Garden Q&A: Lantana is colorful and attractive, but pick a sterile plant

I was thinking of planting some lantana, but read somewhere that they are invasive. Is that true?

Many species, including the common Lantana camara, are highly invasive, so care should be taken when choosing a lantana plant for your landscape. Many nurseries sell sterile lantana plants, meaning they won't spread. The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council recognizes the cultivars Gold Mound, New Gold, Alba and Patriot as sterile.

Another safe lantana is L. montevidensis, trailing lantana. It has soft purple flowers and does well as a ground cover. Weeping, vinelike stems make an attractive ground cover. Foliage may turn red to purple in colder months. Tops will die back when the temperature reaches about 20 degrees, but plants will recover in the spring. Flowering is nonstop from spring through fall or year-round in frost-free areas. Flowers are borne in clusters about 1½ inches wide. These cultivars are not known to produce viable seeds.

It should also be noted that the unripened berries are poisonous to humans, and the leaves are highly toxic to animals. Handling plants may cause skin irritation or allergic reactions.

Both drought- and salt-tolerant, lantana is a low-maintenance perennial with brightly colored flowers that attract butterflies. Lantana enjoys full sun, and while it is drought-tolerant, it will flower more when watered regularly.

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All this just goes to show that lantana should be considered carefully before it is planted in your landscape. If you choose to grow it, choose either trailing lantana or one of the cultivars of Lantana camara that is sterile. Plant it for the bees and butterflies, and for its rugged constitution and summer-long parade of colorful flowers.

I would like to grow a dwarf banana tree as a houseplant. How would I go about doing this?

A banana tree as a house plant, some would think is a crazy idea, but they can be used on a desk, a window sill, or even in a corner.

They are not really trees either, but are a large perennial herb. Trees can get as tall as 4 to 7 feet in height and need the same care as the larger banana trees need. Grown indoors, they will probably not produce fruit.

Dwarf banana trees are just like most bananas trees - they like warm weather in places where the temperature does not get below 65 degrees, making the indoors a perfect place for them to thrive. They like full sun, but they manage just fine in partly shady areas. If you are using them for decorative foliage, then it is best to let them be grown in shaded areas because the leaves will be more of a darker green and will keep their deep dark colors year around.

When picking the right pot for your dwarf banana tree, take in consideration how big they will get and that they need plenty of room for the roots to spread. So the bigger the pot, the better results you will have. You can start them out in a small container, but as they grow you will need to keep re-potting them until they are fully grown.

Watering is very important to this plant for it is well-known for root rot and fungal infection. Soil for them needs to be at a pH between 5.5 to about 7.0 and will stay moist but not wet. The soil needs to be almost dry but still moist before the next watering time. Fertilizer should be applied to your dwarf banana tree at least once a month. The best fertilizer is 8-10-8.

Can I use one of the snake repellents sold in retail stores to prevent snakes from entering my yard?

At present, University of Florida research has not identified an effective, chemical repellent for snakes.

A better technique is to provide an environment that is less attractive to snakes. Snakes enter the yard to find food or shelter. A snake's body temperature is dependent on the environmental temperature. It must seek shady, cooler areas in the summer to prevent overheating. Snakes are also more susceptible to attack from predators (hawks, domestic cats) in an open area. Removing piles of debris, keeping grass mowed regularly, avoiding leaning large objects against the home, and generally providing for more open space in the lawn make it less attractive to snakes. Snakes are more active during daylight in the spring and fall when the temperature is not so hot..

Can I use chemical weed control in my home vegetable garden?

Hand-weeding and mulching are usually preferable to herbicide use in the home vegetable garden. In a small area, herbicides that can be safely used with some crops may severely damage more sensitive ones. They may also remain in the soil and damage future plantings. Before using any chemicals on your garden, identify the weeds present, ensure that these weeds will be controlled by the herbicide selected, and follow label directions.

Tom Bruton is a master gardener with the Duval County Extension Service and the University of Florida/IFAS.