South Carolina ETV

Making It Grow! News Articles

November 6th, 2005

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There's an old saying that "Everything goes in circles". Cars and
clothes that were fashionable years ago seem somehow to make it back
to the market place. The same can be said for plants. Ornamentals that
were planted by our grand parents are making there way back to the
home landscape. In a certain sense, these are almost new plants
because they are not used very much by many gardeners today.

Question: I remember visiting our relatives in Orangeburg years ago
and seeing all the spireas around their house. I don't see much of
this plant anymore. Will it still grow satisfactorily? Spirea was a
favorite for many homes in South Carolina. It is a very hardy plant
that does not require mcuh maintenance. It grows well in our state and
has a lot to offer many landscapes. Spireas come in all sizes--tall,
mid and short. There are many new cultivars on the market which you
probably will not recognize as a spirea. The flowers on this
dependable plant come in a wide range of colors (from a pure white
through shades of pink to deep magneta). Even the foliage offers
variation. Leaves can come in yellows to reds to lime and blue-green.
Time of pruning is important. Spireas that bloom in early spring
(Spirea thunbergii or 'Snowmound') should be pruned in early spring
because they bloom on old wood. Spirea japonica selections and other
summer blooming spireas flower on the current season's wood. Flowering
is best when they are cut by half in to the ground in late winter
before growth starts. If you have problems deer, spirea may be of
help. Deer don't prefer them, but those beautiful butterflies do.

Question: The strong winds that came several weeks ago broke a large
limb off of our bradford pear tree? Should we paint the area that is
is exposed? There is no research that shows painting of broken limbs
or cuts offer any assistance to the tree. The important thing is to
get a good clean smooth cut that will not trap water, leaves, or any
other debris. When any moisture or debris is trapped, rot usually
develops. You also may want to think about another tree. Bradford
pears were very fashionable have been very fashionable in the past.
However, they have several disadvantages. The wood is extremely week
and their life expectancy is short. Bradford pears do grow quite fast
which accounts for the weakness in the wood. In general, the faster a
tree grows the weaker the wood and less wind it can withstand. Not
many landscapers are using bradford pears any more except in
situations where the homeowner just wants a cheap fast growing tree. I
would recommend cutting the tree down and going with one of our old
favorites, like an oak.