Container violas need a less sunny summer spot

Q: I planted two containers of violas last fall to sit on each side of the front door to my home, and they have bloomed continually for me all winter long. In fact, they are still blooming right now. Where I have the containers, it gets bright sun from about 9:30 each morning until the sun moves over at about 4 in the afternoon. During the summer months, it can and does get quite warm and a bit sunnier in that spot. My question is, will the violas continue to grow for me through the spring and summer months in that sort of environment? — V.C., Albuquerque

A: I truly believe that from the environment you’re describing, the violas will crumple from being subjected to that much sun and in turn heat. If you have a shady spot on a patio, place your twin pots there and continue to enjoy the violas for weeks to come.

If you have a large deciduous or evergreen tree in the area, place the pots under them to keep the violas out of the hot sun. As the seasons go on they just might give up the ghost because they do grow and perform best with cooler temperatures, but moved now to a far shadier, cooler spot you will be able to prolong their colorful blooms for weeks yet.

Just get it done soon so they’ll adjust as best they can to the weather changes that are coming.

Q: The house we moved into has two really large rose of Sharon bushes. I want to cut them back but I have been taught by you the rhyme about pruning blooming shrubs, “prune after the bloom,” so I don’t know if I’d harm them if I cut them back now since it’s well past the time they finished blooming last year. What do you think? — R.A., Peralta

A: I’m going to encourage you to go ahead and prune them back now. Taking off no more than a third of the shrubs shouldn’t do any harm to this year’s growth. Since they bloom on fresh wood they’ll have ample time to grow and set a new series of bloom for you.

Then, next fall, if they are still too large for you, prune them harder after they’ve finished blooming for you. One big caution though, do it ASAP. The longer you wait, the quicker the pruning door is going to close for the rose of Sharon and then, yes, you could easily harm the shrubs.

So get out there and tidy them up before they start pushing really hard with this year’s growth.

Q: Last week, you suggested applying a preemergent to areas where you want to help prevent things from growing. How does a preemergent work? — J.H., Albuquerque

A: Preemergent products are a pretty nifty way to prevent seeds from growing. But that’s all they do, prevent seeds from being able to germinate. They work in one of two ways, which are both amazing to me.

The first way is when you sprinkle the preemergent and then water. As it dissolves it creates a sort of invisible crust at ground level so that any seed underneath that “crust” aiming to germinate can’t complete that process.

Next, some types of preemergent as they dissolve actually coat any seeds they come upon with the product, again preventing that coated seed from being able to germinate. Just know that if the area has plants already growing, that have roots and above ground growth, a preemergent won’t do squat to harm them.

That’s why I suggested that when getting all that weedy grasses out of that rocked bed, you make sure to get the whole plant, root and all. With fewer seeds being able to germinate either by bumping into an impenetrable crust or being wrapped by a crust, you are more likely to be ahead of the game having far fewer interlopers to control.

Happy Diggin’ In!

Tracey Fitzgibbon is a certified nurseryman. Send garden-related questions to Digging In, Albuquerque Journal, 7777 Jefferson St. NE, Albuquerque, N.M. 87109, or to features@abqjournal.com.