Weekly Garden Q&A
A resource from Ellen Nibali and Jon Traunfeld of the University of Maryland Extension. For free answers and info about gardens and pest control, call The Home & Garden Information Center hotline at 800-342-2507 or visit www.hgic.umd.edu.
June 10, 2010
How to prune shade trees and lilacs
Question: On my young shade tree, two branches suddenly zoomed up that are taller than the rest. Should I cut them back to the same height as the others?
May 20, 2010
Can a tree be grown from a peach pit?
Question: A peach tree is coming up in our compost pile. Can we make apple and cherry trees this way, too? We want to start an orchard.
May 20, 2010
Is this katy-did insect a garden don't?
Question: We found flat greenish overlapping scales on a twig. They almost look like oval fish scales. Is this a "scale" insect or eggs some pest insect that we should destroy? (A digital photo was attached using the Send-a-Question feature on the HGIC website.)
May 13, 2010
How can I safely kill invasive weeds near water?
Question: What can I use to kill invasive weeds along my stream? I hear that the most common weed killer also kills aquatic life.
May 6, 2010
Getting rid of garlic mustard and grubs
Question: Last year a wild flower appeared in my yard with little white flowers and was about 2 feet tall. Well, this year itÂs coming up all over the place! What is it and do I need to be worried?
April 22, 2010
What causes half of a tree to die?
Question: Why would half of a tree not leaf out? Mine is perfectly green on one side, brown on the other. Oh, and the bark on that side is falling off.
April 8, 2010
Should I get rid of ants in my yard?
Question: I saw an ad that said I should get rid of "wood" ants in my yard. What does the University recommend about outside ants?
April 8, 2010
How long do I have to use compost once it's "finished"?
Question: Does it hurt compost to leave it for a long time after it is done decomposing?
April 1, 2010
What are some tips to prevent trees from tipping over?
Question:I have to replace a tree that keeled over in the snow and wind. Any tips to keep that from happening to the next tree I plant?
April 1, 2010
Can corn and bean plants be started inside?
Question: Can corn and bean plants be started inside? Is it too late to start tomatoes indoors? What if I plant their seeds directly into the ground?
March 25, 2010
Is there a trick to pruning shrubs?
Question: What's the trick to making pruned shrubs look good? Mine look hacked up and then don't grow the way I want.
March 25, 2010
Is it a good idea to order plants from a catalog or Web site?
Question: Is ordering plants from catalogs or the Internet a good idea?
March 18, 2010
What are your tips for clearing ground?
Question:We will be clearing a lot of ground this spring. Do you have information on that?
March 18, 2010
Can I save snow-damaged plants and trees?
Question:Snow has caused chaos in my yard. Some tree and shrub branches are broken, some branches are flat on the ground. Can these plants be saved?
March 11, 2010
Does it matter what kind of light bulb I use to warm my seedlings?
Question: I'm starting vegetable seeds indoors and confused about fluorescent light bulbs. I have regular cool white 40-watt fluorescent bulbs and also a "plant/aquarium" 40-watt tube that gives off a purple glow. Does it matter?
March 11, 2010
How did these tunnels get in my yard?
Question: I found weird tunnels in my lawn under the snow. These tunnels have no tops! I think theyÂre too small for a mole. What would make half-tunnels?
March 4, 2010
Does UMD Extension offer help with garden questions online?
Question: My computer savvy grandson wants to start growing vegetables and other things. I love your phone service, but can UMD's Extension service help him through his computer?
February 25, 2010
Should I knock the snow off my plants and trees?
Question: When branches are covered with snow should I knock it off? My shrubs were bent down to the ground.
February 25, 2010
How can I revive a wilting gardenia?
Question: My mom's thriving gardenia started wilting, though the leaves are still green. It sits on a window sill. I'm sure it's getting winter drafts. Would the floor be warmer?
February 18, 2010
How do I get rid of the Bermuda grass in my lawn?
Question:My lawn has wide dips that hold water when it rains. I canÂt afford to have my lawn regraded. Do I need to address this?
February 11, 2010
How to take care of potted primroses?
Question: I bought a number of potted primroses to use as table centerpieces. On two, the flowers have already turned brown. How can I keep the others happy until party time?
February 4, 2010
How can I create a place for moss to grow?
Question:In my very shady back yard, grass is very difficult to grow - tall trees, compacted soil, and slight slope. Since moss seems 'determined' to grow, how about accepting it, nurturing it, instead of grass? I realize the deeper roots of grass would be better to hold soil, but moss is better than bare ground, right?
