Q: I am planning a permaculture garden on my half-acre lot. I know it’s best to plant fruit trees first. Which fruit trees fare best in this region? I would love apple, peach, plum, cherry and elderberry trees. Do you have any suggestions? — Samantha Reeves, White
A: I pulled together a compilation of University of Georgia publications for you. There are lots of recommended fruit varieties but several are noted to perform poorly in Georgia. For instance, cherry is limited by spring weather. There are good and not-so-good elderberry trees. My compilation gives you the best options for all the fruits you mention. Pay particular attention to the links for planting fruit trees and soil testing. The compilation is at bit.ly/GAplantfruit
Q: What could cause a strip of removed bark on my pecan tree limb? It is one inch wide and goes halfway around a 4-inch diameter branch. — Carol Morgan, email
A: A squirrel would be my guess. I commonly see maples, camellias and figs where a sapsucker has tapped several holes in a row. They bleed sugary sap in spring. A squirrel comes along and goes to town on the holes. He uses his teeth to remove bark and taste the sap. If there’s a small limb below the sapsucker damage, a squirrel can sit and gnaw easily. I have a good example of a maple damaged by squirrels at bit.ly/GAsquirrelgnaw
Q: We planted several river birches that are now proving to be a nightmare. The ones close to the house are breaking up the concrete due to their extensive root system. They drop sooooo many leaves and pool cleanup is daily. Should we replace trees close to the house with a tree that has a smaller root system? Should we replace trees near the pool? When would we need to plant trees? — Libby Preston, Eatonton
A: One of the tree-form crape myrtles might work for you. “Natchez” has white flowers and interesting peeling bark, but it also drops leaves in fall along with lots of small seed pods. My observation is that the drop happens only in September and October. Also consider a redbud tree. Flamethrower, “Forest Pansy” and The Rising Sun all have interesting leaf colors but are not as tall as a river birch. You can plant trees anytime between now and late February. Research the latest information on how to plant trees correctly. Hire a tree planting company that will plant correctly and plan to be there when they work. I have details on planting trees at bit.ly/GAplantfruits.
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