Wisteria – Make it Bloom

Q: Last week you described some ways to make a wisteria bloom but you didn't tell about what my grandfather used to do. Each fall, he would stand on his shovel blade and slice through the wisteria roots a f

Borer Sprays – Effectiveness

Q: Last week you said that no borer sprays are effective on borers in pines and oaks. How can garden centers sell insecticides labeled "Borer Spray" if they don't work? A: I have a hammer in m

Shrubs – Fertilizing

Q: I have some questions regarding fertilizing plants. Are you supposed to fertilize gardenias while they are blooming? If not, then when and how often? How often should I fertilize my roses? I read that during

Grass Dying – Why

Q: We have a large spot in our yard where the grass won't grow. We have Emerald zoysia sod in the rest of the lawn but in this same spot, year after year, the zoysia dies in the winter. What should we do to

Elephant Ear – Leaves Edible

Q: I have question about a plant I picked from a nursery recently. The name of the plant is BLACK MAGIC ELEPHANT'S EAR (Colocasia esculenta ‘Black Magic' ). It is a tropical plant. On the inform

Hydrangeas – Green Blooms

Q: I enjoyed your article about pruning hydrangeas but I have a different situation. My hydrangeas look great but their flowers are green – almost as green as the leaves. Can you suggest how to make them tu

Cudweed, Prickly Lettuce – Control

Q: This weed grows in our centipedegrass lawn. My husband and I are at odds over what it is. Please identify and tell us how to get rid of it, as it is taking over the lawn. A: Hmmm…you might BOTH be right

Small Hydrangeas – Prune or Leave Alone

Q: I recently planted some small hydrangeas. Should I prune them or should I let them get some root growth first? A: I think I'd opt for leaving them unpruned for the time being. Like all plants, hydrangea

Huckleberry – Growing

Q: Do know where I can obtain some huckleberry bushes? We had them in our backyard growing up. I tried to transplant some last fall but they didn't survive. A: Theresa Schrum, at Eco Terra Landscape, says w

Pantry Pests – Drugstore Beetles

Q: I have tiny brown beetles everywhere in my pantry! They crawl on the shelves and get in my rice. What should I do to evict them? A: The insects you have are called drugstore beetles. They are a common pest of

Cutworms – Control

Q: Six weeks ago I had twenty pallets of Bermuda sod installed on my new home's lawn. It was green when they put it down but within two weeks it was all brown. I watered it every day. Yesterday I pulled up

Zoysia – Control Rust in Fall

Q: If rust is observed on zoysiagrass in fall is it worthwhile to treat with a fungicide or is it better to wait until spring and then apply the fungicide? What fungicide would you recommend? A: Rust seems to be

Clerodendron – Identification

Q: Can you identify this plant? I have admired it for several years and no one seems to know what it is. A: You have a clerodendron, Clerodendron bungei to be exact. There are actually two species of clerodendron

Pea and Bean – Difference

Q: What is the difference between a pea and a bean? A: I posed your question to Dr. Wayne McLaurin, my Extension service vegetable guru. After a few seconds of thought, he replied, "There IS no difference

Tree Spikes – Good or Bad

Q: I work for a tree maintenance company. Recently, we worked in a landscape a few weeks after the homeowner had had a television receiver installed up in one of his pine trees. The installer had evidently used s

Watermelons – Ripe When?

Q: This is the first year I have grown watermelons. They are taking over my garden! When is the right time to harvest them? The largest melon is the size of a basketball. A: I have a gourd vine right now that see

Pruning Trees in Fall

Q: We have several limbs on big oak and pine trees that need to be cut off. My husband says it should't be done until the sap is out of the limbs in December. I think it needs to be done sooner. What is you

Collards – Aphids

Q: I have a beautiful crop of collards, but cannot control the lice on them, what can I do. I have tried spraying with permethrin (Pounce) but it doesn't seem to help. A: Turnip aphids and green peach aphid

Philodendron – Flowering

Q: We have a split leaf philodendron with what appears to be a blossom. We cut it back about 8 years ago. The leaves were split when we acquired the original plant it but over time, the split disappeared. The pl

Tree Tomatoes

Q: In the paper, there was an ad for "Tree Tomatoes". It claimed you can get 60lbs. of tomatoes from one single plant! Have you ever heard of these? Could you please shed some light on this before I