the spotted, orange blooms for a couple of years. Tiger lilies can be purchased from Old House Gardens, (734) 995-1486 or www.oldhousegardens.com.

I've been struggling with leaf spot on my hedge of redtip photinias for years, and I'm ready to replace them this fall. What would be a good substitute?

SHARON SANDERSON

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

In humid areas of the South, redtip or Fraser photinia is harder to keep alive than the World Series hopes of the Texas Rangers. That's because this shrub falls victim to a very serious leaf spot disease, which eventually kills it. An excellent substitute is Japanese cleyera (Ternstroemia gymnanthera). This large, dense shrub is pest free and takes pruning or shearing well. Plus, its evergreen foliage turns burgundy in winter. Other great possibilities include wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera), 'Nellie R. Stevens' holly (Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens'), and glossy abelia (Abelia x grandiflora).

I recently planted mums in hanging baskets on my porch, but they died. I don't know why this happened. Can you suggest something I can replace them with?

MEG FORD

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA

Your mums could have died from any number of reasons-too much water, too little water, bad Karma, or whatever. If you'd like something different this fall, try filling your baskets with trailing petunias, such as the Wave Hybrids. They'll bloom much longer than mums (often beyond a hard freeze), they like cool weather, and they come in almost every color. Next spring, replant the baskets with impatiens, verbenas, lantanas, angelonias, million bells, or more cascading petunias such as Wave, Surfinia, Supertunia, or Cascadia Hybrids.

Tip of the Month

I like the look of terra-cotta pots, but big ones can be hard to move. So I place plants in small plastic containers and then put them in larger terracotta ones. I can now lift and move plants easily. JANAN DOSTER

NEWVILLE, ALABAMA

Tips of the Month are ideas readers say work for them. We do not test them. Submit tips on a postcard with your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address to Garden Tips, Southern Living, P.O. Box 523, Birmingham, AL 35201 or by e-mail to southernliving@customersvc.com. For each tip published, you will receive a copy of the new Southern Living Garden Book.

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