Squirrel Damage to Maple: Girdling Threatens Survival

Q: Maple bark shredded off in 8 hours. Cause and remedy? A: Squirrels—young ones seeking sweet sap. Tree may not survive if girdled. Trim loose bark with razor knife, spray wound with garden insecticide occasionally. Don

Lady Beetle Pupae: Beneficial Insects to Protect

Q: Orange pods and black/orange bugs on Rose of Sharon. What are they? A: Pods are lady beetle pupae; the alligator-like larvae made them. These are garden allies—keep them!

Knock Out Roses Turning Pink: Sport or Stress?

Q: Three-year-old red Knock Out roses now blooming pink. Cause and fix? Rose expert Ryan Tilley explains: Possibility 1: Genetic sport—spontaneous DNA change in a cane. Can create new varieties (e.g., Touch of Class spor

Low-Maintenance Plants for Cemetery Headstones

Q: Good plants for a 3.5 x 16 sunny cemetery plot with no water? A: Tough perennials by height: 24: daylily, Phenomenal lavender, Hamelin fountain grass, yucca Color Guard, yarrow. 18: artemisia, dusty miller, Elijah Blu

Edible Flowers for Wedding Cakes: Resources

Q: Where to learn about edible flowers for a wedding cake? A: Colorado Extension has a good resource: Edible Flowers. Also see Outdoor Edibles for wild edible plants. pansy flowers are eminently edible

Podocarpus Fruit: Edible but Marginally Hardy

Q: Found dark purplish-black spongy pods with green grape-like ends. What are they? A: Podocarpus fruit (identified by Shannon Pable). Shrub isnt reliably hardy in suburbs but grows large in city. Fruit said to be edible

Organic Herbicidal Soap for Poison Ivy: Pet-Safe

Q: Weed killer for poison ivy that wont harm my dog? A: Commercial herbicidal soap burned poison ivy to ground in one day. Several organic weed killers exist, mostly online. My list at Organic Weed Killers. chickweed aft

Red-Necked Cane Borer in Thornless Blackberries

Q: Blackberry died suddenly; larvae found in cane. Identification? A: Red-necked cane borer. Larvae cause stem swelling ~1 foot above ground. Scout in winter for knots; remove and destroy infected canes. Red-necked Cane

Ash Flower Gall: Unsightly but Harmless

Q: White ash has green cauliflower-like growths where seeds should be, with worms inside. A: Ash flower gall—caused by eriophyid mites distorting male flowers. Sometimes leaves distort too. Galls dont harm the tree. Simp

Motion-Activated Sprinklers to Deter Cats from Flower Beds

Q: How to keep neighborhood cats out of raised beds? A: Motion-activated sprinklers work well. Look for Contech Scarecrow or Havahart Spray Away. The sudden water blast deters cats effectively.

Baking Soda for Tomato Fungal Diseases: Mixed Results

Q: Does baking soda spray prevent tomato fungal diseases? A: Research on bicarbonates is mixed—some positive, some not. For experimentation, use commercial products like Armicarb, Kaligreen, or Remedy (formulated for pla

Cedar-Hawthorn Rust on Serviceberry (Amelanchier)

Q: Orange horns on my amelanchier fruit. What is this? A: Cedar-hawthorn rust. Spores alternate between juniper/cedar and hawthorn/amelanchier. Nearby junipers have swollen orange twigs in spring (spore stage). Remove an

Ovulina Petal Blight on Azaleas: Identification and Cycle

Q: Old azaleas develop white spots on flowers in late spring. What is it? A: Ovulina petal blight—severe in warm, moist conditions. Affected flowers turn brown and cling longer. Fallen flowers carry spores that survive u

Organic Control of Cabbage Worms (Loopers) on Collards

Q: Caterpillars destroyed my collards in two days. Organic solution? A: Cabbage worms (loopers) are the #1 pest of cabbage, collards, kale. They defoliate quickly. Best organic control: Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.)—a na

Identifying Heirloom Tomato Varieties

Q: Can I identify a family heirloom tomato variety? A: Rutgers University has an excellent identification website: Tomato Variety Descriptions.

Beetles in Magnolia Flowers: Ancient Pollinators

Q: Beetles gather in magnolia blossoms. Are they harmful? A: Magnolias evolved before bees/butterflies—their flowers attract beetles. Beetles eat pollen, inadvertently pollinating. Many beetle species visit; all are bene

Sassafras Near Foundation: Not an Invasive Root Threat

Q: Is sassafras root system invasive near a house foundation? A: No. Sassafras forms a mat-like root system, not large swelling roots that crack concrete. In New Yorks High Line park, sassafras trees are planted along wa

Cutting Tree Roots for Drainage: Risk of Decline

Q: I need to cut 2-inch roots for a dry creek bed. Will it hurt the trees? A: My sweetgum declined after similar root cutting. Consult a certified arborist (www.georgiaarborist.org) before proceeding. Root damage can lea

Planting Crapemyrtle in Wood Chip Piles: Nitrogen Management

Q: Can I plant a crapemyrtle in a pile of pine chips instead of removing them? A: The tree will suffer for years. Decomposing chips tie up nitrogen, yellowing the plant. Remove as many chips as possible, then fertilize w

Glowing Plants: From Foxfire to Genetic Engineering

Q: Are there plants with natural fluorescent or phosphorescent properties? A: Hunters know foxfire—glowing stumps from decay fungi. Hawaiis blue waves come from phytoplankton. Cave fungi glow. Quinine-watered plants fluo