QUESTION: My daughter wants to buy a peach tree. Must she buy two to successfully get peaches, and how many years before they would produce peaches?ANSWER: The great majority of peaches are self-fruitful, meaning only one tree is needed. Any reputable company selling peach trees will indicate whether the variety is self-fruitful or not. Varieties to avoid (they're not self-fruitful) include J.H. Hale, Earlihale, Hal-Berta, Candoka, and Mikado.You should also inquire about hardiness, which argues for buying from someone in your region instead of from an operation in Georgia peach land, for instance.A new tree should start to bear fruit in three or four years. Be aware that peaches are not carefree - success often depends on a regimen of spraying. Then there is proper pruning. And, if the bees do a good job, thinning of excess fruit.County extension agents are great sources of agricultural information, and those in suburban counties are typically versed in the information that a homeowner who doesn't aspire to be an orchardist needs for success.

QUESTION: Our property is on a lakefront, and I would like to use ilex as foundation plantings. Will hollies tolerate the wind that comes off the lake in the winter?ANSWER: After a harsh winter, hollies can look distressed - brown or gray portions of leaves, from cold and, mainly, desiccation. And wind off a lake can cause desiccation.The winter of 2003-04 (near zero in Philadelphia) left many hollies looking crummy. But established plants looked fine after new growth obscured the dried leaves (with a little pruning help as needed - hollies take pruning very well).

QUESTION: I need advice on my peonies. I have several of different ages. Some come up, turn into spindly plants and do not grow any more and produce nothing. Some are healthy looking; they spread out and produce many buds that turn brown around the edges, then rot. Those that bloom are deformed.Some never make a bud. I fertilize in the spring with 8-8-8 and mulch with bark. Any ideas?ANSWER: The peonies that darken, discolor and rot are likely infected by a fungus called gray mold, which discolors them and can keep buds from opening. This lives from year to year on old leaves. You must cut off, collect and remove all the old foliage in the winter and create as clean an environment as possible for the plants.When new growth begins in the spring, spray the new foliage with a fungicide such as mancozeb that states on the label it works against botrytis, which is the fungus that causes gray mold. Spray several times, every 10 days or so, especially if the weather is wet.The spindly plants, I think, are planted too deep. Lack of bloom is a signal of that. I would dig up those plants in September and reset them so that the crown (the part of the plant where the new leaves rise) sits just above ground level. It will sink a tad after watering, but it must not be more than 1 to 2 inches deep. This is important because the crown requires exposure to cold weather to bloom well.This winter, as cold weather arrives, take off the mulch to increase the chilling effect. In early spring, put about ½-cup of low-nitrogen fertilizer, such as 5-10-10, over the root zone about the time stems are 2 to 3 inches tall. For weed control, put the mulch back on in the spring.

QUESTION: A friend of mine got calla lilies as a gift. She doesn't want to plant them in the yard because she will be moving into another house. Can you leave callas in a pot year-round and should you bring them into the house during the cold months?ANSWER: Some calla lilies are marginally hardy in this climate and will survive winter in a sheltered, protected spot outdoors. I have seen them do pretty well in the Charlotte area (especially if up against the house). However, some are true tropicals and will not survive winter outdoors.Since we're not sure which one your friend has, the safe thing is to keep it in the pot, bring it indoors this winter and keep it there until it is warm outside next spring. The calla lily often sold in pots is Zantedeschia aethiopica, which is hardier south of the Charlotte area.It may get by outdoors in a warmish winter when the temperature doesn't drop below 10 degrees. It requires a cool night temperature of about 55 degrees and daytime temperature of about 70 to start flower buds.To avoid the plant sinking into dormancy this summer, keep it well watered.

QUESTION: My lavender plant has grown wild and looks unkempt. It is blooming. Should I prune it now?ANSWER: Wait a little longer until the blooms are going, or pick them now and save them indoors to enjoy the clean, marvelous fragrance. You can trim that lavender to make it look tidier. Unpruned lavender tends to get quite woody and doesn't produce good new growth. The best time to prune is in early spring before new growth begins. At this time, the pruning you do should be a scissors rather than a pruners job. Do it neatly and carefully with the goal of shaping the plant rather than reducing its size. You can do that next spring. Also cut off any dead or damaged wood.Tidy up your perennials Make sure they don't detract from emerging summer flowers. After months of looking good, most blooms of Lenten roses are yellowing, browning and ready to go. That will leave the beautiful green foliage to gain admiring glances through the summer. Snip off these spent blooms, many of which will have dropped seeds that could surprise you with new plants. Watch for seedlings under the plants. Look over other spring-flowering perennials, such as columbine, and snip off their spent stems, too.Send your gardening questions to Nancy Brachey, The Charlotte Observer, P.O. Box 30308, Charlotte, N.C. 28230.