Be like cows: Don't eat dogfennel

By Walter Reeves

For the AJC

Q: I was glad to see the identification of dogfennel in your e-mail newsletter. The foliage smells like the herb fennel. Is dogfennel edible?

-- Diana Tope, LaFayette

A: My general rule is that if cows won’t eat a plant, I won’t eat that plant. As I wrote, cows avoid dogfennel, Eupatorium capillifolium; it makes their milk taste bad if they accidentally munch on it. Although Joe Pye weed, Eupatorium purpureum, has been used as an herbal medicine, white snakeroot, Eupatorium rugosum, is poisonous to livestock. My advice is to cook with fennel you buy at a grocery.

Q: I have a potted hydrangea that has outgrown the pot. What is the best way to put it in the ground?

-- Hannah Cooke, e-mail

A: Fall is a great time to plant hydrangeas in the landscape. Remove the plant from the pot and unwind the roots as best you can. There is no harm in clipping some if they are badly tangled. A spot that enjoys morning sunshine and afternoon shade in summer is best for these Southern shrubs. If your hydrangea came from a florist it may not bloom as regularly as those varieties more adapted to outdoors, but it will make an attractive shrub all the same.

Q: What does cottonseed meal do for a garden and how much do you apply?

-- Pat McCollum, Henry County

A: Cottonseed meal is an excellent organic fertilizer. It releases nutrients as the meal is decomposed by soil microorganisms. Because the bacteria and fungi are most active when the soil is warm, cottonseed meal provides plant nutrition throughout the growing season. A typical nutrient analysis is 6-1-1. Shallow-rooted plants such as azalea, blueberry, boxwood and rhododendron respond very well to cottonseed meal fertilizer in spring and summer. Apply 10 pounds per 100 square feet of garden, making sure to incorporate it into the soil for best results.

Q: I have a peach tree and a pear tree that have limbs touching the ground. When can I prune them?

-- J. Bullock, e-mail

A: The best time to prune fruit trees is January or February. Though the job will be chilly, you can better see the limb structure of the trees and can prune accordingly. For best recovery, make your cuts back to the trunk or to an existing limb. Don’t leave stubs; most of these will not remain alive.

Q: What can I do to make cast iron plant look good. I have two huge beds and they look rough. Could I cut them down completely, fertilize and let them start over?

-- Elaine Saugstad, east Cobb

A: The best time to do a complete renovation is in April. You’ll be able to see new growth then and you can fertilize at the same time. The best you can do right now is to scissor out the brown leaves and let the beds go for winter.

Listen to Walter Reeves Saturday mornings on AM 750 and 95.5 FM News-Talk WSB from 6 to 10. Visit his website, www.walterreeves.com, or join his Facebook Fan Page at xrl.us/wrfacebook for more garden tips.