Q. I have a Sago palm in my backyard, and it started to turn brown in February. What should I have done? This is the second one that has turned brown over the winter. I tried putting a plastic bag over it to provide some protection, but the wind blew it off. Should I use burlap? I also gave it an Epsom salt dousing in late November as advised by a friend in Louisiana who has a yard full of them. Mine seem to do fine until late winter. Please assure me I can grow Sago palms in Virginia since I love them.
- Maxine Adams, Norfolk
A. It puzzles me that among all the beautiful trees we can grow, including many that stay evergreen, why so many folks want to grow Sago palms. You see many throughout the area; some look good even after five years; some look sad in less time than that.
They do not like snow, ice or moisture on their foliage during cold spells, so it's smart to prevent that happening. The entire frond will turn brown when that occurs. Burlap is always better than plastic to cover a plant. If plastic is left on during the day, it can cause the leaves to heat up and then at night cool quickly, causing tissue damage, leading to death.
In Hampton Roads, afternoon shade plus good drainage is best for growing them outdoors. It would be difficult to keep one indoors unless you have a greenhouse.
Never give a plant Epsom salts or any other fertilizer treatment unless you know the soil needs it. Louisiana and Virginia soils are different so always get a soil test before applying any soil treatment.
Chemical treatment for carpenter bees
Q. We are experiencing a problem with carpenter bees eating holes in our cedar eaves. What can I do to take care of the problem without calling an exterminator and using harsh chemicals?
- Rebecca Waller, Virginia Beach
A. Would you believe these pests have a week dedicated to them? Carpenter Bee Awareness Week is in June. Most homeowners find they have to call an exterminator to solve the problem.
Advice from Bottom Line newsletter includes: Trim back trees and bushes so they don't touch the house. Paint exposed wood before it gets wet. Store firewood outside the house.
Floyd Watkins (Bee & Wasp Eradicator of Tidewater, (757) 563-2275 is considered the area's carpenter bee specialist. He says the bees bore into wood and make a long tunnel running with the grain. They prefer unpainted wood and commonly tunnel into redwood plus unpainted deck timber.
He adds, "I am sorry to tell your reader that the only way to get rid of carpenter bees is with chemicals. It is a water-based chemical that is inserted into each hole the carpenter bee has made into the wood. This can be applied by using a pressurized sprayer."
The bees love to use holes made from screens people have removed and never replaced, he says. Egg laying and tunnel provisioning occur in the spring. Males hover around the tunnel entrance while the female lays eggs and provisions the nest. Males dart at intruders belligerently, but they do no harm since they have no stingers.
Old nests are used year after year. Larva of the bees are noisy, which attracts woodpeckers and they can cause even further damage. Often, this is when homeowners usually begin to see most physical damage Make sure an exterminator physically puts the chemical into each hole. Sealing the hole with caulk also will not work as the bees inside will drill another hole to get out.
To control carpenter bees, you must think long term. It may take a couple of years before you get them under control. If you see only one or two the year following treatment, be sure to get them treated or the population can return, Watkins says.
Ask us No gardening questions are taken over the phone. For a faster reply, e-mail rstiffler@dejazzd.com and include your city. Or, write to Robert Stiffler, The Virginian-Pilot, 150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, VA 23510. Fax to (757) 446-2963. Limit letters to one or two questions. For an earlier reply, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
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