Q: I’ve noticed that my seven-year old daphne has started to wilt from the top and it’s moving down. Your website mentions a lethal fungus called Phytophthora. Can a replacement daphne be planted in the same soil later?

A: I tried replacing a daphne in the same site as a dead one and it died within the year. The same thing happened to the next daphne I installed there. I solved the problem by buying a large (24″ diameter) ceramic pot, filling it with good-quality potting soil and planting a daphne in it. It looks very healthy after two years.