Q:When I called my local Extension office with a plant problem, I was connected with a Master Gardener. What exactly is a Master Gardener? What qualifications and training does one need to earn that title? I would love a career in this area.

Answer: The Master Gardener program is conducted by local offices of Virginia Cooperative Extension. I noticed that you live in Warsaw. You'll be happy to know there is an active program in your area.

Master Gardeners are people who love gardening and enjoy helping others. They take a 50-hour training class offered by the Extension Service and then give 50 hours of volunteer service in the community helping other gardeners.

During the training class, they are called trainees. During the volunteer service, they are interns. After completing the 50 hours of volunteer service, they earn the title "Master Gardener."

Although this program is not designed to be part of a career path, many Master Gardeners go on to work in the industry after their volunteer commitment. Contact your local Extension office for details on the next training class.

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Q:When is the best time to prune a burning bush, and how much can I cut it back? I have always called it burning bush but don't know its proper name.

 

Answer: Burning bush is actually Euonymus alatus (winged Euonymus). It is primarily admired for its fire-red foliage in the fall.

Because it is deciduous, it should be pruned during the dormant season or in early spring before new growth. You can cut it back at least one-third of its size without any problems.

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Q:I have accumulated a lot of chickweed in an azalea and day-lily bed. How can I get rid of these weeds without damaging the shrubs and plants?

 

Answer: By now, your chickweed should be dying on its own. However, since it is an annual, all the seeds it produced this spring will germinate in the fall.

All you can do now is hand-remove the dying chickweed and mark your calendar to treat that bed with a pre-emergent herbicide in early September. That will kill the young chickweed seeds as they try to sprout.

Several pre-emergents on the market can be used in ornamental beds. One of the most common is Trifluralin, which is commonly sold as Preen. It is registered for use with azaleas and day lilies and is listed to control chickweed seeds.

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Q:I have three sky pencil boxwoods that are 3 years old. All three are in full south sun, and two are growing crooked. They are about 5 feet tall, and one has a particularly severe crook. How do I straighten crooked sky pencil boxwoods?

 

Answer: As it turns out, sky pencil is a holly rather than a boxwood. Its botanical name is Ilex crenata. As with most plants that have developed crooked stems, it's very hard to straighten sky pencils once they have grown crooked for a few seasons.

Your best bet is to stake them with bamboo stakes or other strong stakes. Bamboo stakes are particularly good because they are sturdy and will blend with the color of your plants, making them less noticeable.

You will probably need to leave them staked for a couple of years. Every few months, check the ties you use to connect the plants to the stakes to prevent any girdling of the stems.
Send questions to Richard Nunnally in care of the Flair Department, Richmond Times-Dispatch, P.O. Box 85333, Richmond, VA 23293 or by e-mail to home@timesdispatch.com.