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August 8, 2005 (Article 2)

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When South Carolinians think of the Governor's Mansion, politics usually come to mind. But a tour of this historic ground will reveal some interesting gardens and plants. Join Making It Grow on Tues Aug 9 at 7:30pm on ETV as wwe take you on a tour of these gardens which belong to you.

Question: We had a landscape architect and contractor redo our back yard this past winter. I have several plants that are supposed to flower but so far they are just getting taller and taller. The leaves are a grayish green and slightly fuzzy. I don't know if the original plants died and I'm growing a weed or what. Wouldn't a well- established plant be blooming by now? I am guessing from your description that you are the proud owner of Salvia leucantha, or Mexican sage. If you examine your plant now, you probably will see that buds have formed and soon will open into purple and white flowers that are very attractive to butterflies and bees. A newer variety offers a solid purple flower. This plant usually over winters in the midlands and coastal areas of South Carolina. Many experts recommend allowing the stems to remain standing throughout the winter to improve its cold tolerance. If you visit this plant in the early morning after a cool night, you will often see bumblebees sleeping in its flowers.
It is a hardy plant with no appreciable pests, and once established it exhibits good drought tolerance.

Another late blooming salvia is Salvia elegans, or pineapple sage. Although it seldom overwinters in zone 8, its bright red flowers and deliciously fragrant foliage make it a favorite of Southern gardeners who treat it as an annual. If you grow this species, you can sip tea flavored with its leaves while you watch butterflies and humming- birds drink their fill from its blossoms.

Question: I have two Granny Smith apple trees that usually produce abundant fruit. This year, however, the leaves are getting yellow spots that then seem to grow a brownish structure. I have sprayed for insects and mites but the problem is getting worse. Your trees probably are infected with cedar-apple rust. This is a fungal disease that has an interesting life cycle. It must alternate between apple trees and our Eastern red cedar or certain varieties of juniper.
Many county Extension offices had calls about jelly-like orange growths on their cedar trees in late winter. Those growths were the over-wintering form of this disease and produced spores which are spread by wind in the spring. Spores land on the apple tree leaves and begin their attack.

The brownish structures on your apple leaves are the developing spore cases which will reinfect the cedar trees, perpetuating the cycle.

You cannot control the disease on the apple trees this year. However, you can avoid the disease next year by following a spray schedule. When the buds begin to show color, apply a fungicide labled for home orchard use. Two more applications must be made—one at at petal fall, when the flowers begin to shatter, and the second ten days later.

You MUST NOT apply insecticides when the flowers are open. Apple blossoms must be visited by honeybees for proper fruit set. Protect those angels of agriculture who work so hard to put fresh fruits and vegetables on our tables. Your County Extension office has a pamphlet entitled "Insect & Disease Control for Home-Grown Fruits and Nuts" that can help you keep your bushel baskets filled with those tart Granny Smith apples.