February 4, 2010
How do I go about testing my soil?
Question: Please send me a soil test kit. I want to test my vegetable garden and lawn. Do I need two kits? Are they complicated? I want to get this done right away, but I've never done it before.
January 28, 2010
How do I dispose of insect larvae?
Question:As a gift, I was given a beautiful framed exotic butterfly. After I placed it on a sunny window sill, I was horrified to see white worms crawling around inside the frame! I've heard of invasive insects. Should I throw it out in a garbage bag or what?
January 21, 2010
How can I repair split in trunk of maple tree?
Question: The big snow split our old weeping Japanese maple (3-feet by 4-feet wide). The trunk cracked apart vertically about 2 inches wide and way down the middle. Should we tie it loosely around the stem so that it will not split any more? Should we allow the wound to heal by itself without any spray or dressing? Structurally, it does not seem that the split will make any difference.
January 21, 2010
How can I keep my holiday poinsettias going?
Question: The holidays are over but my poinsettias aren't. Do I have to throw them out?
January 14, 2010
What are these spider webs in my citrus trees?
Question:When I brought my dwarf citrus trees indoors for the winter, the leaf color changed. Now they are spotty and have little red dots, plus something like spider webs. How can I treat the problem?
January 14, 2010
How can I get rid of striped crickets in my basement?
Question: How can I get rid of striped crickets in my basement? I've heard them called camel back crickets, spider crickets, and sprickets. Are these the same? Is it true they eat clothing? Do they bite or sting?
January 7, 2010
What is the proper spacing for trees?
Question:I have 160 arborvitae trees lining my property that were planted by the previous owners about 2 to 2.5 feet apart. Ten have died. A tree company said they were planted too close together and I should remove every other tree. I'm not sure I want to do that!
January 7, 2010
What would cause indoor plant to smell like ammonia?
Question: I have a 7-foot Dracena marginata in my living room. Recently I noticed an ammonia scent coming from the soil. It's sporadic but smelly. Any thoughts?
December 24, 2009
Can the sap in poinsettias cause allergic reaction?
Question:I was told today that the latex sap in Poinsettias can cause a severe allergic reaction. Is that true?
December 17, 2009
How do I overwinter strawberries?
Question: Do I need to overwinter strawberries some special way? This summer we pruned them back and rerouted the runners back into the beds. What do we do next?
December 17, 2009
Will a Christmas tree attract stinkbugs?
Question:I hesitate to put up a Christmas tree this year, despite having three-year-old twins who would love to have one, due to my concern about stinkbugs living in it. This fall/winter, my house was infested with stinkbugs. I am not knowledgeable enough to determine which pesticide is environmentally safe to use in the house. What extermination company knows how to get rid of this bug in order to save Christmas?
December 10, 2009
Should I remove roots of orchid growing outside pot?
Question:The roots of my orchid are growing way out of the pot. Should I cut them off?
December 10, 2009
Is it a mouse or a rat?
Question: How can I tell if the little furry animal I found in the basement is a baby mouse or a rat?
December 3, 2009
How can I keep a kitten away from houseplants?
Question: How do you keep a kitten from digging in houseplants? Would pine cones harm the kitten?
December 3, 2009
What's a good book for new gardeners?
Question: Some family members jumped whole hog into gardening this year  vegetables, flowers, you name it. IÂd like to get each of them a gardening book that is comprehensive but easy for beginners. Can you recommend one?
November 19, 2009
How late can I plant?
Question:These end-of- season plant sales look great, but I'm worried about timing. How late can I plant?
November 6, 2009
Is it too late to put down sod?
Question:Is it too late to put down sod? I know that mid-October is the cut-off for planting grass seed, but I have bare soil that is eroding and I need to do something. Will sod work now?
November 6, 2009
Is mulch causing artillery fungus?
Question: Where can I test mulch for artillery fungus? Even power washing isnÂt getting their black dots off my siding, and I never had this problem before we bought this mulch!
October 29, 2009
Can I used shredded leaves as mulch?
Question: Did shredded oak leaves make my lawn acidic? I use a mulching mower on leaves, but this year I had to apply lime on my lawn to raise pH because it had become so acidic. Can I only put oak leaves on acid-loving plants like azaleas? Aren't pine needles acidic, too?
October 29, 2009
How can I make sure my fruit trees survive winter?
Question: What's the best way to insure my fruit trees survive this winter? I planted 12 this spring. They're doing great so far.
