Q: I have a pyracantha that appears to be yellowish. It is growing in a large trough-like container. I know the winter has played havoc with shrubs, but I have kept my pyracantha watered so that the roots dont dry out. Should I give it some Epsom salts in a can of water or half strength 20-20-20?
Pat Pryce,
Maple Ridge
A: Pyracantha is a zone 6 plant so isnt likely to have root damage from winter cold even though its in a container. But you might scratch your fingernail along a stem and check whether the tissue underneath is green.
If its green, it has winter damage to the leaves and you can go ahead with half-strength 20-20-20 at the beginning of March. If the tissue is brown, that branch would be dead and youd need to check further just how much of your pyracantha is in trouble.
There is another possibility that your pyracantha is out-growing the container. In a garden bed it would try to become a five-metre tall shrub.
Most large shrubs in containers can stay there for a few years with top-pruning only. But eventually they do need to be taken out of the tub, root-pruned, top-pruned and returned to the container with fresh soil added so that they can grow again for another few years.
Q: We have replaced some old heather bushes with landscape roses as a sort of hedge. They have done very well and provided great blooms up until frost in the fall. Now that the snow has finally gone, I notice that they have very long and scraggly branches and wonder if they should be pruned back. If I do so, will they still bloom?
Diane Muir
A: Yes, theyll still bloom. When the buds begin to swell, you should cut out anything thats dead, diseased or in an awkward position. The other branches can be cut back by about one-third to the main framework.
Your roses will bloom much better on the new wood, which will grow rapidly due to the pruning.
Q: My husband cant get rid of moles in our field (approximately 1000 mole holes). They have moved up around the house too. Do you have any suggestions for getting rid of them?
Lenore Burns,
Langley
A: People seem to have the best success with traps. There are many home remedies that claim to remove moles. But results seem to be either poor, haphazard or a lot of trouble to pursue.
But even with traps youre unlikely to evict your moles for long. The number of molehills in your field indicates a good food supply. Vacant tunnels plus great meals are bound to attract moles from outside.
The scissor traps are said to be fairly good. You can get them in hardware stores. Its apparently important to set them in an active runway between two new molehills. If the trap doesnt work in a few days, its best to move the trap to a new location.
But your numbers are so extreme and the area involved so large that, if youre unshakably determined to remove the moles, your best course is enquiring about traps with a pest control company
Anne Marrison is happy to answer garden questions. Send them to [email protected]
