Q: I plan to transplant a six-foot tall dogwood from one part of my yard to the other. I know it is a little on the large size to be transplanting, so I want to be sure I give it the TLC necessary to ensure survival. Steve Whitley, email
A: The key is to get as many roots as possible, not worrying so much about the soil around the roots. Soak the soil thoroughly a day before digging. Use a spading fork to identify roots without cutting them. Pull and preserve as many as you can on the tree as you hoist it out of the ground. Take your time and don't rush. Be sure to have the new planting area prepared beforehand so the tree roots don't dry out before arriving at their new home. Pay particular attention to watering from June to October. The tree will need at least 15 gallons of water each week in summer to keep the root area moist.
Q: I have 15 beautiful established hydrangeas. The freeze a couple of weeks ago did a job on them: They are all brown and lifeless looking. Do I do anything to them or just let them be until the spring? Donna Marshall, Cobb County
A: There's nothing to do at all. The dead leaves will drop off by month's end and the stems will remain dormant until warm weather comes again. If we have terribly cold winter days below ten degrees your plants could suffer some die-back, but they won't be killed completely.
Q: During a radio show, a caller mentioned his tree was pushing up the brick walk nearby. Walter suggested he might level the walk with "engineer soil". What is this? I have an area around a long stone walk which I want to level and avoid pulling up and resetting all these stones. Rich Kernan, email
A: "Engineered soil" is site-specified to provide two things: proper load-bearing capacity for a walk or driveway and enough pore space for tree roots to thrive without damaging the surface above. This is accomplished by mixing specific sizes of gravel or expanded slate with measured amounts of organic matter and other materials. Each site is different, so "engineered soil" isn't sold in stores: it is specified by a landscape architect after examining a site. Perhaps you could exclude tree roots under your walk by putting a vertical root barrier, like aluminum flashing, between a problematic tree and your stone walk.
Q: A caller recently asked you about growing a golden larch. You said larch doesn't grow here, but then backtracked on your answer. Can you elaborate? Several radio listeners
A: I sure wish I had listened to her say "golden larch" rather than hearing "larch!" Larch, Larix species, is a deciduous tree commonly found in the mountains of North America. It does not do well at all in the South. On the other hand, golden larch, Pseudolarix kaempferi, grows perfectly well here. It has thin needles that turn a brilliant yellow in fall before dropping. The tree is a slow grower but can be an excellent specimen tree. Trees Atlanta sells them during its annual tree sale, www.treesatlanta.org.
Q: I have seen golf courses use green sand to fill divot holes on their course. How can I make green sand to cosmetically hide small problem areas in my lawn until the grass takes over the spot? Greg Yonchak, Jefferson County
A: I think you're seeing a divot repair mix that has been dyed green. Most courses keep a container on the carts or near each green so golfers can repair damage done during a shot. I don't know how the coloring is done commercially, but you could experiment with food coloring or perhaps concrete dye. A better option would be to use one of the lawn patching products that contains seed and a green mulch material.
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