Tomato Aphid Control: From Hand-Picking to Chemicals

Aphids on tomatoes. Options by infestation level: Low Numbers / Small Plants Squish by hand. Strong water spray (target leaf undersides). High Numbers / Large Plants Chemical control needed. Coat upper and lower leaf

Holly Sooty Mold: Insect or Fungus? Two Treatment Paths

Three robust holly trees in full bloom; leaves covered in adherent black soot. New leaves emerging. Test: Sticky Leaves? Yes (sticky/honeydew): Sucking insects (aphids/scale). Spray Orthene (acephate) into foliage. If

Pin Oak Borers and Planting Depth Issues

2-year-old pin oak (4 trunk, 15): late bud break, small leaves. Tiny insect borer holes with sawdust trail on trunk. Immediate: Borer Spray Spray with borer insecticide (Fertilome recommended) from garden center. Under

Grape Vine Transplant Shock: Bronze Leaves After Moving Outdoors

Three seedless grape vines grown indoors, transplanted to same soil in western NC after frost. Now bronze-brown leaves, appearing to die. Diagnosis: Transplant Shock Common when moving from protected indoor to outdoor c

Young Tree Missing Leaves on One Side: Replace or Rehab?

Young tree (unknown species) missing leaves on certain branches; canopy lopsided. Photos show sparse top, cracks. Expert Opinion Likely oak. Major injury (disease, breakage, insects) consumed top canopy—wont regrow. Pru

Conifer Brown Patches: Prune and Investigate

Row of conifers at back: some brown patches. Two at front: almost all brown. After bad winter. Immediate Action Prune brown areas on backyard trees: cut 4–5 inches into green wood. Dispose of prunings. Prune on dry day,

Blue Spruce Cytospora Canker: Diagnosis and Management

20-year-old Blue Spruce (N. Ohio): 20% branches dead on one side after hot dry summer. Photos show dead vs. healthy sides, closeup of small branches near trunk. Diagnosis: Cytospora Canker 15 years most susceptible. Sy

New Guinea Impatiens ID and Care: Tropical Balcony Success

Plant ID request with photo. Expert 99.5% sure: New Guinea Impatiens. Large, brilliant blooms (red, fuchsia, orange, white, lavender), long bloom season. Care Guidelines Shade tolerant (like regular impatiens). Feed we

Robellini Palm Trunk Fungus After Freeze Damage

Robellini palm (one of trio; two died from freeze). Surviving trunk has irregular white/green spots. Fronds look fine. Diagnosis Fungal growth on freeze-stressed trunk. Treatment Try Atomic Grow (organic)—reported mira

Flowering Plum Defoliation: Japanese Beetle Feeding

Plum tree bloomed well, now leaves being eaten away; no bugs seen. Photo shows leaf damage. Diagnosis: Japanese Beetles Beetles feed at night/early morning/dusk—often absent midday. Caterpillars would be visible. Damage

Weeping Willow Scraggly Canopy: Diagnostic Checklist

12-year-old, 35-ft weeping willow: mix of brown bare branches and fresh green foliage. Looks thin, not full. Remote Diagnosis Impossible—Local Expert Needed Options: Certified arborist assessment. County Extension hous

White Sticky Mounds on Shrubs: Mealybugs, Spittlebugs, or Fungal Sclerotia?

Potted shrubs have dense, creamy white sticky mounds expanding when disturbed. Each has a flat, brown, round, immobile insect-like object (lentil-sized). At base and occasionally higher. Differential Diagnosis Mealybug

Mature Maple Tar Spot: Management and Fertilization

25-year-old maple: black spots last year, leaves fell. Trunk has light green coating. Specialist injected fertilizer/antibiotics. This spring leaves good, then big black spots returned. Disease: Tar Spot (Rhytisma spp.)

Invasive Mint Control: No Allelopathic Plant Exists

Gardener seeks a plant allelopathic to mint to outcompete garden takeover. Reality Check Mint is an ultimate invader—crowds out everything. No plant will displace established mint. Real Solutions Herbicide: Spot-spray

Maple 'October Glory' Leaf Spots: Phyllosticta Fungus

Newly planted October Glory maple develops round brown spots after heavy rain. Diagnosis Phyllosticta leaf spot (Phyllosticta minima). Common on Amur, Japanese, red, silver maples. Spots: circular, tan with purple-red b

China Girl Holly: Aphids, Sooty Mold, and Fly Attraction

Holly bushes had flies last year (treated with Sevin). Leaves turned black. Now white spots (¼ inch) on back of black leaves. Diagnosis Aphids produce honeydew → attracts flies → sooty mold grows on honeydew (black leav

New Dogwood Dead Branch, White Fuzz: Pest/Disease Complex

Newly planted white flowering dogwood: one whole branch dead at 6 weeks. Curled leaf with white sticky fuzz underneath (caterpillar nest?). Dead branch base has tiny whitish spot (gall?). Dark brown bark variety. Expert

Dracaena 'Massangeana' White Substance: Mealybugs or Fungus?

Rescued dracaena has white moldy substance on leaves and leaf-stem junctions. Question: mold or spider mites? Likely Culprits Mealybugs (white, cottony) + secondary fungus. Watering clues: Yellow leaves = too dry; blac

Heliconia 'Lady Di' Transplant Shock: Fertilizer and Sun Mistakes

New heliconia divided into two pots, fertilized immediately (potting soil already had fertilizer), repotted next day into plain soil. In Hawaii, full sun. Leaves curling, yellowing. Errors and Corrections Never fertili

Apple Tree Decline: Fewer Blossoms, Wilted Leaves

Two apple trees (sweet and tart). Sweet tree declining: fewer apples 3 years, very few blossoms this spring. No fertilizer used. Pruned both with same tools (unsterilized). Sweet tree leaves wilt mid-summer. Investigati