October 22, 2009
How can I keep Daddy Longlegs out of my home?
Question: Suddenly I see spiders in my house, especially Daddy longlegs. This happens every fall. How do I stop them?
October 22, 2009
How do I know sweet potatoes are ready to harvest?
Question: I am ready to harvest my sweet potatoes, but when I dug I didn't hit upon any. How deep should I dig? Do I cut off the vines before I search dig?
October 15, 2009
How can I maintain a potted hibiscus indoors in winter?
Question: Potted hibiscus thrive on my sunny deck in summer, then lose leaves and get infested with tiny white bugs when indoors for the winter - even in a sunny spot. They recover each summer, but how can I help them thrive through the winter?
October 15, 2009
How can I ripen late-season green tomatoes?
Question: How do I ripen green tomatoes taken off the vine at the end of the growing season?
October 1, 2009
Should I cover tree roots that are at surface level?
Question: Huge roots stick up above the lawn under my tree. I want to fill soil between the roots and lay sod on top. Is this a good idea?
September 23, 2009
Did a fungus kill my tree?
Question: Our tree died this summer. The branches have holes in the trunk and orange and white growths. Which of these killed it? How can I stop it from killing my other trees?
September 23, 2009
What is this long worm and is it harmful?
Question: We're police officers but we didn't touch the pile of long worms we found in our parking lot yesterday. Today a 12-inch one is left. We're sending you a digital photo through your website. What is it?
September 10, 2009
What are these webs in my trees?
Question:Tent caterpillars have built big webs all over my old hickory trees. How can I save my beautiful trees?
September 10, 2009
What is this yellow-green grass overrunning my lawn?
Question: I've never seen this grass that's overrunning my lawn. It grows faster than regular grass and hasn't much root. It's a little more yellow-green, and the blade is shorter and wider. Help! Now it's in my flowers and shrubs.
12:22 AM EDT, September 3, 2009
How do I get rid of a nest of yellow jackets?
Question: I have a nest of yellow jackets in the ground by my front steps. Being a nature-lover, I let them be until I had a nasty run-in with one last week. Are they valuable as pollinators? Do they have any redeeming qualities? If not, how can I best get rid of them? It is impossible to avoid this area.
12:25 AM EDT, September 3, 2009
How can I tell if a tree is invasive?
Question: An invasive Tree of Heaven might be coming up our yard. How can I tell whether it is the invasive or a good tree with similar compound leaves like a walnut or sumac?
August 27, 2009
Can I eat the tomatoes from plants that have blight?
Question:I think my tomato plants are dying of late blight, the big problem disease this year. Can I eat the tomatoes that are on the plants?
August 27, 2009
How can I evict my garden groundhog?
Question: The groundhog living in our retaining wall is eating our vegetables. We built a fence, but he climbed it! How can we get him to move?
August 13, 2009
Why are my crape myrtle leaves turning brown?
Question: My super-dependable crape myrtle looks terrible. Leaves are yellow or browning and they have black rusty stuff on them. Will it die?
August 13, 2009
Are my squash plants male or female?
Question: My squash plants have flowers but no squash. Mostly the flowers are males. Are they duds?
August 6, 2009
What is that rotten spot on my tomatoes?
Question: My tomatoes have a big rotten spot on the bottom that is ruining all of them. The rest of the plant looks healthy. How do I stop this disease? I'm so upset.
August 6, 2009
How can I tell the difference between a corn snake and a copperhead snake?
Question: I feel terrible! I killed a harmless little snake which looked like a copperhead. It was a native red corn snake, which I now know is rare because people always kill it. Is there a way to tell a good snake from a poisonous one?
July 30, 2009
Why won't my vegetable plants grow?
Question: We filled our new raised vegetable beds with good stuff: humus, peat moss and vermiculite, but our plants are puny! What's wrong?
July 23, 2009
Does termite swarm signal a problem?
Question: We get a termite swarm from my patio every year. I'm afraid of the cost to treat it, but it scares me to death. What can I do?
July 16, 2009
Why are purple kites popping up in trees?
Question: Why are purple kites in trees near my home? Do I need one?
July 9, 2009
Grow honeysuckle or clematis to hide a fence
Question: My peppers have rough grayish areas near the stem. What causes that and what can I do?
July 2, 2009
Bird mites can bite people
Question: Are bedbugs biting me? These tiny black bugs have 8 legs. I see them in my bedroom but also other rooms, mainly upstairs - and not just at night.
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