Q: Your answer on a lawn that suddenly appeared dead sounds like what many lawns in our area suffered through. We had army worms. One day the grass was green and the next day it was dead-looking. A: I tell people all the time that there are only three things that affect plants: insects, diseases,…
How to Get Rid of Fungus Gnats and Other Flowerpot Pests
Q: Last week you answered a question about removing fungus from houseplant pots before bringing them in for the winter. My plants always seem to have whole armies of crickets, pill bugs, ants, earwigs, or worms. How do I get rid of them? A: I am glad you asked, because I have an update to…
Move Houseplants in, Chipmunks Out
Question: Fall is coming, and I need to move my houseplants back indoors. I noticed that some have a fungal type of growth on the soil surface. Is this condition harmful? Answer: There are several types of fungi and algae that can grow on the soil surface in potted plants. I even found some rare…
Oak Wilt and Peach Tree Suckers
Q: I have an old oak tree. During the recent cicada invasion, this tree took a mighty hit from those insects. Numerous small branches began to fall. I assumed they were falling because of the cicadas having made slits in the branches to lay eggs. Then, later, the tree began to literally dry up. The…
Missing Flowers? Inspect for Insects.
Q: I read your column and want to add to your answer to the question of why the rose plant hasn’t bloomed again despite new branches. You mentioned that it could be the variety of rose or the lack of fertilizer. I also had this problem in New England and found that I had a…
Fairy Rings and Barn Spiders
Q: A circle of mushrooms suddenly appeared in my lawn, which has never happened before. The mushrooms are about six inches tall and almost orange in color. How do I get rid of them, and are they harming the grass? A: Your lawn has a fairy ring, also known as an elf ring or pixie…
How to Tell When Apples and Pears Are Ready to Harvest
Q: Our new house has a few apple and pear trees. They are older trees, but they don’t have a lot of fruit. How do we tell when they are ripe? Apples A: The first thing to know about apple trees is how many days it has been since the tree was in bloom. The…
Protecting Cypress Trees From Canker Diseases
Q: I lost all 12 of my Leyland cypress trees to seiridium canker. I was told by an arborist that the disease spread via the ground, and that there wasn’t anything I could have done to prevent it in the first place. He explained that once they were infected, there was nothing I could have…
Will Building a Treehouse Harm the Tree?
Q: Would it harm a tree if I built a simple treehouse in it? It would be nothing elaborate: a deck, three walls, and a roof. I was thinking of the nails that would have to be used to make firm steps for my grandchildren and for the support braces. A: A few nails or…
Rose Care: Commonly Asked Questions
Summer is rose time, so let’s answer some of your questions about roses. Q: My roses are dropping their leaves. They turn yellow and fall off. What can I do? A: Take a close look at the leaves. Are they just turning yellow, or do they have some black spots on the yellow leaves? If…
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