1. Two years ago I planted some Arp rosemary along with another upright variety. One Arp looks dead, and the other two are not far behind. The other variety is going gangbusters. Was there too much rain this spring for the Arp variety? Published: June 14, 2007
2. We are building a new community garden. To keep weeds from encroaching on the garden, what material would you recommend we place around the periphery of the chain link fence (to deter deer and varmints)? Also, we will be incorporating travel pathways within the garden. What material would you recommend for that function? Published: June 11, 2007
3. My gladiolus have completed their blooming. When do I take them up for drying so that I can replant them next spring? Is there a way for me to spread out the blooming period as long as possible? Published: May 31, 2007
4. Is there a contact herbicide that is legal and available for effective eradication of unwanted hackberry seedlings and offshoots sprouting from my neighbor's trumpet creeper? Published: May 31, 2007
5. What does the spp. at the end of a botanical name mean? Published: May 29, 2007
6. My petunia's blossoms are being eaten by something. Are birds or rabbits eating the blossoms? I have put eggshells around the plant as a repellent. Published: May 29, 2007
7. My daughter is doing a science fair project on paperwhite bulbs. Her project is about effect of water quality on flowering bulbs. What are the properties in water that a flowering bulb would like and dislike? Published: May 24, 2007
8. The lawn is dug up in areas leaving large but not deep holes, and the grass is dying. Could this be caused by skunks digging out grub worms for food? What can I do? Published: May 16, 2007
9. I have a pecan tree that is loaded with nuts. The squirrels are knocking them down just as they are beginning to open up, so I decided to peel them open. Now my hands are black, and I have tried everything I know to clean them with no success. Am I stuck like this? Published: May 14, 2007
10. Something is digging up and eating my tulip bulbs. Published: May 11, 2007
11. Are there any repellents that I can use that will be effective in keeping rabbits away? Published: May 11, 2007
12. Birds are starting to work on my peaches. Can the peaches be picked before they are ripe and ripened later? Published: May 11, 2007
13. How do you keep birds off plum trees? Published: May 11, 2007
14. A woodpecker keeps pecking on our chimney causing a drumming sound all through the house. Why is the bird doing this? Published: May 11, 2007
15. We have a critter who comes in the night, chews on our lilies, and departs leaving leaves on the ground and up a trellis (it can climb). Any suggestions on how to shoo it away? Published: May 11, 2007
16. I have this squirrel problem. They dig out all the soil from the pots, leaving the plants to die. What can I do? Published: May 11, 2007
17. Will raccoons raid a strawberry patch and consume the berries? Published: May 11, 2007
18. Squirrels are eating tops of gladiola plants about 1" above the dirt. What can I do to prevent this? Published: May 11, 2007
19. Are there any non-lethal methods that can be used to control moles? Published: May 11, 2007
20. Last year we had a lot of crows in our pecan trees and suffered a sizable loss of the crop. This year we used a recorded "Crow in Distress" dispersal call and shot several of them; the call also attracted a large hawk (helpful), and the crows don't seem to be the problem now. However, the blue jays are everywhere, and we have lost almost the entire crop! Do you have any information on this problem? Published: May 11, 2007
21. How do I stop the birds from pecking and eating my peaches? Netting is too expensive. I have four peach trees in my yard. Published: May 11, 2007
22. Is bougainvillea a deer-proof plant? Published: May 11, 2007
23. I have heard that mothballs will keep rabbits away. My question is whether it is safe to use them in my vegetable garden. Published: May 11, 2007
24. I have an elm tree that is dying from Dutch elm disease. I know that to control the spread of the disease, the tree should be removed, but dead trees (snags) make good habitat for wildlife. Would it be worthwhile to keep this dead tree but eliminate the beetles by de-barking or wrapping the tree in plastic? Published: May 11, 2007
25. Is it safe to use castor bean plants in a vegetable garden as a gopher deterrent? Published: May 11, 2007
26. My vegetable garden is well fenced so rabbits can't get in. Something has eaten the two new seed leaves of all my young plants (beans, pepper, tomato). I've seen squirrels climbing the 3-foot-high fence. Can it be squirrels or possibly birds? How can I prevent this? Published: May 11, 2007
27. Are there plans for building bluebird boxes? Published: May 11, 2007
28. If I apply an insecticide to my lawn, will it kill pets and wildlife? Published: May 11, 2007
29. This spring I noticed the old growth on my clematis vines had been sheared off near the base. Now the new growth is getting cut off as well. There are no noticeable insects and no eating of the leftovers. What's happening? Published: May 11, 2007
30. Are there bulbs besides daffodils and autumn crocuses that are not readily eaten by squirrels, chipmunks, and other "critters"? Published: May 11, 2007

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