Q....
Lilly Beetle, Lilly Bug.
Hi could you please send me information; my son has some lilies, which are being destroyed by a red bug what should he use to get rid of them?
John

Answer....
There are systemic sprays available, there are biological controls, and all are expensive, too expensive for the small gardener. Lilly beetles are tough and shrug off normal contact sprays.

Best way is to pick them off and squash them or drown them in soapy water, as often as possible. The adult lays her eggs on the lily leaf, then when the eggs hatch out, the small grub makes its way down to the ground below, eating all the time, and digs in for the winter. Frogs eat many of these grubs at ground level, but sufficient get through for next year, so once you are infested you have a problem.

There are reports of the beetle arriving with bulbs bought at shows, etc.

Q....
Late last summer, I purchased and planted a bottle brush tree outside near a little storage building which would give it a little protection from the north wind. It is now blooming with beautiful red flowers, but is dropping leaves. We have had to prune one dead branch.

I'm so afraid it will die and do not know what to do for it. There is no evidence of new growth. I live in Texas (just north of San Antonio). We have not had a hard winter this year. Could you give me some pointers? I love the look of this beautiful plant!

Answer....
Bottle Brush Trees like full sun, you may be too dark by your shed, feed with an acidic fertiliser, also give the plant a few spoonfuls of Epsom salts, this will correct any mineral deficiency and should promote new leaf growth. Bottle Brush Trees are from Australia and do not like much frost at all.

Q....
I just purchased a Meyer lemon tree and plan to keep it indoors for the winter and outdoors for the summer I have had it for two weeks and am noticing some of the leafs are spotted with yellow and are dropping what am I am doing wrong? I have a mini water tester am only water it when it reads dry?
Summer

Answer....
Your tree is suffering from the shock of being moved. You may have too little light, lemons like plenty of light. Temperature should be constant.

Q....
Good Afternoon. I am a brand new gardener and am planning on planting a small vegetable garden and also a couple of small rock gardens., with flowers, small shrubs etc. The small gardens line the side of my home. I am concerned about the quality of my soil. The soil that is in the small gardens comes from the driveway we have done work on.

How do I treat the soil in preparation for planting. I have been told a couple of different ways. To lime one day and the next fertilize or to mix the soil, lime &fertilizer. Could you give me some tips on the best way to approach this?
Thanks in advance, Christine

Answer....
Apply lime first, dig in or water in if no rain. Apply fertiliser about a week later. Never mix lime and fertiliser; you can get a chemical reaction. You can buy a readily available soil testing kit to test for acidity; your soil should be medium to alkaline. University outreach departments also test soil, for a fee.

Q....
Help! Do you know of any potting soil (preferably organic) that does not say, "Keep out of the reach of children"?
Thanks!

Answer....
This is all to do with product liability, you will find very few products on sale nowadays, in any sphere of activity, that don't warn you to keep them out of the reach of children. That way you make the decision.

Q....
I have a lilac bush in my yard that I planted about 5 or 6 years ago. I'm not very knowledgeable about bushes and I've never pruned it. It has gotten a little taller but only gets about 6 blooms on it and it is very leggy. It's not an attractive bush and my husband wants to get rid of it. I think it could be saved with pruning, but I'm not sure how to go about it. I don't know how much is too much. Could you give me any advice? Thank you.
Sincerely, Kim

Answer....
Lightly trim the bush to a neat shape cutting off any wayward branches and any that are likely to suffer wind damage. Now is the ideal time to prune lilac, strait after flowering. New growth will start from lower down the bush. Feed with a generous amount of garden lime.

Q....
BRAEBURN apples.
I have grown a now substantial apple tree from a pip. Although growing healthily it does not flower or fruit.
Help? BM

Answer....
BRAEBURN apples are a cultivar of another variety and are not a true strain. They are propagated by tissue culture, a more advanced form of taking cuttings. The seed you have sown could be anything from a crab apple to a braeburn. It should flower someday, but when is anyone's guess.

Q....
Hi,
Could you please help us with our Gardenia. Some of the buds drop off, others flowers come but go yellow then brown. I give it liquid feed every week and plenty of water, please what am I doing wrong. It is a Gardenia, Magnifica.
Thanking you, Dorothy

Answer....
Your soil is too alkaline, gardenia need an acid soil. Feed with an acid fertiliser, as used for heathers, water with rainwater not tap water, tap water is too alkaline.

Q....
After the blooming, can a lilac that is 8 feet tall be cut in half and moved to a new location in the same yard?
MaryLou

Answer....
You need to wait until Oct/Nov to cut down and move the bush. If you move now the roots will be unable to supply enough water for the plants needs. When in full leaf massive amounts of water are needed to replace evaporation loss. You can trim the bush now, but not too much.

Q....
Could you please inform me how tall the helianthus annus 'Autumn Beauty' will grow? Helianthus Annuus 'Autumn Beauty' can grow?

Answer....
From 4 ft to 6 ft according to soil fertility, water availability, sunlight, etc.
Valecroft

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Q....
Hi, I've not got a very populated garden but one plant that I have had for years is a beautiful shamrock with tiny pink flowers, its grown over the years to aprox 18" diameter taking pride of place on my rockery. However this year it isn't doing so well and underneath the leaves there is what appears to be what I would describe as yellow pollen? As this is actually killing off the leaves I take it its a disease of some sort.... Could you please advise me???????
Many thanks. Phil

Answer....
This could be rust, a fungus disease, spray with a systemic fungicide. Capable of killing rust.

