Compost, Lilacs, and Vines

A plant cutting will need a lot of energy and nutrients to survive. Mehdi Kasumov/Shutterstock

Q: I saw an article online where you mentioned applying a thin layer of compost to the lawn each spring. I have used compost to mix with soil when planting perennials, and it has a very wet and almost clay-like consistency. Perhaps this is because the compost is stored in bags that are piled on top of one another on a pallet.

I am wondering if compost can be applied to a lawn with a fertilizer drop spreader. My spreader has a wide range of adjustments and bars inside the hopper that spin with the wheels to break up clumpy fertilizer.

A: There are a variety of textures and components in bagged compost. Each brand seems to have a different composition and texture. Try out several, mix them together for your other plantings, and figure out which one has the consistency that can go through your spreader. You might get a better texture for the spreader by using the mixed compost. Or you can hand spread some of the drier, fluffier kinds. Even if it is not spread evenly, it will still help the lawn.

Q: A year ago, I took a cutting from a miniature Korean lilac bush and stuck it in the ground, and it took root and grew quite profusely. This year, it has come back, but in a funny way. First, this spring it bloomed quite nicely but with no leaves. Now, the flowers are gone, and the leaves are starting to come out, although they are quite small.

I guess my question would be: Is this a normal procedure for a cutting or what is going on?

A: It would have helped if you had removed the flower buds last year. The cutting used almost all the energy stored in the stem to produce roots and then the flowers. Any seed production is also consuming nutrients. The plant was just barely able to survive and has sent out the biggest leaves it could. Hopefully, the leaves will produce enough food that can be stored in the stem to allow it to survive this winter. If there are any seeds remaining, cut them off now, and if it tries to bloom next spring, cut off the flowers as soon as the buds are noticed. After it has a full year of growth that has normal leaves, you can allow it to bloom.

Q: I have a question about the problems vines cause. If a vine is growing up a brick wall, will it damage the mortar or the brick itself in any way, e.g., by sucking too much moisture out of the mortar, causing it to crack? Will a vine make a crack in a brick wall larger? Would the typical brick house allow for this expansion?

A: Vines that climb walls secrete cement that allows them to stick to the surface. They don’t take any moisture out of the wall.

Boston ivy and Virginia creeper are two common vines on Ivy League college walls, and I don’t think they harm the bricks or mortar. You could use a trellis of wires in front of the wall for vines that twist around rather than stick to surfaces. The wires can be lowered out of the way in the future if maintenance needs to be done to the wall.

These vines protect walls from the heat of the sun, and they can protect the wall from too much moisture. Vines of all kinds are opportunistic and will send shoots into narrow cracks and crevasses. As the vine expands in diameter, the crack may become wider if the surfaces allow.

Courtesy of Jeff Rugg

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