Q. I have lovely beds of ivy that have been here for years. About two years ago, a small section of it began to die back. I cannot see any disease that might cause this. We did remove a tree so the ivy gets a bit more sun than it used to. The sick area is expanding and I do not want to lose the ivy. How do I save these ivy beds?

- Carol Landversicht, Chesapeake

A. Tom Banko at the Hampton Roads Research Center says that the most common ivy problem tends to be several fungal and sometimes bacterial leaf spots. This can cause defoliation, stem lesions and sometimes dieback. General control should include removal of dead and diseased leaves and stems. Water only as needed early in the day. Avoid overhead spraying. Use a general-purpose fungicide spray such as Funginex or Bayer All-in-0ne Disease Control when new growth begins in the spring. The best plan would be to take a sample to Chesapeake Extension agent Mike Andruczyk and ask for help. His phone is (757) 382-6348. Take stems, leaves and roots from the affected areas.

Pecan tree needs a pal

Q. I have a pecan tree that is nearly 20 years old and 35 feet high. It's 25 feet wide at the drip line and 30 inches across the trunk. This the first year it has produced any nuts. There were only 20 pecans at the top of the tree. The nuts were large, well formed and completely filled out. Enclosed is a copy of a soil test taken in early January. All trace elements are at or above sufficient levels. No lime is needed and soluble salts are low. Some old timers in this area are telling me to dig several holes around the tree at the drip line and put cast iron shavings in the holes. None of them knows why the shavings would cause the tree to produce nuts but they claim it works. Also a Stark Brothers planting guide says to feed a pecan tree zinc sulphate in the spring when it is nearing bearing age. Do I have a tree that is just coming into bearing age, or is there something I can do to help it bear more pecans?

- Bob Holloman, Newsoms

A. Your tree needs a companion, says tree scientist Bonnie Appleton at the Hampton Roads Research Center. Appleton says pecans bear much better if they have another tree to help with pollination. Unless a soil test showed zinc to be deficient (and yours did not), zinc does not need to be added. That's more a problem with soils in Oklahoma. "As to the iron shavings, I've never heard of that. How would they dissolve in the soil solution fast enough to be absorbed by the roots and have any effect on the tree? It does not compute with my scientist's brain," said Appleton. As soon as possible, plant another pecan tree to give your present one a boost.

Move tomatoes around

Q. We planted Better Boy tomatoes last summer, as we have in summers past, generally in the same soil. We have used this plot for six years with excellent results. However the last two summers have not been good, with large black growth over the ends of the tomatoes. Our summers have been unusually dry and rather hot. Could that be the culprit?

-J. H. Hoffman, Jr., Powells Point N.C.

A. You have two problems. Tomatoes should be rotated in the soil every year or two, so they do not contract soil diseases. This also applies to potatoes and eggplant.

The black bottoms of your tomatoes are called blossom end rot. It is caused by a lack of calcium or stress from too little or too much water. Test your soil to see if you need to add calcium and add if needed. Next make sure the tomatoes are watered regularly all summer. Adding mulch around them will be helpful. My hunch is that if you grow your tomatoes in another area, it may solve both your problems.

Ask us No gardening questions are taken over the phone. For a faster reply, e-mail rstiffler@dejazzd.com [1] 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.