Q....
I received a beautiful begonia plant for Mother's Day. I noticed today that the leaves have big white spots on them. Could this be a fungus or mold? I have not over watered it and I still have it inside my house in a southern exposure window. What is the cause of this and what should I do about it.
Thank you. Joyce

Answer....
It seems most likely that you have splashed water on to the leaves when the sun has been hot, and the water has boiled off, damaging the leaves as you describe.

Q....
I have recently had a bare rooted laurel hedge planted as a border in my back garden. I have kept it watered but some of them appear to be dying as they have gone brown. I have also fed them with organic poultry manure. Have you any tips or suggestions to help my hedge grow.
Many thanks

Answer....
Chicken manure is not a good idea for newly planted bushes, it is too acid and can burn roots and dries out rapidly. Cow manure, or horse manure, would be a better bet, spread some around the bushes to form a mulch in order to keep the ground damp. Garden peat would also do the job.

Q....
Hello,
I have a 3 feet high, 15 year old Amur Privet hedge growing along my front yard next to the sidewalk (Ottawa, Ontario). Last summer it did not thicken up to it's usual standard and now this year it has hardly any leaves at all and looks terrible. Does this mean it is dying or just in need of help? Can it be cut back to the base it this point? Thanks for your help. Joanne

Answer....
Privet can suffer from certain diseases after a certain age, but these diseases usually start with a few plants and then spread to the rest over a few years. If all the bushes were in distress it would suggest that the problem is a general food shortage, privet is a hungry plant. Some cow manure or horse manure spread around the plants now, should work wonders. Keep the manure damp to wash in the goodness. Garden peat could also be used if manure cannot be obtained. Also give an application of garden lime in early fall to sweeten the soil.

Q....
I hope that you can help me with this. I purchased Yellow Squash plants and they are producing green fruit. They looked somewhat like a bell pepper at first, now have a somewhat flat squashed bottom. Could these be Yellow Squash and will they eventually turn the given color (yellow)?
Thanks in advance

Answer....
Your squash will turn to the desired color at ripening time in late summer. The exact date varies according to variety, your geographical position and climatic conditions.

Q....
I planted two Niobe weeping willows last spring so they are a year old. One has developed foliage. It looked as if the other would also but all the green turned brow. Parts of the trunk are black. I wrapped the trees because we have a deer problem and there was evidence of gnawing and have purchased some netting, which I will install around the trees. But I'm not really sure what the problem is. What else can I do? Thank you. Gerry

Answer....
Your willow is very probably dead, it sounds as if the roots have rotted. But don't give up yet, it may re-root and shoot anew from low down so keep the deer away.

Q....
I am planting a small vegetable garden and wonder if there is a correct placement of vegetables to the others. I am planting, tomatoes (all w/a growing wire), cucumbers, onions, broccoli, hot peppers, red peppers, zucchini, leaf lettuce and radishes. Only a few plants of each.
Thanks for your help, Barbara

Answer....
It's a matter of planting to give sunlight to all your plants. Do not overshadow other plants with the tall tomatoes. Hot peppers red peppers like full sun, onions need a sunny position in order to ripen and dry out in late summer. Zucchini, leaf lettuce and radishes don't mind some shade. Broccoli needs plenty of space. It is important to watch out for snails at all times; snails love vegetables.

Q....
I have a 6-year-old passion vine in my back yard that seems to be suffering from premature flower drop. Last year it didn't have very many buds or blooms, this year it's covered in buds but I would say 98% of them are dropping off the vine before they have a chance to bloom. I am assuming that the vine must be low in some kind of nutrient. Have you any idea why they would cause this and what I can give them to help for next year??
Thank you. Heather

Answer....
Feed your plant with a mineral supplement (widely available at garden outlets). Also give a small amount of Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) this will unlock vital elements in the soil. Heather

Q....
Hi,
I wonder if you could advise me. I want to grow Japanese ivy to cover the front of the house; the problem is that the surface is tarmac, which I don't want to disturb. Would Japanese ivy grow well and reach a good height in containers and if so how large a container would I need and how far apart should the containers be placed?
Many thanks, Mandi

Answer....
Japanese ivy would grow in containers but it will soon root into and under the tarmac and destroy the surface.

Q....
Hi there
I was wondering if you may be able to help me, I have a stephanotis in my front room which is southwest facing, for a year it did nothing, in the last 4 months it has grown and grown and grown some more. I am so exciting and am patiently awaiting the flowers but a problem has risen and I do not know what to do.

Some of the leaves are now very limp and a couple are going yellow. Know this is only happening on new growth! I love this plant and don't know what to do; I have not changed the watering or moved it at all! Please help thanks Nikole

Answer....
Stephanotis should be protected from direct sunlight; too much sunlight could affect the new growth. Alternatively your problem could possibly be caused by a large temperature change between day and night.

Q....
I have just bought a new home, free of any landscaping. We planted Golden flame spirea, and gerbera daisies. They have holes in the leaves, after just about a month in the ground. There are other plants doing well in the bed, but the creeping phlox is also dying. We are in the St. Louis area, the weather has been beautiful, and we have watered regularly. Any ideas? I don't have any idea what is causing the holes in the leaves or the phlox to die.
Thanks!

Answer....
Your problem is almost certainly caused by a very small hard-shelled snail, which lives underground during the day and comes up to feed at night. Could be black could be off-white. Treat with slug pellets or search them out at night and squash them.

May     Glorious flowers of spring     ------------