Question: My question is in regard to pink evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa). At the end of the season, I was left with brown “twigs.” Can I cut them down or pull them out at that point (as they are very unsightly), or will doing that keep them from coming back?
Answer: Evening primrose is a native of the Southwestern United States and parts of Mexico that spreads by underground rhizomes as well as by seed. The brown “twigs” left behind each season will not re-sprout. They should be cut down at the start of each new gardening season. The plant will send up new stems from the ground.
Be aware that evening primrose is an extremely aggressive plant that can easily become an invasive weed if allowed to grow unchecked. I suggest avoiding this plant if at all possible simply because of its tendency to run amok in the garden and crowd out other plants. It is, however, a decent choice for difficult-to-cover hillsides where other plants will not grow.
On the plus side, evening primrose is drought tolerant, fully hardy, and bears lovely, slightly fragrant pink flowers from May to July that open during the evening hours.
On the minus side, if you ever want to get rid of it, you'll find it to be impossible.
Q: My English ivy appears to have died over the winter. Should I remove the dead leaves, and do you think it will come back? It has never done this before, and I have lived here 16 years. I have a lot of it.
A: Much of the English ivy growing in Western Pennsylvania seems to have suffered through this difficult winter. Though many of the leaves and stems may appear to be dead, there are numerous dormant buds that are likely to begin to sprout within the next few weeks. Do not cut it back for another month or so, but feel free to rake out any dead leaves scattered throughout the area.
If your ivy hasn't resprouted by late June, cut or mow it all the way back to the ground. It will resprout from the roots at that time.
If you'd like, you can feed it with a granular, evergreen-specific fertilizer such as HollyTone (available at most local garden centers). Follow label instructions and do not over-apply it, as an excessive amount may burn any newly developing leaf buds.
Other than that, there's not much you can do, except have patience.
Horticulturist Jessica Walliser co-hosts “The Organic Gardeners” at 7 a.m. Sundays on KDKA Radio. She is the author of several gardening books, including “Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control” and “Good Bug, Bad Bug.” Her website is www.jessicawalliser.com.
Send your gardening or landscaping questions to tribliving@tribweb.com or The Good Earth, 503 Martindale St., 3rd Floor, D.L. Clark Building, Pittsburgh, PA 15212.
