Q. My Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ flops open in the center each fall and looks disastrous. What can I do?It’s too heavy to tie to a stake. Gary Kukulies, Lafayette, IN
A. The upright sedums (now renamed Hylotelephium), need to be divided every few years to keep them from crashing to the ground in the fall. This task is best undertaken in the spring when the shoots are up a few inches. Lift the entire clump and divide it into smaller sections and replant them immediately. Alternatively, you can pinch the sedums in the early summer to keep them more compact but eventually you’ll probably want to divide them.
Q. My weeping cherry tree overtakes the rest of the flower bed every year,no matter how much I prune it back. The branches weep 8 to 10 feet or more.It gets early morning sun, then late afternoon and evening sun during the warm months, very little during the winter. The plant is healthy otherwise but does not bloom. What am I doing wrong? I’ve had it four years.Hilda Johnson, Brookville, Ind.
A. The lack of blooms could be due to insufficient sunlight, age of the tree or excess nitrogenfertilizer from surrounding lawn or garden beds. The fact that it doesn’t fit in the space after only four years means it is in the wrong place. Since it’s not happy there and doesn’t fit, I would attempt to transplant it while it is dormant and avoid all that pruning each year!
Q. I have several yucca plants and there is a grass that is trying to take them over. Can I use some kind of spray to stop it. The roots drift all around. I can’t keep them all pulled out. Hope you can help me. Florence R. Bauman, Kewanna, Ind.
A. Grass-Be-Gone takes grass out of many ornamentals and should be effective on yuccas. It is readily available. Be sure to follow all label directions carefully. After the grass is under control, cut an edge and mulch the yucca bed to keep grass from encroaching again.