Q&A – Ask Neil: January 30, 2025
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QUESTION 1
WHAT PRUNING ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE ME FOR MY JERUSALEM SAGE?
Question: I have a Jerusalem sage I planted a couple of years ago. I love its cool texture and amazing yellow flowers. I need to know what to do with it now. It did not freeze in this last cold spell, but it shows signs of some kind of injury. What pruning advice can you give me? Jim B., Little Elm.
Answer: It’s always a good plan to trim Jerusalem sage a bit in late winter, just before its new growth in the spring begins. That will help keep it compact to avoid the “leggy” look. You could either wait a couple of weeks for the old foliage to dry, or you could trim 50 to 65 percent of the top growth back now to make it look more presentable, knowing that you might have more trimming to do as spring nears. You’ll get a clearer idea as the next days play out, but it will definitely need to be trimmed.
QUESTION 2
HOW CAN I ELIMINATE THIS FALL/WINTER WEED?
Question: How can I eliminate this winter weed? It has taken over my backyard and flowerbeds for several years. I’ve used Dimension pre-emergent 3 times per years, but I still have it. Is it hoary bowlesia? Tina A., Flower Mound, Denton County.
Answer: Yes, on the hoary bowlesia, Bowlesia incana. I haven’t had the joy of dealing with it firsthand, but everything I’ve read about it makes it sound like a fighter. Since it’s a broadleafed weed (non-grassy), I’d suspect that Dimension isn’t going to be as effective as you’d want. You might switch over to Gallery (early September application) as your pre-emergent. It is intended specifically for broadleafed weeds, while Dimension is better with the grassy weeds. You could also use a post-emergent broadleafed spray containing 2,4-D while the weeds are growing actively and before they start to flower and set seed. It may take a couple of seasons to get rid of it entirely.
QUESTION 3
IN YOUR ANSWER TO Q1 LAST WEEK REGARDING THE CHAIN LINK FENCE, COULD YOU NOT HAVE SUGGESTED REMOVING THAT FENCE?
Question: Not a question but a comment. In your answer to Question 1, January 23, 2025, I would have added, “Remove the chain link fence.” Obviously, it’s not needed anymore. Phillip B., Johnson County.
Answer: And I agree. I mulled on that for a while and decided not to open that can of worms. I have witnessed legal issues where people were sued for “using” the back sides of fencing when there were poor relations with neighbors and when they didn’t pay half of the cost of the fence. I’ve also witnessed times when the property line was ill-defined and a gardener ended up using a foot or so of a neighbor’s property without permission. Since the reader asked about removing the trees I just confined my answer to that topic, but your idea is superb.
QUESTION 4
COULD I USE GLYPHOSATE ON MY DORMANT TURF TO CONTROL POA ANNUA?
Question: I have Poa annua growing in my turf. Pre-emergent applications have not done the job. What would you think about my using a glyphosate spray on the Poa after it warms up a little? The desirable turf is dormant and should not be affected. Rick W., Garland.
Answer: Folks, Rick is a longtime friend who I know is research-oriented and a very good gardener. My answer is predicated on those facts.
Rick, I have always been very timid about recommending glyphosates in mid-winter for control of grassy weeds simply because we sometimes misjudge the dormancy of our “good” grasses. People hear or see me mention it and they go out three weeks later and use it. The only time I’ve ever discussed it to any length is with the very perennial and very difficult weed dallisgrass, and, as you mentioned, only when the permanent turf is completely dormant.
But I know you specifically will be careful. If you do decide to try this, I agree on using a pump sprayer so that you can be very precise in your application. And I wouldn’t wait too long. That window of dormancy for your warm-season turf will slam shut very quickly when we do get a warm spell.
If you really wanted to see how this would work, you might try a small area (size of a card table) out of the mainstream this year. That way you could try it and still limit your risks. You would know for another year.
Or you could use the old-fashioned wick applicator technique that we’ve had for decades where you would merely wipe the glyphosate across the annual bluegrass when it had been growing vigorously for a few days. Hopefully you could keep it off the permanent grass.
Walter Reeves is a retired Extension horitulturist in Georgia whose work has always been exemplary. Here is what he has about wick applicators.
QUESTION 5
SHOULD I REMOVE COMPETING TRUNKS ON MY YAUPON HOLLY OR LET IT GROW THE WAY IT IS?
Question: I have a yaupon holly which has crossing trunks. Should I remove competing trunks or let it grow the way it is? Eric G., Frisco.
Answer: Oh, my goodness! Do not let it go on the way it is. I’ve never seen so many stems. I honestly can’t even begin to mark up a photo to help you. I would need to be there on site. Let me try:
I would start by removing any obviously damaged trunks (if there are any).
I would then remove as much as 12-18 inches of odd growth off the ends of those four tallest canes. Just something to make the plant look more normal.
Then I would begin thinning out shoots from the bottom by removing any that are growing almost horizontally or that are obviously not contributing anything to the long term beauty of the plant.
It looks like there might be a branch going off parallel to the ground about halfway up on the right – perhaps another one just above it. Those don’t do much to excite me. I would probably remove the bottom one and at least cut the upper one back by half to encourage branching.
Overall, this plant needs major reshaping and thinning. I’ve not seen one that was produced in a nursery with so many exotic stems. It almost looks like one that has been dug out of a thicket in nature and brought into the landscape. Prune away to set a good course for it.
QUESTION 6
IS IT NECESSARY TO DIG AND DIVIDE RED YUCCA PLANTS AFTER SEVERAL YEARS?
Question: I have a bed of red yuccas that has done really well. I know they’re not shrubs, so I don’t know whether to treat them like perennials by digging and dividing them periodically. They seem to be doing well. Any advice? Jackie S., Austin.
Answer: You’re asking for a lot of work when you start digging out red yuccas. Their root systems are deep and tenacious. Unless your plants are struggling (probably are not), I would leave them alone. Clean out any dead leaves and other debris and get ready for a nice bloom season this year.