Posts Tagged ‘Spring’
Magnolia – Algal Leaf Spot
Q: We have a number of magnolia trees in our yard. On some of them the leaves are heavily infested with circular brown spots, about a quarter of an inch in diameter. Any thoughts? A: It’s probably algal leaf spot....
Smoke Bush – Pruning to Shrub Form
Q: I planted a smoke bush seedling last spring. It was about 18″ tall. It now has 1 tall shoot approximately 10 feet tall. That’s the only part that seems to be growing-straight up. Do I need to prune it?...
Vegetables – Growing in Containers
Q: With so many people now moving into town homes, high rises, condos, etc., more of us need a LOT of info about growing vegetables in containers. Also, I really want my veggies to be grown as close to organically...
Pesticides – Stored Near Food
Q: Can pesticides be stored near food? A: Pesticide expert Dr. Paul Guillebeau recently saw something that gave him pause. “I took this picture at my local grocery store just to make our less intelligent readers feel better about themselves....
Yellow Jackets – Attracted to White Clover
Q: Are yellow jackets attracted to white clover? I’m thinking about mixing white clover seed with grass seed when I reseed my lawn this spring. If this will attract yellow jackets I may rethink my plan. A: My observation is...
Obscure Scale – On Oak
Q: We have planted several trees to try to make a natural area at the rear of our property. One of the trees is a pin oak and it seems to have some kind of bug or fungus growing on...
Chickweed – Identification
Q: Recently, a pretty little groundcover has sprung up among my bulbs and I can’t identify it. It’s low-growing (about 3-4″ at its highest), with spade-shaped leaves about 1/2″ long and tiny white flowers about 1/8″ in diameter. It seems...
Mockorange (English Dogwood)
Q: I have a bush in my yard that produces dogwood-tree type flowers in the spring. The elderly lady who propagated it years ago told me that it is an English dogwood. I’d like to know about pruning and fertilizing,...
Peach – Pruning
Q: What does the open center system of pruning consist of? We have a peach tree that is 3-7 years old and need to know how to best prune it. A: The “open center” method of pruning a peach tree...
Holly – Male vs Female Flowers
Q: I have three ‘Sparkleberry’ hollies that I planted about a year ago. They were leafless when I bought them. The foliage this past season was wimpish at best and no berries formed. I understand pollination is required to form...
Smilax – Soak in Herbicide
Q: I have an evil force at work under my yard. There is a network of sticker vines which grow along a seemingly endless root system. I went on a rampage several years ago and tried to dig up the...
Smilax – Identification
Q: What is this vine and how can I eliminate it from my yard? Or should I? Maybe it serves some useful purpose I don’t know about. It has miserable thorns and appears everywhere I want to be. They seem...
Boll Weevil – Damage to Cotton
Q: How do boll weevils damage cotton? A: They feed a bit on plant tips before the cotton blooms, but then feed on the young bolls after the plant begins blooming. Pretty quickly thereafter they begin laying eggs in the...
Pine – Pitch Canker Disease
Q: A giant oozing growth suddenly appeared on the side of my pine tree, about 5 feet off the ground. It’s a white bubbly thing, 6-8 inches across. Scary, scary stuff. A: You’re right – if I saw something like...
Liriope – Leaf Spots
Q: Our lirope is covered with reddish brown spots. We are about to cut it back. Should we treat it with something or will the new sprouts be healthy? A: Sounds like Liriope anthracnose (Colletotrichum). Mow it down to remove...
Blackberry Lily – Identification
Q: I have a beautiful orchid-like flower growing wild in my horse pasture. I’d love any info on when, where and how to move it so I can enjoy it without hiking to the back of my property to see...
Celosia – Identification
Q: Can you identify this plant? It’s growing in my neighbor’s yard, and I really would like more for my garden. The blooms feel a little fuzzy. I believe the two pictures are of the same variety of plant, but...
Birds – Nesting Material
Q: I have an outdoor bench with polyester cushions. Birds attacked the top of the cushion, apparently carrying away bits of the stuffing for nests. How do I protect new cushions from the same kind of attack? A: Try placing...
