Recent Q&As
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Q&A – What is this plant? -A: Paper Mulberry
Question:
I have this plant at my house in mid-town. My sister refers to it as a "Chinese paper tree" or "Kudzu tree". I would like to know what it really is. It is very prolific. I have never seen any flowers, it seems to propagate by runners and It is talking over my yard. How do I get rid of it? I am thinking that digging them up is the only solution. Answer: This is the paper mulberry, but it is not related to the mulberry. These trees were brought to the U.S. as a shade tree and escaped captivity. They are invasive. They reproduce by seed and rhizome. You can use a herbicide on it, but it will be useful to try to dig up as much of the roots you can. The roots store carbohydrates that will allow the plant to send up new shoots from the roots. Related Resources: Broussonetia papyrifera, Paper Mulberry Plant of the Week: Broussonetia papyrifera, Paper Mulberry Broussonetia papyrifera |
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Q&A – What should I do to help my yellowing watervine plant?
Question:
I have had a watervine plant for about seven months. It was happy and growing well. Now the leaves are turning yellow, but not wilting. Also, there is green mold growing in the bottom of the container. What should I do to help my yellowing watervine plant? Answer: The green mold in the water is algae or bacteria. TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond asks if the plant has enough light or nutrients. Water by its self does not provide enough nutrients to sustain a plant. Master Gardener Tom Mashour says he adds a weak solution of fertilizer to the bamboo he grows in water, and it is healthy. He recommends the same here. |
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Q&A – Is there an herbicide that kills weeds in monkey grass?
Question:
Is there an herbicide that kills weeds but not monkey grass? Answer: It all depends on what weeds you want to kill. If it is a grassy weed you can spray a grass killer like grass-be-gone, Fusilade, and Poast. If the weeds are broadleaf that creates more of a challenge. Monkey grass is in the lily family and is a broadleaf itself. Spraying a broad-leaf herbicide will kill the monkey grass. Image herbicide will kill some broadleaf weeds but not affect the monkey grass. You may just need to manually pull the weeds you can’t kill. Related Resources: Controlling Weeds in Liriope and Mondo Grass Beds Common Herbicides for Ornamental Weed Control |
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Q&A – What is wrong with this boxwood?
Question:
What’s going on with this boxwood? It’s on the front of my house and I have another one 6 feet away that looks fine. Answer: This is an unusual thing. TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond thinks this may be a result of dogs urinating on the plant. It could also be that it got sprayed by something, but maybe not a herbicide. It is not blight or dieback. It should come back just fine. Related Resources: Boxwood Boxwood Culture and Diseases |
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Q&A – What kind of plant is this? -A: Bur-cucumber
Question:
What type of plant is this? Found on the river bank and brought it home to see if it would grow. Looked like a cucumber plant at first. It vined up and looks pretty but isn't anything I have ever seen before. Answer: The Bur-cucumber has hairy leaves and stems. A cluster of flowers produces a bur-looking fruit. It likes full sun and fertile soil and grows wild in eastern North America. Related Resources: Bur Cucumber - Sicyos angulatus Burcucumber |
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Q&A – Does imidacloprid hurt bees?
Question:
Does imidacloprid hurt bees? Answer: The Bartlett Bee Whisperer David Glover says that it does hurt bees but not at bad as you might think. The imidacloprid makes the bees “drunk” and so they can’t find their way back to the hive. If they can’t get back to the hive, they can’t tell the other bees where they found nectar, so other bees don’t go to the same plant. On the other hand, bees that visit untreated plants successfully communicate where they went to the others. Related Resources: Neonicotinoid Insecticides and Honey Bees Study Finds Imidacloprid Safe for Honey Bees at Realistic Exposure Levels - Entomology Today Imidacloprid |
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Q&A – How do I control broccoli worms without harsh chemicals?
Question:
There is something eating the leaves of my broccoli. How do I control the pest without using hard chemicals? Answer: Your broccoli is likely being eaten by the imported cabbage worm or cabbage looper. Both can be controlled by Bt (Bacillus Thuringiensis), an organic pesticide that kills caterpillars. Related Videos: BT (Bacillus Thuringiensis) Related Resources: Cabbage Insects Caterpillars on cole crops |
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Q&A – What is the best herbicide to kill wild violet?
Question:
Wild violet is taking over our pastures and yard. What is the best herbicide to use to kill wild violet and not kill the grass? It is late October. Can we spray this late in the year? Answer: Wild violets are dormant during the hot summer months and reemerge in the fall. TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond recommends using a broadleaf herbicide like 2,4-D. While the violets are actively growing the in the fall is a good time. It will take multiple applications to eradicate them. Related Resources: Turf Tips: Wild Violet Wild violet |
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Q&A – What is the problem with my rose bush?
Question:
A growth is sucking the life out my knockout rose. The growth is deep plum in color. There are no thorns the stems are hollow, and it grows small funny shape roses, sometimes a whole different color. If I don't continuously cut off the growth it will kill my bush. Answer: This is rose rosette. It is not curable and the plant should be immediately dug up and disposed of in the trash. It should not be composted. Rose rosette is a virus transmitted by an eriophyid mite. The disease can be identified by elongated shoots and red coloration of the leaves. Sometimes the new growth has many closely-spaced thorns. There is no cure for the disease, but research is ongoing. Related Resources: Rose Rosette Disease Frequently Asked Question About Rose Rosette Virus |
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Q&A – What kind of spider is this?
Question:
Do you know what type of spider this is? I’ve never seen a spider this big. Answer: This is a black and yellow Argiope. It is an orb weaving spider. The orb has a zipper-like section (stabilimentum) that could be used for attracting male spiders. The webs can be very large. These spiders are a good sign the ecosystem around your garden is healthy. Related Resources: Black and Yellow Garden Spider Beneficials in the Garden: Black-and-Yellow Argiope Spider |