Ask the Gardener: Waging war on canna leaf rollers
Q: Last summer I was told by a neighbor that the ragged damage caused to the foliage of my cannas was caused by leaf rollers. I sprayed the plants but the damage had already been done. Should I start spraying early this year to avoid this problem again?
Tom Carpenter
Raleigh
A: To be technically correct, your cannas were probably purposely masticated by lesser canna leaf rollers - the most common kind in this region. You can actually do something about them right now. If the spent leaves of your cannas are still drooping in the garden, grab a warm coat and head outside to cut off and remove this old foliage. Do not compost the leaves, because they probably contain overwintering leaf roller larvae. Removing the foliage will go a long way in helping to control this pest.
But notice I said "control." Leaf rollers are persistent little nasties, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to put your cannas on a spray schedule this spring when they begin to leaf out. Sevin can be used, but systemic pesticides are usually more effective. However, if you want to be a little more garden friendly, give insecticidal soap or a bug-bopper that contains the larvae-hunting bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (commonly called Bt) a try first.
Perennial vine project
Q: I have a large area that I would like to give better definition to, and I was thinking about setting up permanent trellises as a start to run perennial vines up, but I was wondering who you thought has the best selections of vines that I could consider for this project, at least in the beginning.
Billie Collins
Sanford
A: This spring, any local nursery worth its weight in garden gold - compost - should have more than a few dependable vines available to help start your project, including, I'm sure, usual perennial suspects such as selections of honeysuckle, Carolina jessamine, clematis and passion flower. However, if you want to really expand your mind as to what is available in vines, take a look at Brushwood Nursery's inventory online at gardenvines.com. This nursery, located in Athens, Ga., (yes, they do mail order) specializes in vines - lots of vines. They offer clematis, honeysuckle and passion flower cultivars, but also check out the impressive, extensive list of native vines.
Book for newbies
Q: I read with interest your book pick in your last column. It was about native plants, which I do like, but I was wondering if you had a favorite vegetable-growing book. My husband and I moved into a new house last fall, and we finally have a little bit of land to start a small vegetable garden. Unfortunately, I am a little short on experience. Do you know of a good book that will help?
Serena Taylor
Raleigh
A: I have a well-worn copy of "Commonsense Vegetable Gardening for the South" by William D. Adams (Taylor Publishing) that has been one of my main go-to veggie books for years. It was first published in 1995 and is getting a little hard to find in bookstores now, but just a few months ago, I found a worthy successor, "Vegetable Gardening in the Southeast" by Ira Wallace (Timber Press). Wallace is a worker/owner at the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange in Mineral, Va., and her years of experience in growing vegetables are neatly tucked away in this 216-page book. You won't see any flashy photos of veggies among the pages, but you will find a treasure trove of garden wisdom. The SESE, by the way, is a great source for organic and heirloom seeds. Check it out at southernexposure.com.
L.A. Jackson is the former editor of Carolina Gardener Magazine. Send your garden questions, including the city where you garden, to: askthegardener@newsobserver.com.
This story was originally published January 9, 2015 at 8:00 PM with the headline "Ask the Gardener: Waging war on canna leaf rollers."