Q: We live in zone # 6 NorthEast Tennessee, My question, How can we save our purple fountain grass? We stored it in a dark cool place in the basement. Didn't work. Every spring we must look for the grass, To find a large one is hard to find.

A: What you are saving is considered an annual grass in your zone. Digging it and trying to save it in the basement may or may not work and I think almost not.

You would try it in a big bucket and try it a good warm and sunny window.

This is a hard one.

I hope that the fountain grass will become more plentiful in your area. But it is an annual in your zone. Even in some more southern, warmer climates if one gets a freezing night it will die.

Q: I have found a Fountain Grass that I really like. I found it at Signal Mountain Nursery, near Chattanooga, TN. It is purple fountain grass. My question is how can I save the grass and replant in the spring. I live in zone # 6. Is there a way the grass can be protected from freeze in the ground, or is there a way it can be removed and kept through the winter.

A: Fountain grass really has a hard time surviving the colder zones. I would dig up the clump if possible and store in a plastic bag in the cellar. If that is not an option I would mulch the best I could very heavily after the first real frost.

Sometimes this will keep it through the winter and will start again for another season.

Even in my zone 8b-9 with a very severe winter the fountain grasses do not make it.

It is a beautiful grass and I know why you want to save it.

Good Luck.

Q: A question on trimming. I recently rooted 10 Nellie Stevens. They have rooted well and I have now potted them. To maximize growth, how many times a year should I prune them? Should I trim the top off to make it bush out more?

A: Since you probably have small trees at this point, I would grow them up with a good environment and fertilizer before I prune. Other wise pruning too often will make a bonsai plant out of it.

I generally prune on an "as need" basis.

Lots of full sun/fertilizer once a month and water would be your best bet. Salts can build up readily so watering well will help.

You are correct in thinking pruning will flush more growth out but get it somewhat bigger first.

Never prune more than 1/3 and once a year at most right now.

Your local horticultural person in a nursery might have more tricks of the trade for your area.

Q: We live in Mobile, AL and have an area in the backyard that doesn't get a lot of sunlight (maybe a couple of hours of direct sun). We wanted to plant daylilies but see that they need direct sun. SO our question to you is what other ideas would you propose for a colorful (we like flowers) fauna of choice? Neither of us is overly green in the thumb area so maybe something that's hearty too.

A: I highly recommend CALADIUMS for color in the shade.

There is a wide selection of colored caladiums that will take shade/high shade/deep shade/ and a touch of morning sun as well as afternoon sun.

Also there are spider plants that can be treated as ground cover in your
area. Variegation will bring light to the dark shaded areas.

I also have deep, deep shade and am constantly trying to bring some color and lightness to the areas.

I have also planted a variegated golden dew drop. Although I have never seen the berries nor the flower the variegation is wonderous.

Q: Our neighbor recently gleaned some information for my gardener husband, and we then found this website that she used. Very interesting!

We moved to Florida (central) 4 years ago, and have Bahia (sp?) grass instead of the usual St. Augustine grass, as it is easier for my husband to mow. However, last fall he overseeded with annual rye grass to keep it green throughout the winter, which was successful, but now it looks really bad. It has some bare spots and quite a bit of yellowing. He put iron on it a couple of weeks ago for the yellowing, but it isn't helping. I don't know if the bare spots are where the rye grass died out or lack of water, since we haven't had much rain and the watering maybe isn't enough. Daytime temperatures have also been above normal for this time of the year -- high 80s and low 90s already.

Any thoughts on these problems? We would appreciate any tips that may help. Thanks!

A: Wintering over with annual rye grass is just that. The annual grass will only grow in the winter for that season. When the warmer and warmer temperatures occur the rye grass will die and be gone for the summer. It is a one-time thing. Next fall/winter you can do the same all over again.

Your regular normal grass will then kick in for the summer season.

I did the same for my St Augustine grass and now the rye has all but gone its way.

Q: I live in Zone 9, and have had a lawn service (TruGreen/ChemLawn) treating my lawn and beds every 6 weeks since we moved into our house, which has been about 18 months. The lawn looks great and has thickened up, but I am thinking about canceling the service and doing it myself. I am also thinking about going the organic route. I'm not sure where to start, and don't want to over-fertilize, since my service comes so regularly. The lawn and beds were last treated about a month ago.

Is there a schedule I can use to get started? I have seen different schedules, but not necessarily an organic one.

A: I truly believe in organics but I am also a realist when it comes to organics in any zone higher than zone 8. Insects and diseases are rampant in high humid area.

It will be tough going totally organic for lawns.

I am not a fan of lawns and after 20 year of trying to achieve a near perfect lawn in a suburban setting, I declared it a big waste of time and effort. Although I was proud of what I had accomplished I also felt pangs of polluting the grounds and waters nearby.

Presently I use milogranite as a fertilizer. It will never burn the lawn and is basically sludge from MI. Not to be used on vegetable gardens. I hand pull the weeds/use great amounts of ground cover /mulch and water early in the morning. I do not over water to encourage roots close to the surface and I do not water if it has rained that week.

An organic herbicide? No such thing.

It's a great compromise when going organic.

You might want to go on your own for 18 months or so and then when things get overwhelming go back to a service, knowing you will only do so till you can go off again. It's a start.

I personally have a backyard habitat and have for about 8 years in two homes. The front of my yard is diminishing more and more and I enlarge beds and let ground cover take over.

Good luck. I admire your direction