Wisteria flings seeds freely

By Walter Reeves

For the AJC

Q: Next to the parking lot of my office, a wisteria vine covers some tall pine trees. When I leave in late afternoon, I can hear irregular "pops" coming from up in the tree and then the sound of seeds falling through dry leaves. Is this seed dispersal or could it be squirrels eating them? Gus Callaway, personal communication

A: Your initial guess is correct. Each “pop” is the sound of wisteria seed pods twisting open and flinging seeds outward. This dispersal minimizes seedling competition. This is much the same phenomenon as with impatiens seed pods, which live up to the name “touch me not” when they rapidly open and toss their seed in fall. Drying wisteria pods accumulate mechanical stress in the skin. Sunshine on the pods during a windy day desiccates them to the point that they split, twist and perpetuate their kind. See xrl.us/wisteriapods.

Q: In a recent article, you discussed the pecan tree and its history in Georgia. No one has ever explained to me how all these trees were planted across South Georgia at about the same time. Name withheld by request

A: According to “The Agricultural Heritage of Georgia” published by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, commercial pecan production began here in the late 1800s. By 1905, there were several thousand acres planted in pecans. By 1925, we had more than 2 million trees. Pecans were promoted by the University of Georgia Extension Service as a way for farmers to diversify their farm income. Due to the foresight of those leaders, Georgia has become the nation’s pacesetter in pecan production. Details on other Georgia crops at xrl.us/agheritage.

Q: We have a beautiful walkway with steps of large Georgia creek rocks. They are getting moss on them and are slippery. What can I use to kill the moss without killing the plants that grow between the stones? Jeanette Crissey, Marietta

A: Moss is a plant after all, so killing moss while protecting nearby plants is tough. One option is to use strips of cardboard to protect plants at the edges of your stones and spray ammoniated soaps of fatty acids (Lilly Miller Moss Out! for Roofs and Walks) on the moss. Another option is to use a foam paintbrush to apply bleach diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio onto the moss. Both methods should kill moss within a few hours. The stones can then be washed off with lots of water to avoid hurting nearby plants.

Q: My 6-year old daughter would like to grow cutting flowers in her garden next year. Any suggestions? Alan Cyrier, Marietta

A: Given a sunny bed, your daughter can have flowers from spring to fall. My favorites include zinnia, cosmos, coneflower, Shasta daisy, sunflower, snapdragon and gaillardia. Daffodils make great early spring bouquets and can still be planted in December.

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