Janet Carson is a horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Write to her at P.O. Box 391, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; or e-mail her at
jcarson@arkansasonline.com


Q. Does it injure the crape myrtles to cut the suckers that grow around the base of the plant? Ours are just coming into bloom, but whoever pruned them before we bought the house had let a lot grow out at ground level. Is there an office in the area that we could come by and pick up info about the local growing tips? We live in Little Rock.


A. It does not hurt to remove the suckers at the base of the crape myrtle; in fact, it is advisable to do so. We would not recommend trying to use an herbicide to kill them, since many are attached to the mother plant, but clipping them at the soil line is a great idea. If allowed to grow, they would give your tree a more bushy look and take away from its appearance. Some varieties of crape myrtles are more prone to suckers than others, but just pay attention. As to a local source of information, every county has a local county extension office where publications are available. In Pulaski County it is at 2901 W. Roosevelt Road. The county offices are also where you can take soil samples and plant samples to be diagnosed. If you are just looking for printed information, there is plenty of that at our home and garden Web site at www.arhomeandgarden.org, or go to our main Web page www. uaex.edu and click on publications and you can print your own publications at home.