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tovaxin_lab_rat · 07-31-2008, 06:35 PM

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Originally Posted by WeaveHerr

Decided a garden walk would be more fun than writing out a to do list so off I went.

Is fall peony moving time also the best time to move hostas, ferns, lamb's ears, and artemesia? Do I cut back the lamb's ears when I divide/ relocate them?

Yes. Move them before you cut them back so you know where they are. Artemisia can be cut back anytime it gets too leggy.

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I have several holly bushes with major leaf drop. What caused the leaves to drop? They are large bushes and produce berries but look so sad with leaves at just the ends of the branches. Can I cut them back? If I do I'll be cutting off all the leaves. I have several varieties of hollies and think the problem ones are my Blue Prince and Blue Princess ones.

There are several reasons why they are losing their leaves. Scale, root rot, red spider mite, or too wet, or they are too close together and not getting enough air circulation.

Prune them. Put a white piece of paper under one of the branches and shake it. If the paper is covered with little tiny red dots, then you have red spider mites. If there is sticky "dew" on the branches, then you have scale. If the leaves look like they've been chewed on the edges, then you might have root rot or some other pest. Or if the leaves are yellowy and have holes in them, that can be blight or leaf miner. These are treatable with horticultural soap and cut down on the watering. Too much water.

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I also have some major leaf drop on my hybrid tea roses. The leaves get dark spots on them then turn yellow and fall off. What do I do with them next year?

Roses don't like to be watered overhead. Black spot. And they don't like to be watered during the heat of the day. That's what's causing the dark spots and the leaves to drop.

It could also be cane borer. Cut off one of the canes and see if it's hollow. If it is, then put a systemic insecticide around the base of the roses and water it in good.

It could also just be heat stress.

http://www.gardenguides.com/how-to/t...lowleaves1.asp

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Something is digging one inch holes in my south facing bed, putting mounds of dirt on top of my mulch.

Am I looking at several snake holes or something else? Snakes terrify me and I know they are around.

And if they were as afraid of me as I am of them I would never ever see one.

That same bed is also infested with a bug I wish I could identify and get rid of. It is about 2.5 -3 inches long, black or dark body with three yellow stripes across the back or maybe rings around its body, and reddish brown wings. It burrows into the ground (not the one inch holes) and tends to fly less than two feet off the ground. They do not bite or sting. At least they haven't yet and we've had them for years now. What are they and how do I get rid of them?

It could be a ladybug. There are yellow ones. But I don't know.

As for the other critter that's digging the one inch hole in your garden bed, could be a shrew. Go to your local nursery or garden center and ask for something to put down the hole to get ride of them.

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How can I get rid of Box Elder bugs?

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distrib...re/DG0998.html

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Okay I have more questions but your head is probably spinning from these so I'll wait. I need to do a bit of homework myself first anyway. Can't remember the plant names.

Take pictures of things and post them. That's just as easy than trying to remember plant names. If you see that yellow and black bug, take a picture of it. I have a huge book of bugs. I can take a look and see if it's in there.