ArcaMax

Q: With the drought conditions we experienced this summer, what should we do for watering this fall to help our plants make it through the winter? Especially for some new perennial flower beds we planted in the spring.

A: The answer for this fall is to not stop watering until the ground freezes. If your area doesn't freeze at all or only for a ...Read more

Q: I bought several beautiful tropical hibiscus plants in the spring. They are thriving. However, they were outside all summer, and they are now too tall for my kitchen garden window. I don't have room for plants that large, so I wonder if and how I can cut them back -- and will they still live and bloom?

A: Congratulations on growing your ...Read more

Q: How and when do I trim my butterfly bush?

A: There are several species of plants commonly called butterfly bush. The most common ones are in the Buddleia genus. The most common one is Buddleia davidii, and it is also sometimes called summer lilac.

It flowers on the ends of the new growth from midsummer until frost. In the northern states, ...Read more

Q: I saw an article online where you mentioned applying a thin layer of compost to the lawn each spring. I have used compost to mix with soil when planting perennials, and it has a very wet and almost claylike consistency. Perhaps this is because the compost is stored in bags that are piled on top of one another in a pallet.

I am wondering if ...Read more

Q: I hope you can give me some advice on my privet hedge. The hedge is about 25 years old and runs about 250 feet around my yard. It was very healthy last year but did not come back very well this spring. I had them cut back to 2 feet. I have always covered the base with leaves each fall. I have been watering them with Miracle-Gro each week, and...Read more

Q: I just finished reading your article on strawberry pots, and I have a few questions. This is my first year growing strawberries. I started with four plants in a 14-inch pot, pinched off all blossoms as they grew and grew more plants off the runners. I have a total of 18 plants. I built three of my own type of container box and transplanted ...Read more

Q: My red maple has lost a lot of leaves and seems to be growing pine cones. What could be the cause?

A: The "pine cones" are probably bagworms. They can be a serious pest. Bagworm caterpillars create protective bags from bits of leaves from the plant they are living on, so a maple, elm or linden bag will look different than a spruce, ...Read more

Q: We planted grapevines a couple of years ago, and they are growing some clusters of grapes. Unfortunately, birds are eating them. We tried a big net over the whole area, but the birds seem to find a way to get in anyway. Any suggestions on how to keep the birds out?

A: You are lucky to only have birds eating your grapes; raccoons, possums and...Read more

Q: My pumpkin and squash vines started to wilt. I investigated the plants and found a white grub inside the vine. Do you know what it is and how to prevent it next year? I think some of the vines are going to survive, so that is good news.

A: Good work on finding the larvae of the squash vine borer. There are four life cycle stages to the ...Read more

Q: We are living in an area that is having a drought. We were talking to a neighbor, and he said that he was thinking about upgrading his irrigation system to a smart system. I am not sure what a smart irrigation system does that our current system doesn't do. We watch the weather and the rainfall and adjust accordingly. We have many plants that...Read more

Q: When I was younger, we had a purple clematis that bloomed in May while I was still in school. The other day, I saw a clematis that was in full bloom at the end of June. It was pretty so I looked into clematis, and there are so many different groups and pruning methods that I am really confused. How can I get a spring and a summer blooming ...Read more

Q: Our crab apple tree is suddenly losing all of its leaves. Some are yellow, some are green and some have large brown spots on them. The lawn next to the tree is irrigated, so we think the tree is getting enough water. What else can we do?

A: It sounds like the tree has a fungal disease called apple scab. It is a common disease on older apples...Read more

Q: We were looking at our flowers the other evening and saw an amazing insect with huge pincers on its rear end. What is it, does it do any damage and how do we get rid of it, if it does?

A: An insect pest many people seem to have this summer is the earwig. They are 1-inch-long insects with pincers on the back end. They can pinch, but not too ...Read more