Friday, Sep. 18, 2009

Holly branches can be trimmed to the last bud

Q. We have a holly bush between our deck and a privacy fence. It is about 5 feet tall and 5 feet in diameter. It is starting to grow over the deck and up against the fence. How far back can it be trimmed? I would like to reduce it by one-half its size, if possible.

-- R. S. of Columbia

A. The great news here with hollies (Ilex species) is that they can be pruned back quite severely to points on a stem where you can find the lowest leaf. Just make sure that there is a bud in the axil of the leaf and the stem. This will allow new growth to start from this bud.

The pruning may also take place at any time of the year. You could prune it partially back right now and save some of the plant's stems for Christmas decorations.

I just found out this past July that, according to German and English folklore, a sprig of prickly-leaf holly is considered to be male while a sprig of non-prickly holly is female. The type of holly that is first brought into the dwelling at Christmastime determines who will be head of the household the following year. I'll let you know if this works after next year.

Q. How can I get rid of these wild violets without killing my grass?

-- C. H. of Beckemeyer

A. Wild violets (Viola species) are either annuals or short-lived perennials with dense, fibrous roots. This group of plants usually grows better in shade or semi-shade. The flowers are usually purple, white, yellow or a combination of these colors. The plants are usually identified by the color of the flower along with other characteristics that each plant produces.

They can spread by stolons or by the plant also shooting seeds as far as 15 feet when they have ripened and they also produce small bulblets. With so many ways to reproduce, this plant can become a very serious nuisance in the lawn. The plant also has very waxy leaves on the upper surfaces causing most herbicides to run or wash off before becoming effective.

If you have the patience, nature could take care of this problem for you as there are many diseases and animals that can harm thm. The diseases include Verticillium wilt, several leaf spot diseases, powdery mildew (Erysiphe polygoni), southern blight (Sclerotium rolfsil), and several stem and root rots. The animals include Japanese beetles, snails and slugs. I have found out once you accept having these plants, these other organisms will take care of them for you -- but on their schedule.

Several herbicides used for broad-leaf weeds in lawns will work on wild violets. But you must injure the leaves after application so that the herbicide will work. Put on rubber boots and stomp the leaves of the violets right after you make the application or use a lawn roller to mash the leaf tissue. Because violets are so persistent, you will have to make repeated applications of this herbicide.

Also you will have to use another pre-emergent herbicide to keep the many violet seeds from germinating the following spring. This pre-emergent herbicide can be applied in the fall and early spring. The active ingredient to look for is DCPA commonly known as Dacthal.

Send your gardening questions to Charles Giedeman, Lifestyle, P.O. Box 427, 120 S. Illinois, Belleville, IL 62222-0427.