Q. I have a problem weed. It is rubbery with teardrop-shaped leaves. I’ve noticed it will reroot itself when thrown on the ground. It is very hard to kill. In fact, I think it thrives on Round-Up. Can you help? — Teresa Allman, United REMC A. The green, rubbery leaves of purslane are one-half to 1.5 inches long on thick, reddish-green stems. It sometimes bears yellow flowers, and the seeds are borne in a small […]
Q. An insect is killing my schefflera. It gets white, fuzzy-looking places on it that feel soft, and you cannot see the insect that is working on it. Finally, it will kill the leaf if not removed. I wash the leaves from time to time with soap and water, and last time a little bleach. It works for a while. I even tried a fungus product and worked it in the soil after giving the plant […]
Q. Help! Something is boring holes in my silver maple tree. There are four holes at a time in a horizontal line. These holes are a little bigger than a pencil eraser and deep enough that the tree is oozing lots of sap. What could be doing this? Will my tree die? Do I need to plug the holes and with what? What can I do to prevent this from continuing? It has happened three times […]
Q. I have a weed in my garden that I can’t get rid of. It lies close to the ground and spreads. It has small green leaves that are thick and feel like rubber. Is there anything you can tell me to help me get rid of it? Thank you. – Sheila Denton, via e-mail A. It could be a number of weeds but sounds most like purslane. Purslane thrives in hot, dry weather. The […]
Q. We have a big problem with bagworms. Last year they destroyed two decorative pine trees in our landscaping and they love our plum trees also. I cannot begin to count how many of their cocoons are left in our landscaping. What can I put on my trees and other plants to keep them from making their home too close to mine? Also, what time of the year should I take care of this problem?- […]
Q. I bought five new rose bushes last spring and planted them in front of my front porch. The area had been well mulched, and the usual clay soil was greatly broken up several years ago when junipers were planted there. The junipers became diseased and died in many places, so we took them out. We thought we shouldn’t plant anything there right away, so we left the area undisturbed for a year. I planted […]
Q. I had a severe problem with black spot on my roses last season. What can I do, and what can I use to prevent it this year? –Ruth A. Beer, Syracuse, Ind. A. Black spot is a serious problem on roses in Indiana. Black, circular spots with fringed or uneven margins form on upper leaf surfaces in the spring and summer. Spots may also develop on canes and leaf petioles when the infection is […]
Q. Can you make some suggestions as to what I can plant in soggy soil? Since this part of my yard is the property line, I’m looking for some type of tree and/or tall shrubbery to create a privacy fence. – Joyce Haney A. If space is not an issue, you could consider clump river birch. You would be able to see through them in the winter, but the peeling bark would give nice winter […]