Q: I live on a lot that is heavy with trees, Lately, I have had the large tops of two trees and the heavy limb of a very old oak suddenly break off. Do you have any suggestions on why this happened and how to prevent it? — Dianne Wisner, NW Atlanta
A: Art Morris, board-certified master arborist, says it may be a matter of physics. Most of these sudden limb drop cases involve landscape trees. We can infer that portions of the tree receive more sun than they would in a forest, resulting in longer branches and more dense canopy concentrated at the ends. From a physics standpoint, this growth pattern can create a longer lever than the tree is adapted to. Many of the abrupt limb breaks happen some distance out from the trunk, which is where the maximum load on a lever occurs. The offending trees are usually sweet gums, tulip poplars, pecans and the occasional water oak. It’s possible that pruning to reduce limb length or thin the density of the canopy could reduce the risk.
Q: I have green beans that have grown full and tall, but there are no flowers or beans! I did not have a problem with my beans last year. What causes this? — Marion Lewis, email
A: A few things come to mind. First, what number is given for days to maturity on the seed pack? It could be that the beans just need more time. Your vines are nice and full, but is there any chance you overfertilized? Beans can make some amount of nitrogen on their own, so they are typically fertilized separately from corn, tomatoes or potatoes, which require more nutrients. Third, the nonflowering could be caused by our weather. Beans like summer temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees. Temperatures consistently above 85 could prevent flowering if they occur when the vines start to mature. I think you need to give your garden more time.
Q: I picked my corn over the weekend and found half of it had been eaten. I thought maybe raccoons had found them. I brought a basket of unharmed corn into the house and set it on the kitchen floor. When I returned 20 minutes later I found my black Lab unshucking and tasting the rest! — Mike Childers, Clayton County
A: When a dog gets a taste for your crop, look out! Online discussions reveal that dogs will eat snow peas, raspberries, strawberries, green beans, cucumbers, squash and pears that fell from a tree, You need to build a stout fence to keep the dog out of your garden. Not all vegetables are bad for dogs, but some — like unripe tomatoes, raw potatoes, onions, dry beans and peas, plus cucumber and squash leaves — could be a concern.
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